Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2021 - 22
PERFECT
MORNINGS
by Jeff Woleslagle
photos by the author
It is difficult not to get excited with the possibilities that
every new day on the water represents.
The rising sun was just a sliver on the horizon, and
I have never been accused of being a morning person. If
you try to have a meaningful conversation with me in the
early hours, all I can tell you is good luck. Odds are high
that I will just stare at you as I try to comprehend what you
are saying. However, getting up early pays big in fishing. If
the early bird gets the worm, the early angler gets the bass.
When a friend sent me a text that said, " Let's fish
tomorrow morning. I will meet you at the boat dock at 4:30
a.m., " I naturally cringed. I knew for me that meant getting
out of bed at 3:00 a.m. to start coffee, load the gear, and
make the drive. When I arrived in the predawn stillness,
there was no wind, and the river looked beautiful with
just the hint of coming daylight reflecting of the surface.
The early morning bird chorus was just beginning, and
my brain was getting closer to normal function. When the
boat motor started, so did my leap to full consciousness.
22
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * July/August 2021
there was a slight mist coming off the water when we
pulled into our first stop, which was a large eddy created
by a rock bar jutting out into the current. I made a long
cast with a topwater plug toward the shoreline, let it settle,
and then twitched it twice. Immediately, my offering
disappeared in a violent eruption of water, and I set the
hook into our first Smallmouth Bass of the day. The
beautiful bass made several long sweeping runs and took
to the air twice before coming to the net. Some folks are
superstitious about catching one on the first cast of an
outing and believe a subpar day will follow. I have never
subscribed to that superstition and I tend to believe it sets
the stage for a perfect morning.
A normal summer pattern is for bass to feed actively
each morning from sunrise until about two hours after
sunrise depending on weather conditions. Topwater
fishing in the predawn and into the first hour of daylight
can provide some of the best action and excitement an
angler may experience. If you know the common forage
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2021
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2021
Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2021 - Cover1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2021 - Cover2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2021 - Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2021 - 4
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2021 - 5
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2021 - 6
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2021 - 7
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2021 - 8
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2021 - 9
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2021 - Cover3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2021 - Cover4
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