Met with Nels (good to meet you) at 40 Mile Creek and launched. On water about 0745am. I think Nels running spoons...me, divers and Apex; watermelon on the 30 and cactus on the 20. As JPscribbler said in his post from yesterday, CRYSTAL CLEAR water....even out to 40'dpw, can see the bottom. Awesome for viewing, not so great for fish...especially when the lake was dead flat with the slightest of breeze at most. A few boats out but scattered implying searching.
As the plan, set up in 25'...head to 35-37 and run. Nels has a hook up and loss fairly early...me, all quite on the apex front (name that movie). At 37-ish, we run south, parallel to shore for quite a ways. Turning back north, shortly Nels hooks and lands a nice 10-ish laker. I think, his first laker ever. Good on ya, Nels. Well into the north (apartment) run, on watermelon, I have a slow take...grab rod and feel a pull...and gone.
Nothing for quite a while. Unlike the first yak attack, this time, fish marks are few and far between. Virtually all I am marking are on the bottom...lots of blank screen time!
I finally hook up well into the apartment run....and land a nice....12-ish laker. Nothing for either of us for a while. Turning east to find 37 again (I got too shallow)....a running take on Cactus....BIG fish! I pull into it and it gains line. Thinking big laker but....weird fight as it comes up instead of bull dogging down. Way out, I see it on the surface...thinking (hoping?) its a Chinook. Fight closer...and now it starts to dog. HUGE laker....which I can clearly see deep below me. I get it up...and my Mini-net....barely get it in...but have to drop the rod to complete the transfer of the huge flopping laker into my lap. Easily pushing 30, it is my personal best for Lake O lakers. WOOOOO! Thanks Nels for the great pics.
AND it happened. With nary a sniff on ole staple watermelon, I switch him out...a couple times...before doubling down on cactus on both 30 and 40. Not long into an apartment run, the 40 cactus goes off...and I fight a nice keeper laker (<10) to the net....and loose it....crap.
Quiet....and Nels and I turn for home. Unfortunately, I guided us too soon into skinny water and made the paddle back 'just a' paddle (no fishing) as I had to pull lines.
All in all, I think Nels went 1 for 2....and me, 2 for 4....with the PB! Off water around 1300. Great day, weather- wise, a little slow for fish. Still, always great to get out.
King Joe Outa Here!
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