Taking it very easy this morning and not wanting to rush the family since everyone was going, including the wife, we launched at West Hill at 7. Third boat on the water. Air temperature was 51°F, surface water temps were 51.5 to 53°F depending upon where in the lake. Wow that’s warm already. We started flatling spinners and got one hit – about a 5” largemouth. If had a desire for such and it probably is illegal, this little guy would have made a nice aquarium specimen. We got two trout on the first pass – both on orange spinners and one other strike. We were marking a tremendous number of fish 10-30 feet down. The second pass I rigged the downriggers with a #61 Sutton Cu/Ag Blue stripe/orange eye which is usually a killer later in the season here at 15’ and a small copper/orange stripe spoon at 8’. The orange stripe wasn’t down 2 minutes and it was bouncing with the biggest trout we caught. Very shortly there after the blue/silver had one on. We had one other strike at 15’. I had the temp sensor on the deeper downrigger and it varied from 46.5 to 48°F with a sharp break at 12’. That was it for us – everyone wanted to go to the Log House for breakfast – it was 9:00. Some notes: there was a huge hatch of black mayflies this morning – so many the water it was black. They got all over you, the boat the rods, etc. There were fishing rising everywhere, but by 8 that had stopped completely. There was a big 20” dead brown floating just south of the ramp. There are a large number of used condoms in the lower parking lot. I guess some of the ice fishermen were busy this winter.
Not a bad day. If I had had more time and less kids I would have really concentrated at some deeper settings – especially around 20’ and varied the lure colors more. Saturday in the rain and overcast there should be great.
