Lake Mistaic Afterbay, 5-9

Hey Everybody!

Been a heckuva while, but I actually went paddling again. Hadn't been out since afflicted by the spasm in me backside last year, so chose the small flat water. I had re-habbed the wiring to my sounder and was eager to map out this lake, at which I'd only shorefished. It seemed to work at home but, of course, absolutely did not work on the water. Really would have made it worth the $17 it cost to get my vehicle and kayak pass.

I farted around throwing a small brown and blue plastic worm and a crawdad colored deep diving crank bait for pretty much nothing. Trout were jumping about but I didn't bring the trout stuff. No matter, after a while I nailed a little stocker on the crank bait. I drifted north on the light breeze, past the swimming area, and started catching lots of grass. Turns out the entire area was pretty shallow and weedy so I slowed the retrieve on the plug to keep it up higher in the water column. Whoohoo, got about a 2-1/2 lb largemouth. Aside from two bites I failed to convert to hookups, that would be it for the day. I saw two dudes in a small skiff horkin' on several bass, but I don't know what they were using. Maybe it was a 4-pound line kind of thing.

One of the things I enjoyed about being on the lake besides the flat water was the absence of paranoia over dangling my feet in the water (you know: no, um, like, potential uh, sharks). At least I felt comfortable until I saw a turtle looming up from the depths, paddling briskly in a beeline for my toes. I yanked my feet from the water and the turtle turned sharply and disappeared back down into the gloom. Didn't even have time to break out the bang stick. "It was comin' straight for us!"

Returned about 1230. Backside not too numb--the ensolite cutouts I glued on the bottom of the seat must've helped and I may put on a couple more layers. A beautiful day and even got two fishies, a welcome and relatively uncommon event because I suck at freshwater fishing. Driving home I saw Lou Dog. We waved at each other and called each other derogatory names.

Good fishin'!
BDC OK