FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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Don’t Leave Home Without It.  I don’t!

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They are still eating the pearl Controlled Descent Jerk Shad.

It was about 10:00, cloudy, misty, and fairly calm, so instead of doing something responsible I went to the lake.  Did not even check the weather or levels, just went.  When I got there it was done misting but cloudy and the water temp was back in the low to high 70’s depending on where you were.  And with the wind down I was able to fish a couple of places that have been just pounded by the wind and I could not fish them effectively the last few trips.  I started with the pearl Jerk Shad in cover and the bite was on.  And from that point it was bites everywhere I fished, and they hit a variety of things.

******************Fresh or salt it has a place in your arsenal.

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The one on the right was the first one that was beat up and obviously spawning.

But the big news – They are on the beds all over the lake.  The really slow drop in the lake level combined with a little more clearing has them visible.  As in sticking out like a sore thumb.  Now I don’t bed fish, and as off color as it still is not sure how well you could see them, but it looks like they are having at it

4 baits caught fish today, I specifically tried to figure it out a little more.  2 came on a whacky hooked bubble gum trick worm, which wasn’t bad for how little I fished it.  Same with buzzbait, caught 2 and missed a couple.  The Bang O Lure caught 4 or 5, just working it along the top fairly quick, constantly jerking and twitching it under.  But the pearl Jerk Shad is the hands down preferred bait, at least for me.

Bait was flipping here and there today, and where it was shallow with cover and bait there were fish.  The best fish came on a little deeper main lake bank with tons of cover.  It was not fast by any means, but walking the dog with the Jerk Shad by far got the most bites.  It was important to twitch it by a bush, stump, or stick, and get ready.  I even intentionally re-fished a bank and was able to catch one more.  The coves continue to be the best and some of them are just loaded with beds.

I definitely missed the good bite earlier in the morning.  The weather was perfect, and not sure what the difference was from yesterday but today was much better.  No big ones today but it was good fishing, with plenty of bites.  And I love actually watching them rolling up and eating the Jerk Shad, or the Bang O Lure when it is pulled under.   Though that bite has been tougher with it so hard to see to far down.  The just materialize and eat.  So good day for a 5 hour trip.  But the lake sure has been bi-polar and you don’t know which one it will be.  But things are looking up, with the forecast including maybe over 3″ of rain through Monday morning things can, and will change.

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And the wildlife was having a party today.  I saw a big racoon working the shoreline looking for a treat.  The turkeys were in full gooble today, and a couple on opposite sides of the lake were having a gobbling contest.  But the coolest thing was way in the back of a big cove there were 4 deer on the shore as I eased around the corner and caught them by surprise.  They took off and then a big gator, one I have seen there for years, came trolling out of some brush on the bank.  It looked like he was up there just hanging waiting for one of the deer to make a mistake.  Not sure, but the wildlife was just as active as the fish.  Always a good sign.  And one bad sign, if on the way to the lake the cows are laying down.

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It looks like after a long drought the fishing is finally on the upswing.  Though the big fish are a little tough right now the fish are on the beds and it should finally stabilize.  I was hoping to fish the bay today but need to pick up the skiff at the dealer after it’s annual service and run a few more errands.  I always dread the call when it is done, hoping for no additional problems but not this time.  Compression 152 across all 3 cylinders, great news.  Today I will finally make the “where to” decision for next week.  Funny how when you can go anywhere it turns into a tough decision.   So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines