Checked the USGS gauge of the creek I wanted to fish before leaving work. 4.78, the cfs gauge has been broken for months. I’m getting used to reading the feet by comparison. A few days earlier the creek had shot up to nearly 7. I plugged in a 90 day view, that’s the highest so far this year. Usually it’s April that gets like that, didn’t happen this year.
I’m sure I’ve fished this creek when it was at 5. Maybe it was 4.5 or 4. Whatever, can’t be that bad.
I get to the creek, get suited up and one big lone cloud full of rain and lightning parks its ass directly over head. Partly cloudy skies all around it. I sit it out in the car for twenty minutes. The rain did not cool things down, made it worse.
Got to the creek and it was high, fast and muddy. I’m not going in there, at least not past my ankles. Bunch of casts and nothing. Considered calling it quits.
Decided to put my exceptional high, fast and muddy fishing skills to work instead. It’s not the river, so it’s not so bad. In about an hour and a half and 200 yards I went 11/5 on smallies. I was glad I stuck around. One fish in particular hit hard, then practically crawled along the bottom. Drag humming and pulling out line. Couldn’t lift it off the bottom. Never jumped. I’ve landed a number of 18 inch smallies so far this year and I’m thinking this one has to be pushing the 20 inch mark to be doing this.
Finally get it near me and out of the water. I’ll bet it wouldn’t have measured 11 inches. I was impressed.
It wound up being the smallest fish of the day.
Was glad I wore the waders anyway. Everything was soaked from the rain. Back at the car and stripping down, the inside of the waders were wetter than the outside. Sweat was pouring off my head and down my shirt. This should smell good after a day or two in my trunk.
Walking through a swamp in April is easy, in June after a rain and everything is now thick and taller than me, not so much.
The wife says I should learn how to fear lightning.
The woods look like a jungle.
The sound of frogs was at times deafening only I couldn’t find a single one.
Like usual, I had the whole place to myself.
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Back at home, leftovers. Bow tie pasta, shrimp, garlic, butter, olive oil and parsley from the garden. More olive oil in a pan. Throw in all that stuff. Add the stripped off flowers from the basil plants in the garden. Toss in the first pepper of the year from the garden. More olive oil. Done and plated, add some parmesan and a couple of slices of garlic bread.
I smell wonderful.
The stronger taste of basil flowers has become my favorite part of the basil plant.
You can’t have too much basil.
Or olive oil.
Jim McClellan
27 Jun 2014I agree on the basil and olive oil, but I think they’d be really good on some frog legs. I bet if you go back out at night with a spotlight, they’ll be easier to find. By the way, I bet that 11-incher is going to be a brute when he gets to 15 or 16 inches.
Ken G
28 Jun 2014Bullfrog season opened up recently Jim and I was thinking that same thing last night. I’ve got a gig, have never gone after them and should give it a try. I like frog legs. I have some really nice pellet guns, but something tells me using them out in public won’t go over really well.
I was laughing pretty hard at that little guy. Had me fooled. The water was flowing pretty good so when you think about what they are living in on a constant basis, it’s no wonder they get so strong.
bob
28 Jun 2014I know the feeling. still I love the heat, the humidity. I love the garlic and parmesan, but can barely stand the smell of my own upper lip (the stach part) after eating bunches of it. fish and garlic. ah life is good. the big lake stinks. No, and I mean NO perch, period. no rock bass, gills, nothing. odd is all I can say
Ken G
28 Jun 2014Are you losing your lake fishing skills Bob?
I’ve been seeing pictures on line of all these caught perch. Unless those are pictures from last year.
Now that I can keep a few smallies again, it’s time to have a fish dinner.
walt
28 Jun 2014Rainforest smallies, sweaty waders, and incomparable dinner fare… Sounds great, Ken!
Ken G
29 Jun 2014The rain and humidity just won’t end around here Walt. Cant’ remember the last time it’s been so constant.
Makes me think twice about getting into those waders.
Now I’m waiting for the cucumbers and tomatoes out in the yard. My favorites.