This morning Mickey and I went to the private hole to start the fishing year. After we cast off from the bank, I tapped the trolling motor switch and was greeted with a terrible noise. The motor would run but sounded terrible. I believe the motor was from the 70’s and had had a long productive life but I was determined to get one more day from it. After an hour it shot out. Edit: It has now been replaced.  We paddled over to the bank where there was another boat with a trolling motor on it and we proceeded to “borrow” the other motor.

    

These are the before and after photos.  If you recognize your trolling motor, thank you, we put it back when we finished.  The fish were timid as we only caught 5 bass with a FOD of 3 1/2. They were caught deep with a shaky head and just barely would pick it up.  Continuing in the private hole tradition, I caught a 5-0 grinner before we left. We tried suspending jerk baits, spinnerbaits, deep crankbaits, and a new swimbait I found this winter . I thought about a drop shot but never put one on.  When I arrived home there was an email from Hal saying he and Richard caught 30 with dropshots in 43 degree water. Next time.  I passed Taff on the way home and he had a tough day on Ferguson according to Mickey. Here is a picture of Mickey with the FOD, it’s especially for Frank.