Three Hours

That was about all I wanted to spend out today. After a tough, hot week I wasn’t going to get up early and hit it hard and long. Dropped in about 7 after saying hello to the two Owls from last week, in just about the same place. I don’t usually do well on a full moon so my expectations weren’t very high. I just wanted some quiet time and a few fish to keep me company, and my wish was granted. Things were slow getting started but it didn’t matter. I was surrounded by all kinds of things to occupy my senses.
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Started with the haze hanging on the water surface, always helps me do a little time travel. See, my wife and I were married lakeside on July 3rd and there was a haze on the lake that morning too. Good memories. While the fish were being tough I eased up alongside a tree and shot my little jig up under it, just about the same time I noticed something to my left. My subconscious said it was a log, but it also said “HUH”? So I looked directly at it and it was no log, unless they have nostrils. A good size gator was just below water level, nothing but nostrils out of the water. I’ve been told that every inch between the nose and eyes equals a foot in length. This one had to be 8 to 9 feet. Right about now it decided I was too close so it submerged quietly and disappeared, leaving nothing but a bubble trail. Still no fish, so I moved on. Finally got a bluegill about 6” long and so the days catching began.
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As I moved around, I saw some of the flowers I’ve posted in weeks past. These were the same variety but all that was seen today wer pink to almost white in color and only one red was seen. I can stretch my hand about 9” wide and these blooms are at least that big, very pretty. I send pictures of them to my wife since has put the squash on my buying her cut flowers. Birds that I have never heard before were making noise there today. Now I have to pay attention to get a look at them so I can identify who’s who.
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These two were caught in three casts, and each made the drag scream for a minute. Hit like a hammer and gave a good account of themselves. A while later I was kinda retrieving my normal slow way, not expecting anything when the rod tip gets pulled about 3 feet to the right and the drag sounded off big time. Got a handle on things and got it coming my way, and I figured a good 9” gill, but not so. It turned out to be a red bellied sunfish all of about 6 1/2” with an attitude. Stunning colors and a tab on the gill plate that had to be close to an inch long. All totaled I got less than a dozen fish with maybe 4 that would have gotten to be dinner, but all still swim. The jigs I’ve been tying we’re all I used today, and they worked well and didn’t get broken off. Same 2 jigs on 2 rods all day. I like that compared to many plastic bodies. The heat was building, the wind started to build which was a blessing like air conditioning, and sliding back into the shade was a welcome relief. I had caught some fish, recharged my internal batteries, and the idiots hadn’t shown up in force yet so I bid a hasty farewell to my surroundings and headed for the ramp. It was just after 10. Might sneak out for a quickie tomorrow but I’m also thinking of how sweet sleeping in would be, we’ll see. Hope you’ve had a good weekend and I look forward to seeing you soon, maybe on the water. Til then......Skeet.

some good pictures that you have there. I showed the flowers to my wife. She loved them. Some nice fish to help relieve the inner stress. Thanks for taking us along on your trip.

Good story Tim and nice fish.


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thnx Tim

Nice pictures and report, I did a quick 3 hour tour on Friday morning myself. This heat is just too much to stay any longer. Those two Gills are awesome looking.


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Good quality time on the water. Nice pictures.

Pretty fish and pretty flowers.

Regards


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The flowers are called "Rose of Sharon". There are two types of them, one grows on trees, and the other grows on bushes. We have the later in out front yard. Really nice fish, go catch some more.

Very nice read brother. I felt a little more relaxed myself after reading it. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Chevy. That was what some had said locally but never saw any with a stalk this stout. Over an inch across at the base. Pretty, regardless.

If you look in the one fish pic, you can see the jig I used all day. A few colors have been doing well with iced tea with lemon being a real good one. Thats Bobby Garlands name for it and I had to copy. The lemon was easy but the iced tea was a challenge.
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So I went digging around in my junk and found some dyed mallard flank and a fox squirrel tail dyed red, but looked orange to me. The olive body has done well with white and fl yellow so I used it on some of these. Maybe next weekend for testing. Thanks for looking.....

As always Skeet, great story!!!

Nice read, thanks for taking us along.


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I knew a rose of Sharon was a bush , but I thought maybe that was actually some sort of wild hibiscus
I seen the same ones in east texas a few years back growing all along the shore on lake Palestine
none the less they are beautiful and I was obliged to go look at them close as well .
nice read and photos brother

I really like that yellow jig. Does remind me of the sweet tea with lemon.

Thanks for the ride along. :ThumbsUp

Great report. Thanks.

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