Time For Running Of The Bulls

Pamplona Spain is best known for a wild and crazy event that takes place each July in this city of 100,000. Men with more sense of adventure than smarts take to the streets of this European village for the “running of the bulls”, a week-long event that promises to result in scores of injuries and almost always a few fatalities as bulls are released into the narrow streets of Pamplona behind throngs of men and boys who are no match for the speed of the animals.

More than one Spanish version of “hey y’all; hold my beer and watch this” from some goober-headed Spaniard has resulted in a bull’s horn being thrust through a kidney.
This version of the running of the bulls calls for a thirst for excitement often exacerbated by a thirst for booze. No sane, sober person would risk life and limb facing down a beast weighing half a ton.

If the running of the bulls is something you feel you must try, I have a suggestion. What I propose is far less dangerous, the foe likely weighs not half a ton, but half a pound, and you don’t have to travel halfway around the world to give it a try. And you can still tell your buddies you just got back from participating in the running of the bulls.

This “running of the bulls” refers to bull bream. This time of year, big pug-nosed bull bluegill run en masse to the shallows of Louisiana lakes with one purpose in mind; they’re there to make baby bluegills.

April and May are primary months for the bluegill spawn but they are still getting after it now that the weather has turned hot. Early mornings can still produce some bragging-sized catches of these scrappy fighters.

When the Good Lord created the bluegill, He must have had in mind dads and kids. There is no species better suited for a youngster to cut his/her teeth on a lifetime of fishing than the bluegill.

For starters, our lakes are full of them. From tiny bait-stealing punkin’ seeds to those weighing in excess of a pound, they’re here in abundance. Secondly, when bluegills spawn, they congregate by the hundreds, or thousands, onto suitable areas for this activity.

In most Louisiana lakes, a suitable area is usually relatively shallow with a hard sandy or gravel bottom where males fan out dinner plate-sized depressions on the bottom into which females will lay their eggs. The male fertilizes the eggs and stands guard over the nest until the little ones hatch.

Thirdly, spawning bluegills will attack virtually anything that ventures close enough to be perceived as a threat to the eggs, or that appears to be a tasty morsel. A gob of red wigglers or a gray cricket skewered onto a thin wire hook dangling beneath a split shot and cork is usually all that is needed to ensure a quick bite.

Few fishing experiences rival spawning time for bull bream. Quietly trolling to within the flip of a cane pole of a bed of bluegills is usually all that is involved. Anchor or tie off the boat to keep it from drifting over the beds and it’s often a “pitch ‘til you win” proposition.

Ready for the running of the bulls but don’t want to travel all the way to Spain and risk getting trampled or gored? Try bull bream. They’re in all our ponds, streams and lakes and they’re just waiting to run with you.

FISHING REPORT

CANEY LAKE – Bass are best at night on soft plastics and dark colored crank baits. Some are caught early morning around the grass on topwater lures. Smaller bass are chasing shad on the surface and are schooling. Shad imitation lures are working best.. Crappie are suspended with shiners and jigs taking some nice fish. Bream both chinquapins and bluegills are moving off the beds but can still be caught on crickets and worms. For information contact Caney Lake Landing at 259-6649, Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
BUSSEY BRAKE – Bass, some double digit fish, have been good early mornings on topwaters Sinkos and on plastic worms. Crappie are on the flats and are biting on shiners or jigs. The bream bite has slowed a bit. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole at 323-8707.
OUACHITA RIVER – The water is falling and fishing is improving. Crappie are good fishing the tops with shiners or jigs. Bass have improved fishing shad imitations in the cuts. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE D’ARBONNE – Bass fishing has been best on crank baits, Wobbleheads and soft plastics with topwaters best early mornings in the shallows. Crappie are suspended and best fishing has been in the hottest part of the day on jigs and shiners. Bream bedding shallow is ending and the fish have moved deeper. Catfish are good fishing off the banks. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE CLAIBORNE – Crappie fishing has been fair to good on jigs and shiners. Bass are around the banks and hitting topwaters early while later hitting hit jigs, spinners and soft plastics. Night fishing has improved around lighted piers and boat docks on soft plastics and crank baits. Bream are moving off the beds and are more scattered. Stripers are schooling and hitting shad imitations. For latest information, call Kel’s Cove at 927-2264 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498.
LAKE POVERTY POINT – Catfish are biting. A few bass to 7 ½ pounds have been caught on crank baits. Cappie and bream are slow. For information, contact the marina at 318/878-0101.
LAKE YUCATAN – The water is slowly falling and the road to the landing is open and camps are set up. Fishing has picked up with lots of bass, crappie and catfish coming in. For info call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.