Reservation Number : 20356
Property Name : Rough Creek Lodge
Reservation Date : 02/21/2019 All Day -
Total Fish/Sizes : 7 to 8 lbs 5 oz
Lures Used : Worms

My 80-yr-old dad surprised me this week and we booked a quick trip to Rough Creek.  We met Tanner, the wildlife director there in the Beretta Room and signed in.  My dad and I don't get to fish often, and we launched in a very light breeze.  Our warmest point was when we launched.  The water temp for 49.1 degrees when we launched and warmed to a roasting 49.4 by day's end, so we knew we were looking for lethargic, deep bass.  

It was as slow as expected, but it's funny how often big bass come when the bites are few.  My dad hooked a fish in 20', slowly crawling a worm.  The fish didn't make a "mad dash" run.  In fact, it just pulled steadily, refusing to yield and come to the surface.  After awhile, my dad believed he had hooked a catfish or a big carp.  He just let the fish tire and finally brought him to he surface.  So as I netted and unhooked the fish, I thought this was a fitting punctuation to over 50 years of fishing together.  It was his second largest bass ever and, even bobbing on the whitecaps of Rough Creek, it made me thoughtful--this may be the last big fish I ever get to see him catch.

It made for a memorable day. . . and by 8:00 a.m. this morning he had two 5x7 glossies of that beauty to carry back to Louisiana to show to his "white perch" fisherman friends!