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