I got the boat out today for the first time since October. Instead of fishing, Gayden Bishop, Edward and I went to the river to look for fossils. The river is low and I’ve been looking across at all the rocks on the sandbar and feeling guilty for not going to look. Edward is from the U.K. and was eager to try his hand at finding something 10 t0 15 thousand years old. We went early because we only had a small window before the rain was going to come. It really was a pretty good day for it when we started, warm with no wind. That changed as the morning went on. The clouds came, the wind picked up, and the temperature dropped. We found a few bone fragments, a couple of antler parts, and some teeth. Edward found a good tooth, I found a pretty good one and Gayden Bishop found a small jawbone with one snaggle tooth sticking out of it. The temperature was dropping and the wind was picking up so we decided to make a break for the ramp. Just as we arrived at the ramp it started to rain. The boat was loaded quickly and before anyone got wet. Good timing and a good day on the river.

Fishing is another story. It’s been a bad year for me in the fishing department. So bad in fact I have not even counted up the fish I’ve caught. Most of my fishing is on river lakes and we all know something has happened to them. The good news is they are in the process of coming back. People have seen schools of small bass. But  I’ve heard reports of people keeping bass on the river lakes. Now is the time when releasing them will really help get the population back up. I just don’t believe people are that hungry. Hal has had a bad year too. He said in an email the other day he still lacked around 200 to get to 1000. Usually it’s lacking 200 to get to 2000 and he doesn’t fish the river lakes much. Next year will be better.

Sunday afternoon was forecast to be warm and a good day to be fishing. The major period was going to be around 3:00 in the afternoon, the warmest time of the day. That morning I had seen the largest deer that I have viewed this season. Unfortunately I had a crossbow and the deer was out of range, 75 yards away. My fishing equipment was in the truck so that afternoon I headed to the private hole. The last time I fished  was with a Ribbit frog, a fast moving bait. I figured fast was not going to work now. Tom has been catching fish on a jerk bait and Hal has been using a drop shot, both slow presentations. Hal also has been catching a few on a DT-6.  I started out using four baits alternately, a shaky head, a drop shot, a 5 XD and a DT-6. It took a long time but the DT-6 finally caught one. It was painful fishing so slow. I was fishing the DT-6 just like you would a jerk bait. The fish were hitting it when I paused it and all were caught next to logs or tops. All was only four bass. I did lose one good fish when I threw over a log and thought I hung the log, and might have, but then the log pulled back. The fish was not on for too long but could not be moved. Other than the four bass I caught four crappie, one of which weighed a pound and seven ounces on the scales. I believe you could catch a box full of crappie with a jig pole. I might have to try it.

Due to health and weather I’ve not been fishing in too long. I still have my ear to the ground even though I have been trying, with limited success, to get some venison for Christmas. My friend Tom called me today with the news that he and his son in law had been to Lake Enterprise Saturday and caught 13.  The smallest was 2 1/2 and the largest was over 5. This photo was in his text. The cell service at my hunting club is nonexistent so I did not get the message until later.

He did not say what he caught them on but I know he loves a jerk bait this time of year.