Shallow Spring Fishing - Prespawn bass

8 incher

17 incher

very fat 18 incher

Three nice surprises helped me leave the lake with a smile tonight.  At 57 degrees, some fish are up shallow, and it appears that the two larger bass are pre-spawn fish with extra chunk.  Fishing small plastics for Pannies, and crappies seem to attract some early season bass on this local lake.  Floating around in my float tube, I can see there are a few beds that are being made.  I wasn't able to find the crappies today, but I was happy with my catch!

Fat 19  3/4 incher

AL LINDNER!

Al Lindner and Me at Thorne Brothers in Blaine

I headed over to Thorne Brothers today because I new that a legendary angler would be there.  I caught  Al in the parking lot, after he gave a little boy a cheese curd.  He allowed me to get a picture with him, and I offered him some encouraging words about how I enjoy how he closes each of his fishing shows with a spiritual help segment.  It took everything in me not to ask him a million questions.  Later,  I was speaking with some other anglers about the Alabama rig, when Al came up and joined our conversation.  It might sound silly, but the guy is a class-act, teacher, and giving person.  I was so excited I went home to blog about it.   Thanks Al, and maybe some day I will see you on the water!

Forked!!!

Fatty

It was a disappointing Lake Fork Trip.  Wind, and bad luck seemed to be the theme, with hit or miss fishing, but more missing.  It wasn't just our group either.  I saw a lot of boats, and I saw more fish caught in our boat then all of the other boats combined!  There are a lot of really seasoned fisherman that don't seem to have the formula for Florida-strained bass when the weather turns for the worse.  We tried just about everything you could.  Saw fish near beds, that didn't want to bite.  Snagged, near fish holding spots.  With how much lake, you would think that there would be enough room for everyone, every spot that might hold fish, had a Ranger, Skeeter, Legend, Bass-Cat that was scratching their head trying to figure it out.  If it could go wrong, it happened.  I nearly fell out of the boat once.  Clinging to the trolling motor, and getting pulled in by my britches!   Two minutes later, the guys spotted a big gator in the water.  Glad we got home in one piece.

5.2 lb