Can't Get Enough of Milldam

And for that reason, Ron launched his yak from Blackwater Road Bridge at 4:20 this afternoon. It was an hour later before he caught his first fish: a 17-inch pickerel, which hit the XTS minnow. Then, in quick succession, came two 11.5-inch crappie. One hit the XTS while Ron was slow trolling it; the other fell for a beetlespin slow-trolled about 3 feet down.

Said Ron, "There was a very short window of surface activity about 5:30, including a few small V lines and an occasional surface swirl. And there was some minnow activity close to shore being spooked by my lure hitting the water." Ron went on to note that "any surface activity seems to be the key indicator for the crappie bite," adding, "I'm learning, slowly but surely."

Everything seemed to shut down about 5:45, so Ron wrapped it up and called it quits. "At least, I'm not bleeding," he said, referring to his recent up-close and personal encounter with a pickerel's teeth. "And, the warmer weather was a nice change of pace. Nice sunset and not too many mosquitoes, either."

Ron concluded his email with a note that he plans to try daily this week to see if he can catch enough to fill a skillet.

I also had an email today from Charlie, who included a new photo of the work in progress at what used to be the Pungo Ferry Capt. George's. As you will see here, the workers have a layer of blacktop down now in the parking lot.