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Jeb had his last flag football game of the
season, and the family went out
to see his 9:00 AM game. Right after the game Mark and I headed out for
fishing. We got on-site at 1:00 PM and the temperature at game time was
an unseasonably warm 73-degrees, a slight breeze and overcast. |
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It was warm yesterday and we were hoping that
with a few "heating" days
the fish might be attracted to shallow, warming waters. We caught nothing
from 1:00 PM through 3:00 PM, but nature turned on the dinner bell from 3:00
to 4:00 PM. We caught several fish within that hour, all from
warmer-exposed northeast slopes, which was also the fetch (winds pushing from
west to east)
side of the waters. |
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We had crank and spinnerbaits as well as Senko worms, but it was
the live shiners that did the trick. On our way out today we went to
Clyde's in Lansdowne and purchased a dozen shiners and wooden bobbers.
|
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None of the strikes were aggressive. I
think I may have had a chain
pickerel that felt more lively than any other fish on the day, but my 12-pound
test line broke during the hook set. That strike came as I bounced my lure
off of soft rush and it quietly plopped into the water. I had another
strike
right at the boat and I was not paying attention. It was good to see that
the
fish were interested enough to follow the lure as I was ripping it back to
the boat, thinking I was past the "strike" zone. |
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Mark switched from artificial lures to shiners
to get in on the action, using
a light action rod and reel with a bobber and 1-ot Gamakatsu worm hooks.
He foul hooked this hungry bluegill who was most willing to try for a
live shiner. |
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Mark took this black crappie from alongside a
freshly felled beaver tree and
knowing that crappie usually occur in groups, we cast back to that area several
times, but without any repeat success. |
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It was 4:00 PM and we had just discussed
getting ready to head back to our
truck and Mark took this big girl of the day on his last cast. He
immediately knew the fish was big and he called for the net. |
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The light action rod with 6-pound test was
getting a work-out. We both saw
the fish make a swirling roll and noted her size. I told Mark to "play"
the fish toward the boat, and we both knew without saying anything that if he
was too aggressive? we may loose her and if we played her to gently she may
throw
the small 1-ot hook. As soon as Mark got the fish close I was able to net
her. Great fish! We were thinking in excess of four-pounds. |
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