Thread: #*$&%@ wind....

So there I was, Sunday evening, family had left and I got to the lake about 6:00. Found an area on this Steuben County lake that was teeming with huge bluegill. I have a cooler that normally I can fit 40-50 'gills in. I tied on a size 14 parachute Adams and went to work on them. By 9:00 I couldn't fit anymore in the cooler. Every time I raised the lid one or two would flop out so I gave up and headed home. I had only 30 fish in that cooler; the largest I taped at 11 inches, the smallest in the bunch was 8 1/2".

So, making plans for Monday I straightened the tackle and the boat out and got ready. I got up there and launched in the breeze and headed back to where I'd found them. I managed 10 before I couldn't see my fly anymore. Tried a couple of nymph patterns, tried a soft hackle, they weren't having it.

With the wind really kicking up I thought I'd hit a couple of crappie holes I've done well in in the past. Found them. Couldn't stay on them. I just put a new 16 pound Richter anchor on the bow and I"d run it out and sooner or later those whitecaps would beat me back to the shore. Tried to run the stern anchor off the other corner but it would still hammer me back. Spent all my time fighting the boat and trying to lay a Clauser minnow into the wind. I did manage 9 crappie, the smallest 10", but I had 5 big females over 13" and the largest was 14" even.

Headed home in disgust, fish willing ot commit suicide and I couldn't help them out of their misery. Terrible thing. Now it looks like rain and wind all week.... Arrrgggggh!

Sounds like a great outing. Gotta love those quiet evenings in late spring. Next day wind is par for the course. Always happens that way... you get them dialed in and mother nature throws a curve ball. By the time you get back, the locations and patterns have changed. I remember a few wks ago when the southern In folks were coming into it. Looks like it is turning on for the Northern IN folks now. Hit it while you can.

HHD