Great Morning In the Melon Patch

4.45lbs/19" Bobby's Perfect (Sparrow)

6:30-11:00AM The Melon Patch
Conditions: Mid 60's, Cloudy with some drizzle, 2-17MPH WNW NNW
Water Temp: 75-72℉

Due to thunderstorms, I got out of the house after 5:30.  I stopped at the GOMH and the Panfish Guy was fishing on the NE side.  I talked to him for about 5 minutes then left without fishing.  Once I got the boat packed I was off to the Melon Patch.  I started off to the North where there are some pads mostly.  I got that little pike first thing, which I took as a sign of good luck.  On a number of my better trips in July I had a pike hit me right away first thing.  A couple of minutes later I cast next to a bigger patch of pads when I had a big dogfish light my Bobby's Perfect Frog up.

7.20lbs/28" Bobby's Perfect Frog (Sparrow)

It probably took me around 15 minutes before I was fishing again.  Fortunately, no damage was done to my Bobby's Perfect.  I thought about my maxim that "where you catch a big dogfish is a likely spot to catch a big bass."  I made a cast to the exact same area of the pads and had a big ole melon bust the frog.

3.94lbs/18.5" Bobby's Perfect

I then lost two good fish in a row fishing some small isolated pad mats.  I went back to the bigger pad mat and had a 17-incher inhale the frog when I wasn't paying attention.  Luckily I caught it.

17" Bobby's Perfect 

I started working in behind the bigger pad mat and got a 15.9-incher.  Then I had my biggest bass of the morning absolutely inhale the frog.

 

Same Fish at the Top of the Blog Post

I then missed lost another pig.  I caught a 15.75" then a 16".  Next fish was this dark 17-incher.

17.5" Bobby's Perfect

I think I lost another good one then put two 16-inchers in the boat.  It got really windy, so started anchoring.  I started working my way down a rice line and got my 3rd 4lber of the trip in front of some pads.

4.12lbs/19" Bobby's Perfect

I got a couple of 15-inchers and missed a couple as I worked my way down the rice line.  I put on the Toad Runner and had a small pike and a decently sized pike miss it.  It was now 11AM and drizzling so I called it a day.

2.91lbs Ish's Phat Frog

When I got back Steve came down for a picture with the fish he caught this morning off the dock on Ish's Phat Frog.

Best 6 Bass for the Day

Best 6 Plus Dogfish

13 Bass

5 Pike

1 Dog

Steve:

1 Bass