First cast of 2013....Fish!

Sunny weather and temperatures in the 40's got me motivated for a quick lunchtime fishing trip near my house today.  I decided to hit a stretch of the DuPage River that I had only fished a few times previously with limited success.  It's an area that's not easy to access but has plenty of fishy looking spots so I wanted to try it again.  My very first cast of the new year was really just to check out how the finesse jig I had tied on looked in the water. However, as I slowly reeled in I noticed a bass following the jig.  I let the jig stop on the bottom and to my surprise the fish sucked it up only three feet from shore.  A short fight later and I had a decent smallmouth.

Unfortunately the old saying that it is bad luck to catch a fish on your first cast of the day held true and this was my only fish of the day. Nevertheless, anytime I can catch a bass from the river in winter I am happy.

The highlight of the day came a short time later as I waded around a bend and came upon three juvenile bucks getting a drink from the river.  They looked up at me like "What the hell are you doing down here?"  I was so surprised to have three deer so close I didn't even think to try and take a picture and after a few seconds they decided to run back into the woods.

Unusually warm winter days like today can trick you into thinking spring is just around corner, the reality is official winter just began a few weeks ago.

Fish caught: Smallmouth Bass - 1

Successful baits: Finesse jig/super chunk jr. trailer - Craw color

Weather: Mostly sunny, gusty west winds, mid 40's.

River conditions:  low, clarity two feet.