Cat Chat

[Tin-Can]

I keep hitting Lincoln Beach as often as the weather/wind is good. Tuesday I saw the temperature hit 61° at 3 when I left. I guess it paid dividends because I got 6 channels between 8:15 and 10:00 yesterday. Ben and I got together down near the end of the orchards/Mulberry Beach and shortly after that Lynn joined us. They had each caught what looked to be a bumper or two. My biggest was about 26.5". Might have been 27" but I threw him back before I noticed my yardstick was moved away from the spot where the noses go. Ah well, I'll get one sooner or later. Just trying to stay in the hunt. It looks like Friday and Saturday will be nice calm days and I hope to get out either or both. Hope a bunch of you are able to join us. I think Pisco is going to make it one of those days; it'll be good to have him and Juli back out on the water. PM me if you want to meet up and we can watch out for each other. I cut it a little close yesterday when the wind came up about 12:45. Should have left at noon when the other guys did. Anyway, I got some experience with rougher water and I learned that I can't run very fast with the waves beating on my bow. Every day I write out a card with the wind and weather forecast hour-by-hour. Now I just have to trust it and stick close to the channel when things get a little iffy. Plenty of cats to be caught right there, too.

I got a double including a 26"er when I was about even with the orchard sheds and out about 900 to 1000 yards and in 11' of water. Yes, I finally remembered to bring my rangefinder and I'm beginning to get the lay of the water. Missed several hard strikes right through there at around 9-10:00. I don't know if one can pinpoint particular spots to fish another day, but I'm going to try. Can't hurt to know.

Go South!

Hey Craig, something to remember, maybe a couple somethings:  
It isn't always possible to have the wind at your back. But hitting waves bow on is always better than getting broadsided. Thats what rolls boats over fast. If you are lucky enough to need to head in the direction that puts the wind at your back, that's great. And if you can head directly bow into the wind (and waves) just maintain enough forward speed to keep the bow slightly up so the waves hopefully break under the bow. If you are traveling at too high a speed and you mis-judge the timing between wave cap and trough, especially at UL due to it being shallow,  your bow may well drop of the cap of the last wave, pointed down the trough, just in time for the next wave to break over the bow causing all kinds of possible mayhem. If the waves are white capping at 3 feet or more, and the water depth is possibly only 6 or 7 feet, there is a good possibility of raming your bow into whatever surface is under that water. Sand, mud, rocks, whatever. And that will bring your motion to a very sudden and jaring stop, bow down where the fluid element (lake water) around you just may give you the chance to learn how well your life jacket works.  
There is a saying in the Navy, kind of an equal to wishing someone good luck, God Speed, or Bon Voyage,  " May you always have fair winds and following seas"  (winds at your back)   
Be careful out there on that big pond, it can go from dead calm to treacherous in a very quick minute.