Can't beat getting an online message at 5AM asking if you want to go fishing. Well as long as I don't have plans I can change and I didn't. Casey had checked the weather forecast and decided that this day was the best fishing day left in the week.

It worked out perfectly for me because Jenny and I had rented a car for Thursday and Friday so we would have been unavailable.

We were on the road before I even knew where we were headed but I didn't really need to know. But when Casey told me we were going to Colwell's Warf I was quite happy with that choice. Such a beautiful place to enjoy a day on the water.

Had a pickerel strike in those weeds but he didn't hang on so no first fish yet.

Nothing But Blue Skies Do I See

All the way there and for a little while on the water it was clear skies in all directions and not a bit of a breeze. The water was a mirror. So glad I had my new sunglasses with me again as it really made a difference to my eyes by the end of the day. My wide brimmed hat kept my brain from frying as well and that's always good. I need all the grey cells I can keep.

As soon as Casey backed away from the launch I cast into the weeds and had my first strike right away. Guess he was ready to make a commitment as he stayed in the weeds and didn't strike again. So I grabbed my sunscreen and plastered it all over my bare skin.

Lot's of weeds and pencil reeds, my favourite kind of spots.

It wasn't long before the temperature rose to a noticeable degree and I began to sweat a bit. That's when I realize how nice it is to have my new wide brimmed hat.

We started seeing the odd cloud and before we realized the sky was full of clouds, just not right over head.

We saw a huge cloud that kept getting close to blocking the sun but seemed to take forever to move between us and the sun. Instant relief but then the wind picked up and for the most part the calm water I love fishing so much was gone.

What!? That's An Island

As I was casting along the shoreline weeds for pickerel or bass Casey said he was looking for the entrance to the pond in the middle of the island. I had no idea we were moving along the shoreline of an island. Must be a pretty big island.

Sure enough a few minutes later there was a channel leading back into the island. There were plenty of pickerel in the channel which went back a long ways before we could get to the water on either side of the channel. What a beautiful spot in there. Dense weeds made it hard to get anything out of there. I need a fishing rod with a stiffer backbone and definitely stronger line for pulling them out of those weeds. Still had a blast watching how crazy they can bee.

Jim Gets The Most Fish Of The Day

I missed a pickerel within a minute of launching so I missed the opportunity to get the first fish while Casey was distracted.

Then I hooked into a nice pickerel and had it within an inch of being in my hand when it decided to make a run for it and managed to get off the hook. Missed a second opportunity for the first fish.

Finally on my third attempt at getting the first fish I succeeded so that's two days we've been out that I got the first fish of the day.

Casey was keeping right up with me but once the clouds moved in I watched for signs and as you can see in the photo above the sky opened and showed me where to cast. A few times like that I had the lead. Most fish of the day goes to me as well.

We saw a few bigger fish hitting the baits in the weeds but didn't get them to the boat. The only two we did measure were the same size so it was a tie for biggest fish of the day.

The final score for this day, 1 perch each, 11 pickerel for Casey and 17 pickerel for ME.

Wow, first Casey starts getting the first fish of the day. Then Jamie takes me fishing and catches the biggest smallmouth bass of the day as the first fish, in about 4 minutes.

I still managed to catch more fish but not the first or the biggest.

I try so hard. I make lots of casts into the right places and do my best to distract Casey or Jamie but something just wasn't right.

Then yesterday just as I lifted the first fish of the day into the boat I'm sure I heard Casey say 'The Spell is Broken' under his breath. Sure hope you can't put the same spell on a guy twice.

We didn't measure any fish as none were huge but I can say with certainty that Casey had the biggest fish by just a little bit so I had to catch more fish to make me feel better. Okay now on to some serious fishing in the weeds.

First turtle I've seen in years. Used to see them all them time.

Fishing Pickerel In The Weeds

95% of the time I fish in the weeds if there are any. I just can't get enough of the action that takes place in the weeds. If there is one weed sticking out of the water I will always cast to it before going for any open water. There's just a lot of fun and maybe some frustration but so much fun so fun wins out.

Example: I made a cast to, you got it, some weeds and a pickerel left the water and smacked down on my bait. But when his mouth hit the bait his head stopped moving and the rest of him kept going making for a pretty cool flip.

Then there's those wakes that immediately make me laugh and sometimes I get excited and set the hook before the actual strike.

So glad Casey has a trolling motor because it wasn't long before the wind picked up making it hard to stay in the zone. It's perfect for those time when the anchor just drags along the bottom.

It was hot so the wind was a relief but when the wind would stop for a little while it wasn't long before I was feeling the heat. So when the clouds moved in I was glad to see them come between us and the sun.

Drawing Pickerel Out of The Weeds

I love tossing something weedless way back in the weeds. I get some of my best strikes doing that and I miss a lot of fish but I sure have an exciting time. I also like to draw them out of the weeds before they strike.

Jenny and I just got knew glasses a couple of months ago and this time I didn't get the kind that go dark outside. Just clear glass. Jenny came home with a pair of polarized sunglasses a few days ago. For the first time I was able to see through the glare on the water and it was a fun experience.

It was so much fun watching the pickerel chase the bait. I could even see them sitting right next to the boat. A couple of times when I saw a fish sitting I lifted the sunglasses and there was no fish as far as I could see.

At the end of our day Casey had 8 pickerel landed and one clam. Me, I had 17 pickerel and don't forget that all important first fish of the day was mine too.

You can see that the rains we have been having are adding and once again the trees are standing in water. Most of the weed beds were submerged about 8 inches so it was kind of strange looking for this time of year.