Mantua 6/1

[MarineSpear]

Went out to Mantua again yesturday, Started at the east dock and worked my way to my spot this time from shore. The bluegills are hot right now. I couldn't stop catching them all day. I used my fly rod the majority of the time and I rarely had a chance to cast a second line in the water.The simple bobber small hook worm would have one on within 30 seconds without fail.

Limited out on them even with only keeping every other 7.5-9 inch gill. Definitally helped to wade out of the bank and attack them from the water to the areas they are not usually targeted. Though be warned I'm allergic to something in the water so if you plan to wade out please either wear waders or rinse off really well before in case your sensitive to the same stuff. Nearly 30 hours later and I'm still red.

I also limited out on bass from 12-14 inches and release MANY more. Suprisingly caught six 10 inch perch but released them all as my basket was getting too heavy. Still ended up stretching my stitches open and seem to have a bit of an infection brewing... May have pushed my luck so soon out of the hospital.

Speaking of luck I had a 4 foot long friend join me as I sat and fished. Nothing like a big ol rattler looking snake slithering across your hand to wake you up. Being the intellegent teen I am I decided to play with him for a while and turned out to be some type of python. I've seen them out there often though this was the biggest I'm had come so close yet.

Things that worked very well -


-- on the fly rod-
Black and white long legged poppers (yay for topwater)
Green/frog poppers (bass)
Red/copper/craw/black colored buggers
Homemade goofy fly thing... kinda like a red minow under water[cool]

- Spinning rod-
3-5 inch wacky worms
Green poppers
sliver of worm under bobber tiny hook.
joes flies
panther martin in Rainbow, sizes 0-2
green grubs


Ps i know your jealous of my sexy wading/diving shoes !
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[CoyoteSpinner]

Looks like a fun outing. You found the bass and more perch than us, but shared the gill experience.
What time were you out there?

They call it swimmer's itch. I gather it's from something on the weeds, so if you're bareskinned - probably best avoid the greenery. Just being in the water won't do it, but rubbing on weeds will. Too bad they don't have a shower station there. And a cleaning station!!!
There's a warning sign over by the boat launch.

Not sure what you can do - besides wash, then maybe some cortisone cream or some such. After bite type spray/cream.

Thanks for all the details on what was working for ya. Got a frog popper I'd better bring next time!

[Flyfishinglover]

your basket cant get full enough untill it over flows of fishes XD. I would of keep those perch nummy nummy.
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[joshomaru]

Looks like a gopher snake, homie. Pythons wouldn't last long in our climate, if they are released into the wild.
Gophers are non-venemous, but can still bite and give you an infection.
And I'm going to bet that your hands stunk afterward!
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[Warchild]

Read the signs posted by the health dept.
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[Springbuck]

I hope I come off as less critical-sounding than I'm afraid I will, but.....

Wading in a lake like Mantua with a partially healed surgical incision is BONKERS! If it goes really red and itchy, swells, exudes pus, you can feel lumps around the area, or you get a fever, run do not walk, to an ER for treatment. I'm serious. I've seen people lose legs, go into respiratory failure, all kinds of stuff.

You're probably alright, though. Just keep an eye on the symptoms.

Whew! now that's done.....sorry...

Python? I agree with Joshmaru.. Gopher snake, also called bull snake, a large western member of the king snake family. Will bite, but not venomous. I saw the wildlife guy (accidentally) run over one with his truck last year, and that one was pushing 6 feet.

Swimmers itch is a tiny parasitic worm, about as big around as a human baby hair, and 1/2 mm long. It lives in the weeds and flotsam, and then tries to burrow into the thick skin of a duck or wading bird. It gets into you, finds you unsuitable, (body temp too low, different skin) and dies when your legs dry out. Your body freaks out about the foreign bodies, triggers immune response, and you itch, scratch, and swear all the way home....bad as chiggers...

Mantua is the reason I own waders.......

AND I'm gonna chew you out for not keeping the perch! Get two baskets and sling em one on each end of a pole like the Chinese guys in all the old movies. JK!

Glad to see you out there knocking 'em dead. I can't get my family outdoors at gunpoint. Keep on representin' the teenage fisherman! Yer a cool kid!
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[Fische]

Submerging stitches in any kind of water (especially dirty lake water) = BAD IDEA.

You gotta keep stitches clean and dry even for a couple of days after they're out...

[EvilTyeDyeTwin]

[quote Fische]Submerging stitches in any kind of water (especially dirty lake water) = BAD IDEA.

You gotta keep stitches clean and dry even for a couple of days after they're out...[/quote]

Perhaps he should have mentioned that the surgery and stitches are located on his collar bone area. No where did I read that he dipped his collar bone into the water.

Swimmers itch sucks! Try toweling off immediately after leaving the water. It can help stop it...but that is not a gaurentee! Those perch sure are tasty....I would have found some room for those guys!

Thanks for the post MarineSpear....glad to see you are back out again!
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[Springbuck]

10-4! I did a little conjecture there, and missed the guess.

Surgical site infections are still no joke, but that does change everything. []
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