I always try fishing on the first and last day of each year. It seems like I normally make the last day, but weather always wants to be bad on the first. Today, the weather was terrible with heavy rain and cool (getting colder) temperatures. However, the water was open, and in the morning the temps were a tad warmer. So, I managed a couple of hours of fishing at the Rock Island Conservation Club before my hands got too cold and wet to function properly. Thank Heavens it wasn’t windy.
It was one of those days when you know that whatever was tied on at the start would stayed tied on even if it meant that you were going to be shut out. It better be a good choice, and something in which you have a lot of confidence. In this case I knew if something didn’t hit it was either my poor fishing abilities, or the fish were gone, because the combination was a Natural Forage Baits T-Shad with a Berkley Fishing Crappie Nibble and Kick’n Bass Fish Attractants‘ Kick’N Crappie applied.
Within a few casts I had the first strike, but knew it was going to be one of those days where the float had to be watched constantly for any irregular movement. The strike was a short dab down (if that), and some movement, and hold. Kind of like a “lift bite” in reverse. At that point, the long 10′ Berkley C-Series rod was lifted to set the hook.
The depths had to be changed frequently, so the weighted Mr. Crappie float was being adjusted about every 10 casts, resulting in strikes after every adjustment.
Without wind and wave action, and only rain drops placing a type of chop on the surface, the jig had to have the proper action applied with rod tip movement. For that I used three variations – pull a foot and pause, bob slightly about 6 inches, and pause, and constant bobbing for about 3 feel and pause. The two shorter retrieves worked the best, with the first having the most positive strikes.
Fish were not hanging in one location as normal. They were on top and shallow side of deeper brush, and on the deeper side of shallower submerged brush. They were not coming out of the top of shallower submerged brush, so were definitely leaning towards the deeper wintering areas. Depth settings were altered from starting at 4 feet, to 5 and 6 feet, back to 4, and then ended with 5 to 6.
Only two strikes came as all out grab-and-go-under, and both of those were missed. The others were similar to what was already described. Just a simple hold, and a slight movement of the float, and the best was if it was carried at least a foot before stopping and slightly pulling down.
The fish caught were all crappie. Not huge, other than one big one that was lost, but at least I wasn’t shut out.
Cold and wet, or not, God granted me another day of fishing, and for that I’m thankful.
A few photos are attached, which I was lucky to get with the weather as it was.
Everything got a little too wet, so at the moment the camera equipment and bag are all torn apart with a fan blowing on it.
My new waterproof Habit Realtree bomber jacket and Vexilar Inc vest worked great at keeping my upper half dry.
Once again, I was able to end the year fishing.
Until next time, and next year, get out on the water, and have a great day of fishing.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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