1st trip of the season!

[6poundtest]

and I was reminded of why its called fishin' and not catchin'.

Totally skunked, I was; on what I consider my home water, too. Fished from a bit after 10 AM to just before 2 with only one hit, which I missed. My partner for today did better, he hooked 5, only boated 2, the others spit the hook before getting them in the boat. He got a small bass and a small pickerel, one on a spoon-one on a small Mepps spinner.
I don't appear to know how to read the signs in this early season fishing. We tried shallow, drop off's, deep water. If I can believe the HB, most of the fish we saw were still in deep water, 10+feet and scattered throughout the water column and visible all over the lake, not schooling near the shallows as though the spawn might be ready. Ice has only been out a couple of weeks; maybe I missed it. No 'gill nests in any of the shallow waters we worked today. We didn't find any real schools on the HB. Surface water temperature was 55-57. Tried many, many different baits, different colors, different retrieves. Just couldn't buy one today.

But, it was a GREAT day to be out and on the water and I'm ready to hit it again. I think I'll give this pond a couple more weeks to warm up or whatever. I'll probably make a trip this week after work one day to the new pond I discovered late last year. Its smaller, not as deep and easier to launch my boat alone there for a quick trip in the evening after work.

I guess with only one hit and no hookups it can only get better as the year progress's, right?

Ken

[Hanr3]

Always great to get out on the water, fish or not.
Yep, it can only get better, although it may take its sweat time. lol

Good luck and keep at it. Think of it this way, you figured out what didn't work, and almost worked. Sounds like a couple of tweaks here and there and your be in the money.