Thread: 12/18

I had to try my hand and see if last weekend was a dumb luck story. So this trip I pulled the skiff and 10 rods to see if I could get into some serious harvesting. I told myself that if I got into some good fish in good numbers that I’d spend more time cleaning than I like to and stock the freezer back to its normal level. Pretty early when I left the ramp and the parking lot was busy.

I didn’t go very far and I stopped and got set up. Pretty much went thru the area I was in a week ago without incident except one short fish and I started thinking about where else I needed to go. The first decision was that if I couldn’t get there with the TM, I wasn’t going. Conditions were supposed to be off the charts according to the app I use, but the sky had been mostly clear overnight and the moon bright enough to make me check that I had turned off the spots in the backyard. I seldom do well when they’ve been munchin all night, allegedly, and today was no different. I eased around in slick calm water hoping to stumble into a cluster of fish but they only came now and then with most being sizable enough for the dinner invite. Then I got a different hit, then he pulled drag, then he didn’t cooperate like the others. A pretty good hybrid bass had taken a liking to one of my jigs and true to form, headed for all of the other lines. A little dumb luck held up and he never got into any of them. If the boat was a clock and by facing backwards the motor was 12 o’clock, I hooked that fish at about 3 o’clock and netted him at 8. All on a 12’ rod with 6lb test on it. That was extra fun!

I was running low on time and the bite never did get above slow so I wrapped and ran for the dock. 4 nice Crappie from a solid 13”+ down to 12” and the hybrid would make someone a good meal. Not what I had in mind for stinkin up the cleaning board and my mind was running through who might be happy to get em. There’s a friend/member that I can never get in the boat between his work and dad duties and I knew he would be working. He goes by Deepfry on here but I know him as Kevin and he does a fine job sponsoring our Slabfest’ when they come up, so it was time for him to receive for a change and I made the call. As expected he said sure so I got to be a delivery boy. Always enjoy my time at Bitters bait and tackle so it’s not a hard trip for me to make.

I don’t know where I’m going to wind up but I’m going somewhere the day after Christmas. I’m feeling like a salty trip might be in order. All the rain we’ve gotten lately will keep the river flowing harder than I like to fool with. Oh well, time will tell and I’ll post if and when I go. Thanks for taking the time to visit with me today. Hope to see you soon and Merry Christmas to each and every one of you. Til next time……. Skeet

enjoyed your trip. thanks for taking me along.