Solstice celebration up north

[Norm M]

river continues to rise, past twice normal flow rate, visibility nil, water temps still mid 40's . it was a bit to the raw side today, ditched the ball cap for a knit cap .

Fished inflows, current seams and shoreline related slack spots again.

Started with thumper tailed swims baits 4 or 5 inch 3/8 to 1/2 jigs at inflows. Not as many fish as yesterday but much better size to the smallmouth and walleye . I went back to the J-9 floating Rapala minnow, picked a one more smallmouth, no walleye. Switched to the rattlebait , nada. Tried the reverse rigged fat Ika, couple smallmouth.

Hit the current seams got a couple smallmouth on the rattlebait worked against the current, no walleye . Tried the Ika and the swimbaits, nothing .

Hit some shoreline related slack spots, initial success with a couple very nice smallmouth, swimbaits ignored the rest of the day. Rattlebaits and J-9's ignored as well . The fat Ika reverse rigged on the 5/0 unweighted EWG hook was the ticket. Once again the standard plastic worm retrieve worked. I experimented with swimming, hopping, popping and ripping, zero interest .

final count 21 smallmouth, 13 slack area, 6 inflow, 2 current seams. 4 very nice walleye .

It was a very nice way to celebrate the Solstice