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Full Version: Hot Tuesday Tugs...Willard 8-1-17
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[#0000ff]Had a meetup at the south marina scheduled this morning. Unfortunately, my play date had to cancel due to some family health problems.

I made a solo launch just after 6:30. Air temp already over 70 and water temp 80. Toasty. Got worser later. But only a light breeze early and then classic glass.

Had planned to motate out to the new rock piles but figured I'd play it safe and hit the dikes...in case it turned out to be an early day. It did.
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Started out gangbusters and got better.
[/#0000ff]Had the first keeper kitty in the basket before 7 am. Then released several smaller ones...figuring I should have no trouble culling a decent size limit. True dat. Didn't keep any under about 18" and my biggest was just shy of the two-footer mark. Not bad for Willard.

I was using my blue/silver "fligs" (floating jigs) again...only today I rigged them with the sinker on a short dropper and the flig on about an 18" leader. Made no nevermind to the cats. They voted for it. Sweetened them with small chub minnows. Yum.

I was also throwing my usual tandem tube jig rig, with a bit of worm. Pitched it right up next to the rocks and bounced it back to the tube along the bottom. Got some scary strikes almost as soon as the jigs touched down sometimes. Caught a couple cats on my blue/clear sparkle jig but most were on the white with a red eye. No walleyes or wipers were harmed in this pursuit.

Had a couple of doubles...where I was reeling in a cat on one rod when the other one got busy. Landed both doubles. Probably make it on the funny video show if someone taped me trying to keep the fish from wrapping up me or themselves. Also makes it interesting to net first one fish and then the other in the same (small) net. Yahoo.

The rock chucks were busy this morning (Willard Easter bunnies). They stood up to watch (and laugh) as I worked by them down the dike.

Not many fishermen out early (just the dumb ones). Only one boat launched before 7 and few after that. But the power squadron was showing up in force as I left before noon. There was one red Lund with a couple of "mature" gentlemen hugging the rocks inside the marina when I came in. They had caught a couple of cats bobberizing right next to the rocks. I filleted their fish for them when they showed up while I was doing mine.

Oh yeah. I too have cursed the lack of working outlets at the fish cleaning station the last couple of times. But the one on the SE pole has been working. Today? Nope. No power for the electric knives. Glad I always carry my 12 volt backup. I'll bet there are some Angry fisherfolk who don't have the 12 volt knives and wanna fillet some fish.

Air temp was a sweaty 92 by the time I crawled in my vehicle for the return trip. TDH. (Too $%^@% hot).

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Another great report and another basket of catfish! I should expect nothing less[laugh]
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[#0000FF]Thanks.

Wouldja believe I took a bunch of pics of the same basket of cats last year and just keep changing them?

Hadda get some more for the smoker. Those Willard kitties are so good that as soon as I take a batch out of the smoker my friends/neighbors/relatives/fishing buddies clean out my stash. Gotta do some more so I can have some my own self.

Have you been getting out at all?
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Havent got out a lot since early June had a few medical things that took up my mornings for 6 weeks. Hoping to start getting out. I dont believe that story about the same picture I know those cats see your fins and congregate around your tube waiting for an invite to dinner.
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glad you were able to get out and enjoy another good day. Wish I could have been with you to help out.

rj
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Hey Pat don't blame the friends and neighbors for raiding your stash that's good stuff. I still haven't smoked any cats this year, only ones I kept so far was with you at Willard and the Young men slicked them up in fish tacos so guess I'll have to try a batch myself. Glad you got out for another great trip, makes me wish for more free time to do the same. Hopefully September will give me a chance. Later J
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[#0000FF]Wish you could have been there too. Best wishes for your wife's recovery.
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[#0000FF]I probably won't be doing much fishing the next couple of weeks. I had enough HOT fishing while living in Arizona. I fish for enjoyment...not endurance.

Sometime around the end of August to the first week in September there is usually a noticeable change. Suddenly the days are shorter...and a bit cooler...and the fish start getting active again. Fall is almost always my best fishing of the year. Hope you can wrap up your farm festivities and join me on the waters again.
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I'm looking forward to joining you again once I get past the wedding and start ramping down on the farming... Be glad to get some of those nice crisp mornings to tangle with the fish as the steam rises from the surface... Nothing more enjoyable... Looking forward to it... J
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As always, You Da Man Pat, glad to hear some of those bigger cats came out to play this time. FYI, that outlet there at the cleaning station is one of those GFI types plugs and the last time it wasn't working I was able to reset it by pushing that little reset button in the center. It's pretty hard to reset though, I couldn't do it with my finger, I had to use something smaller and more pointed. I don't remember exactly what I used but I think it was one of the blades on my knife[:/]. Hope this helps for that next trip there.
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[#0000FF]I also tried the reset thing...but only with my fingers. It would be a lot better for us park pass buyers if we could simply use the outlets on the cleaning station and not have to have a degree in electric outlet management in order to fillet fish...after diddling around with the only (sometimes) working remote electrical outlet.

Thanks for the heads up. Next time I wanna use that cleaning station I'll bring along my electrician's tool belt.
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