Lunch Time Bass

With the new job, I am able to step away from the office and down the street to a local forest preserve lake, Busse Woods. I kayak and fish this lake often. Tons of people come here to fish, kayak, jog, and bike.

Once I get there on my lunch break, what do you think I do?
A. Kayak
B. Fish
C. Jog
D. Nap
E. Skateboard

If you guessed "B" you answered correctly. If I were to nap in my car, I'd just stay in the parking lot at work and maximize my napping time. All of the other things I listed, I just don't have time for on my lunch, but you can bet I'll be doing one of those on the weekends.

Not a bad way to end the work week. Friday lunch time bass!

Caught this little guy on a KVD rattle trap. I really need to start leaving my fly rods set up, lined, and ready to go in my car. 

I hate it, but not really....

Is there a body of water that you absolutely hate, but can't seem to stay away from?

Well, Busse Lake is that place for me. It's a large body of water that offers a variety of species.  An angler can catch bluegill, crappie, carp, largemouth bass, walleye, northern pike, and musky...and it's only been 10 to 25 minutes from me for the past 15 years, so, what's not to like!

2005

I have yet to hook something huge at Busse, and my visits to the lake have decreased throughout the years. I was proud of myself for only fishing there 5 times last year. It was a challenge, because, every week I would read reports on a local fishing forum of guys consistently killing it over here, catching huge bass, keeper walleye, and musky!

Fast forward to my heavier days a few years later. One of the first fish I caught on the fly.

Now that I have a kayak, I can now fish off the beaten path that is usually crowded. I can get to those places that I could only see from a distance. This is the year that I make Busse Lake my bitch!

After work today, I headed on over to the lake. As I was unloading a guy was just finishing up his day on the water from his kayak. He told me he landed a 30" musky on a night crawler. Awesome - I brought my 9 wt and musky flies :) 

4/0 single.

Beefcake

I floated around and tossed the usual musky meat. I hooked up with a few downed trees, but no fish. Paddled around some more. Saw some activity near some downed trees, so, I slowly and silently made my way to what looked like baitfish trying to get away from something. I casted. Thump. I could feel something with significant size on the other end...could this be?!?! Then as fast as it happened, the line went slack. I felt broken. I made more than a few casts back into the area, but there was nothing. Could that have been a Busski (Musky from Busse)!! I'll never know....

Crotch Shot!

Finished the day skunked for the 3rd time in the past 2 weeks at Busse.

Sunset.