First time back to J.C. Murphey Lake (Willow Slough) in Years!

[mtyburski]

Set my alarm for 430 in the morning and was ready to get some morning fishing done at J.C. Murphey lake this past Saturday. It was overcast and steady wind was blowing, making ideal fishing conditions. It's been a long time, since I've fished this lake, about 25 years and glad to return. My brother, nephew, and I took a drive down there back in December, so it wasn't too tricky to try and find it. I started out fishing the bay, that is near the main entrance, and had bluegill and crappie on my mind. I brought my 7 weight flyrod and was using a bead head nymph, which is very effective for sunfish. The gentleman that I was fishing next to, was using a 13 foot cane pole, and caught a few bass and larger bluegill. In about an hour of fishing and about fifty casts, I managed a small Rock Bass and good size bluegill. I decided to move to the strip of land about 400 yards away, and glad my brother and his buddy showed up for the company and help me take a photo, if I were to catch anything else. The move did pay off and glad to have landed, one of the bigger bluegills, I've ever caught. I rarely keep my catches, but brought my cooler along anyway, to keep a few to take back to my fishing buddy, who has given me plenty of fillets. One crappie and about a
dozen bluegill, was in my cooler in just a couple of hours. It was a great day and can't wait for my nephew to get a bit older and get some fishing time in.