12-17

[Norm Minas]

The rain had little effect on the river, the gauge barely moved, I could still see my wading boots in three feet of water and the temps were in the low 40"s. Wih no real additional flow the algae remains where it was although some of it seems to be dying. The air temps weren't bad, still getting by with a couple shirts anda hooded sweatshirt. It was overcast all day but not much wind.

I got to a spot I wanted to fish and saw some activity by a duck blind.I gave them a shout, they advised they were packing it up for the day and to go ahead and fish. After a short walk back to the car for the waders and the gear, I got the day going. I certainly hope they had as gooda day as I had.

I started out with a one knock spook on top, with a fairly aggressive retrieve. With a lack of intial success it gradually got scaled back to a dead drift with occasional twitches. That worked although it would be better to call the takes sips and not strikes. After the twitch the lure would just kinda slowly start going under. I hooked and landed two smallmouth doing this. On another retrieve, I sneezed and ended up jerking the rod which really made the lure jump. Next thing I know, I feel a thump and had a decent bass on the line. I stayed with aggressive retrieves for about the next 40 minutes or so and then about another 20 minutes on slower retrieves but the bass weren't having any of it.

I decided to try a lureDoug Stange described in several In Fisherman articles. Basically you replace the hook on a straight shafted spinner{Mepps type} with a weighted swim bait hook and a swim bait.I fished thru te same area with this lure doing my best to stay just off the bottom with it. Between picking the algae off when I failed to do so, I landd 5 wlleye and 2 bass. By that time I had been in the water so long my legs started to cramp up so I got out of the water for a bit. Amazing how catching fish keeps your mind off the thought of colder water.

I was fishing an area of slower deeper water near the main channel and decided I wanted to fish crankbaits in some faster water because I prefer crankbaitsmore than any other lure. I headed a ways upstream where the algae isn't as bad. I set up below a pipe line that acts as a riffle and fished the fastest part of the flow with a crankbait. I ended up with three more bass all came after I banged the crank into a boulder or a rock hump. This time I got out of the water sooner and moved to another pipe line area. I got two more bass banging the crank off boulders here as well.

My back started getting twitchy so I called it a day. For this time of year an excellent day.

[Ken G]

I may actually know where you were based on the pipe descriptions.

I never replaced my neoprene waders when they burned out a few years ago. I've had hypothermia twice cause I'm too dumb to get out of the water. I'll wait till March.

[Special Ed]

Ken, you want my neoprenes? I' too damn fat to fit in the ones I bought right after I got out of the service. I think I've only worn them 4 times.

[Norm Minas]

i prescribe 4 hours of horizontal boogie dailyto fit back in those waders.

[Special Ed]

i prescribe 4 hours of horizontal boogie dailyto fit back in those waders.

Trying to kill me?

[Norm Minas]

i bet there would be a huge smile if that happened

[Ken G]

Based on what I saw the last time I saw Norm, the doctor is not partaking in his own prescription for weight loss.

Ed, I may take you up on the waders. Size 10 boots I hope.

Even though, I just got off a scale a bit ago. I could stand to lose a few. Luckily I don't get it only in my gut and have been doing some upper body weight training. Starting to look like the Bruiser and Crusher in their hey day.

Don't forget what Jack Lalanne said in a Playboy interview many years ago... what good is a six inch dick if you have a six inch gut.

[Special Ed]

My neos are stocking foot. I wear a size 10 and they used to fit me fine.

Ken, you know how to get a hold of me, just call if you'd like them.