Kent Lake 11-23-06

[McCarter]

Ahhh, traditions.? Gotta love em.? Turkey with the Fam, the lions losing, once again.? And fishing with my good pal, Tony Yancy, on Thanksgiving morning.? This tradition started in 2004 and we kept it going for the 3rd consecutive year this year.? Lake of choice, you ask? Kent lake, where else.

It was a brisk 19 degrees ( at least thats what the temp guage in my truck read ) that morning.? I loaded my truck and headed to the east launch to meet Tony by 8 am.? Once i arrived, we wasted little time dropping the boat in.? We were breaking a trail in a thin layer of ice as we made our way across the lake.?

Our first spot was the west side of a popular point.? We both rigged up Lucky Craft Pointer 100s, mine in Ghost Minnow and his in Sunfish, whipped them as far as we could, gave a few jerks and then killed it.? We have played this game before, and done quite well in the past.? Conditions were right, though we were missing one key ingredient.? Weeds.? Lake management had really done a number on the weeds this year.? In years past, there have always been a couple weedbeds that would hold up through the winter.? These were our main areas of concentration.? But they are gone now.? So we had our work cut out for us.

The hardest part of catching them this time of year is finding the presentation they want.? The smallmouth, especially, on kent lake can be very fickle.? And it shows once one of us nails the proper cadence.? The numbers can quickly jump for one angler as the other struggles to get it right.? But today, the numbers never played a roll.?

We worked the first area hard, making many casts to the structure and trying every possible retrieve.? Tony finally hooked up with a stout 3.50 lb smallie.? Shortly after, he thought he felt another bump, but there was nothing on the other end.? Hoping we had found a pod of willing fish, we stuck with it for another 30 minutes.? After no moe bites, we decided to move, but planned on returning later in the day.

Next we made our way to the south shoreline near the West boat launch.? This has been a producer for us in the past.? I have always done well with hair jigs here, so i rigged a black and purple, 1/4 oz up and tipped it with a Zoom Super Chunk Jr in black.? ?Tony stuck with the pointer.? The bottom in the area is riddled with rock and wood.? Plus, its deep at 12-13 feet and drops even deeper into 42 feet off the edge.? A lot of fish winter here and they are usually easy pickens once the water temps get into the low 40s.

Tony kept the boat away from the break in 24 feet of water and we cast to the break line.? I made about 5 casts with the jig and had a taker but he wasnt there long enough to get a hook into.? But it was good enough to tell me there was fish there.? Shortly after, Tony hooked up with his second of the day.? This time it was a largemouth about 2.5 lbs.? We played around with this spot for another 40 minutes or so without another bite.

There was a spot i wanted to check out so we pakced up and moved.? Tony idled the boat under the I96 bridge towards the next spot.? I noticed that the current was really cooking.? This came as a surprise to me.? The water was already lower than i had seen it in years, and they were still pulling water.? This also meant that this spot was probably free of fish.? Something about frigid water and current really deturs these fish.? But we gave it a shot anyway.? Tony was still throwing the Pointer and i switched from the jig to a crankbait.? We worked this area pretty good, targeting the deeper wood and searching for any weeds we could find.? Neither of us got a single bite here.

Time was winding down.? I still havent caught one.? I will be darned if i get skunked today.? But i had to be off the water by 2:00 pm.? In 2004, we had a phemominal day out there.? So great, in fact, that i ended up being 2 hours late for dinner.? The whole family was miffed at me.? I didnt want to pull another stunt like that this year.? All i needed was one fish, and i would be happy.

With about an hour left, we stopped in the area where we really waxed them last year.? But last year there was an enormous weedbed in 9 feet of water.? It has since been dredged up.? But the bottom holds a lot of wood and has some nice little humps.? We worked this stretch for 40 minutes with no takers.? I figured i would be handed my first skunk of the season on Kent lake and was starting to get really bummed out.? But as we made our way east, farther away from the area, i finally felt a light tap and watched my line start to tighten.? I pulled back slow and steady until i felt the bulk of the weight, then pulled back a little more.? The fish pulled back a little harder and freed itself of my hooks.? With about 10 minutes to go, i cast back out, jerk the Pointer down, and kill it again.? After about 15 seconds, i raise my rod tip and feel solid weight.? I wind down and pull back again and the fight is on.? After a couple good runs, i put one in the boat.? A 3.5 lb smallies, hooked on the belly hook.? Finally, after all that i catch one.? With 2 minutes left, i opt for another cast.? Firing to the same area, i jerk the bait down once again and kill it.? Immediatly my line jumps but when i pick the line up the fish is gone.?

We finally found an active school of fish, but too late in the day.? I really wanted to push it for another half hour, but i promised the wife and mother i would be there on time.? The good news is, those fish should stay there for the rest of the season.? So, god willing, if i can get back out there, i know where to start.

PB himself

[nitroderrek]

i'm taking my boat out one more time, tomorrow, wednesday.. if you can get out there, i'm offering a free ride in my boat, let me know, email me at nitroderrek@yahoo.com, thanks, derrek

[McCarter]

i would love to, but by the time i get off work and make it to that side of town, its already dark.  I would take the day off, but im pretty sure that all ended when i said i do.  And if it wasnt at that moment, then it was definatly over when she said 'im pregnant'.

PB himself