The bluegill

Far too many people over look the bluegill, and think of it as an annoying fish...

I can guarantee when those same people started out fishing, one of their first fish was a bluegill.

Next time you catch a bluegill, take a closer look at it, and you will find an array of colors revealing a beautiful fish. A fish that's always willing to bite, and save the day of a skunk.

Short visit to the big pond

My second visit to the big pond (Lake Michigan) this year.

Had an appointment to be somewhere at 09:30, so, I decided to leave extra early to beat the morning traffic, and to fish 31st harbor. It's a new harbor that has fishing piers, and was nearby where I was supposed to be.

What a beautiful harbor. I was a huge fan of the fishing piers. I didn't need a long net, because, I was practically on the water. I was the only one there, and that kind of threw me off, because, the lake is a popular place to fish....at the other harbors. I didn't mind though. I rather enjoyed the solitude, because, I really don't know what I'm doing when it comes to Lake Michigan. No one can witness my follies ha

I started out casting a small berkley swim bait on a small jig, then a small shad colored flicker shad. I was able to hook up with a few small smallmouth bass, and a few small rainbow trout.

Then I decided that I wanted to cover more water, and tied on a silver and blue spoon. After a few casts I had a follow from a HUGE brown trout, I twitched the spoon and he was aggressivley swimming toward it every twitch, but just wouldn't commit. After another cast, he followed, again, but just wouldn't commit. The next few casts and he was no where to be found.

Beautiful day out there. Cannot wait to return to the Lake, because, the perch have started moving in, and I love perch fishing in late May early June.

Love is in the air

Love is definitely in the air. I floated the lake I have so much hate for, for 6 hours.

The weeds have taken over a very well known popular area for kayaks and boats. Now I know what you're thinking, that has top water written all over it. Indeed it does, but stupid me left all of my top water flies and frog lures at home. D'oh!!!

I chucked a size 6 black/red/silver gotcha fly with my custom FSA 3 wt rod, and was able to hook up with several dink LMB and bluegill in the shallows.

On my spinning set up, I tossed a weightless fluke, and enticed 2 very nice sized bass, but 1 spit the bait before the hook set, and the other...I just flat out lost to a couple head shakes. It's been awhile since I tossed a fluke, and forgot how much I loved the action on it, when weightless.

The carp were all over the middle of the North pool gettin' down and dirty with one another. I floated right past a bunch of them, through the chocolate milk colored water they had made. It was quite humorous.

All in all it was a beautiful day to be on the water. Regardless of the missed fish, I am just loving being on the water, and being able to paddle around.