A Day On The Lake With Kurt VonBrandt

I know many of you have seen a column inthem, in this 1-2 foot jungle. I think after generations
Basssmaster magazine where they challenge a "Pro,"of spawning here unsuccessfully many times, that
to go to an unknown lake and they chronicle eachthey (meaning the guarding males, and the larger
hour with what the Pro was casting, where theyfemales), " have been programmed to just go on
were casting, and why, and see what they end upbeds earlier than some other lakes, or even most
with at the end of the day. Most of the lakes theyrivers, but I think they are in closer to the shores, in
have them fish, are always bigger than anything inwhatever bottom is the hardest, and has the best
Delaware or most of Maryland. They are better thanwater conditions, whether it is on the North shore or
our lakes to begin with, once you have progressednot." I was skeptical, but we went in anyway, me
to the level of fishing where you can always catchswitching back and forth between the buzz bait,
some fish wherever you go, no matter howFluke, and spinner bait as we went in through the
notoriously bad of a lake it is; and many timespads. He moved into within 20 feet of shore, and
catching & landing, some quite large fish from placeswas throwing a 5 inch "Senko," and a "IKA" Tube,
where most people never even see bass over 4and a Spinner bait.8:10 am.-Kurt vonBrandt lands a 1 1
pounds. I am or course referring to here in the2 pound bass on the spinner bait, he says "It's a
Northeast, such as Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey,male" guarding or even feeding on what has
and Pennsylvania.So I challenged Kurt vonBrandt, ofhatched".8:15 am.- I hook a 2 pound bass in the pads
S&K Guide Service, to a day on a lake we will callon a buzz bait, the water temperature is 66.8:30
"Lake G," on the borders of New Castle and Kentam.-Another bass in the shallow shore mixed with
county, DE. This is a public lake that is within reach ofpads and wood swirls at the buzz bait, but doesn't
Wilmington, and Dover, in about 45 minutes. It has aget it. It is too thick to use a trailer hook.8:45 am.
shallow, muddy, muck bottom, with most of the-Kurt vonBrandt lands a small bass on a Senko. He
pads so high and thick, you can't reasonably fishsays "They're in this area." If I could see their beds,
them. Add to that, it is the color of chocolate milk,this would be easier."9:05 am.-Kurt vonBrandt lands a
and at the time, had a water temperature of 62-66bass on a "Sala Tube" back in 8 inches of water. It is
degrees throughout the day.There is no deeper spot14 inches long. He says" Another male, I know these
in the lake than 4 feet in the main body, and the restfemales are close, but all the area is the same. I think
is all 1 1/2 to 2 feet deep, everywhere that is,the bigger fish will be in the best areas, on the shore
except for the shore, which is 5-12 inches! A front iswith sun most of the day, and some kind of wood
getting ready to move through, and it rained the daymixing with pads and grasses." He sees a Carp about
and night before we arrived for several hours. Kurt15 pounds, jump out of the water in front of the
vonBrandt has a Spinnerbait, Buzzbait, 2 differentboat, he says "Sometimes the carp are with those
makes and colors of tube baits, a Senko, and a crankbass!"10:25 am.- I catch a 2 pound bass on the buzz
bait rigged on 7 foot "G.Loomis"and "St.Croix" rods,bait in real shallow wood,.10:32 am.- Kurt vonBrandt
with "Shimano" and "Daiwa" reels, spooled with 14-30throws a Rat, then a Tournament frog, in some
pound test line by "Berkley"and "Spiderline". He has 2unconventional ways, and Says "I just had to prove
spinning rods rigged with a 3 inch Mister Twister Grubto myself that they weren't out here in the pads". He
on 12 pound test, and a 4" "Centipede" inthrows a spinner bait in the area for a few
watermelon on the other.THE TAKE OFF"6:45minutes.10:46 am.-Kurt vonBrandt sets the hook, and
am.-We arrive at the lake, with no boats there. Welands a 3 pound bass from the shallow wood on an
launch and start fishing.7:15 am.- I decide that in a"IKA" Tube in smoke. He says "I saw that move, I
shallow muddy lake, with that water temperature,know they're in there on beds, or even finished!"I
and the angle of the sun this time of year, and beingsaid "Do you really think that all the bass are in that
that all the other fish were fairly active and large inshallow water, and some of them are already on and
the rivers, I put on a buzz bait, as I felt that wouldeven off the beds?" He said, I have seen times
be a good search bait for me in the back, doing mostwhen the bigger bass were on beds as soon as the
of the observing and filming.7:28 am. -Kurt vonBrandtwater temperatures got to a steady temperature of
is using a Terminator Spinner bait in 3/8 ounce,60-65 degrees, with the sun at the proper
double willow blades, with a Golden Shiner Skir, aangle."11:45 am.- we work the outside edges of the
bass swirls at the bait in 8 inches of water, butchannel on the way to some of the other shallow
misses, Kurt immediately throws a Gary Yamamotowood in the lower half of the lake. Kurt vonBrandt
"IKA" tube, right where it swirled at the buzz bait. Hethrows spinner bait, and a "Sala" Tube into the pads.
does this several times, but it doesn't strike. He said,"I throw a Chartreuse Mann's Baby 1-minus, no
I know there's bass in this area now. So I have totakers.12:05 pm.-My arms are starting to hurt from
figure out what they are doing right?" He thenrepetitious casting, but I bear down, and keep fan
moved the boat into shallow water about 20 feetcasting the area. Kurt vonBrandt flips a tube into a
ahead, being extremely quiet with the trolling motor.tree in 6 inches of water, a catches another 1 1/2
He said, "I need to see if they are on beds, or arepounder. He fishes the area hard for the females, but
making beds, or traveling together, and if there areno takers.1:06 pm.- The wind starts blowing harder,
any baitfish fry in the area" I questioned him further,and it starts to drizzle a little; Kurt vonBrandt sets
while throwing the buzzbait and a spinnerbait in thethe hook on a 2 pounder, and says" That female's in
pads. I said 64 or 65 degrees is traditionally thoughthere somewhere".1:28 pm.- We work the edges of
of as an almost perfect temperature to catch somethe road, and dam with spinnerbaits, "Senko's", and
prespawn bass on spinner baits, Buzz baits, walking"Yamamoto Tubes". Kurt vonBrandt sets the hook
baits, (Jerk baits, if it was clear enough), Flukes, jigs,on another 1 1/2 pound bass. What's that? He says, 5
in wood/pad combinations; that should be deadly onfish at about 11 or 12 pounds? I say "Somewhere in
these bass out here in the deeper pads on thethere." He says, that's not good enough, I need a
edges near the channel, and in the mouths of littlekicker fish now."1:55 pm.- I keep alternating between
bays and inlets.We always wear our Fish Hedz masksa fluke, crankbait, and buzzbait, but no takers.2:00
now . It is a eye saver and bug catching miracle thatpm.- Kurt vonBrandt says" I wouldn't have much time
has long been awaiting bass anglers for years.He saidleft now if this were a tournament, I need a bigger
"I think you are right normally, but because this is sofemale." He moves the boat into position of a large
shallow all over, and always muddy, and the samelay down, one of the few in the lake, and makes 10
depth, and I think that because of this, the bassor 15 casts down each limb of the tree. He says,"
need to spawn sooner, because of the lack of placesthis is the spot, you just have to present it to them
to do this successfully later, as the pads grow up soat different angles, and speeds, and keep bumping
high above the surface, and are so dense, that it isthe logs."2:05 pm.-Kurt vonBrandt says" OH YES!
almost impossible for the sun, or anything to reach