Casting in wind requires adjustments
THE wind coming out of the southwest was just strong enough to be an annoyance. The small chop it created on the water’s surface made seeing any detail below nearly impossible but also blew one’s bait off course during the cast.
Hitting your intended target meant using what hunters call Kentucky windage.
When hunters use
Kentucky windage, they aim to the right or left of their intended target as needed to account for wind drift rather than physically adjusting their rifle sights. That same theory works when fishing. When wind is pushing your bait off course, you simply cast into the wind and let it blow your bait toward your intended target.
The key is calculating just how much of an adjustment is needed. And that involves the trial-and-error method. In other words, you must make several casts until you figure out how far off target you need to aim your cast to put your bait where you want it to land.
It took several casts to figure things out, but to put my bait in the dark shadow I could make out below the surface meant casting to a spot about 20 feet to the left.
That dark shadow was indicative of structure, or a clump of vegetation fish might find inviting. Though Echo Canyon Reservoir is not known for producing lots of large bass, it does put out a whopper every now and again. Just the day before, a friend reeled in a fish estimated to weigh 4 to 6 pounds. A photo showed that was probably right.
On a prior visit to Echo Canyon, another friend hauled in a bass that topped 5 pounds while throwing a spinner bait, so that 4- to 6-pound description is not just a fish story. The small reservoir does hold some big fish. Could that shadow hold such a fish?
I was throwing a plastic worm in green pumpkin with multicolored flakes presented on a drop shot. The hook was tied about 15 inches above the weight. When I finally put my bait in that shadow, a fish grabbed it as soon as it hit the water. It was a solid hit but also quick. Perhaps he short-bit the bait. Then again, he might have grabbed the whole thing and my reaction was too slow. Either way I missed him.
With a second toss to that shadow, my fortunes changed. I was ready for that quick hit, and a 12-inch largemouth bass was the result. A few casts later, a plump rainbow trout gave my bait a try, but that was it. If there was a lunker hiding there, it did not like what I was throwing.
Moving down the shoreline, I threw my worm to a light-colored spot and pulled in two 10-inch bass. The drop shot enabled me to keep my bait out of the weeds and in the strike zone.
Along with largemouth bass and rainbow trout, Echo Canyon Reservoir is home to white crappie and black bullhead catfish. Anglers also catch the occasional German brown trout.
The 65-acre impoundment is the centerpiece of Echo Canyon State Park and has a maximum depth of just 27 feet when full. Though the water level normally drops throughout the summer, the drought is bringing on low water levels much earlier than normal. It already is on the low side, and it’s only May. Seasonal rains would be quite welcome.
Though there is a launch ramp, boaters can launch from the shoreline when the water is low. Paddlers and float tubers can cover much of the reservoir, so boats with motors are not required to take advantage of fishing opportunities.
Freelance writer Doug Nielsen is a conservation educator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. His “In the Outdoors” column is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NDOW. Any opinions are his own. Find him on Facebook at @ dougwritesoutdoors. He can be reached at intheoutdoorslv@gmail.com.