57pirate

Hey. Thanks for the responses. Glad to know there are still a few smallies out there. Seriously. It's been bleak.

I fished out of I-Bay Thursday, and Sandy on Saturday, trying for bass. Basically I caught nothing. Water temperature was about 65 degrees Thurs. and 68 Sat. The weather was clear and sunny. I drifted with bass minnows from 35-40 FOW into 10 FOW, with drop-shot rigs and with 3-way rigs, and with 1 and 2 oz. sinkers. Nothing, except bites from gobies, stolen bait, or foul-hooked gobies. I put in 5 to 6 hours each day. I also tried a jig with a brown curly tail, and a minnow with a split-shot rig. Absolutely nothing. I tried spots that used to be great: off the bluffs East of Webster Park, off Shipbuilders. I tried spots that should be good: between Sandy and the pump house, and off Devil's Nose. Nothing doing. I'm wondering if the fishery has collapsed, if there's really anything to wonder about it, I think something very major may be history. Nobody else was trying for bass either day. The word must be out. Sorry about this. That's the bad news.

Smithwick worked. A small Sutton brass/silver is my go-to, because I tend to be fishing in sunny conditions. These sunburns have got to stop though. I caught these fish in 10-20 FOW. Good Luck.

Browns were hard to find but I boated 3 yesterday. My photography is terrible, but it was a nice day on the water, as my red, sunburned face now proves. Fortunately the pictures are all of nothing but fish on the boat floor, as I was all by my lonesome self. I also had a tough time netting fish, and broke one of my rod tips in the process. That's OK, it gives me something to replace later in the week.

I don't have pictures. They are a little under two years old. Okuma just got done modifying the Convector when I got these. The drag is improved. The color is also different. The company changed them from blue to black.

Two 9 foot graphite downrigger trolling rods by Quarrow #DRC902L. Foam grips, hook keeper, 12 guides ea. Rated for 6-12 poind test line, light power. Two years old, used very little. Two reels, Okuma Convector 15D, 300yds/10# line capacity. Excellent for spring brown trout fishing. $150 for everything, or rods $50 ea, reels $25.