06-15-2020, 10:24 PM
Took the kayak to Echo today. Air temp at arrival was 43, water 61. 77and 69 respectively when I left at 2 pm.
The morning was memorable. I fished the east side, ramp to dam. A smallie on almost every cast with a Rebel Pop R. All 10" "sandwich" bass. They shut down abruptly just as I was thinking about starting to keep a few (isn't that always the way?) Got a few more on a Ned rig but no takers on a paddletail minnow - even though most of the bass I caught were puking up 3" minnows and the occasional crawdad. It stayed flat calm until lunchtime, when a light ripple began, wafting me gently towards the dock again. Got a keeper bass in 15' of water on the Ned, and decided to keep fishing until I got one more. A few casts later the Ned had hardly started to sink when it grew torpedo power. Five minutes of singing drag later, I thought sure I had hooked a carp, but hadn't seen it yet. Nope, 18" rainbow. Claudia likes trout meat.
There are medium-sized perch everywhere there is flooded brush on the east side. Would make a great outing for kids.
Left the kayak atop my Highlander and plan to hit Willard Wednesday if the weather holds.
The morning was memorable. I fished the east side, ramp to dam. A smallie on almost every cast with a Rebel Pop R. All 10" "sandwich" bass. They shut down abruptly just as I was thinking about starting to keep a few (isn't that always the way?) Got a few more on a Ned rig but no takers on a paddletail minnow - even though most of the bass I caught were puking up 3" minnows and the occasional crawdad. It stayed flat calm until lunchtime, when a light ripple began, wafting me gently towards the dock again. Got a keeper bass in 15' of water on the Ned, and decided to keep fishing until I got one more. A few casts later the Ned had hardly started to sink when it grew torpedo power. Five minutes of singing drag later, I thought sure I had hooked a carp, but hadn't seen it yet. Nope, 18" rainbow. Claudia likes trout meat.
There are medium-sized perch everywhere there is flooded brush on the east side. Would make a great outing for kids.
Left the kayak atop my Highlander and plan to hit Willard Wednesday if the weather holds.