July 19, 2006

Fishing at Shabbona

19 inches

I got out this morning when the park opened at 6 AM, but could only stay until 9 AM. I was supposed to be "scouting" out a spot to bring the kids catfishing in the next few days, but when I launched the boat it was overcast, south wind blowing and the bass where just begging me to get out a chatterbait and run up to the NE bay.

Water temp was 78 degrees, clarity 2-3 feet (not as clear as my last trip, but that was a little too clear, this is Perfect).

5th cast of the morning, MASH!!!!, hookset, airborne back-flip and a plump 19 incher was on his way to the boat. BlueBlack Chatterbait pays up again. 30 minutes go by, only one more runt bass. Switch up to the Red-Black Chatterbait, the lake coughs-up a 16 incher and a pile of 10-13 inchers. Toss it up real shallow by the road bed, BLAMM!!! hookset, Catfish does an airborne Back-Flip !!!! 22 inch channel cat comes over for a picture. Those Chatterbaits must really make the fish Mad, when they decide to hit it, they KILL it. (Luckily, the channel cat showed himself instantly, so I was spared the agony of thinking I had a huge bass for 5 seconds.)

Look at the clock, 8:15 AM !!! Ouch. Tie on a golden spinnerbait as fast as I can, 3 runts on my first 3 casts. GGrrrrr.... should have been... well, probably should have been using it all morning, several more small bass,...glance at the clock 8:30 AM... now I have to look for a channel cat hole. Zip over to the "spot", get out the raw chicken livers, glob it on to a 4-0 circle hook, toss one rod out. Start rigging a second rod, sccrrratttch... first rod is heading for the lake, pick it up, let the rod load up (no hookset, using circle hooks) THRASH!!!! Big Fat 26 inch female channel cat going wild !!!! Both of these channel cats caught today had very dark colored bellies, dark gray-chocolate brown color instead of the usual snow white ??? Caught one colored like that a few years back too. Anyway, the channel cats will be spawning very soon, and they are quite easy to catch right now.

26 inch Channel Catfish

22 inch 16 inch

Good Luck Everybody

See you on the water.

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