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Stick Marsh & Farm 13
Capt. George Welcome
August 22, 2000
Stick Marsh-Farm 13 - Freshwater Fishing Report
Water Temperature: 80+
Water Clarity: 1 foot
The week of 8/13-19/2000 has been a bit of a tough one on the Marsh. Temperatures and storms required a stout heart, an absolute love of Bass fishing, and lots of liquid to stay as much of the day as was possible. The Bass are spread throughout the hydrilla of the SE end of the Marsh and fishing this area is restricted mostly to the old road beds and irrigation canals. Although quantity is down in a day's fishing, quality is definitely up there with most fish caught in the 2.5# - 6# caliber. Thursday I got together with Hugh Crumpler: (Hugh is a fellow guide and an outstanding fisherman. He works the Stick Marsh/Farm 13 and is an excellent choice as a guide. His trips are educational in nature and he is a firm believer in the share a learn philosophy.) We started early AM in the Stick Marsh in some areas that Hugh had previously found fish but the Bass were either no longer there or they just were not interested. Conditions were: Clear sky, no wind, mirror finish on the surface, and a pressure front hanging in our area. After covering the area with crank baits, rattle traps, and t-rigged baits we moved back to the Farm to work an old road bed, canal that I had found fish on. We scored with both chug bugs and soft jerk baits. The fish were good size, but it was a pick one here, one there situation. We then moved over towards the SW area and worked another area that had been holding some fish and again repeated the previous performance. We never did find a school of any size but the day was a great success as we fished and joked. That evening although quite tired from the heat and day's trip, Scott convinced me to go back out and we hit the Marsh about 6:30. Success was immediate as we found a large school balling shad on one of the N/S boat trails, (old canals). These fish were so excited that doubles occured frequently and you could watch 6-8 bass following on every retrieval. I remember saying to myself, "now if they will only stay put!" Friday arrived and I headed out at first light to the same spot. Not a fish was to be found anywhere in the area. Again we had no wind, glassy surface, and the same pressure system. Moving to the areas previously worked with Hugh we boated over the course of the day about 25-30 Bass to 7#'s. All fish were caught using a white/flecked soft shad. Saturday we started first light and I hoped for a break in the weather but it was not to be. Conditions were such that by 8:30 we were drenched and the sweat bees were having a holiday. After being stung 5-7 times we decided that it was time to leave the heavy hydrilla and look for other areas. By noon there was no break and we called it a day cutting the trip to only half day. Sunday I didn't get started until 8 AM and we began in the Stick Marsh in some grassy areas that I had found but no success. Moving to the Farm we had limited success with a repeat of weather patterns. However, as persistence will do, a cast of a Carolina rigged watermelon lizzard produced a Bass that was 30" X 17 girth. The pickup was immediate and this fish gave no indication of being big. I set the hook and cranked as fast as I could as he came directly at the boat. About 15 feet from the boat he got air and the excitement reached a new level as this was definitely a picture fish. After boating the fish we quickly got the photo, the measurement, and then put it back for someone else. Although the fight was short, and we were quick with what we needed to do, we still needed to help this fish to full revival. With the high heat, all care that can be given is needed to ensure a fish of this size has the opportunity to survive. We quit at about 12:30 as the heat again was just too much to make it fun. Baits throughout the week were soft jerk baits, chug bugs, Carolina rigs, and shallow crank baits. Within the next week the fish should be north of the intersections and schooling up again. See you out there.
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