November Fleeing

Bassmaster Elite Series pro Ott Defoe with pretty Pickwick bass
he caught during a TH Marine media event a couple of weeks ago.

Could it really be that November is on it's way out the door? It doesn't seem long ago that I was anticipating fall, and now the leaves are almost gone from the deciduous trees, even in Georgia. Of course, up north, they not only are walking on the ice to fish but a few resorts have begun rolling out the wheelhouses. Early for that sort of stuff, but it tells me that autumn has truly given way to winter.

November was a productive month for Jeff Samsel Fishing. I spent time on Tennessee's Dale Hollow, Illinois' Rend Lake and Alabama's Pickwick Lake, blending fishing with story and photo gathering with guides and pro anglers. I got to work with several pros I'd never spent significant time with before, along with seeing long-time friends from the industry.

I didn't spend as much time in trout streams as I would have liked to have during November, which is normally one of my favorite months for trout fishing. Maybe I can rectify that a bit next month. I certainly have some possible plans circling in my head. Whether weather, deadlines and other practical matters will actually allow those to materialize, only time will tell. My only solid fishing plans for next month, as of now, involve Minnesota ice, bluegills, crappie and walleyes.

Bugs Awaiting Making

A big part of me really wishes I'd brought my tying vice on this rip. Punisher Craft Hair has a tremendous amount of movement in the water, and I believe some of the colors I picked up on my trip will make really pretty and productive Ugly Bugs. I'm eager to put the new hair to work, at the vice and in the creek.

But then again, maybe it's just as well that the vice stayed home. I'm getting done writing that really needs to get done as I stage between the Dale Hollow and Rend Lake parts of my trip, and having the vice and all that pretty craft hair could create a serious distraction. Plus, when I do tote the vice, I only bring a sample of other materials, and if I got to tying, I'd probably find myself wishing I had a certain color of feather or package of dubbing for the bug I found myself wanting to make.

Doesn't matter. Vice isn't here. I can only envision now and go to work on new Ugly Bugs once I'm home again.

Dale Hollow Night Play

FLW Tour Pro Scott Canterbury shows off an
after-hours Dale Hollow smallmouth.

Photo days on writer trips are mighty full for pros, but that didn't keep FLW Tour pro Scott Canterbury from want to slip out after dinner for at least a little bit of Dale Hollow night fishing. Canterbury does a lot of after-hours fishing around home, and the first half of November is one of his favorite time periods for night fishing.

Stephen Headrick of Punisher Lures agrees, so when he heard that Canterbury was going out, he jumped on the chance to ride along. Of course, if anyone is going fishing, pretty much any time, and I can go along, I do. Plus, I wanted to see the Punisher Lures Cast & Glo Super Light, which Canterbury had been telling me about, and to feel the thumping blades of Punisher's Flame Nighttime Spinnerbait. Fellow writer Brad Wiegmann also joined the night party, but with camera only in hand.

We probably only fished a little more than an hour, and we only caught a couple of smallmouths, but I'd have to say that was my favorite hour of the Dale Hollow visit. There's something about getting out in the quiet darkness and fishing by feel that I simply enjoy. I lack the equipment and the knowledge required to get really amazing night photos, but I got some photos that would help illustrate a night-fishing story, so I was also getting work done while we played!

Dale Hollow Smallmouths, Tailwater Trout & Rend Lake Crappie

When I have to dig into the slide files for a
picture, like this one of Stephen Headrick of
at Dale Hollow,I know it's been a while since
I've been somewhere!

I've spent some days on the legendary waters of Dale Hollow, but given the fact that my photos from there are all slides, I'd say it has been way too long. I'll fix that very soon. On Sunday evening I'm driving to Dale Hollow Marina to spend a couple of days with friends from Punisher Lures. I'm looking forward to returning to one of the most beautiful lakes I've ever fished and hopefully the getting the opportunity to lock horns with some jumbo smallmouths.

After I leave Dale Hollow, my plans for a couple of days remain a little up in the air, but I'm certain I'll be fishing, and it will probably be in Tennessee. Most likely plan for at least part of the time is to explore the tailwaters of Dale Hollow and Center Hill. Both rivers are very close to where I'll already be, and in recent years the latter has developed into one of the South's finest trout fisheries.

Final stop of my next round of travels will be in Southern Illinois, at Rend Lake, where crappie will be the main attraction. Best I can recall, I've never caught a fish in Illinois, so assuming some success, I can add that to my state list. I also haven't caught a white crappie yet in 2014, so maybe I can add at least one species to this year's list. With two months remaining, my current species tally stands at 26.

Uncertain internet and computer time sometimes makes blogging a challenge, but I'll do my best to keep updates and notes about cool stuff I learn posted here, on my facebook page and on Instagram and Twitter, so keep a look out! If you haven't followed me in any of those places, I'd appreciate you checking out what I share and maybe adding a follow or page like!

Today is one of those "get ready" days. Clearing memory cards, charging batteries, gathering clothes and fishing junk, taking care of things at home... Suppose I'd better get to doing stuff!