05-14-2011, 12:31 PM
Well, yesterday was Friday the 13th.......funny that my luck was running higher than most other days. I finally installed my new kicker, but was dreading the initial break-in procedure. I launched at 10AM figuring I would just troll around and see what I caught.
I typically go with planer boards and snap weights this time of year to target shallow fish. I was trolling a Serpent spoon in Carribean Sunset at about 20ft and 2mph for only 15-minutes when the planer dove out of sight. I grabbed the rod and could just barely gain any on the fish. After a long battle, and removing a planer and snap weight solo, I finally got a net under it. Twenty pound mack, not bad for a kicker's maiden run. Gotta love the Gorge for surprises too.
I continued to troll up-reservoir and the shore side planer produced the most fish. I lost count on rainbows and caught an additional pup in the next couple of hours. I mid-graded the bows keeping a few of the 16-17 inchers for the grill, along with the pup. Nice red flesh and pretty tasty!
It was the nicest weather day of the year by far. Not a stitch of wind so the lake was a sheet of glass. Water temps were 52F when I launched at 10AM, but increased to 58F by the time I pulled at 2PM. The water is pretty off-colored near the dam as a result of the Cart Creek run-off but clear all the way up to Skull Creek.
Hope it helps, Ryno
[signature]
I typically go with planer boards and snap weights this time of year to target shallow fish. I was trolling a Serpent spoon in Carribean Sunset at about 20ft and 2mph for only 15-minutes when the planer dove out of sight. I grabbed the rod and could just barely gain any on the fish. After a long battle, and removing a planer and snap weight solo, I finally got a net under it. Twenty pound mack, not bad for a kicker's maiden run. Gotta love the Gorge for surprises too.
I continued to troll up-reservoir and the shore side planer produced the most fish. I lost count on rainbows and caught an additional pup in the next couple of hours. I mid-graded the bows keeping a few of the 16-17 inchers for the grill, along with the pup. Nice red flesh and pretty tasty!
It was the nicest weather day of the year by far. Not a stitch of wind so the lake was a sheet of glass. Water temps were 52F when I launched at 10AM, but increased to 58F by the time I pulled at 2PM. The water is pretty off-colored near the dam as a result of the Cart Creek run-off but clear all the way up to Skull Creek.
Hope it helps, Ryno
[signature]
