I Needed That

One good thing about getting older is you gain experience. I used my lunch break to chase crappie at a local lake. I figured they had to be going shallow to spawn. While I was making my way to the water I saw one other guy releasing a fish he had just caught. "Hey, I know you!" he said. This guy didn't look familiar at all and my blog has been stale for so long I was wondering how this person could possibly know me. Then he told me his name and I realized he is someone I had emailed several times to fish with but things never worked out. I asked if I could fish across the river from him. He acknowledged it was fine and just said "clousers...." I pretty much figured that having already one tied on. A few moments later I had a decent crappie on.

I tried to nonchalantly bring it in but internally I was filled with glee. I hadn't fished in a such a long time and feeling the tug of a fish was like a rekindling of a lost love. We spent the next 20min pulling in quite a few crappie and bluegill. Then like what happens so often the feeding switch was turned off and the fish stopped biting. Out of all the times, places and days to fish, it was kind of funny that we randomly ran into each other. It was like it was meant to be.

Fishing With Buds

As much as I like catching fish I enjoy sharing spots with friends. Joey and I hit a crappie hole that has been good to me lately. I had him go with a fly color I hadn't tried yet. It was basically a red wooly bugger. Several casts in he hooked this beast. 

It was a trophy crappie and gave him a good fight. I was wondering what was taking him so long to bring the fish in. He thought it was a catfish at first. When I saw the fish I didn't think it was that big until it turned onto its side. The thing was almost as tall as it was long.

Hungry Crappie

I've stopped trying to figure crappie out. Over time I've figured out their patterns at a certain lake. I go there when I think they should be there. It works out most of the time. Today this was the only crappie I caught and it inhaled the fly. So deep the hook was embedded in the gills.

I was able to get the fly out and the fish seemed to stop bleeding before I released it. It swam away fine but I never feel great releasing a fish I question will make it. Crappie are interesting fish. They have the body of a panfish and the mouth of a largemouth. Even though the mouth is quite large it is fragile and you can easily pull a hook free if you lip snag a fish.

Crappie Are Weird

These fish are very strange. I'd say they are the easiest fish to catch with a fly IF you can find them. That's the hard part. They will also trick you even if you do find them. One day they will hit every thing that touches the water. The next day you will not even get a bite and swear all the fish left the area. It's a cruel game they play but when they cooperate it's glorious.

I caught my biggest the other day right at my feet. 

Such a different experience from when I was catching them before. I'd like to think it was staging for spawning but it was the only other fish I caught. Were there more fish and they just weren't hitting? Has the amount of fish fallen off? Who knows, I guess it's the enigma that keeps us coming back to figure out.