08-14-2006, 09:13 PM
The wife and I headed out to our favourite spot over the week end for some bassin'.
It was a cool 84, 43% humidity and 10mph NW winds gusting at 20mph. The water was choppy and slightly stained.
We got to the lake at 08h00 and to my dismay, discovered my tube's seam had split (have spoken to Outcast regarding this already). I repaired it with the supplied vinyl kit and headed out, only to find it still leaked, though not as bad. I simply kept the pump attached to the valve and shunted some air into her whenever she looked a little .
10h15 - Me
1 x 8" LMB Rapala shallow diver natural
10h35 - Wife
1 x 15" LMB 1 3/4 lbs june bug Yamasenko 5"
10h40 - Me
1 x 9" perch Rapala shallow diver natural
10h45 - Me
1 x 19" LMB 5.5lbs pumpkinseed Yamasenko 5"
11h30 - Wife
1 x 10" perch in-line spinner Panther Martin black/yellow
11h42 - Wife
1 x 10" bluegill in-line spinner Panther Martin black/yellow
13h00 - Me
1 x 20" pickerel 3.5lbs Rapala X-Rap yellow/orange
15h30 - Me
1 x 20" LMB 7lbs pumpkinseed Yamasenko 5"
16h45 - Wife
1 x 16" LMB 2lbs pumpkinseed Yamasenko 5"
18h30 - Wife
1 x 16" LMB 2.5 lbs pumpkinseed Yamasenko 5"
We lost a number of fish too. One i hooked into almost took my rod from my hands while I was trying to sort out a bunch-up which had formed a nice knot on my bait caster. I tried to follow it while attempting to undo the bunch in my line but it snapped my 10lb line like rotten cotton.
Wifey's 15" LMB
Wifey's 16" 2lb LMB
Wifey gets a show from her 16" 2.5 piglet
My 3.5lb pickerel. Biggest pickerel I've ever seen.
My 5.5lb pig
A nice 7lb lunker.
All were returned unharmed apart from the pickerel. They are a little to prevelant in the lake at the moment, so we keep all over 17".
On the way up to the lake we took a short cut through the tree line where I startled a red tailed hawk which had been perched on a fallen tree out of my line of sight.
It flew into a tree close by only to lose grip and dangle from the branch with a single foot.
We snapped a few shots of the hapless bird before it spiraled to the ground.
We edged our way closer for a better look at it and snapped a few more shots. I was unable to ascertain the reason for its predicament. It may have been injured or simply old. Either way, my wife and I decided to let nature take its course and left the poor creature to its own devices.
I have never in my life been so close to a wild raptor and been able to look into its eyes from a half dozen yards. It simply took my breath away ... I felt almost naked. It was as though its piercing gaze conveyed the truth of the wild animal kingdom - all predators are fierce, even when injured and seemingly at my mercy.
That alone made my year. Thank you God.
-ABT-
[signature]
It was a cool 84, 43% humidity and 10mph NW winds gusting at 20mph. The water was choppy and slightly stained.
We got to the lake at 08h00 and to my dismay, discovered my tube's seam had split (have spoken to Outcast regarding this already). I repaired it with the supplied vinyl kit and headed out, only to find it still leaked, though not as bad. I simply kept the pump attached to the valve and shunted some air into her whenever she looked a little .
10h15 - Me
1 x 8" LMB Rapala shallow diver natural
10h35 - Wife
1 x 15" LMB 1 3/4 lbs june bug Yamasenko 5"
10h40 - Me
1 x 9" perch Rapala shallow diver natural
10h45 - Me
1 x 19" LMB 5.5lbs pumpkinseed Yamasenko 5"
11h30 - Wife
1 x 10" perch in-line spinner Panther Martin black/yellow
11h42 - Wife
1 x 10" bluegill in-line spinner Panther Martin black/yellow
13h00 - Me
1 x 20" pickerel 3.5lbs Rapala X-Rap yellow/orange
15h30 - Me
1 x 20" LMB 7lbs pumpkinseed Yamasenko 5"
16h45 - Wife
1 x 16" LMB 2lbs pumpkinseed Yamasenko 5"
18h30 - Wife
1 x 16" LMB 2.5 lbs pumpkinseed Yamasenko 5"
We lost a number of fish too. One i hooked into almost took my rod from my hands while I was trying to sort out a bunch-up which had formed a nice knot on my bait caster. I tried to follow it while attempting to undo the bunch in my line but it snapped my 10lb line like rotten cotton.
Wifey's 15" LMB
Wifey's 16" 2lb LMB
Wifey gets a show from her 16" 2.5 piglet
My 3.5lb pickerel. Biggest pickerel I've ever seen.
My 5.5lb pig
A nice 7lb lunker.
All were returned unharmed apart from the pickerel. They are a little to prevelant in the lake at the moment, so we keep all over 17".
On the way up to the lake we took a short cut through the tree line where I startled a red tailed hawk which had been perched on a fallen tree out of my line of sight.
It flew into a tree close by only to lose grip and dangle from the branch with a single foot.
We snapped a few shots of the hapless bird before it spiraled to the ground.
We edged our way closer for a better look at it and snapped a few more shots. I was unable to ascertain the reason for its predicament. It may have been injured or simply old. Either way, my wife and I decided to let nature take its course and left the poor creature to its own devices.
I have never in my life been so close to a wild raptor and been able to look into its eyes from a half dozen yards. It simply took my breath away ... I felt almost naked. It was as though its piercing gaze conveyed the truth of the wild animal kingdom - all predators are fierce, even when injured and seemingly at my mercy.
That alone made my year. Thank you God.
-ABT-
[signature]