OK, Sunday I went to a local lake for my first stillwater outing this year. I know it's late, but... I grabbed my stuff, glanced in the bag for relevant tackle, tossed the pontoon on the truck and was on the road about 8.
Got to the lake about 9 and there was hardly anyone there. Bank fishers as usual but no bait guys, so maybe the signage is working. I noted when loading up the pontoon I was missing some things. A couple of tippet spools, bobber box, and my pontoon anchor among them. Hmm. I did have my waders and fins, so, what the hell. On the water 9:30.
Lake way down. I head northeast for a while, trolling a leech pattern, and desperately wanting to fish chironomids. Minimal surface action in evidence, one other angler in an unusual watercraft (inflatable yak?, elongated watermaster???) but he ain't actually burning up the air with fish action either.
I kick around for an hour and head back southwest to fish chirionomids intending on using a big ol' hopper pattern for a bobber. Now I'm in range of the launch, and hilarity ensues. If you've ever seen the Qualified Captian website, this was it. Fun starts with a dude producing some kind of inflatable device right in the middle of the ramp and pumping it up with a barrel hand pump. Car, everything all around. New arrival has raft on trailer, works hard to launch around this guy, and sound being what it is I'm privy to the conversations from about 1/4 mile. Words are generally collegial, but it's clear the new arrival is a bit annoyed and the Dude is none too happy folks are "pushing" him. Raft launches, guy gets aboard with kid and goes his merry way. Dude with inflatable still pumping. Next guy has pontoon, avoids the ramp proper and threads the needle between the bank anglers and the ramp, clearly not his first rodeo, he's on his way in like 10 minutes. Last guy I could watch launched a really nice drift boat, looked brand new. He arrives at the ramp just as Dude moves his car and stuff and finally gets on the water. Drift boat guy has a significant other with a dog who are helping him back up the trailer and launch. It's clear he hasn't launched yet this year, and maybe not for a couple. Sound travels, I'm struggling with my chironomid setup and after about a half hour of this I am laughing so hard I gotta go pee.
I am reminded of the recent meme "Trailers backed: $20".
So no fish, plenty entertainment, and now I',m going to get my tackle organized better for criminy sakes.
Got to the lake about 9 and there was hardly anyone there. Bank fishers as usual but no bait guys, so maybe the signage is working. I noted when loading up the pontoon I was missing some things. A couple of tippet spools, bobber box, and my pontoon anchor among them. Hmm. I did have my waders and fins, so, what the hell. On the water 9:30.
Lake way down. I head northeast for a while, trolling a leech pattern, and desperately wanting to fish chironomids. Minimal surface action in evidence, one other angler in an unusual watercraft (inflatable yak?, elongated watermaster???) but he ain't actually burning up the air with fish action either.
I kick around for an hour and head back southwest to fish chirionomids intending on using a big ol' hopper pattern for a bobber. Now I'm in range of the launch, and hilarity ensues. If you've ever seen the Qualified Captian website, this was it. Fun starts with a dude producing some kind of inflatable device right in the middle of the ramp and pumping it up with a barrel hand pump. Car, everything all around. New arrival has raft on trailer, works hard to launch around this guy, and sound being what it is I'm privy to the conversations from about 1/4 mile. Words are generally collegial, but it's clear the new arrival is a bit annoyed and the Dude is none too happy folks are "pushing" him. Raft launches, guy gets aboard with kid and goes his merry way. Dude with inflatable still pumping. Next guy has pontoon, avoids the ramp proper and threads the needle between the bank anglers and the ramp, clearly not his first rodeo, he's on his way in like 10 minutes. Last guy I could watch launched a really nice drift boat, looked brand new. He arrives at the ramp just as Dude moves his car and stuff and finally gets on the water. Drift boat guy has a significant other with a dog who are helping him back up the trailer and launch. It's clear he hasn't launched yet this year, and maybe not for a couple. Sound travels, I'm struggling with my chironomid setup and after about a half hour of this I am laughing so hard I gotta go pee.
I am reminded of the recent meme "Trailers backed: $20".
So no fish, plenty entertainment, and now I',m going to get my tackle organized better for criminy sakes.
