Fishing Forum

Made my first-ever visit to Echo today. It won't be my last.

Arrival air 28°, water 55° and the lake was vaping beautifully. Launched kayak.

Pedaled up to the riprap and on my third cast, a 16" smallie engulfed my Ned rig so deep I had to retrieve it on the fillet table. Ditto the next cast with a 14"er.

Tied on the third jig and vowed to strike sooner next time. Next time was an 18" rainbow that led me a merry fight, earning his release. (I don't keep slimers.)

Ended up with two more smallies the same size as the second one. Released a couple more because I only wanted to keep four. After a nice hot lunch (gotta love self-heating military rations!) I caught one more and then got a premonition that I ought to head home.

100 yards from the ramp, the wind came up STRONG, and by the time I'd made that last 100 yards, there were whitecaps. Two guys in a McKenzie drift boat with a trolling motor were in trouble, so I suggested that a Tracker owner go out and give them a tow. They were very grateful to get it, too.

Departed glad to have beaten the gales at 3 pm. Air temp 70° and water 59° by then.

Never found perch, but the smallie fishing was too much fun, anyway. Released my worms in the flower patch. They were grateful, too!
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So glad to hear you found some in the rap run. It can produce well before they go deep. I am a bit suprised that a perch did not say hello. Your wind alarm bell must go off 10 minutes faster than mine as I would have had to try " just a couple more casts".
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That sound like fun I have not had the pleasure of catching bass yet but want to one day. Until then I live through posts like yours that make me want to get out there and try.
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I did get a few perchly rap-a-taps on my Ned rig, and saw some perchly clouds on my sonar, so I suspect they were there. I would have had to anchor up to stay on them, though.

The bass were right on the steep drop from 14 to 23 feet depth, on the very edge of the rocks. The light wind was perfect to allow me to drift down that line.

There was light wind all morning from the northwest. Right after lunch, it went calm again, and something in me said "Uh oh!" Good thing.
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[quote RockyRaab]

Two guys in a McKenzie drift boat with a trolling motor were in trouble, so I suggested that a Tracker owner go out and give them a tow. They were very grateful to get it, too.

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Rocky, you did good. That should give you some good karma on your next trip.
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The Tracker guy and I were talking when we both noticed the drift boat being blown to shore. He had his trailer in the water and his Tracker at the courtesy dock. I said, "You have to move your boat anyway, why not go out and see if they need a tow?"

It hadn't occurred to him until then, but he immediately sprang into action. Kudos to him, not me.
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It appears that you were the brains behind the rescue.
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