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It was snowing on Tuesday when lunch time came around.
There was a slight wind, but it was time and the lake
was open. As long as the ice is off the water it is time
to go. I had to stop twice and take the wet snow off my
wipers so I could really see where I was going.
I got out to the lake and decided that I needed to fish
the main lake and near the culvert where I had been last
week. There is a fairly steep drop off there and I thought
the fish might still be suspending out there. In any case
it is a place to start.
I decided to try the yellow fly again. I cast it out and
let it drop for a count of 10. I then started to very
slowly retrieve it in. The fly had not moved very far
when I felt the weight and tied into a nice crappie. This
fish decided to head for China. She stayed down the whole
time I was bringing her in. She was a 10-inch crappie,
which is good size for this lake. I returned her to the water.
I cast out in the same general area and went through the
same routine again. The fly had come in closer to the shore
before I felt the next bite. I knew it was a bluegill as soon
as the didos started. This fish cut around and did everything
it could to not get closer to shore. When I finally got it
close enough to land, I was really surprised. This fish was
11 3/4 inches long and fat like a football. I have not seen
many of these in this lake. I returned her to the lake to
spawn next spring.
My next cast was caught by the wind, and maybe some poor
technique, and landed about 30 feet to the side of where
I aimed it. It was also closer to shore than I meant it
to be. Still, I thought it better to retrieve the line in
some that to try to pick it all up and probably louse
everything up.
I had not moved the fly very far when the freight train
hit it. This fish was hooked before I knew what was going
on. When the fish could not go away from me easily, she
turned and headed for the middle of the lake. I was not
sure what I had on the line so I did not put a lot of
pressure on the fish. I slowly gained line as the fish
swam around out in the lake. I finally got the fish close
to shore and saw the biggest crappie I have hooked in this
lake. This fish went 14 inches long and was very broad from
side to side. Yes I did toy with keeping her but had no way
to really take care of her so she is swimming in the lake.
I had just released her and had the next cast out, when a
truck pulled up along the road. The driver rolled down the
windows and told me that the fish were not biting. I would
have to wait until the ice formed on the lake and then ice
fish for them, or wait for the spawn next spring.
I will admit that it felt good to feel that tap on the line
and set the hook on another fish. I brought this one in and
held the fly that was in the corner of the fish's mouth. I
turned around and told him that he might need to inform the
fish. I then released this fish and cast out again.
He told me that he felt that fish was a fluke and that I
would not catch any more. The line felt heavy as I set the
hook on another nice crappie. I did not even turn around
and say anything. I just released the fish and cast out
again. I caught three more fish while he was sitting there.
He did not say anything, but finally drove off.
At this point my hands were getting numb and I decided
to head back to the office to warm them up. The hands
have to function to be able to spin the dials and do
other things with patients. Not bad for just over half
an hour of fishing in mid November.
Hope you can get out on the water. ~ Rick
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