Chasin Bass in Harbuck Heaven

 

 This past week I got the opportunity to chase some green gold with one of the Bayou Pirates Kayak Fishing Club members, Adam Harbuck, in his home waters around the Shreveport/Bossier, La area. 
I was excited about the trip for several reason, 1st I was getting to fish freshwater(always a welcomed change for me), 2nd I was getting to explore some waters that I had never been too, and 3rd we were going to be fishing an oxbow lake that was developed off of the Red River.  I have fished plenty of lakes, marshes, and bays in my life, but fishing an oxbow full of flooded timber, stumps, and never ending grass beds was going to be a first for me.
It didn't take long for me to fall in love, as we crossed over the levee I could see the lake, and it was riddled with cypress trees throughout.  All that was running through my mind was jig and pig and black & blue worms.
Adam was rigged with his infamous spinner bait that I have heard so much about from other Bayou Pirates known to fish with Adam, but against the odds and against local knowledge, I chose to run with the lures that have yielded me larger fish in the past. After all, I was on this trip in hopes of pictures with a double digit largemouth, no way was I gonna throw a spinner.
Well, almost an hour in and only two fish landed, both on a jig & craw, Adam and I crossed paths.  I was fishing the deeper cypress tree riddled bank that was covered in the shade, and Adam was working his way back to where we originally launched.  I was a little confused as to his tactics, but when he told me he already had three bass in the boat, I started to take notice. 
Adam was working the edge of a grass bed as the sun was falling, he knew that the bass would congregate here as the water cooled and the shadows fell over the area.  As I sat and watched Adam land a nice bass on the edge of the grass while working a topwater frog, it didn't take me long to change tactics.

I held my ground until Adam made it several hundreds yards away and then it was on.  I took a 180 and made my way to the grass, the next 8 cast with a puppy spook, landed 5 bass.  I then went to ole faithful, the shad colored fluke.  First cast landed a largemouth in the mid 4 pound range, about 10 cast later landed one in the 6 lbs range, and as the sun fell, I continued to land fish after fish, with a total of 12 in the last hour of daylight.
I continued casting until I saw Adam's headlights come on in his lime green colored Jeep, and at that point, I knew the day was over.  If I didn't have to work early the next day, and Adam was willing to stay, I'm confident I would have sat in that lake until the sun rose the next day, but in no way was I going to push the limits or wear out my welcome. 
Fishing for bass is a past time I grew up on, I have done it for fun, and I have done it competitively, and although today, saltwater fishing is what fuels my fire, bass fishing will always make my blood boil.
I would like to give a very special thanks to Mr. Adam Harbuck and the Bayou Pirates as a whole.  Adam, you were a great host and guide, and I guarantee you that next time, I will heed the words you speak, and to the Pirates, you guys have done a great job promoting and growing the sport of kayak fishing in the northern region of Louisiana, and even if it was only for an evening, I was happy to be associated with all of you.

Until Next Time,

Stay Safe & Catch1