I talked to anglers from five different boats today, and not one of them was braggin' about having a good day. Made me feel right at home. The best part of the day for everyone was the weather--it couldn't have been any better, as far as I'm concerned.
From a low of 53 when I launched about 9 o'clock this morning, I saw water temperatures reach 58 by the time I quit about 3 o'clock this afternoon. I stayed in West Neck until 11 o'clock but couldn't stand looking at that "coffee with cream" any longer. I figured I would be able to find better looking water in Albright's, and I wasn't wrong. The closer I got to the mouth, though, the worse the water got, so I decided to run to the back. The water there was fairly nice, and the temp showed three degrees higher than the stretch I had fished toward the front or any part of West Neck.
Unfortunately, those improved conditions didn't translate into any better fishing. Finally, though, about 1:30, I saw a pickerel chasing down my red-crawfish crankbait, and as soon as I felt him take it, I drove the barbs home to ensure I didn't suffer a skunk for the day. That was my lump-sum total, however.
As I was leaving Albright's for the trip back to West Neck this afternoon, I ran across the first of the other fishermen I mentioned earlier. He told me he had boated just one crappie. Later, a couple other fellas in another boat told me they had boated one small bass and lost a nice one alongside the boat--reportedly on swimbaits. Yet another one told me he had picked up one bass. Finally, two anglers fishing from separate boats reported they were skunked today.
I truthfully can't say the day was a disappointment. It was a joy just being on the water for a change, without fighting 20-30 mph winds. It also pleased me that I didn't encounter the first "big boy," jet skier, or water skier on the river today--that doesn't happen very often.
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