NumenOn the Water
Date: 5-23-15
Body of Water: M Lake
Boat: Numenon
With: A and O (partial)
Target: Muskellunge
Time: 6 AM - Noon
Conditions: Clear and bright; mild southerly winds; 45 F early and 70 F later; water had an algal bloom and was 61 - 64 F; a few feet of visibility.
The start of Memorial Day Weekend; and I was first on the water. It really never got too busy, but there were still more pleasure and fishing boats on the water by the time I left than I would have preferred; but for the most part, I got first crack at the spots and fish I wanted. The weeds had progressed quite a bit and the algal bloom colored the water and reduced visibility; and I had some hope of success.
Jerkbaits followed bucktails in my spots of choice with no known encounters; when at 9 AM a favored spinning rod (my pitch bait rod that should have been available last time) went overboard (entirely my fault.) A 7-foot rod in about 9 feet of water; gone, in slow motion. I quickly entered Waypoint 661; such a contrast to my last captured point. After a half hour or so of dredging with a Bondy Bait and no luck, it was time to pick up A and O at the dock.
After a quick T-Ho breakfast, we were casting the western shoreline, and I raised the first fish of the day; a nice (approximate) 40-incher was tracking my Gliding Rap. She disengaged 10 feet or so from the boat and faded away; but this was a new fish in a new spot; and two years ago it would have been a total victory to raise this fish. Now, not so much; I wanted to catch her; and so another waypoint was saved for future reference. The weeds weren't so thick here and we proceeded to the area of 660; it was the third time down this stretch of shoreline this day, but with different lures. My glider went unnoticed, but a very small esocid followed A's black bucktail. She couldn't see it, but it was there, and that was the last fishy encounter we had.
With traffic on the water picking up, I pulled the boat off a bit after Noon.
No hookups; two sightings.
What do I have to say about this?Jerkbaits followed bucktails in my spots of choice with no known encounters; when at 9 AM a favored spinning rod (my pitch bait rod that should have been available last time) went overboard (entirely my fault.) A 7-foot rod in about 9 feet of water; gone, in slow motion. I quickly entered Waypoint 661; such a contrast to my last captured point. After a half hour or so of dredging with a Bondy Bait and no luck, it was time to pick up A and O at the dock.
After a quick T-Ho breakfast, we were casting the western shoreline, and I raised the first fish of the day; a nice (approximate) 40-incher was tracking my Gliding Rap. She disengaged 10 feet or so from the boat and faded away; but this was a new fish in a new spot; and two years ago it would have been a total victory to raise this fish. Now, not so much; I wanted to catch her; and so another waypoint was saved for future reference. The weeds weren't so thick here and we proceeded to the area of 660; it was the third time down this stretch of shoreline this day, but with different lures. My glider went unnoticed, but a very small esocid followed A's black bucktail. She couldn't see it, but it was there, and that was the last fishy encounter we had.
With traffic on the water picking up, I pulled the boat off a bit after Noon.
No hookups; two sightings.
I hate partaking in stupidity, and it was my favorite (and highest quality) spinning reel, but it's just a possession, and so the loss of my pitch-bait combo will be taken in stride. My biggest regrets; how little I used the reel in the last two years; and the fine line on the reel's spare (and now useless) spool. But I have a Waypoint, and I've commissioned M to go diving for it. If we have a window of opportunity, we'll give it a try.
Meanwhile A maintains her casting superiority, and admittedly doesn't even want to catch one of these fish. But we still had fun!
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