12-19-20
I’ve been fishing at Silverwood Lake for over 100 days this year. By the way, what a year it has been fishing. I fished a new area last week near the aqueducts in Lancaster as well. There are some nice size Stripers in the aqueduct, so heading out to that area just makes a lot of sense to me. Also, I fished 5 times at Silverwood since my last blog.
The very first trip out was not exciting, and all the fisherman attending ended with a ‘skunk,’ as I had a two bite ‘skunk!’ There were a few bites to go around that night with no fish to show for the group. As I mentioned earlier, I only ended up at the aqueducts because of the fisherman I have been fishing with. I just kind of heard them talking about it, and when I asked them if I could join, they were quick to invite me out. I let them know I would try it the next time they were going. We all met up a few days later and got ‘skunked’ on that trip too, but honestly, I learned a lot about fishing in the aqueduct. The current is very strong.
While at the Marina, and trying to avoid a ‘skunk’ is when I hooked up with two Stripers in the one pound range. Fanning one area, in other words casting in many different directions, I was able to land 3 Largemouth bass that night. The first one weighed 3 ½ lbs., the 2nd one was 2 ¾ lbs., and the 3rd one weighed in at a stunning 6 ½ lbs. I think I got into a school of Largemouth bass which were all hungry for them ‘good old’ jerkbaits for a very short amount of time.
While fishing near Vista Point Turnout #2, I had a lot of fun catching some Stripers. There was nothing like catching Stripers on a Friday night. Rocks can be slippery, especially if you’re up on a steep, rocky embankment fishing with dim light shining from your headlamp, hey just saying. The jerkbait lure was working that night (3 caught), but there only seemed to be one fish in every other cove that I fished on the way back. I landed one Striper on the Rat L Trap lure, but only caught it because another leader line from someone else who lost a fish connected with my lure with a Striper on the end.
My last trip was to the Marina, and it seemed like a great fishing session. I landed one Striper on a jerkbait, and one Striper on the Rat L Trap lure. I had many strikes on the Rat L Trap, but I was too slow on my reaction/hook setting skills, as I tried to determine when the fish was actually on the lure, pulled my rod back, and missed ‘the strike’ completely.
Many times, the bite or strike doesn’t happen, or at least you don’t think it does, but it, ‘the strike’ already occurred. My point, pay utmost attention to your Rat L Trap lure at all times, especially as it sinks to the bottom, and as you pop and reel it in. Most bites happen when the Rat L Trap lure is on the fall, and as you are popping the lure in, you will get many strikes. I have missed so many bites/strikes on the Rat L Trap because the fish are really finicky.
If you’re wondering, my personal best Largemouth was landed during the last couple weeks. My last P.B. Largemouth bass weighed 5.30 lbs., but this last Largemouth bass I caught was 6.45 lbs. The way the bass pulled on my rod, I instantly knew it was a larger fish. 11 fish were landed in total for all of my trips combined, with only one fish landed on the Rat L Trap lure, and 10 fish landed on the jerkbait tied to eight-pound test line.
Special Thanks-
Thank you to everyone I have fished with for the 2020 year. There’s still more time to catch your dream bass, but you ‘Got to be ready!’ Until next time, best of luck to you out there!
6.47 lbs. Largemouth clobbered the jerkbait. 
6.47 lbs. 
Selfie with 6.47 lbs.