07-13-2018, 10:13 PM
I've never been a superstitious person. Have some firm beliefs about other days....but not the topic for today. Launched out of Willard Bay south and was headed out the channel at 0730. Air temp was 71, water temp 77. Light breeze, a few midges, and only one ski boat in sight. Plan was to get directly over to Freeway Bay, and soak some bait. Spend no more than 30 minutes in each spot that showed promise, work my way back to the marina and get off the water by about 1130. Several other anglers must have had the same or at least similar idea. Passed 4 or 5 other boats that were anchored or slow maneuvering just off the south wall in the area of the feed lot to just passed the coffer dam. After spending the required 30 minutes each in 2 different spots, got bored and decided to just meander slow troll in random directions at random speeds with some go-to Chrome and Blue rat-l-traps.
Less than 20 minutes after swapping the bait rods for the trolling rods, got a small bendo and some very tentative tugs on starboard side. Reeled in and released a junior cat.
Now here is where the morning got a bit more interesting. 12 minutes after sending junior kitty back to school, other reel started singing it's, "looks like a Wiper" song. Brought the singer to net and turned out to be a bit bigger Cat. Now this well proportioned lady kitty was not huge by any means, but like many females, she had a real catittude . She DID NOT want to be netted, and tried to go under the boat, around behind the boat, and away from the boat in any direction that may have looked like freedom. But I persisted and insisted she come and check out my live well. Got her netted, turned over the boat gunwale, and when she hit the deck, the lure went flying off. Figured I had gotten lucky that she didn't spit the lure while still in the water. Then noticed that the treble hook was still in her mouth and the split ring was twisted and broken off the hook.
I'd say that dispelled any Friday the 13th bad luck. For me anyway. Not so lucky for the fish.
Continued my more or less aimless trolling. Somewhere about 1/4 mile off the feed lot, moving north-west ish, the same lure with a new split ring and treble hook went in a steady slow bend and the reel slowly stripped line. Figured I had snagged something................I had barely side hooked a small Wiper. One hook just barely in the skin. Boated and CPR'd.
Heading back toward south marina, decided to relinquish the water to the power squadron, starboard side rod very suddenly bent almost double, reel stripped off about 30 yards of 12 lb. mono before I could get it out of the holder and the drag tightened down some. Spent what seemed like 10 minutes but was probably only 1 or 2 pulling back and reeling, and the fish turning and stripping more line. Got the culprit to within 10 to 20 feet of the boat and still have not seen what it is.
POP, line goes slack, no weight, no resistance, and no lure. Line broke somewhere above the snap swivel.
If anyone catches that "whatever it was" and there is still a chrome a blue rat-l-trap hanging out of it's mouth, I would appreciate getting that lure back..[mad]
That has happened to me enough times at Willard that I just know there is at least one toothy Tiger Muskie in there that has a collection of lures.
Called it a day and got my "take home Cat" cleaned and bagged. Water temp on departure 82, air temp 91.
Leaving the south marina, saw a familiar Lund being loaded on a trailer behind a familiar truck with a camper. Waited at the top of the east ramp and had a nice chat with ZukiBlue.
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Less than 20 minutes after swapping the bait rods for the trolling rods, got a small bendo and some very tentative tugs on starboard side. Reeled in and released a junior cat.
Now here is where the morning got a bit more interesting. 12 minutes after sending junior kitty back to school, other reel started singing it's, "looks like a Wiper" song. Brought the singer to net and turned out to be a bit bigger Cat. Now this well proportioned lady kitty was not huge by any means, but like many females, she had a real catittude . She DID NOT want to be netted, and tried to go under the boat, around behind the boat, and away from the boat in any direction that may have looked like freedom. But I persisted and insisted she come and check out my live well. Got her netted, turned over the boat gunwale, and when she hit the deck, the lure went flying off. Figured I had gotten lucky that she didn't spit the lure while still in the water. Then noticed that the treble hook was still in her mouth and the split ring was twisted and broken off the hook.
I'd say that dispelled any Friday the 13th bad luck. For me anyway. Not so lucky for the fish.
Continued my more or less aimless trolling. Somewhere about 1/4 mile off the feed lot, moving north-west ish, the same lure with a new split ring and treble hook went in a steady slow bend and the reel slowly stripped line. Figured I had snagged something................I had barely side hooked a small Wiper. One hook just barely in the skin. Boated and CPR'd.
Heading back toward south marina, decided to relinquish the water to the power squadron, starboard side rod very suddenly bent almost double, reel stripped off about 30 yards of 12 lb. mono before I could get it out of the holder and the drag tightened down some. Spent what seemed like 10 minutes but was probably only 1 or 2 pulling back and reeling, and the fish turning and stripping more line. Got the culprit to within 10 to 20 feet of the boat and still have not seen what it is.
POP, line goes slack, no weight, no resistance, and no lure. Line broke somewhere above the snap swivel.
If anyone catches that "whatever it was" and there is still a chrome a blue rat-l-trap hanging out of it's mouth, I would appreciate getting that lure back..[mad]
That has happened to me enough times at Willard that I just know there is at least one toothy Tiger Muskie in there that has a collection of lures.
Called it a day and got my "take home Cat" cleaned and bagged. Water temp on departure 82, air temp 91.
Leaving the south marina, saw a familiar Lund being loaded on a trailer behind a familiar truck with a camper. Waited at the top of the east ramp and had a nice chat with ZukiBlue.
[signature]