Last weekend I never hooked a thing on my favorite water. I've got a new St. Croix panfish series rod that has just been itching to rip a lip on something and today on my home water I put a bend in her, a few times in fact.

Name: IMG_0018 (640x480).jpg Views: 1212 Size: 47.9 KB

I boated around 9-10 of these nice 'gills ( about 8.5" or so), along with 3-4 nice perch, 2 small bass and 1 small crappie. This trip got rid of the skunk that's been hounding me so far this season. I took a trip to another small pond on Friday night.....nada, nothing at all. Same thing at the first water (yet another small pond) that I hit this morning before heading to what I call my home water.

Today's fish all came from shallow water, less than 5 feet. The crappie came from an errant cast that landed just short of a lump of brush hanging over a log and he was on it in an instant.

Name: IMG_0020 (640x480).jpg Views: 1214 Size: 133.8 KB

Most of them came on the purple/firetail 2" BPS triple ripple grub. This color combination is simply awesome in this lake for taking big 'gills. I'll be darned if I can figure out what it resembles but it sure does put the 'gills in the cooler. The minnow tube is a good color for summer crappie and put a couple of bluegill in the boat today.

The rod is a 5 1/2' UL rigged with 4 pound test. I was pleased with the sensitivity of the rig on feeling the bite. Lifting those 'gills, which are around 3/4 of a pound or so, bends the rod right over in a "C". Its more limber than I would have expected but I'll get used to it.

Ken