First fish of the year: Things can only get better, right?

[ChrisCarter]

Earlier this week. I told myself that i would get some nightcrawlers and minnows. Nightcrawlers haven't worked very well when I (not EB and me, haha) when fishing for crappie. I decided to go up to Cabelas to get some minnows today, missed the opportunity on Thursday. Found out they also do chum and goldfish. Minnows were $2.49 a scoop which the guy told me was about 18 minnows, seemed like there was more than 18 and it was 50 cents cheaper than the gas station minnows which aren't there yet. I went out Wehrspann first, but quickly realized most of the spots were taken up and if i went to the other spots, i would be fighting against the wind in knee deep mud. Not an ideal fishing spot. So i moved over to Walnut Creek again, by this time the fog burned off and the sun was finally coming out. Found the handicap pier empty, perfect! First thing, get rid of these dead minnows, hooked a fat one on and jig it very slowly, it took awhile before something nabbed at it, but it came off along with the minnow. Strike one. Put a smaller minnow on and took a few steps to the deeper end, I will tell you this, when the wind kicks up its kinda hard to feel those light bites, which seemed to be the case today. At times i thought something hit it and come to out its the wind shaking the end of the pole. Finally got a decent hit and pulled it up. 4" bluegill, bout the size of my palm. My thought is, first catch of the year, not too bad, but it can only get better, right? WRONG! After that bluegill not a single bite, even after changing locations. Some other guys came along with their kids and had no luck. So i took the minnows home, put them in the fridge with my last box of nightcrawlers and watched some TV until about 6pm when i took them out again to Offutt Lake and went to the shallow end. Figured I'd stay out there until about 8/830pm and see what i can get. N-O- thing. Funny thing is there weren't anymore frogs. Minnows will go back into the fridge, picked up some brine shrimp to feed them, at least they will get fatter. I have not tested out the early morning bite yet, so if i can wake up early enough tomorrow or Sunday, I'll try again.

In the meantime, I'm taking a friend's 10 year old son fishing tomorrow at a local pond that they are stocking trout in. Poor kid got a spider-man fishing set from his mom 2 years ago and hasn't even taken it out of the package yet. He spends most of his time playing computer games when he gets home from school. Originally i wanted to take him fishing towards the end of the school year and into summer to get him outside more and less time staring at a computer screen like i am doing right now. But since i heard Nebraska Park and Games are stocking rainbow trout in Halleck pond tomorrow, maybe that luck of the Irish will rub off on me and him while we go trout fishing (and maybe some catfish) this Saturday.

*sidenote* First time i picked up minnows from Cabelas. Normally i go to the gas station at 84th and HWY 370. The gas station ones are good at $3.10 a bag. Cabelas was about the same, maybe a little better at $2.49, some of the minnows looked like they were on steroids. I've never seen minnows 3 1/2" long and bulked up like that.

[Eager Beaver]

A friend of mine gets all his minnows from Cabela's. He says they are better than anyplace else around here. How did you do today at Halleck park? EB

[ChrisCarter]

We didn't go to Halleck pond today.

It didn't start out as a good day anyway. Like i said before i wanted to try an early morning trip out to Walnut Creek. Well despite going to bed around 11pm, i didn't fall asleep until 4am. Slept past my 6am alarm, got a phone call around 8am and they cancelled because his grandfather got called in, his grandmother had a hair appointment and his mom works tonight. They felt bad, but i told them not to worry about it, its still early, in fact i reminded them, i was really planning on taking him fishing until May anyway.

So i slept in. Stopped by Petco to pick up water purifier and brine shrimp for the minnows. If i can get a quick trip in before i go to church tomorrow I will, otherwise Sunday afternoon i'm helping my grandmother clean up her yard and get it ready for spring. Probably won't be able to head back out again until after Wednesday.

[Eager Beaver]

still plenty early yet! EB