Nov 04 2019
Mark Daugherty
Keeper
Fished solo at Bluebonnet Ridge under cool, cloudless skies - outside temps from around 38 to 62, northerly winds about 7 to 10mph. Water temps about 49 in the small lake and 52 in the larger lake. This is a beautiful ranch and a great addition to the club. As has been mentioned, a regal entry with automated gate, easy access gravel roads. I spent the morning on the smaller lake - it is deeper and clear with submerged vegetation. I did well landing, 16 (including 3 hybrids, yes - hybrids from 2 to 3 1/2 lbs). The LMB were beautiful; perfect shape and color and healthy - 5 of the 13 landed were between 1-2 lbs, and 8 were between 2 1/2 and 4 lbs. Caught all on shad pattern hard jerkbait, shad pattern lipless, or shad patterned deep diving crank.
Had a shore lunch, completely unloaded the club boat and loaded the 4Runner and made it to the larger lake - the drive down (and more importantly up the hill on the pasture path was not a problem at all even after some mid-week rain). Loaded up the club boat at the larger lake and fished the afternoon. It was a much tougher go on the larger lake. This lake had a completely different character. Shallow and murky primarily - however, the surface vegetation has receded, so the whole thing was fishable and worth exploring. I only managed 3 fish on this lake - they were solid 2 1/2 to 3 lbs each on white/chartreuse spinnerbait and a shad patterned squarebill. With some winter rains to raise the water level over the "flats" and with the progress from the grass carp, look for a great outing in the spring.
Very thankful to the property owners and PWF staff for securing this - it sure makes for a nice escape from reality for the day and offers two completely different fisheries. Blessed!
P.S. A hybrid will inhale a bass lure and make extraction very difficult, and they strike with a vengeance - see this lipless with the brand new Owner O-ring completely ripped off of the front hook hanger.