by Bob Johansen, May 03, 2005

It was May 2, 2005. Bob and Mike had planned a bass fishing trip for this day a few days before as the fearless Northwest weathermen had predicted warm, sunny weather. They planned to meet at the Phillips Lake public access to start the adventure.
As the Monday date approached, the fearless weathermen switched gears and predicted rain. Bob who was just barely recovering from a nasty cold, e-mailed Mike with the sad news and suggested that Tuesday might be a better option. Sorry Mike returned, "Monday is my only day off and besides that, I don’t mind the rain if it’s OK with you."
Bob, not wanting to appear wimpy, replied, "I’ll be there rain or shine."
As Bob pulled his old bass boat into the Phillips Lake public access, it was raining fairly hard and the wind was blowing. Normally a very optimistic angler, Bob looked at the dark skies and worried a little about even getting a bass to come look at a lure.
Mike arrived a short time later. Both anglers donned raingear and headed the boat down to the far end of the lake. Bob was tossing a jig and Mike was throwing a plastic worm. Neither was effective. Bob then cast a floating Rapala up near the shoreline and hooked a spunky 9 incher. Mike was getting tired of clearing weeds off his plastic worm after every cast and rigged up a shallow running crank bait. Almost immediately, he hooked up with his first Phillips Lake bass, another 9 incher.
For about the next three or four hours, in the pouring down rain, Bob and Mike continued around the shoreline. Each hooked up with several small bass. Much larger bass were seen cruising near the shoreline but none seemed very interested in their offerings.
Finally, the rain slacked off a bit and Bob and Mike decided to go over to nearby Spencer Lake and give it a try. They launched the old bass boat and headed north down the shoreline. In the first little sheltered cove they pulled in to try a few casts. This was a spot where Bob and Bruce had hooked with a nice 3 pounder the year before. Both anglers started casting floating Rapalas.
Bob soon hooked up with a dandy bass that appeared to be over 3 pounds. The big fish pulled out line as Mike rushed around looking for a camera. Even before the camera was in hand the big beauty spit the lure in spite of dealing with 9 hooks (three trebles) and went on her way. As Bob and Mike continued to cast, they heard a commotion on the far shoreline and saw a fish splashing near the shoreline. It appeared an aggressive bass chasing food.
They crossed over to the action area and Mike cast floating Rapalas with deadly accuracy into the area. The aggressive appearing bass refused to come up and play. Bob decided to cast a black jig up along the dock and hop it back to the boat. He felt that delightful "tap-tap" and set the hook. It was a nice bass of nearly two pounds.



They then headed down the lake to one of Bob’s favorite Spencer Lake spots. It was an area where he had seen many large bass and had even managed to boat a few of them. Mike was still casting the floating Rapala and hooked up with a small bass. Bob had stayed with the jig.
Bob cast up near a shoreline dock and once again felt that little tap-tap from down below. He set the hook on another nice bass. That fish was also about 2 pounds. Mike is a quick learner and was soon seen looking through his tackle box for a black jig. He tied it on and began casting. Shortly after that Bob saw him set the hook and his rod double over. This was a good fish!
Bob had just hooked his jig onto a piece of rope on the dock and didn’t want to spend time getting it loose. He tossed the rod onto the dock and got on the electric motor to pull away from the dock and assist Mike with his fish. He offered to net it for Mike but Mike bravely swung the big, pot bellied beauty aboard displaying amazing confidence in his 8 pound test line.
This was the best fish of the day. Photos were required. They put the big beauty into the live well for a well deserved rest while they readied the tape measure, the scale and the camera. The fish was beautiful except for some wounds around her tail. These were not wounds from clearing a nest but appeared to be wounds from some sort of an aggressor – like maybe a mink or an otter.



Photos were taken and the fish was thanked for the memories and gently released back in her own area. The fishing continued. Soon Mike reared back setting the hook once more. It was a dandy bass of about two pounds. Mike was now an avid jig fisherman.
The fishing continued a couple more hours without much action. Finally, in late afternoon, they decided they had had enough fun for one day. It was their first trip together but hopefully not the last. In spite of a wet, soggy start it was a great day on the lake.