fun at josephine

I went to lake Josephine on Saturday morning. Left out about 7:30..got some worms and minnows and just had the trolling motor on the boat to try it out. Friend at work had given it to me ..Old 28 lb thrust moidel. launched boat with no problems. Motor performed very well for being so old. I caught a 3lb bass and a small catfish on minnows. Some small bluegill played around with the worms for an hour or so without really biting until 10:30.Sun just got too hot to keep going so pulled boat in to load it. I go about 10 ft winding around this tree to get to the dock and the trailer starts this violent bumping on the right side. No big roots...what's the problem?? I look and the axle is loose from the spring on that side..completely loose as in flopping around! I had some heavy speaker wire in the truck so wrapped that around and tied it very tightly. I didn't want to go back down 27 so took a backroad that was straight across 27 where Josephine came out..Drove it home at 35 mph all the way and made it to sebring. Sweating bullets the whole time of course. Literally almost as truck has no a/c! So I've ordered new u bolt kits for both sides..this won't happen again. Strange that there were no indications at all of a problem on the way to the dock. But I'm not complaining!

My dad fishes that lake at night when windy. Doesn't catch numbers but quality makes up for it.

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Originally Posted by floridascuba

My dad fishes that lake at night when windy. Doesn't catch numbers but quality makes up for it.

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I've caught two or three large crappie. Mostly catch bluegill or shellcrackers there. I haven't tried in the cold months or at night yet.It really doesn't get much more than 9 foot deep anywhere it seems and the ones I've caught(crappies) I've caught just slowly drifting with bait set at about 5 ft or so. I'm getting to know where the drop offs are and there is zero structure except at the edges. After the boat gets sqared away ,I'll probably be on it at least two days a week during the fall.

Is lake stained or clear?

Spring fed or creek fed ?

For some reason - fish past 2 -3 weeks are running closer to surface than in past
at this time of year. Down 4ft vs usual 7 - 9 ft...................
Maybe because of amount of rain - we have had this summer ?

Stained. Creek fed. My dad primarily fishes north istokpoka. About 15 mins down the road from Josephine.

Glad you worked out your trailer problem..... I think we've all had one of those days

Have also gone through Horror events of that kind myself...

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Originally Posted by fishin813

Have also gone through Horror events of that kind myself...

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Josephine does seem to be up about 6 inches or so but I was catching at that 5 ft mark before the rains. It is kind of murky water,,at three feet usually can't see the bottom. I'll catch onto a fish pattern some day!

I still need to install a battery in my storage bin for the fish finder ,trolling motor and aerator but all the other problems with trailer are pretty much sorted out. I've already changed tires and bearings. Don't know how I missed that u bolt....

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Originally Posted by floridascuba

My dad fishes that lake at night when windy. Doesn't catch numbers but quality makes up for it.

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I should try to get together with your dad to fish! He could probably teach me a LOT!..

I don't know about a LOT. He keeps it simple and fishes the spawns. But since I transferred to Tampa, my mom been dragging him here often, so she can spoil the kids.

Been thinking about parking another Jon in the yard for when I don't want to go big. I found some 6 gallon milk crates over the years and have used them for seat bases and tackle storage with a piano hinge and 1/2" plywood top. When alone in a small boat it also sets your weight forward just enough to bring the nose back down helping with control in the wind and planing when using an outboard.

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Originally Posted by skeetbum

Been thinking about parking another Jon in the yard for when I don't want to go big. I found some 6 gallon milk crates over the years and have used them for seat bases and tackle storage with a piano hinge and 1/2" plywood top. When alone in a small boat it also sets your weight forward just enough to bring the nose back down helping with control in the wind and planing when using an outboard.

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well..I got the ubolt kits in for the trailer today...Vey heavy duty pieces with thick connecting plate and 3/8 bolts with lock nuts...Installing was pretty easy but it rained about halfway through Luckily I could do most of the tightening from under the boat.This axles isn't going anywhere again!! Now if the rain would stop I could give it another try!