Well, we took it on the chin today. Over the past 10 days I’d corresponded with Tom S. of Michigan who was due into Georgetown on a business trip. I’d let him know the fishing had been tough, but was picking up and would be weather dependent. Within 10 hours prior to our launch time Wunderground.com (a typically very reliable weather source) predicted light SW winds at 4mph around sunrise with 100% cloudy skies, and with winds coming through the west, then turning NW by early afternoon. I was really enthused by that forecast, as SW to W winds and cloud cover are a great combination. Then it happened … not 20 minutes after we launched, as we were still searching with sonar over the first area we were going to fish, the NW wind cranked up to 15, then 20, then gusted higher, and the skies immediately cleared. I got that sinking feeling that some of you will identify with.

BEING THE SWELL GUY HE IS, UPON RETURNING TO MICHIGAN, TOM RUBBED SALT IN THE WOUND BY SENDING THIS ALONG THE WEEKEND AFTER OUR TRIP!!

Start Time: 7:30a

End Time: 12:15pm

Air Temp: 47F at trip’s start.

Water Surface Temp: ~49F

Wind: Winds began out of the NNW at 15 mph and quickly ramped up to 20 with stronger gusts, then gradually increased to 25+ by trip’s end

Skies: Skies cleared with the arrival of a dry cold front beginning around 7:45am.

We fished all over Stillhouse and, in 5 hours of effort, managed only 2 fish — a small crappie and a small white bass. The crappie came off of Area 140 in 26 feet on bottom, and the white bass came off of Area 116 in 14 feet on bottom. We encountered no schools, no active, bottom-oriented fish, just nothing, save a few scattered suspended fish at Area 598. Tom got one to follow his ice jig, and strike, but we missed that one.

The water temperature fell during the early-week cold snap that brought 3+ inches of snow accumulation, and then bounced back to where it was, around 49 F, with 2 days of clear, calm, sunny conditions immediately afterwards.

Fishing is just plain tough right now with unseasonably cold water, and nothing short of ideal weather conditions seems to perk these fish up. Today we zigged when the weather zagged and we came up short. I don’t mind fishing solo in conditions like this, but just hated that I had a client on board when things went sour.

TALLY = 2 FISH, both caught and released