Weekend fishing reports for the week ending 5/8/05

[Robert McMahan]

Ok, let's have it. The good the bad and the ugly. Here's mine:
The good: I fished for sunfish and bass with the flyrod on Friday afternoon and Sunday afternoon. The bite is on and the sunnies have their spawning colors on. The lightning bugs are out too. Nice
The bad: Saturday I bass fished with a farmer friend of mine on his big pond. Caught everthing on a jig and pig.
The ugly: The starter on my bass boat went out and now I'm without my boat 'till they get a starter in. Oh well, I can tube and wade.

[Jim Hatch]

Hey Robert,

Sunday I used my bassboat to run a 40
mile section of the Santee River to take
pictures for the paddle trails program I'm
working on for the County. It had been
above flood stage for months. Well, the
water was beautiful, the trip was great,
the animals out in great numbers. Never
seen so many eagles in a single day. Was
taking dozens of pictures and having a ball
right up until I reached the rapids.
RAPIDS?? Ain't no rapids on the Santee!
Well, tis now*G* What a shock. No
permanant damage to me, the boat, or the
motor. But it may be a week or two till
the shop has the motor ready and we are at
the peak of spring fishing now. I guess if
the bass boat was suitable for running the
river, the kayak will have to do for my
gill fishing. *G* Warm regards, Jim

[anglerdave]

Got out to a local pond this past Saturday. Wind was blowing 20 mph+. I managed to catch one 9" bluegill and about a half dozen small (12"-14")largemouth bass. Caught them all on one of Rick Z's bluegill flys, but the name escapes me.

[drolfson]

The Good -- Got out a couple of times last week and caught some pretty nice Gills. Looks like they are stacking up getting ready to spawn here.

The Bad -- I didn't make it out nearly enough, and one day there was this one slab crappie, bigger than any I have caught up to now, and it ignored almost everything I put in frontof it, except the one fly when I wasn't watching.

The Ugly -- Spent all day Saturday planning and purchasing the supplies for raised garden beds. Dang, that treated lumber is pricey!

Don

[jalama]

cranking battery dead as a hammer, lake fertilized last monday, fish had lockjaw in funky water, 3 bad week-ends in a row.

[beadleech]

Last Thursday fished small lake in state park & caught 1 redear. Water was 56 d and windy as all get out. Not the best time to use my 2 wgt! Saturday fished about a 200 acre lake with lots of humps and shelves. Caught 3 9" bluegills and a dozen or so smaller ones. Water was 68 d on top of the humps, 58 in the deeper water off the humps. The fly of choice was a white popper, size 10. Surprized me a bit. We spent a large part of the day "surveying" the lake as I haven't been on it in several years. As I have a pram with an electric motor this took a while.

drolfson - should stay away from that treated lumber for raised beds. Never know what you may be eatin'. Have had raised beds since '85 and I use cedar on 'em. Usually lasts 7 or 8 years.

Donald

[Jed]

Worked the local fishing derby Saturday
Fished that area Sunday. Dozens of fish caught. Fished briefly on Monday AM, also lots of fish. Best was a 16-18" Brookie with a FAT belly that was a beautiful rich red color.

Score on Sunday was spin fishermen (3) 1 caught vs. my 2 dozen plus. Heard another fly fisherman gave the same show to other spin fishermen. I think I am now in line to teach my two neighbor kids flyfishing.

jed