Anniversary Tubing Trip

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]TubeBabe! What a gal! Today was our 30th wedding anniversary and when I asked how she wanted to celebrate (???) she said she wanted to go fishing. She has been out of town a lot and will be busy most of this week so we decided to see if we could sneak in a quick shot between storms.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Launched at the South Marina (Willard Bay) just after 6 AM. Calm but cloudy, with some virga falling out of the clouds to the north. Very launchable and fishable. We were the first ones out of the harbor. Air temp 54 and water temp 64.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]As is often the case, TB scored the first fish...a nice 17" cookie cutter kitty...before we were out of the channel. I had a couple of pop and drops on minnows, while I threw plastics on my second rod.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Pretty slow. A few tentative bites, and TB dinged another small cat about 7. She was up 2-Zip. But, I was not worried. Of course I was shaking off all my fish to give her a good head start on our anniversary. Yeah...right.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I finally scored my first fish just after 8. POW, ZING, Bendo. Wiper on. Love the way those striped beasties pull on light tackle. Turned out to be a 19 incher. The smell of fish replaced the smell of skunk. Mo bettah.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]A while later I added my first kitty to the basket...a typical 17" cookie. That was about 9 AM. A couple of tentative bites on minnows after that and one good whack on a small tube jig. TB landed her third and last kitty. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The clouds were building all around us and the forecast was for "weather" after noon. We kicked back into the channel for a bit of inside fishing before we headed home. Not a touch all the way to the inside buoy. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I decided to fish up toward the inlet a ways and then we would be off the water early. Good move. First I scored another kitty and then I went bendo on another wiper. That one was just over 20 inches and a phattie. Sorry TB, that last wiper gave me top rod honors for the day. Thanks for the nice anniversary present. It means so much to win once in a while.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Boats coming in reported slow fishing out on the lake this morning. Water was "stained" and trolling was not producing much. Saw 1 wiper and no walleyes or other catfish. No crappies. Water temp was 69 at noon.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]As we were prepping to leave I noticed some tiny ripples in water near shore. Checked it out and saw bajillions of 1/2 inch fry hiding around the rocks and weeds next to shore. I'm guessing they were shad fry, but could be carp or crappies. Too small to tell.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]For the romantics out there, TubeBabe gets a nice dinner out tonight...and I might even pay.[/#0000ff]
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=49579"][#212126]CALM AND CLOUDY LAUNCH.jpg[/#212126][/url] (81.1 KB)
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=49580"][#212126]FIRST LAUNCHERS.jpg[/#212126][/url] (104 KB)
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=49581"][#212126]19 INCHER.jpg[/#212126][/url] (102 KB)
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=49582"][#212126]MINNOW MUNCHER.jpg[/#212126][/url] (169 KB)
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=49583"][#212126]20 INCHER.jpg[/#212126][/url] (121 KB)
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=49584"][#212126]INCOMING.jpg[/#212126][/url] (101 KB)
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=49585"][#212126]TUBEBABE'S TRIO.jpg[/#212126][/url] (171 KB)
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=49586"][#212126]TD TAKEHOME.jpg[/#212126][/url] (260 KB)
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=49587"][#212126]SMALL FRY.jpg[/#212126][/url] (129 KB)
[signature]

[macfly55]

Happy Anniversary TD...looks like a fun day on the water...

MacFly [cool]
[signature]

[idahoron]

Cangrats! Next month we will be having our 24th. No way in heck she will be going fishing, I might though. Ron
[signature]

[peter805]

Happy anniversary TD and great job fishing.
I love that 19'' wiper.
thank you for the report.

Peter
[signature]

[Big_Mernie]

Well at least some one got to fish on their anniversary! Mine is also the 15th 7yrs she has been putting up with my S$%t. I spent the day being domesticated and watching the CWS live from Omaha, wishing I was fishing! Nice wipers they sure are a hoot!


bob
[signature]

[Bluegillman]

Happy Anniversary to u both![]
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Thanks everybody. TubeBabe and I appreciate your kind comments and good wishes.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[Dusty_T]

Sounds like a wonderful Anniversary trip. Nice to see you guys in Seatlle....errr...I mean the Utah desert got a break in the rain to set down your Starbucks and hit the water [] . Parents have told me about all the rain and reminded me that it may be mosquitto paradise when we visit. I hope those pesky little mosquittos don't hamper your journeys to the Knolls in the next couple of months.
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Yeah, ark building kits are selling well at Home Depot these days. It really has been a long wet spring. Good for the reservoirs but kinda puts a damper (literally) on the fishermen. Fishing has been good between storms...for some.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]State officials are already seeing record numbers of the state bird (mosquitos)...and waters with West Nile Virus mosquitos are increasing. Predictions are for the worst skeeter season in over 20 years. Just gotta remember to tie a rock around your leg so they don't carry ya off.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]You sure you wanna visit?[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]We are planning a "gorilla floatilla" at the Knolls on Thursday the 25th if you can make it.[/#0000ff]
[signature]