[Zman]

Well it wasnt quite the weekend I was hoping for...the fish we were after proved elusive...but I had seen past pictures and I am a believer...

PuebloWiperman shot and scored Friday night...with a Wiper just a hair shy of 11 pounds...10.9 on a digital scale...he wanted to stuff rocks in his mouth and reweigh the fish...we had other chances that night but it was not to be...here is the brute...



Nice fish Joe!...his father got an 18 pounder a couple of weeks ago...well we thought we had great things with the chances on a brief Friday evening...the shad were thick...the lake went calm on Friday night at sunset and it is an awesome sight to see shad pretty much dimpling and covering an area the size of a football field...

We hit the lake hard on Saturday at first light ...water temp was 65 and the wind was from a bunch of different directions from time to time...we saw an occasional wiper but it wasnt like Friday night and our offerings fell by the wayside...we bait fished with second rods over the side with worms, leeches, minnows and shrimp...we managed to catch numerous other fish; largemouths with the largest being about 16 inches, smallmouths, one perch about 9 inches (guess there arent many in there), one channel cat about 2 pounds, several trout, and a bunch of bluegills...you never knew what you were going to catch...here is a very small but over zealous smallmouth (too close slightly blury)...



And Dennis with a rare Pueblo Perch...



We quit about 8 pm on Saturday...hit it really hard all day...they just didnt want to show themselves in previous patterns...

We got back up early on Sunday and fished until 11pm...the weather was unsettled and cloudy this morning and we were hopefull but again nothing on the wiper front...it was like they dried up from Friday night...

We did see a couple of interesting critters...one floating upside down in the water and much to my surprise quit playing possum when I poked it with the landing net...I was stunned to see a tarantula run across the top of the water like he was running across the ground...I didnt know Pueblo had them...it is definately desert country...



And a close up...



A little bit of scale...3/8th ounce kastmaster in the foreground...and this was the smaller of the two spiders...



And I hate spiders!...

All in all it was a great weekend...lots of fish...not the one that 4 out of 5 of us were looking for...I met Joe's dad...a great guy!...has a definate presence...retired Federal Fish and Game Wildlife Officer...and Dennis/Tom/and Joe...lots of ribbing...again a great weekend...

 

[fatfish]

Great post, Zman! Great pics, terrific narrative, excitment and more! That is awesome! One question: What did you catch the wiper on?

 

[fishinguitars]

Sounds like a great weekend ....Does joe only fish at night ...hahhahahahah

 

[work2fish]

zman,

Nice report and pics. Whoa, I didn't know about the spiders, either. Sounds like we have a new pattern to tie... ;D How was the fight with those big wipers? You can add me to the list of folks interested in the wiper secrets...

 

[idratherbfishing]

Glad to see you, Joe and company had a great weekend. Sorry that I was stuck at work. would have really liked to have joined you..

Well maybe We will be able to hit some great fishing like that locally in the near future!

Great Fish Joe!

Dan

 

[tal0362]

I don't like spiders either, espcially ones that swim on their back looking down into the water hoping to catch a passing wiper for dinner. Nice report, except for the spiders.

 

[Pete]

NOW THAT'S A WIPER!

 

[don broeren]

That wiper picture is great, what a good looking fish. It looks quite a bit bigger than 11 lbs. The spider I could have lived without, I hate those things! I have been to Pueblo a lot and have never seen one, much less two. Great report!

 

[work2fish]

I don't like spiders either, espcially ones that swim on their back looking down into the water hoping to catch a passing wiper for dinner.

Swimming on their backs looking for food -- now that's a good one...

 

[Oats]

Nice wiper! Can't believe that perch I've never heard of one coming out of Pueblo good to see one. Plenty of food for the little guys.

 

[kirbydog]

Real nice wiper. When they're around the fishings great-if not, you can cast til your arm falls off and nothing. I usually try for them early then switch over at 8 or 9 if they don't show themselves. I've been doing well on small shad colored cranks.

Great report-felt like I was there.

 

[MacGyver-O-Fishin]

Nice Wiper!
I bet your reel was screaming! Don't you just love that sound?
;D

 

[tbmanivong]

WOW!

Pueblo is no joke.

Can't get any better!

 

[Pete]

Z,

Unless I missed it, which one of the the many baits that were used did the large Wipers end up taking?