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[cool] [#0000ff]Hooked up with Flycasting about 6:30 at the North Marina. Geared up and on the water inside the marina by 7:15. Water temp just under 57 at launch. Warmed to 60 by the time we took out at 2:00 PM. Light SE breezes at daybreak, changing around all day to different directions, with periods of flat calm. Nice day to be on the water.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We both started off throwing plastics, but couldn't get bit on anything we tried. Flycasting scored first, on a minnow. After some whoopin' and hollerin' he netted the biggest wiper of the day...21" and 4.5#. I hooked up too, just as he was putting his fish in the basket. Mine was 18" and 3#, my only wiper of the day and the smallest of the three we got. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We covered the whole marina a couple of times, looking for fish. Saw only a few fish, but did find a couple of small schools. But, they didn't want anything we offered. The kitties were cooperative though. We both caught at least 10, keeping a few for the fillet board. Most were on minnows, but I caught one on a small tube jig being fished for wipers or walleyes.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We were just about ready to leave, around 1 PM, when Flycasting hooked up on another wiper. He had seen some fish on sonar and dropped down a Kastmaster to vertical jig them. Scored a nice 19" 3.5# wiper to leave him with a  for the day. Of course, that kept us around and jigging for a while longer but no more takers.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I was really surprised that we did not catch either a walleye or a crappie. They are usually in the north marina and cooperative by this time each year. Maybe too soon after the storms and the full moon. At least those make good excuses when you don't catch fish. Next trip I will be "dipsticking" around the docks with some small stuff.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]EDIT: Hoorah. Found the pics. Here they are.[/#0000ff]
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Wow, you're usually more prompt with your reports. This one's a month old[  ]
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[cool][#0000ff]Yeah, well living in the past is easier than projecting into the future.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Then again, I could make a fortune as a weather guy and sports handicapper if I really COULD do the future thing.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I guess I was really whacked out after my trip yesterday. First I dump the pics and then I post in the past. Better change my meds.[/#0000ff]
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Silly Pat, no need to change meds....just up the dose! If one handfull is good, two is obviously better.....right???
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TD,
How was the water clarity? Was it still pretty murky?
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[cool][#0000ff]Not too bad on the clarity. Definitely murkier than peak clear water conditions, but enough visibility for flies or lures. I could see my black fins through about two feet of water.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I suspect that the south marina is dirtier because of all the runoff from the recent storms, coming in from the rivers at the inlet.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]With the cloudier water and lower temps, plus reduced visibility, I'm thinking it is about time to start throwing more chartreuse and other high-vis colors like black or purple. I also do better this time of year by adding a red or blue stripe on my white stuff. Contrasting lines can make for good reaction bites when the fish are slow or their vision is impeded by murky water.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The one thing we did pick up on yesterday was that the bite (at least for us) is in the lower part of the water column. We only saw one or two (suspected) wipers hit the top, in spite of numerous small shad dimpling or jumping around the lake. And, the plastics and cranks that have been producing for us failed to get a bite at middepth or in shallow water. All of our fish came right on the bottom in about 10 feet of water...the same as the two wipers I caught outside the south marina last week.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]You're the medical expert, so I will follow your advice. What I wanna know is will that help my "casting elbow"...or just make the pain go away?[/#0000ff]
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It was a lot fun to get out and fish again... before this last week it had been over a month! I was having withdrawals!
As always, Pat, it was great fishin with ya. I am not making any open invites for anyone to fish with TD, but if you get the chance, DO IT. He has a lot of info that he doesn't mind sharing. And I feel like I am a better fisherman than I was before I started fishing with him 5 months ago.
The wipers are really fattening up. The 3.5#'er I caught had a 5" shad in him. Te rest of the wiper autopsies produced eaten shad as well.
Too bad about the pics, but it's all good... these guys don't want to see my ugly mug anyway! [  ]
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[cool][#0000ff]We didn't take any "autopsy" pics, so we would have spared you that. One other interesting thing we noted when filleting the wipers was that all three had developing eggs. As we know, wipers are sterile hybrids, but like other such species they often go through a "false spawn" in their season (spring).[/#0000ff]
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It looked like you guys were have a relaxing time in the marina yesterday. My journal report from last year showed I had caught a few wipers trolling the North dike on the same date, even with the lower water temps. I guess I need to get back out there for one more trip. Thanks for posting the report.
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If you're serious, been there done that!!! I've only learned four solutions. 1) Stop it and give it a rest, like a year! [unsure] 2) Use your left arm. [unsure][unsure] 3) use a much, much lighter rod and reeL with much, much shorter casts. [ ] 4) Stop fishing and take up another activity [mad]
Leaky
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[cool][#0000ff]Thanks for the concern, Leaky, but I really DO NOT have any current aches, pains or sprains...at least related to fishing.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Knock on wood, but I'm in pretty good shape for the shape I'm in. I can still kick around in the tube all day and keep on castin' with the best of 'em. As long as I don't try to tow a water skier behind my tube I should be okay.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]By the way, #4...stop fishing? When that happens I will have stopped living, or anything else.[/#0000ff]
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I thought as much on both comments. [ ]
Leaky
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[cool][#0000ff]Hey Bro, through the magic of modern computerology...and a lot of luck...I was able to salvage some of the pics. I posted them back into the original post.[/#0000ff]
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Thanks TD... Man you take some good pics... The one of the canyon is beautiful. It was funny... I looked up there and radioed over to tell TD about the scenery just as he snapped the pic. Again, very fun day! [ ]
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Great pics you have there TD. What kind of digital camera aare you using?
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