Soaking it up at Mantua

[CoyoteSpinner]

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After Fireworks out my front door for the Nibley Heritage days last night, felt like celebrating. So what else - go fish!
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Went over to ManTwoA for a spell. Didn't get down there till a bit after high-noon, but water was pretty calm, minor breeze and some nice sunny daze. The fuzz was on the check- one CO at the launch - she checked me out pretty good, I did the same. A couple fellers in brown were walking the dike, and seen 'em confront groups as they climbed the stairs. Guess summer's in full schwing.

Got a floating, and well - Gertrude just wasn't in a good mood, so I decided to hang close and work around the SW area. As expected - the shallows were vacated, the no-tell motel of Bluegill had the VACANCY sign lit. I poked around the weeds some, and played at the edge, but caught more green stuff than finny stuff. So I "motored" over to the buoys north of the launch. Parked up by the "submerged stuff" area where there's deep un-weedy water. Wasn't long before my jig on the bottom got muuuch heavier.
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A small Largie came to play. Big , and back to grow. So while I'm messing with setting up a second pole, the first starts hippity hopping, and bammo, pulled up a pretty hefty 10 inch perch. Thought; where there's one perch there's usually more. And truth be told, had another come play shortly after. Aggressive little bugger! Guess it wasn't a big school as it was awhile before another joined the party.
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Decided to cruise the shore northward and see what the reeds had to offer. Not much - drifted deep and pitched an orange spoon, thought maybe some freddies might be frisky, but not today. Though as luck would have it Gertrude started to get a bit amorous, and after a few chuggs she really took off. Figured a good helping of Seafoam would do her some good - so we booked south, and east - and pestered the woods. Had a few remaining small bluegill tinker with me, but more bait robbers than hookups. My topwater experiments didn't reveal any bassinations.
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And then it started, a sudden breeze turned galestorm. Found myself pushed into the trees while a slight chop turned to full on whitehorses. Oh and NOW Gertrude's back to being a prude. My battery was low, so I pulled out the oars and put my back to it. Took some doing, but at least I was sideways to the waves (made for a wet ride!) and got back to launch and load. I didn't stop to make pictures of the waves. Had had enough of the treeline.

Despite the "exciting" ending, a fun way to kill an afternoon, and bring home a peck of perch.

[TyeDyeTwins]

Man that is ruff. You might just have enough meat for a fish stick! [laugh]Better luck next time CYS. Maybe, just maybe you should stick to cutler.[]
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[CoyoteSpinner]

Think if I'd got over to the east, would have found some gills still, maybe more bass. Certainly a number of boats working that shoreline. I did take home three fat perch - all about 10inchers, so for me alone - it'll be more than enough for some tacos.

This was only my second float trip, and I think the old motor needs some humming practice. Or a good tuneup (or me needs a better motor! in the works). The notion of an electric start is sounding better all the time. Of course a new battery would be a benefit right now too. I guess 5 years on a 5 year battery is about due, no?

Have hopes for Kokes, so see what comes.
Do want to try for Bass and Crappie on the Bear though. They should be showing up at some of my spots anytime soon (or already have, and I've been too busy chasing kitty tail!)

[triton21]

Yes the gills were thick over on the east, bed fishing at its finest and bass to about 14". We pulled about 60+ in a couple hrs, kept enough to eat and had fun with the rest of them. We even pulled one of them perch as well about same size.
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[SkunkedAgain]

Sounds fun Yote. I played farmer all weekend no fishing for me. But I sure wanted to sneak out and drag a minnow. Trolling isn't working very well for me this year. Only caught one on the troll all year, the rest have all been sitting still. Got to figure out what I'm doing wrong, might be the new toon not as friendly as my old one. May have to move that motor up front yet. Anyway glad you got some tugs. Later J
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[CoyoteSpinner]

Yup, just as a figgered. Thanks for the info - NEXT time, maybe soon. So were they up in the shallow rocks, or moved out a bit deeper? Still nesting phases?

[triton21]

Still on the beds, from 7"-6' very aggressive.
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[lavaman]

Haha! See, I go and mention that reports have been fairly slow and you mock me by saying I'm negative, etc.

Yote ya gotta learn to lighten up and listen to me once in a while.

With the warmer temps, those bluegill will be fuego en ningún momento.

Better stick to cattin' for now.
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[wiperhunter2]

Nice report and pics John, sounds like you are having some fun on the pond. Is that your new boat or your old boat you are fishing from?
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[CoyoteSpinner]

My report might have been kinda slow, but did you see triton's? THAT's what I'm talking about! The rangerette indicated folks have been doing well. Couple guys on shore I chatted with had some good bass-action.

Think if I'd made it to the far side - would have seen much like you and I encountered - was it last year? Still lots of schools of gills, but less bigger ones.
I suspect the more dominant get a "go" first at the beds, then move off leaving the younglings to play.

Curt - just the little boat. But with a new battery I'll hook up the bow-mount, and take the bigger boat out in the next couple weeks. Just prefer to have a two motor option going. Always more projects that time, money and energy!

[lavaman]

All the ones we encountered were 'belly up', remember?
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[CoyoteSpinner]

There were a lot of those, that was to see. Don't think that happened this year.

Don't you remember when I turned you on to tiny hooks? I know I threw a dozen Gills in a cooler over the day.

Good luck if you go today.

[Tin-Can]

That's always been our best luck, small brass hooks, barbs mashed down good, and hold the rod in your hand, don't set it in a holder. Most times the bite is a bit light, and by the time you seethe rod twitching in the holder, they have swallowed the hook so far down that even with a bent down barb you would have to gutthe fish t o get the hook out. At that point better either keep it, or cut the line and see if it goes down.
I use a ultra light 41/2 foot rod with no more than 4 lb line. Get a 10 or 11 inch Perch on that, or sometime a 13 or 14" LMB, and you think a fast moving sub went by and snagged your line. Fun fight too
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[lavaman]

Ya those tiny fly hooks were the bomb..I need to get more of those.

We caught a few today, not very many but at least we didn't get skunked. The biggest Gills were only about 5-6" and the biggest LM's were only 7". The Cicada Hatch (every 7 years ?) is still going on and the fish are loving them. Our problem was that we didn't have small hooks so we missed a ton of bites. We had fun though.

Lots of people there (like always). That little pond sure gets hammered.
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