After 5 days without fishing because of schedule changes at work and major efforts to increase marital bliss at home, I was MORE than ready to hit the water below Nick-a-jack dam this morning with redwingonlookout in search of some sauger (and whatever else we could get hooked).
It was 42 degrees at 5:20AM as I eased down the ramp and slipped the Detroit Special into the choppy water with RWOL at the helm. While I parked the truck, he maneuvered in the 48.4 degree waves to keep the boat off the rocks. We powered down river to the barge tie ups on the west bank and started a drift back towards the dam. The drift was VERY fast and the 14MPH wind in our faces made the relatively mild air temperature feel quite cold. I was dragging a shiner on a dropper rig while Murph bounced a red & white football head. I hooked up with a small white bass just short of the wing wall to get us on the board well before sunrise.
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<p align="center"><u><font size="4">PG breaks the ice (almost literally) with a small white bass.
</font></u></p>
The next drift was about the same as the first with the drift speed much faster than I like. TVA had already begun generation, firing up one turbine at 6:00AM. Again, up near the wing wall I produced another white bass on the live offering.
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<p align="center"><u><font size="4">Another white bass grabs a shiner early on for ol' PG.
</font></u></p>
Shortly after sun up, RWOL bagged a decent white bass bouncing that football jig on the edge of the boils. This fish was much better than the first two and gave the morning some promise. Still no sauger, but we were heading in the right direction.
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<p align="center"><u><font size="4">RWOL gets on the board with a nice whitey of his own !!</font></u></p>
We continued drifting the edge of the current break with Murph working the jig and me using a dropper. Soon enough, he was battling a big fish on the lead head that was ripping drag off his shiny new Pflueger President (what a nice V-Day gift from the future Mrs. RWOL!!). It was obviously not what we were out there for, showing too much power for all but a world record sauger, but RWOL fought it nicely and was landing a 5+lb. channel cat in no time.
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<p align="center"><u><font size="4">RWOL puts a nice Channel Cat in the boat !!
</font></u></p>
It had been quite a while between bites for me, and I was all too happy to brawl with a foul hooked buffalo (thanks rsimms) just to get the blood flowing back into my nether regions. It was a blast to fight that bruiser on the light tackle and we netted it to get a picture for the group. Can anyone say "slimy" ?
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</p>
<p align="center"><u><font size="4">Fat, foul hooked buffalo (ID courtesy rsimms) that stretched the 6lb. Stren!
</font></u></p>
RWOL managed one more white bass that he released before I could get a shot of it. That was it for us in over 4 hours !! As we were making one last trip around the flood gates, Nickajack Angler arrived on the scene with all the little NA's in tow !! We watched him land a fine crappie on an excellent looking little swimbait that Spence called a "Storm garlic tailed swimbait". Great job getting out there in the wind guys !!
<p align="center">
</p>
<p align="center"><u><font size="4">The Nickajack Angler clan keeping it all in the family !!</font></u></p>
I have to say, it was good getting back out there with RWOL even if I still didn't break my sauger cherry. The wind was strong all morning and the sun stayed tucked behind the clouds which made it feel as cold as it's been all winter out there. I hit the house for a hot lunch and made plans for the afternoon up on the main lake.
But that's a story for another thread...
Minnows left over,
PG
It was 42 degrees at 5:20AM as I eased down the ramp and slipped the Detroit Special into the choppy water with RWOL at the helm. While I parked the truck, he maneuvered in the 48.4 degree waves to keep the boat off the rocks. We powered down river to the barge tie ups on the west bank and started a drift back towards the dam. The drift was VERY fast and the 14MPH wind in our faces made the relatively mild air temperature feel quite cold. I was dragging a shiner on a dropper rig while Murph bounced a red & white football head. I hooked up with a small white bass just short of the wing wall to get us on the board well before sunrise.
<p align="center">
<p align="center"><u><font size="4">PG breaks the ice (almost literally) with a small white bass.
</font></u></p>
The next drift was about the same as the first with the drift speed much faster than I like. TVA had already begun generation, firing up one turbine at 6:00AM. Again, up near the wing wall I produced another white bass on the live offering.
<p align="center">
<p align="center"><u><font size="4">Another white bass grabs a shiner early on for ol' PG.
</font></u></p>
Shortly after sun up, RWOL bagged a decent white bass bouncing that football jig on the edge of the boils. This fish was much better than the first two and gave the morning some promise. Still no sauger, but we were heading in the right direction.
<p align="center">
<p align="center"><u><font size="4">RWOL gets on the board with a nice whitey of his own !!</font></u></p>
We continued drifting the edge of the current break with Murph working the jig and me using a dropper. Soon enough, he was battling a big fish on the lead head that was ripping drag off his shiny new Pflueger President (what a nice V-Day gift from the future Mrs. RWOL!!). It was obviously not what we were out there for, showing too much power for all but a world record sauger, but RWOL fought it nicely and was landing a 5+lb. channel cat in no time.
<p align="center">
<p align="center"><u><font size="4">RWOL puts a nice Channel Cat in the boat !!
</font></u></p>
It had been quite a while between bites for me, and I was all too happy to brawl with a foul hooked buffalo (thanks rsimms) just to get the blood flowing back into my nether regions. It was a blast to fight that bruiser on the light tackle and we netted it to get a picture for the group. Can anyone say "slimy" ?
<p align="center">
<p align="center"><u><font size="4">Fat, foul hooked buffalo (ID courtesy rsimms) that stretched the 6lb. Stren!
</font></u></p>
RWOL managed one more white bass that he released before I could get a shot of it. That was it for us in over 4 hours !! As we were making one last trip around the flood gates, Nickajack Angler arrived on the scene with all the little NA's in tow !! We watched him land a fine crappie on an excellent looking little swimbait that Spence called a "Storm garlic tailed swimbait". Great job getting out there in the wind guys !!
<p align="center">
<p align="center"><u><font size="4">The Nickajack Angler clan keeping it all in the family !!</font></u></p>
I have to say, it was good getting back out there with RWOL even if I still didn't break my sauger cherry. The wind was strong all morning and the sun stayed tucked behind the clouds which made it feel as cold as it's been all winter out there. I hit the house for a hot lunch and made plans for the afternoon up on the main lake.
But that's a story for another thread...
Minnows left over,
PG
