I gotta be a terminal masochist. Fishing Deer Creek on Friday...the new Saturday? I wanted to hit it yesterday but Mama Nature was pitching a hissy fit...with wind and lightning...so I delayed a day.
Got there at 6 am and was on the water by 6:30. Coulda stood in bed. A cool 48 degree breeze was dang near uncomfy cold and the fish didn't start waking up until after 8. Water temp was 68...warming to 70 by noon departure. Lots of clouds. The sun didn't start breaking through much until about 11...and that's when the noise got louder too...from the power squadron.
Once the fish woke up they kept me busy. I was dragging whirly fligs and crawlers...fire tiger on one rod and chartreuse perch on the other. Got lots of votes for both. Only problem was that most of the votes were from the non-walleye contingent. Got about a dozen small smallies and 8 or 10 perch. Plus a lot of bites from that ilk that just shredded the crawlers meant for walleyes. I also caught a cantankerous bullhead...and "removed it from the system". Oh yeah, and I also had on a chunky 8" green sunfish that pulled off as I was lifting it aboard for a photo.
I did end up catching 5 walleyes. Three were "footlongs" and were released for next year. A couple were keepable "teen-inchers" and got a ride in my basket.
Even before the power squadron hit the water I had a lot of company on the flats. Musta been almost 20 boats bottom bouncing for the same fish I was. But I didn't see much action amongst the others. Saw one guy pull in a couple of perch but that was about it. I'm sure there was other catching going on, but I couldn't watch all of them all of the time. Plus...the pesky smallettes and perch kept me busy rebaiting.
Got there at 6 am and was on the water by 6:30. Coulda stood in bed. A cool 48 degree breeze was dang near uncomfy cold and the fish didn't start waking up until after 8. Water temp was 68...warming to 70 by noon departure. Lots of clouds. The sun didn't start breaking through much until about 11...and that's when the noise got louder too...from the power squadron.
Once the fish woke up they kept me busy. I was dragging whirly fligs and crawlers...fire tiger on one rod and chartreuse perch on the other. Got lots of votes for both. Only problem was that most of the votes were from the non-walleye contingent. Got about a dozen small smallies and 8 or 10 perch. Plus a lot of bites from that ilk that just shredded the crawlers meant for walleyes. I also caught a cantankerous bullhead...and "removed it from the system". Oh yeah, and I also had on a chunky 8" green sunfish that pulled off as I was lifting it aboard for a photo.
I did end up catching 5 walleyes. Three were "footlongs" and were released for next year. A couple were keepable "teen-inchers" and got a ride in my basket.
Even before the power squadron hit the water I had a lot of company on the flats. Musta been almost 20 boats bottom bouncing for the same fish I was. But I didn't see much action amongst the others. Saw one guy pull in a couple of perch but that was about it. I'm sure there was other catching going on, but I couldn't watch all of them all of the time. Plus...the pesky smallettes and perch kept me busy rebaiting.