I have become one this season. Yes. I'm pushing already. Let me tell you how it happened. Last Wednesday I looked for fish from 9 til 12 and had one small green fish for my efforts. I decided to go upriver to continue the search. I marked a school, probably White Bass but they stretch the line, when a friend went by and we hollered our hello's. He told me there were plenty up ahead in about 14 to 18 fow. Off I went. That was about noon. The day was tough on us jig fishermen and the spider rig wasn't working very well when I had the thought " That's the depth that I usually pull cranks at". Changed the rig around and over the next 30 minutes I was pulling 6 rods. Had my limit and headed home at 3. Now I had and idea to put the stiffer rods and trolling sinkers in the boat for the next trip. Friday I finished work early and headed home and pretty much ran to the lake. The wind was from the west and at least 15 and gusting 10 or more than that. Dropped the lines and being my first time pushing out the front I had to get the depth right, no line counter reels. I didn't get the 4 rods out and boated the first fish. The wind was stiff enough (pushing the bass boat at 1.5 to 1.7 mph with no TM) that I didn't get to fish where I wanted but did get 13 before I ran out of time and had to go. That's 13 good keepers over 11 and not counting the stripe and gill that came to visit. The best part of that was that all the fish were caught on cranks that I painted over the winter, and black produced more that I ever thought it would. Friday evening a storm came through and I hoped it would change the wind situation. It did. It turned it around from the east, no decrease in intensity. Off I went, bouncing like a cork among the occasional whitecap with the rods that I had figured out the day before. Once again, first fish before the rods all got out. 2 hours and 40 minutes later I pulled the boat having had 17 solid keepers released, the last 6 in about as many minutes when I blew past a brushpile. What I like about the pushing over the longline is the maneuverability. When turning you don't need a half a football field, just , just make sure you don't drag them into the TM and turn right around and go through that good area you just finished.A big difference for me, especially when alone in the boat. Helped several folks get on their trailers before I could get my trailer to the ramp and looked up to find a gent that I guess was in his seventies and looking worn out. He had been out in all that wind since 7 or 8 that morning in all that wind in a 16' aluminum rig by himself. It was after 3 and he had 2 fish for his efforts. I got his keys and got his trailer and helped him get to the parking lot. I had to help him get out of the boat, he was so tired. Thanking me we talked for a couple of minutes and he went on his way. The reason I bring him up is his condition when he finished for the day. Had anything bad happened in those windy conditions, the water just over 60 and whitecapping going straight into the ramp we were loading at he could have had a real bad time of it. It was busy and lots of boats leaving their wake and so on. Please read the conditions and when act accordingly and keep your safety, not your stringer as your first priority. I'll finish wishing everyone a good season and a big stringer, there's lots of fish being caught. Here's a few from Fridays trip, the one over 14. My cranks in the mouth of the others. GO GET YOU SOME!!
