This morning I was a little tardy, getting to the lake around 9:00. The lake is getting down closer to where I like it, so the first spot on my agenda was the 70 bank. I had a DT-6 tied on but decided to start out with a red eye shad because of the great luck with it last year. The red eye didn’t take long to catch one which made for great optimism but catching another took a little time. I was kind of like a dog siphoing, can smell it but just can’t find it. First one way and then another didn’t help, even though I caught another. The spot where the fish were the last time on Ferguson seemed like the next spot that needed checking out. I tried it with a DT-6 and 10 but nothing. When I threw the DT-10 the first time I noticed a little movement in the reel. Yesterday I found a small screw in the bottom of the boat and not knowing where it came from put it away so it could be found again. One of the screws from the reel was missing. It was one whose threads in the side plate of the reel was almost stripped. I hoped it would hold together until I could get home and hopefully make repairs. It is an old Shimano Caenan 100, a relatively cheap reel that I bought for cranking knowing that it would wear out. It will cast a mile and I have caught many fish on it. The JB Weld is drying in the holes as I write. I’ll drill it out a little and the screws will cut new threads. I hope. That’s the plan. Just for grins, I tried a River 2 Sea tactical DD crankbait that is supposed to go very deep without making you strain to get it there. Had to throw it out toward the middle of the lake where the water was deep enough. Four pounder on the first cast ! Once again optimism came bubbling up, but could not catch another. The water was 19 feet deep there. I pulled out the worm and another four pounder. I sat there with the spot lock on and every now and then one would bite. The worm bites were very subtle. Had to keep your mind on your business. Several times I told myself I was going to move after a few more casts only to catch another fish and decide to stay. Finally I left and went to a place Mickey and I caught 27 straight a couple of years ago. Caught one on the first cast and one on the second but no more, but they were relatively shallow. Went back to the deep spot and got one more bite but the fish pulled off quickly. It was time to quit after a good day. 16 bass. The FOD was 5 even, there were 4 in the four pound range, mostly close to 4, there were 4 in the three pound range and all but 2 of the rest were decent. Very good day on Ferguson.