Bennett's 3/3/19 After the storm.... Of people

[Johnsfolly]

I am not a crowded stream front fishetman any more. So have always stayed away from the openers at the parks. Been fishing down on the White river and my filght back to Maryland is on Tues. So stopped in Lebanon as a good middle ground. Was originally planning and may still go out the park today when it gets above 10 deg maybe. So when I pulled into Lebanon yesterday and it was a balmy 24 deg with much colder temps coming I got out the the park in the afternoon. Got out by 4:30 and fshed for just over an hour when the dipping sun and the cool wind drove me to warmer temps.

Water was a little stained making it hard for me to see the fish react to my baits. I chose a white microjig. That's my typical go to bait to start. If there are active fish I can usually fool a few. Started on the whistle bridge and had that section of creek all to myself for a while. Some fish seemed tired from the onslaught but I found and landed four takers on that bait. After the third fish a couple of guys showed up to fish.

I tried for some sculpin by bouncing it next to a large dock. One would rush the bait but not really bite then back under the rock. Had another smaller one creep up in the bait and never commit. Bery skittish and not sure why. Switched to a yellow/pink/fuchsia globall and got one 14 inch rainbow to bite. Headed upstream closer to the spring and switched to a cream chenille microjig grub. The water was stained worse up there and the wind picked up. Only fish that I caught was an Ozark sculpin.

We'll see if I get out again today.

This post has been promoted to an article

[Johnsfolly]

Got out again today. It was 3 deg when I got up. About 9 am it was 5 with a feels like temp of minus 11. So I waited for it to warm up further. Headed out by 3 when it was a balmy 24 with a feels like temp of 18 deg. Started with the chenille cream grub microjig. Only one or two fish showed any interest. Then a 1/32 oz roostertail with prop blade. Had a couple tag the bait but not get hooked. I put on a meat jig (white and salmon marabou). Caught 5 in short order. Lost a few then they lost interest. Switched to John Deere microjig and only got a passing interest. Then put the white microjig that was successful and again nothing. Switched back to the meat jig and caught a couple more. There was a 16 inch brown trout that would chase the hooked fish. I switched to a silver PET 1/16 oz spoon. That got the brown's attention but only got really chased by rainbows. Ended up landing a 15 inch rainbow. Again switched to a 1/16 olive/ginger zig jig and caught a northern rock bass and a few rainbows. Finally ended the day on a rapala jerkbait. I caught a few rainbows between 12 to 15 inches and one over 15 inches. The brown chased it a couple of times then no interest.

Ended up with 16 rainbows and the rock bass in 2 hours of fishing. By 5:20 pm there was only one other person fishing with me. No fish photos due to the cold. Wanted to get them back in the water as soon as possible.

[Jhoff]

 Not a bad day at Bennett today.  I probably had 20 or so from noon-3.  The boy is working hard on throwing a jig.

[Johnsfolly]

@Jhoff Congrats on a great day of fishing with your boy! I'm sure that you made some great memories.