Chumming for bass?

posted by Average Joe Fisherman Tim (bass fisherman) on http://averagejoefisherman.blogspot.com/

I love bass fishing! In fact, unlike the other Average Joe Fishermen, I fish almost exclusively for bass, and when I have to go for long periods of time without being able to fish I become extremely irritable. One such period happened last week. It was my In-laws 5oth wedding anniversary. The party itself was scheduled for this past Sunday, however, with relatives and guests flying in and numerous arrangements to be made, it was a weeklong affair, minimum. My one saving grace was that my brother-in-law, who would be in attendance, is also a bass fisherman. One of the evenings prior to him arriving he informed my wife that he would like me to take him fishing. Yes! With that one simple phone call I had the excuse I needed to bow out, hook up the boat and go fishing. And better yet, there was no way my wife could be mad at me for going fishing instead of catching up with long lost relatives. After all, I would be “bonding” with her brother!

The beginning of the week, because I knew what was good for me, I helped out where I could. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that I played a vital role, but I think my wife was happy with the effort I put forth, further solidifying that she would not be mad at me for going fishing. In my mind, my efforts were going to allow me some flexibility to choose the day and time I would head for the lake. On Wednesday my brother-in-law arrived. I briefly mentioned to my wife that I could get the fishing trip “out of the way” on Thursday. This suggestion was shot down in a fraction of a second by a mere glance. There would be no fishing on Thursday. Before I knew what happened, Sunday, the day of the party had arrived. And much to my chagrin no fishing had taken place. During the party, my wife mentioned that I should take her brother fishing on Monday as he had to head back to Florida on Tuesday. Finally, I was going fishing!

I awoke Monday morning with a temperature and feeling nauseous. While I am not exactly sure what I did, or even when I did it, I do know that karma is a b!#@% and I must be paying for something I did. I mean, come on! Oh well, I didn’t care, it had been exactly ten days since I last fished and I was going whether I was sick or not!

My brother-in-law and I arrived at the marina around 5:00 in the evening. Once on the water we had both “boated” a couple of nice bass right away. As we made our way through a cut that had homes on both sides I could feel the inevitable coming. There was no stopping it. I turned the trolling motor up so my brother-in-law could keep fishing as I began to hurl the little bit of food I had that day over the side of the boat and into the water. Once finished I looked up to see two people, a husband and wife, sitting on their dock about fifty feet away looking directly at me. Finally the silence was broken when the husband says, “Well now I have seen everything!” “How’s that?,” I reply. He responds, “I’ve never seen anyone chum for bass before.”

A few casts later, I catch the biggest bass of my life, twenty one inches, five pounds. Coincidence? Good Lord I hope so!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8B9d3iOyz1...0/big+bass.jpg