My First FIshing report

[kurt hanscom]

What a great day to be on the water. Bluebird sky and in the 70’s. The sights are spectacular too. Several years ago the pine beetle came through and killed most of the stands of pines in spots along the lake. The dogwoods have come on strong in those areas and they are in full bloom along with the redbuds. You get up in the creeks and you can smell the wild phlox that’s blooming and hear the turkeys gobbling occasionally.
It’s a good thing I could take pleasure in all these things, as my fishing skills are less than legendary. I thought this would be it, the pre-spawn hot bite. I finally saw a crappie at 3:00 this afternoon after fishing all different kinds of places. I fish out of horse creek at dale hollow which is right by the dam for those unfamiliar with the lake. Not a lot of cover or brush at this end of the lake. Tried the condo’s first. Couldn’t find some of them and others not holding fish cause we had put them fairly deep and I thing the lake has come up since then too. Headed up the lake to Mitchell creek which has more of the water willows and brush Dennis had suggested. Got there and worked my way through a number of combinations with no luck on any. Slip bobber and minnow at different depths, jigs and grubs/tubes in all different color combinations. All to no avail.
So around three I see a nice black crappie sitting right up tight on a tree in about 2 feet of water. I get in there with my long crappie pole and succeed in getting him to take it and miss him. The wind then blows me around a while and I fish some other spots till I hit the same spot on the way out. I jig around in front of his nose for what seems forever till he takes it. Now I’m sweating and the sunscreen is running into one of my eyes and it’s burning to beat the band. I’m up under the trees and my other pole gets hung on a branch and I think it’s going to go for a swim. I finally get he beast in to the boat and I got to tell you . It looked a whole lot bigger through my one eye swimming up to the boat , than it did when I got back to the dock and took it out of the livewell! Regardless, it was about 12” but nice and fat. Dennis probably had a limit that size and bigger today.
Lucky for me my wife made some of her great spaghetti and I wont go hungry.
Any tips are appreciated that can help me tomorrow.

Crappie Diem

Kurt

[FalconSmitty]

Just keep fishing. Some days they just don't want to bite. The spot you found the fish could be a spot target. Just move out some to the first drop. or the deepest point of the cover. The females hang in this area.

[DENNIS BOWERS]

KURT, SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAD A GOOD DAY ANYWAY!!I DIDNT GET TO GO--HAD NONFISHING COMPANY FROM OHIO.MAN IT WAS TUFF--BEING COOPED UP ON SUCH A PRETTY DAY!! KEEP TRYING WATERWILLOWS AND HARDWOODS, YOU"LL GET ON THEM!!THE BEST IS YET TO COME---GOOD FISHIN TO YA!!!DENNIS [they always look bigger till ya boat em!!]