[Ouachita]

I don't say much about my actual fishing because it's usually the "usual", nothing spectacular. Today was an exception, though not spectacular, no lunker bass. At the house I decided a red RattlTrap with yellow belly ought to be a good starter, so tied it on in case I forgot my planning. On cast #5 I began catching bass on it. 4 hours later I had caught and released at least 60 largemouth, a few spots, a needle-nose gar, two big crappie, and a huge carp. The carp scooped up a catfish nugget I'd put on a jig hoping to attract a big bass I saw cruise by scouting out bed flats. They are just now scouting shallow water in small schools, hard to catch. I COULD NOT lift the carp into the boat (no partner today), so cut the line before it snapped a good rod. That thing was almost solid black, UGLY, and STINKY.

Wife told me not to bring fish home, going out to eat as soon as I can clean up. It's impossible for me to do that after cleaning fish the same night. I killed the gar and gave the crappie to another fisherman, both totalling maybe 2.5#, caught on a 1/16 oz black & blue spinnerbait on 4# line. I saw the crappie and went after them.

It was an enjoyable afternoon. I saw 6 lake otters fussing, a dozen whooping loons...love to listen to them...geese, ducks galore, coots by the thousands, bald eagles STILL, huge stripers sailing in the air, a dozen deer watering, turkeys, and a cloud that looked like the Alps. What a place on earth!

Jim

 

[mary dean]

Wow Jim, You had a great day! :thumbup01:

 

[Jared]

Wow Jim! Sounds like you had an amazing day! Days like are the kind we all wish we could have on a regular basis. I will be the first to admit that those days are alot more rare than we'd like thats for sure! hehe

One of my favorite things when I go to Santee is seeing all the wildlife. And I agree with you on the sounds of the loons. This weekend on Santee should be busting with life now that the spring is underway and the temps are prime for spawn. We oughta see a ton of grown momma gators, which I love watching!

Im glad you had such an excellent day on the water Jim! Thank you for sharing with us :clap:

 

[fish4funinfl]

Good going Jim

 

[KeithsCatch]

Now that is on heck of a day, CONGRATS!

 

[OTTER]

Jim, great trip with lots of fish! Man, Billy better have my boat ready this afternoon, you have me chomping at the bit. But---I was most impressed with the 6 LAKE OTTERS!!! :rofl1: :rofl1: :dance01:

 

[Ouachita]

I'd say there were a dozen other boats in sight enjoying the same experience. Fish were just jumping all over, someone boating a fish non-stop. I heard more "YAH HOO"s than ever before in one day. We all must have felt like "Ike"s that day. It doesn't happen often, never on weekends.

For anyone never hearing a loon, and those loving the sound, try the 4 calls here http://www.wildlifevideo.com/loon.html The loon is in the upper left corner, featuring calls:
Yodle
Tremelo
Wail (they have "whale")
Hoot

I have the yodle set up as my Windows startup sound, switching through the others each month.

Jim

 

[Ouachita]

Well, OTTER, they were barking and fussing non-stop. Of all folks you shoulda been there to calm them down.

Jim

 

[Jared]

For anyone never hearing a loon, and those loving the sound, try the 4 calls here http://www.wildlifevideo.com/loon.html The loon is in the upper left corner, featuring calls:
Yodle
Tremelo
Wail (they have "whale")
Hoot

I have the yodle set up as my Windows startup sound, switching through the others each month.

Jim

man i love the sound of those birds. First time I ever heard one was up in Maine back in the late 80s.

 

[OTTER]

Jim, they can be fun to watch and they can chatter up a storm. When I was a kid, I could watch the otters at the Little Rock zoo all day long. I got the nickname back in the 60's when I swam on the swim team and then when Animal House came out it took on a whole new meaning!! :cheers:

 

[hi steel basser]

60 in one day!?!! I can't even imagine it. Good day, Jim.

 

[Ouachita]

I went on patrol at work a few days later and heard at least a dozen campers in 3 campgrounds claim a similar day! It's the big talk of the week. One woman about 80 years old claims over 100 bass that day while trying to catch crappie. She quit fishing the middle of the day to get away from them, returned around 3pm, and still caught "trash-bass" galore, not at all happy about it.

Jim