Fishing Report for Garrisons and Lake Como, Delaware 9/25/04

We met Russ and his wife today at 6:00 Am, in Dover, Delaware at the Walmart, and started off to Garrisons Lake in Smyrna. First let me preface with this; Russ was in the chat room on Wednesday night, and has been visiting the site regularly for a few weeks. He lives in New York and is a Teacher, and his wife is a Professor at a law school, both of them are young to me, but in their 30's. Russ just started to fish for bass in the last year, and is very enthused about it. His wife also fishes, but is just as happy with good conversation, beautiful scenery, and being outdoors with people who can appreciate their somewhat wry, but genuinely funny and pleasant attitude. They are both intellectuals, but down to earth at the same time. They both are very smart, and have a good deal of knowledge on a variety of subjects, yet not pretentious whatsoever. To me, they made me feel comfortable and I thoroughly enjoyed just being around them.
These are the kind of people that I would like to see in politics, if not even the white house.
It was a little chilly when we arrived at Garrisons, and there were three boats already there when we arrived at Sunrise. There was pond scum as well, and the water was only 60 degrees in the morning. The weather has been relatively stable, but all the rains and cool nights, then warmer days didn't really help the bass action. The water temperatures had been varying almost 13 degrees in just a 24 hours period, several times this week, despite not having any rain for a while now.
Kurt took them out and I did some business errands that needed to be taken care of nearby. He called me on the cell phone at 10:30 am, and said to come back to Garrisons as it was a little slow, and he wanted to try another nearby lake for bigger bass. They had caught a few on Terminators and a Senko, and Sumo Frog, but they were below 2 pounds, so I went back and pulled the boat out and we left for Lake Como.
Now, I am sure you are saying, Garrisons and Como? "Why take them there? there are better lakes for beginners or clients in general?".
Well, because they flew from New York to Jersey last night, and checked into the Dover Downs Hotel very late last night, and were there because they were really going to the races tomorrow, but came in early to fish a little, and we needed a few lakes that were close by, to limit the driving, etc., after a long day for them on Friday. They got the best room in the hotel that is so nice that they could actually watch the race from their room had they wanted to, all free of charge, thanks to an influential friend of theirs from Delaware, who many of you would know right away, if I mentioned the name.
So we went to Lake Como.
We arrived there at 11:00 AM, and the water was very stained and varied from 65 to 71 degrees in different parts of the lake. It is definitely starting to turn over now in many areas. Even some of the trees has already started to turn color and loose some leaves.
It was a beautiful day weatherwise though, and there was only one guy there fishing with bait for catfish and other panfish. He was friendly, and eager to talk, as most people around and on Lake Como have always seemed to have been. We always have a pleasant experience there, regardless of the fish. Sometimes, we catch GIANT bass there, as many of you know from the gallery photos, sometimes a few decent ones and maybe one real big one, never a lot, but most of the time 4-8 and they are healthy and many times larger than some other local lakes.
We talked about a lot of issues, told some stories, gave some instructions on baits, techniques, and water conditions and conservation. We had a hit, but it missed the bait, and because of their company, it was still fun, even though we were really working. That is one thing about good clients like them, they make working seem like a friendly outing with your buddies. They were a pleasure to be with.
We started heading back towards the dam to leave, (naturally, I don't need to say we tried a lot of lures and areas first), but got no takers. I suggested to Russ, that it might be a good idea to switch to a Berkley Gulp Sinking Minnow, as it always produces for us, and many times it is a surprise what the species are when we use it. Many different species of fish have been tricked into taking that Berkley Gulp this year, in a variety of locations.
Right before we got near the beach and Dam, Russ said hey "I got one," and the rod was bent in half, and he was reeling franticly! I grabbed the video camera and turned it on, Kurt controlled the boat position with the electric motor, and his wife jumped up from the back seat to get a better look, and assist as well. We cheered him on, as it was obviously very big whatever it was. It worried us as it got close to the boat, because it didn't jump, and that meant that he most likely had a Chain Pickerel or another species, such as a catfish, but then again, you never know! It seemed like an eternity, and the enthusiasm was high in the boat, and it was really about 4 or 5 minutes before it was under enough control to bring it up near the surface, and try to net it. Then we all saw it at the same time, and normally on a different day, or if we were in a tournament, we would have been disappointed, as we all saw it was a catfish. A Channel Catfish. But it was not just ANY channel catfish! This was the largest channel catfish that any of us had seen come from a lake in Delaware before. It was HUGE!!! I mean really HUGE!! It was almost the state record, and if it wasn't the state record, it was darn close! We netted it after three more good surges at the boat, and smiles were ear to ear on all of us! It was easily well over 9 pounds! Maybe more!! We videotaped it, took still photos, then debated as to what we should do? Should we take it in? It was obviously a Citation award for him, and most likely would win the tournament for that species for Delaware for the entire year, and he would be at the awards banquet, and get a patch, a trophy, a newspaper mention, etc.. After some thought, We all agreed to just release it then and there. "Russ summed it up nicely when he said" Lets let it go! Someone may have a slow day at some time, and this fish is huge, look how excited we all were and it wasn't even a bass!" Lets not hurt it, and let someone else have the same excitement on another, otherwise slow day in the future." And he was right. We filmed it being released and all smiled, but he had his award, and trophy, right then. It wasn't necessary to harm it!
They were some of the best clients we have ever had the pleasure to take on a guide trip. Even though the day was slow as far as bass were concerned, and we would of course liked to see them catch a few more than they did, we were still happy and satisfied, and so were they. It was just a pleasant experience all the way around, and reminded you of why you started guiding and teaching in the first place.
They are coming back down in late November again, and we will have 2 days, so one day they will be with us at a Private Lake in our boat, and the second day, they will bring their small boat with them, and we will show them some great Trap Pond and Nanticoke scenery and wildlife on the following day while they fish from their own boat. One day is going to be 70% off the trip, and the second day is going to be free, just splitting the gas. Sometimes, clients become friends, and these are two people that anyone would be glad to call friends. Tight lines and see you all soon, Steve and Kurt S&K Guides and Tackle www.skguideservice.com
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Steve vonBrandt/Owner S&K
1998 Big Bass World Champ/DE