shell knob 5/23-5/26

[96 CHAMP]

This is a long post,  Sorry, but wanted to share the end of the story

My report is a bit late as I will explain in a bit, fished Saturday and i really do not remember much at this point as to much stuff had gone on, but Saturday night I caught a few good keepers on spinner bait, and several short fish, Sunday was a challenge until I figured out a spinner bait bite burning the blade just under the surface, the wind was blowing really good as I recall, it started up in big creek on many windy banks lined with that flat shelf rock in various sizes, the bite continued out to the main lake with big fish at 3.8. I was using a War Eagle in mouse color and a keiteck trailer. How many I caught I do not know but it was a great bite, thinking I ended up with 4-5 keepers, not sure, Monday as the wind picked up again I was anticipating another good bite but it didn't work out as I had hoped, go figure huh??  Although it wasn't bad, no keepers at this point, Then around 3-5 p.m. I stumbled upon a top water bite in big creek using the F-13, caught 5 really nice fish in the 17" range and  other smaller ones, they were coming up out of about 10'12  of water I suspect and just crushing the bait, probably guarding nest I would assume. Through out my entire time at the lake  I caught several on the top, with many coming to look but no takers. Tuesday was to be the last day and I wanted to concentrate on the senko more, I went into mill creek and caught a nice largemouth , a respectable 3.5#, some pouced on it while others you could not tell they even picked it up, throughout the day I caught several on top and with shakey head in 1/8 oz with a zoom shakey tail worm in Green Pumpkin, later in day toward evening when the front came in and it got windy mill creek lit up on fire. I was throwing the shakey head up near the bank with chunk rock and cedars, makes you wonder if the fish were there already or if they moved in to feed or guarding nest, some were females and other males with  a mix of kentucks and largemouth, fished till iI could not see my line and it came to me that this should be a good spinner bait nite as a few weeks ago at night in the wind back here in Mill creek it was pretty good, what happend next was a pleasant suprise. Within 10 minutes my first hook up was I assume in the 4# range, I attempted to weigh the fish and the digital scale was acting up again, back she goes, these fish were on tonight and I am telling you they were just crushing this spinner bait,black & purple war eagle nite bait with #11 uncle josh pork frog with green spots was the ticket. I ended up with 6-8 keepers with 3 of the same size, the scale worked finally on the last one, it was 4.7. May have been the user more than the scale as the adrenalin was flowing, I had 3 dam near jerk the rod out of my hand they hit it so hard, several bent the spinner bait on the assault and several ripped the trailer off the hook, how they manage that I haven't the faintest idea as I can hardly get it off without taking a knife to it. This went on untill midnight when I fianally went back, it was the bite I have been working for for a long time, was just hoping to hook into a bruiser, none the less, a blast to put it mildly. My opinion that there is nothing like it when these largemouths are on this vicious assault. Hooking into one, landing him and watching him go back. So I get back to the dock around 1a.m. I am planning on going home Wednesday so I figure as pumped up as I am there is no way I can fall asleep so lets reorganize all my tackle, that way I will not have to do it when I get home. So I finally get to bed about 2 or so and I here this gust of wind blow a chair across the porch into the hand railing, Its the wind I say, then a few minutes later this wind shear hits, I immediately look outside and already I know this isn't good as I can see the dock and my boat is being swamped with probably 30 mile an hour wind gust and probably 2-3' waves. I have been through this before, I need to get my tackle out of this boat in fear of losing it, I get to the dock trying not to get blown off of it, in water darn near up to my knees getting my tackle and putting it in Darrell's pontoon boat that is on a lift trying not to fall in, I start bailing water out to no avail when Darrell shows up, grabs a comealong and chain, I hook it to the ring in back of boat to pull it up out of water, bilge is running,bailing water finally get ahead of it as the wind shear slows I step on front of boat to help keep the back starboard side up and I slipp and fall over striking my left arm on bicep muscle, very sore, but get out and we finally get this Champ back up out of the water, 2 stalls down a guy has a 20-21 foot basscat that is leaning heavy to the port side water up to my knees, Darrel gets a electric pump and we get her hooked up and start drawing her down till I can see control panel for power switch and then activate the bildge, there is a strong smell of gas on his boat, not good for him. He thanked us the next morning as he took it to the Marina up the road to have the fuel and oil pumped out. So Darrell and I finally get back to our beds at 4:30, got up at about 8:00 and the cleaning of tackle begins, It wasn't near as bad as it could have been if I would have done nothing. I finally got home last night at 10:00 p.m. Took the day off today to get cleaned up, going to put some c-foam in the remainder of gas today, hook up the muffs and let her run. It worked years back when this happened before but I had more trouble as the boat sat out there all night long partially submerged.  Along with all that my I-phone was in my pocket when I went over board as all recent pictures will be gone I would assume. I realize I could have been seriously hurt when I slipped off the front of boat, I was constantly thinking about safety through all this with Darrell as he was also, but everything had turned out O.K.. A trip that I will not forget. Thanks for reading &  be safe & good fishing to all. I personally told Darrell and Sheri how much I appreciate his help and there friendship. They are truly Good People!!

Steve

Went and got a new phone and it had updated the pictures

 

[Browning Guy]

Steve,

Sorry to hear of your trouble.  Knowing Sheri and Darrell for many years and having stayed at Pla-Port a number of times, I can attest to the good those two have in their hearts. No doubt hard working folks who take care of people.  

Jim Reeves

[m&m]

Steve, glad you are ok as it could have been much worse.  I heard from others that the storm really blew in for a while.  I worry about that a lot.  I recently had Ulrich install an automatic bilge in case I can't get to the boat during a storm.  I hope I never need it though.  By the way, the part of your story about the spinner bait bite was interesting.  Thank you for sharing.

Mike

[96 CHAMP]

Glad to share with you Mike, I wish one of you guys could have been with during the bite, it was what we all look forward to, if that doesn't get your heart racing it is time to sell the boat and quit fishing, I called the wife and told her this is why we go fishing. Good luck to you.

[Champ188]

Dang, Steve, sorry to hear of all your troubles. That was quite the night ... from extremely good to extremely bad. Glad to hear that you're OK and sounds like your beautiful boat and gear will be fine, too. Look forward to seeing you again soon.

[MOPanfisher]

Wow, well it wasn't boring.  Yes you could have been badly injured but probably every one of us physically able would have done the same thing.  Great catching though it sounds like.

[96 CHAMP]

Boring it wasn't, going to cost me, I drained all the fuel out yesterday, the fuel looked real bad,  taking it to the marine center by work, tech told me I believe he wants to get some oil in system to prevent rust I believe , take power head off to get to  some screens, there is a drain hole some where and have to replace some o rings in process. I really not sure what he said, fishing wrench probably would know, be quite a spell before I get back, good fishing to all of you.

[m&m]

Steve, good luck with repair. Your quick action saved it from further damage. 

Mike

[176champion]

Sorry to hear of your troubles Steve and i hope they get it all fixed up.

I dodged a bullet myself seems i had a voltage regulator catch on fire and dont know when, pulled the cowling off to look things over and some black crap had leaked down the back of the engine block took it apart and found this. Seems older mercury's are noted for this...cost for OEM regulators about 400 bucks,, the new ones have a fuse in them.

 

[96 CHAMP]

Good you got it fixed 176, always something, keeps things from being boring I reckon.