10.May, 4:25-4:45 pm, Bissell. The water was up to the last cleat, ~1/2 way up the ramp, and dirty. The current was languid, I expected better after the rain overnight and this morning. Two guys were dead sticking on the bottom of the ramp, and only one regular was taking casting practice, but not catching. After taking a few casts, and mostly snagging the bottom, I bailed up to Bart's.

~5:pm-7:pm, RR bridge back behind Bart's. Only 2 plying the bank on arrival. As they left, a few other anglers straggled in. The water was about the same level as last night, actually ~4" lower, and fairly clear, but the current was really nice and strong. Surface temp 53° F, with lots of flotsam, and larger pieces of wood, logs, and limbs drifting through. On my third cast, my retrieve was stopped cold by a hard hitter. She fought well in the current, and it's always more challenging with U/L tackle, that's why I use it. She made a few good runs before I got her to the net for our Kodak moment, and released her. She went over 3#, maybe pushing 4, nice and thick. On my second cast following, I had another good hookset. I was able to net it and unhook it, it might have been a small roe or large buck, but I never got the chance to check. As I reached for my phone for our moment, it got all slappy, tossed itself onto the rocks and surfed right into the water. LOL, that was one energetic shad! About 6:30 pm I netted a small roe, releasing her after our Kodak moment. Other than 3 alewives, in addition to the shad, that was all she wrote, and nobody else got more than an alewife.

Terminal tackle: 3/4 oz drail over 3' 8# flouro leader, and all 3 shad were C&R on a "reverse ladybug" hammered silver willow.

The way things have looked, and been happening at Bart's the last few trips, I'll be heading back tomorrow after work, unless I get some 411 that somewhere else is on fire. I doubt it. Tight lines!

George Darrell ...

I support "PETA",
"People Eating Tasty Animals"