It begins...

[HideHunter]

Wind finally laid.. I you call 10-15 "laid". I stuck around the house until about 11 - it was 41 when I left. Third cast caught my first bass of the season. Unfortunately, he was "all head and no body". Ended up catching several more but couldn't hook anything over about 2#.

Switched to the 3 weight and a Boa Leech. Only caught one bluegill but it was just over 9".

2012FirstBluegill.jpg

Second crappie of the season was 13 1/2". Probably ended up catching a dozen more 10-12"

2012FirstCrappie.jpg

Winter absolutely "sucked" here. 4th warmest on record. Sure wasn't worth a dang for ice fishing but I'm a couple weeks ahead on open water. Gotta be a trade-off.

Good luck everyone!

[Chuck S]

Way to go! A nine inch Gill would make my day about now for sure! Plus a dozen Crappies, my kind of fishing!

[FishnDave]

DANDY fish anytime...a big bonus on your first open-water outing of the year! Way to go, Gene!
It was 37 degrees when I fished during lunch yesterday. I only noticed it being cold when I had to retie and couldn't feel my fingertips!

[HideHunter]

Welcome to weather in Iowa. Yesterday I fished in a sweatshirt and right now it's snowing so hard I can't see the 200 yard target on my backyard range.

Well, gave me a moment to "ponder". I wonder if we always realize how fast condtions can change "the bite". As I mentioned, yesterday was the first day the wind had dropped to below 20+ (up to 50) in a week. When I left the house it was blowing 12-15 directly out of the south. So, I headed for a pond with shallows on the north bank. I worked to the NW corner and found the bulk of my crappies there. I had probably been fishing about 45 minutes when the wind took a decided turn to the West. This didn't seem to have any real effect on the bite - except that my casting range probably lengthened 25 feet.

After about an hour the wind suddenly and completely died. I had been casting out and doing a countdown of about 15. As the water turned to glass, crappie started taking the fly on about the six count. I enjoyed this for several casts.

Then, I was suddenly hit in the face by a blast of wind out of the East. Something here triggered the small bass and for a half-hour they (1-1/2#) wouldn't leave me alone. Within the next hour the bite began to slow, and when I pulled the plug I was still catching an occasional crappie or bass - but I was working for them. Guess it's easy to think you hit a little flurry and not give any thought to the conditions that may have triggered it.. I'm not sure how I may capitalize on my observations - but I'll store them for future reference.

Calling for a high of 62 on Tuesday. If the wind isn't blowing 50 I can about guess what I'll be doing.

[quivira kid]

Very nice crappie! One of these days, I'll get a biggun like that on the fly.

[GT171]

Those are some nice panfish. I just need for it to get a little bit warmer up here and Ill be into em myself.

[HideHunter]

In spite of the wind, cold (25 this morning) and my limited fishing abilities.. I managed to catch a few fish today. I kept these three (I know they aren't big for you southern boys - but pretty decent here) plus I sorted off a half-dozen nice female bluegill.. Bass were numerous but nothing big - about three pounds top.

20123crappie.jpg




It's early - but we had no freaking winter (no ice) so I'm I'm a bit testy. I'm going to eat them.

[FishnDave]

Ginormous jumbehemoths!

[Uncle Jesse]

In spite of the wind, cold (25 this morning) and my limited fishing abilities.. I managed to catch a few fish today. I kept these three (I know they aren't big for you southern boys - but pretty decent here) plus ......I'm a bit testy. I'm going to eat them.

Those are bigger than the one this Southern boy caught yesterday. It just takes yous longer to get big and they get ate before they get big. Jimmy Houston says the greatest hazard that keeps little fish from becoming big fish is hot grease. Crappie are too good not to eat when you get a chance.

[appalachian angler]

No needs to cull them slabs! Enjoy your meal! After all, that's why they call them "panfish"