It ain't easy out there ...

[Champ188]

1 minute ago, m&m said:

Champ, you're up early. Heading to the lake today?

Mike

Well, on the subject of critters, my big tomcat buddy Henry decided at 5 a.m. it was time for me to get up. So yes, Mike, I'm considering a little sojourn over to Grand Lake.

 

[MOPanfisher]

Otters love those live boxes folks put on their docks, they think it is a buffet.  If you saw a very small, one it could have been a mink, but you will know if the otters are around and like your dock by the piles of poop.  They are normally pretty shy, but they do get used to people and activity.  There are some inventive trap types for them, that use a live fish for bait in the middle of a 4 foot long or so wire mesh cage with a big connibear set in each end.

[m&m]

3 hours ago, Champ188 said:

So yes, Mike, I'm considering a little sojourn over to Grand Lake.

 

 

Champ, good luck if you head out. im considering heading out by the dam area of the rock. 

Mike

[Champ188]

Decided to wait til tomorrow for the Grand expedition. I'll be happy to share the results if anyone's interested. Taking a friend over there Friday for a little tournament scouting.

[m&m]

I managed a couple of hours on TRL around the dam area today. Trying out my new Raymarine electronics. Very easy to use and very clear picture. Ulrich did a very good job installing them for me. They were impressed with the clarity and easy operation. Caught 3 SM today all keepers but just barely in 15 ft. One on a jerk bait and two on the Ned. My wife went with me. (She is the other M in M&M). She actually caught the biggest SM on a Ned today. WT was 49.1 to 50.5. Beautiful day to be on the water. Water was very clear  

Mike

[Champ188]

Glad you two got out and caught a few. Anything in January is a bonus, especially a day with air temps in the 60s.

[magicwormman]

On 1/31/2017 at 5:42 AM, Champ188 said:

Well, on the subject of critters, my big tomcat buddy Henry decided at 5 a.m. it was time for me to get up. So yes, Mike, I'm considering a little sojourn over to Grand Lake.

 

The price we PAY for a lil love!

[Sore Thumbs]

15 hours ago, Champ188 said:

Decided to wait til tomorrow for the Grand expedition. I'll be happy to share the results if anyone's interested. Taking a friend over there Friday for a little tournament scouting.

Let me know what you find. I'm going over to Grand this weekend at some point 

[vernon]

14 hours ago, m&m said:

I managed a couple of hours on TRL around the dam area today. Trying out my new Raymarine electronics. Very easy to use and very clear picture. Ulrich did a very good job installing them for me. They were impressed with the clarity and easy operation. Caught 3 SM today all keepers but just barely in 15 ft. One on a jerk bait and two on the Ned. My wife went with me. (She is the other M in M&M). She actually caught the biggest SM on a Ned today. WT was 49.1 to 50.5. Beautiful day to be on the water. Water was very clear  

Mike

Is it just wishful thinking on my part or are the water temperatures unusually high for this time of the year?

Early spring?  Global warming?  Climate change?  I'm ready for some thunderstorms!

[Quillback]

Yesterday at Big M I saw water temps 44-46.  I went back to look at my notes from the last couple of years, and last year I recorded 44 on an end of January trip.  Year before that I saw 42, year before that on 1/20 it was 40-42, but on February 19, it was 37-39.  Must have been a cold front in early February that year (2014).