Thursday, Feb. 10 (from Ken)...With today's weather forecast being what it was, I saw it as a good day to get out and log a couple more hours on my rebuilt motor and fish a couple of hours, too. Continue to be very happy with the way the boat is running. I can't thank Craig and Wayne enough for everything they've done to get me back on the water. Only wish I could report that I had caught a few fish this trip, but, alas, that didn't happen. And to be honest about it, given the color of the water most places today (looked like a dose of coffee, with a lot of cream in it), along with a 10:15 launching-time water temp of 35 degrees, I truly didn't hold much hope for finding any fish. In fact, the only sign of life I saw on the water all day was an ol' turtle. Other than that, I felt nothing and saw nothing. My biggest excitement of the day came along after having a horrible backlash with one of my baitcasters while heading into the wind. Once I got past the crux of the mess, I was rapidly stripping line away from the spool, so I could rewind it evenly, never paying the first mind to what the wind was doing with all that line. And don't you know, right in the middle of that operation, my wife called on the cellphone. Suffice it to say I couldn't have gotten to my phone (back beside the driver's seat) if my life had depended on it. I had line wrapped around my feet, my legs, the seat I was sitting on...pretty much everywhere. Fifteen or 20 minutes later, I finally had extricated myself and was able to call my wife back. I also had a bit of an eye-opener today while throwing a crankbait on 20-lb. braid, vice the 40-lb. I normally use. Discovered a lot more stuff on the bottom everywhere I went than I've ever felt with the heavier line. Despite starting my season with a skunk, I gotta say the worst part of my whole day was when I got back to the dock at West Neck this afternoon and recovered my boat. Had no problem getting it on the trailer, but found I was a bit rusty when it came to backing into my shed. Even that was OK, though. It wasn't 'til I went to shut the rear doors of my van to start home at day's end that I absolutely lost my cool. The one door wouldn't shut, and when I checked to see what was wrong, I discovered someone today...while I was on the water...had tried to break into my van. They had used what I surmise was a crowbar and had mangled some of the metal enough that I had to take a hammer to it when I got home so it will close and lock right again. I've never had any use for a damn thief, and it genuinely gripes me they would mess with my vehicle, which is 24 years old now. This marks the second time since I've had this ol' piece of junk that someone has tried to get in through the rear doors. My question is: Why don't they pick on a vehicle more likely to make it worth their while?
Friday & Saturday, Feb. 11 & 12 (from Ron)...Looks like the season is starting on a low note for my friend, just like it is me. He suffered a double skunk the past two days. Will be interested in hearing from another friend who had a club bass tournament today...their first of the new season.
Friday, Feb. 12 (from "another friend")...As it turns out, this is more bad news, too. Without getting into the nitty-gritty, there were no limits and a bunch of zeros at weigh-in. Per the usual, however, in any tournament, a couple of guys managed to find a few fish. The worst part of all, though, is that my friend and his partner didn't even make it to the event. Trailer problems enroute to the site put the kibosh on their day before it ever really got started. So much for that myth about the "great fishing" to be had on the third day of a warming trend, as well. That, apparently, is in a memo the fish never got.
Wednesday, Feb. 16 (from Ron)...Says he incurred another skunk today in Milldam Creek. His questions to me were: Isn't this supposed to be prime season for jerkbaits? Why aren't they working? Wish I had some answers for him, but I honestly haven't talked to a soul in a while who is having any luck on the water. If anyone has anything to the contrary to report, I'd welcome hearing about it.
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