FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Once I saw this weather forecast it got me excited for tomorrow.  Cloudy with a moderate wind, something new and different, which should give me one more day of good spinnerbait fishing.  You never know but tomorrow has real promise.  This particular pattern is a short period in the spring and fall.  Of course you can catch them on spinnerbait anytime, but to have them completely blasting it becomes a get it while it is hot, and that is exactly what I intend to do.  So we shall see.

Weather

66/93.  Mostly cloudy and very warm with the temperature breaking the record of 92 set in 1982 with a 25% chance of rain.   Wind   SSE 9 – 22 mph.

Lake Level

Monday   96.68 msl.    Today   96.67 msl.   (Amazing how often lakes get a drop during the spawn which does not help a lick.  We need rain badly!)

Bite Time

Major   11:09 am to 1:09 pm.

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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All I have to say is re-read above and then read below.  There are some days that are memorable, and this one definitely hit the top 10 for great bites.  But calling it moderate wind at daylight was stretching it some.

When I went out to hitch the boat up at 6:15 it was freakin’ howling and looked real sketchy.  Even went back inside and re-checked the weather.  The forecast was for winds to be a high of 22, that was so wrong.  It was coming out of the SE  with small white caps and occasional drizzle.  So first up fished around the lower end in case it got ugly.  But hopes were high for the spinnerbait and it was freakin’ epic.

The biggest fish I have boated in a while.  Almost 25″!  There are no words, but that will not stop me from trying.

I was using it just like the other day, keeping with the same pattern.  When this one hit she smeared it, about 10 foot from the boat.  The bite on a spinnerbait when you are buzzing it is just an amazing thing.  Keeping it running right below the surface leaving a big wake makes it a true reaction bite and today where were plenty of those.  And it is important to be sure your spinnerbait is running straight up and down.  Then when it happens I always think did that just happen?  Did I see a giant just smoke my bait right in front of me?

And then it happened again.  This was another real bruiser!  

I do not weigh them, do not even have a scale but these were really big fish and I can only wonder what they weighed, but it was a lot.  To make a long story short I went 2 for 4 on fish this size.  The bite was on and it wasn’t that they were not smoking it, they just managed to jump off, like I  said the other day they are full of piss and vinegar.  I lost a couple of good fish because when you cast there was a big bow in the line before I could get it tight and one would jump on, then off.  But it was not only a big fish day, the bite was consistent and left me with sore hands.  When they stopped it they stopped it.

Not a bad 5 fish limit for any lake.  Lots more pics but you get the point.

Like I said when the bite is on time to take advantage of it, especially when conditions are right, and they have been right.  It was interesting today how the wind slowly went from SE to West as it headed to out of the north.  And then it got hot and humid.  As the morning got later I decided to fish where it was just to windy to fish early.  And 2 of the big bites I got came fishing what was points with the wind pounding on them.  Today I caught them from totally calm water to rough, the fish were shallow.  But they definitely preferred a little clearer water.

I did add a couple of bonus fish re-fishing an area with the swim jig and Honeydew Knockin Tail trailer or the spoon with a Bone Ice Knockin Tail trailer.

One of the big fish I did lose was on the spoon and Bone Ice trailer when she slack lined me and I just could not catch up.  It and the swim jig are effective right now with just the right amount of junk on the bank.  With the lake falling that may go away soon, but get a day with some clouds and a little wind and it will catch them.  But today it was all about taking my own advice, sticking with the pattern, and not messing up to much.  Will check out the weather and go from there, but today makes all those other days worth it.  The more I fish the luckier I get.

There was only a couple of folks out today and most were gone when I took out.  I sure hate seeing the lake falling and even today when early they were predicting possible serious rain it just did not happen.  We need rain and lots of if.  But the spring bite is on so get to the lake and get you some.  Next trip will add the topwater to the mix.  Love this time of year.

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I finally bit the bullet and went to the doctor.  It has been years since I saw anyone for anything and at my age it is time to at least having a permanent doc.  Of course multiple tests and other assorted indignities are coming but it is just one of those things that comes with old age.  But hey, I am 68 on no meds with no real complaints other than getting old so I consider myself lucky.  Guess it was all that clean living.  Not.

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Have a thing or two to take care of tomorrow and then hope to be back at it.   It will be windy again but that is not hurting anything right now.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines