We got out of the office around 9:25 a.m. and I asked him, "Do you want to go fishing?" Of course he replied, "You bet!"
So we headed home and got things together. A small lunch and drinks were in order for two big guys... Dora's (Josh's favorites)! LOL
We got our tackle together in the garage so we didn't have to waste time down at the ramp. When we arrived, there was not a single boat trailer in the lot. Oh, Boy! The river/lake to ourselves!!
It was another gorgeous day in SC Pa. The air temp was 71 degrees with a few passing clouds. The water temp was a cool 70.5 degrees and had a nice green stain to it. Visibility was at least 3.5' deep... Just great! As the day progressed, we got a NE breeze blowing that kept the air temp nice and cool.
As we headed north, we spied the two immature eagles that are residents of this area. My son mentioned that he hadn't seen two eagle like that in a long, long time. We noticed that there was a lot of bird activity in and around our fishing area... Good sign.
We threw mostly crankbaits and spinnerbaits in the swift moving waters. The level in Harrisburg was 4.3' today. It has risen the last few days as the water from the NB comes south. It makes it a nice level for us here in Lancaster County.
Zach caught the first fish. It was a feisty 12.5" and then followed up with a 13.5". I call those smaller bass "cookie cutter" size. There's a lot of that size smallie in this section of the river... Good sign.
Zach was able to boat 6 smallie and two walleyes. The one walleye is in the refrigerator. "Good job feeding the family, son!"
I was smelling another skunk as about two hours past. We had fished many spots by then and he was doing a "Josh" on me until...
We entered a small cove area that is feed by a few streams of water that cascade through shallow rocks. I was throwing my favorite crankbait in what Dell calls "The Ugly Color". Zach nailed a catfish on his crank... that's now three species of fish he's caught before I ever felt a tug on my line.
I was confused and bewildered over this strange circumstance I found myself in. What the heck was going on??
We had seen a smallie jump behind a rock that we had just fished. Say what!? My son just laughed and asked me, "Didn't we just fish that boulder and then passed by it with the boat?" I shook my head and mumbled something like, "Yup."
As we came out of this small cove-like area, I remembered that smallie jump and tossed my "Ugly Colored" crankbait just beyond the boulder... Wham! OMG... This thing is heavy and won't come up. "Maybe it's a cattie. I can't tell.", I explained to my son. The fish flashed me and my heart skipped a beat... "Son, that's a smallmouth. Get the net."
That smallie would not give up. It tugged and dug for the bottom over and over again... Come on, baby. I told my son that when it's ready that I'll lead the fish into the net... "Don't stab at it." "Okay, dad."
This is what came into the boat... A 20 1/8th" smallie pushing 4 lbs. She had some good weight on her and fought like a champ. My son took a few pics to share...
We "high fived" each other and enjoyed this fish together. Last year, I had five 20+" bass from this general area and now I caught this area's first of the year. Thank goodness I broke the ice!
In fact, the very next cast I had a small bass on the same crankbait... Now, I was on a roll!
Before I end this report, I have to show you this pic of Zach after he caught the 13" fish. My son is 6' tall and weighs 212 lbs... he dwarfs this fish and his expression is priceless.
We ended the day with over a dozen bass, two walleye, and a channel catfish. It was a very good day for a father and his youngest son!
dadTB
