05-16-2016, 03:04 PM
I received a gracious and generous invitation to share a houseboat at Powell last week. Who could turn that down?
Bryan (DrLove) and I drove down on Monday 5/9 and arrived in time to set up houseboatkeeping and get in a little bit of fishing that day, with little to show for it.
Over the next three days of fishing, we managed to boat five species, missing the Powell Grand Slam by a whisker - not one catfish was boated.
We concentrated on three or four of the canyons upstream of Moki, boating crappie, smallies, wallies, and the ubiquitous stripers. On the last day, we fished Hall's Bay and really cleaned up on smallies up to about three pounds, a couple of which we kept because they were bleeders. We also trolled up some respectable walleye, with Bryan getting the action on his lead-core outfit. I couldn't get deep enough with mine and blanked on those.
But on the last cast of the last day, just as I'd mentioned something about how fish use shade lines as ambush structure, I popped my jig and plastic to clear what felt like a rock - that then powered off. One strong leap showed I had a lunker on and after a spirited tussle and several drag-humming runs, Bryan slipped the net under a very nice largemouth. He called it a five-pounder; I'd go a solid four plus, but it was the biggest fish of the trip.
Naturally, my camera (the only one aboard) decided to go the way of the White Buffalo. That was the trip's only disappointment.
Bryan is a great host, a very good cook, and a safe driver. If he ever invites you, go.
One other highlight: Fishing at sunset one day, I saw two shining silver specks up on shore. Staring a bit convinced me I was looking at a fishing rod. We beached to investigate, and sure enough, there was a nearly new Ugly Stik just lying there. It looks like it has never had a reel mounted on it. But it will soon!
[signature]
Bryan (DrLove) and I drove down on Monday 5/9 and arrived in time to set up houseboatkeeping and get in a little bit of fishing that day, with little to show for it.
Over the next three days of fishing, we managed to boat five species, missing the Powell Grand Slam by a whisker - not one catfish was boated.
We concentrated on three or four of the canyons upstream of Moki, boating crappie, smallies, wallies, and the ubiquitous stripers. On the last day, we fished Hall's Bay and really cleaned up on smallies up to about three pounds, a couple of which we kept because they were bleeders. We also trolled up some respectable walleye, with Bryan getting the action on his lead-core outfit. I couldn't get deep enough with mine and blanked on those.
But on the last cast of the last day, just as I'd mentioned something about how fish use shade lines as ambush structure, I popped my jig and plastic to clear what felt like a rock - that then powered off. One strong leap showed I had a lunker on and after a spirited tussle and several drag-humming runs, Bryan slipped the net under a very nice largemouth. He called it a five-pounder; I'd go a solid four plus, but it was the biggest fish of the trip.
Naturally, my camera (the only one aboard) decided to go the way of the White Buffalo. That was the trip's only disappointment.
Bryan is a great host, a very good cook, and a safe driver. If he ever invites you, go.
One other highlight: Fishing at sunset one day, I saw two shining silver specks up on shore. Staring a bit convinced me I was looking at a fishing rod. We beached to investigate, and sure enough, there was a nearly new Ugly Stik just lying there. It looks like it has never had a reel mounted on it. But it will soon!
[signature]
