Thought maybe Buck would make some comments, but I guess he's waiting
on me. Buck Hall brought his wife and sister over to the fair state
of Indiana so they could leave some Ohio Gold at an outlet mall about
25 minutes South of where I live. So Thursday, I picked Buck up and
did my absolute best to be a good fishing guide. I think I need to
hunt another avocation.
First we went to Yellowwood Lake, a 133 acre impoundment a few miles
East of Bloomington. The wind was fairly fresh, but we started out
fine right into the 'teeth' of it using the electric trolling motor
(only thing allowed on this lake). About half way across the lake,
it seemed like we were not making headway very fast, but when you're
in the middle, it doesn't seem like you're moving. Then I started
staring at the dam off to our left, where we (actually - Buck, not
me) had caught some really nice fish last Fall. I had planned to go
to the upwind side and let the wind drift us back across. Hmmmmm.
The dam dam wasn't moving. I looked away, blinked my eyes, and
looked again. The dam dam WAS moving........in the direction I had
wanted US to go. We were drifting backwards with the wind!! I
checked the trolling motor. It was barely turning. Dead battery!!*
So I got out the oars and started rowing. Finally got us over to the
upwind side (a 16-foot jonboat in the wind isn't all that easy to row
- especially when you're not used to rowing). And we drifted back as
planned. Obviously the plan was not a good one. Not a single bite
was to be had. And nothing was showing on the depth finder - oh, the
occasional fish at "50 feet out and 20 feet deep. The water temp was
54, but the sun should have had the shallows much warmer. We then
rowed up-lake a little on the downwind side to a nice cove which has
always had fish. But didn't. Again, nothing showed on the depth
finder - except very deep out in the lake away from the cove. It
became obvious that we weren't going to slay the fish like Buck did
last year.
So we bit the bullet and pulled up stakes. We drove about 1/2 hour
North to the DNR Camp Atterbury Fish and WIldlife Area and put into
Stone Arch Lake, a much smaller pond that was warmer (about 62
degrees). I'm glad we went there simply because I found that if I
don't get back to fish it in the next 2-4 weeks, it will be
un-fishable due to moss and algae. It already looked like as clogged
as it used to look in late August. We were able to catch four 8"
bluegills - two were caught on a Skip Morris "Predator" and two on a
gray-bodied yellow-legged rubber spider. But we spent most of the
time pulling moss off our flies.
The upshot - a great day fishing with a great gentleman. I
thoroughly enjoyed it. But Buck needs to hunt a more proficient guide.
*The battery - I had put the charger on it and it charged fully in
about 1/2 hour. I had bragged to Buck about how well it had held a
charge over the winter. I assumed that it had because I had been
smart and stored it inside all winter. But unfortunately, I had
forgotten (among other things I forgot - including boat cushions and
life jackets) to check the fluid level of the battery. I did today.
It had almost become a dry cell battery. Each cell took a couple of
ounces of distilled water! So it's been on the charger half the day
and still isn't charged.
And now the non-fishing whining and whining then bragging then whining story:
WHINE: It's going to be a lousy day for fishing tomorrow, with rain
and very cold wind.
WHINE: But I couldn't go even it were a nice day - I have to go to a
birthday party.
BRAG: My great-grandson wlll be 1 year old!
WHINE: And what's worse, there will be two more great-grandchildren
before the summer is over. How can that be? I'm too young! :-(
Allan
--
Allan Fish
Greenwood, IN
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
