The cloud cover over the Black River in St. Clair County, Mich., made it nice for bass fishing on Monday, Aug. 13.

MAHFS photo



By Mac Arnold
MAHFS Editor

As advertised, on Friday I was on the second-story roof of my house zinging arrows into the deer target.

With temperatures in the mid-70s,  and nice breeze to boot, the opportunity was too nice to pass up. And lately, more curly brown leaves are floating onto the deck, triggering a response in me similar to a Pavlov dog. 

It was the first such exercise in awhile and it showed.

I can't believe how everything else was a bit shakier from a year ago, even climbing up the ladder
seemed to require more effort.

But the final arrow of the round hit the 10-ring, so good enough.

A most promising element was how I only had to crank the Martin compound down a quarter turn. My recently repaired shoulder has improved greatly but I will need to be steadier. More practice will take care of this.

So if I decide to go to the Upper Peninsula with the bow for bear in September I should be fine. I still haven't made up my mind yet whether to take the compound or the 7 mm Savage. What will likely happen is I'll bring both and alternate the gigs. I just discovered I drew a turkey tag in that zone so I'll need the bow.

***

In other activities by yours truly: I was victorious in a spontaneous bass "tournament" against the teflon brother-in-law Monday, Aug. 13.

I had the home water advantage on the Black River in St. Clair County. Not that it should have helped me that much since I don't fish it as much as I would like.

Another part of this that downgrades the win is he was using my gear and an "affordable" rod of his choosing from Meijer.

He went with a Quantum rig, which is what he prefers for the rivers and creeks in his home state of West Virginia.

I had the first fish of the morning as we made it out from the weedy canal into the river. It wasn't a bad largemouth.

There were a few missed fish afterward before Mike hoisted one out from a deep pool around the side of a dock an hour later.

I broke the tie with another one as we returned to the canal where the Jeep was waiting for us. The time was such -- we were in the middle of


MAHFS photo by Mac Arnold
To the left of those tall reeds is where I caught
both of my bass during a spontaneous bass
"tournament" against my brother-in-law Mike.


moving -- that brother-in-law's usual adept skills at escaping defeat were foiled.

"You took another fish from me," he said. "But that's what you're supposed to do after someone misses one; put something different in the same spot."

What happened was Mike got a pretty good hit after he zipped a buzz bait next to a lily pad but he couldn't land the fish. I followed his cast by dropping a green Senko right behind him and hooked the rascal.

I'm sure there is a butt kicking coming my way the next time we go out in the Mountain State, which may be in early September, so I'm not going to bask in the limelight for long.

It looks like the next outing will be for coyote on Sunday so get back to me and we will see if I'm successful at long last.