1st trip of '18
I was able to load up and head out to wet a line last night. I got on the water about 5:20 and off at 8. There was a pretty good breeze blowing on the pond as I rowed around looking for some action. Just a few minutes after getting set up and getting a few kinks out of the lines, I hooked the first fish of the night, a bluegill. As I picked up the other lines, after reeling in the 'gill, the line with the road runner seemed heavy, like it had weeds on it. Those weeds quickly began to shake their head and then to my surprise, pull some drag. The fight just felt different and as I got the fish to the boat, it was a VERY nice trout, either a brookie or a brown, around 15-16" or a bit better. He slipped off the hook as I reached for the net but I'm counting him as that was close enough to landing. CT now requires a trout stamp (another TAX!) to keep any trout so I was glad to have him get off. I'm not buying the stamp as I don't plan on keeping any.
That trout would be the big fish of the night as the trolling didn't produce any more fish. I did some casting into and along the weed lines with a grey stinger on a 1/32 ounce plain head. I ended up with 2 small bass, 2 more 'gills and 8 small crappie, the largest being about 9".
It felt good to get out and crack the seal on the 2018 season. Weather was beautiful, water temp around 69, had a pair of osprey's circle a time or 2, red tail hawk made a few circles and 2 herons, one on each end of the pond. All in all, a relaxing early summer evening.
Yes, I was talking to myself; sometimes even I have to ask for expert advice.