March 26, 2006

Fishing at Shabbona

Today I hit Shabbona for the second time in 2006. Water temp was 40 to 43 degrees (lost a degree since my last trip out). Visibility 6 to 18 inches, depending on where you were, water coffee brown color. The center dock on the main launch isn't in yet, but all lanes are open and the other docks are in. Got to the lake at noon and fished for 5 hours.

After I launched, I went right over to the roadbed with my Rapala shallow shad rap (Rapala SSR 8, shad pattern, Discontinued pattern and size !!??!!) and threw it right into the shallow rocks. Bang !!! Picked up one muskie, 30 inches and nice and plump for his length, not a whopper, but I'm not complaining,....yet.

But, that was it for the Muskie fishing. No more strikes. But man, just like last trip, I was snagging everything in the lake, half a dozen Big Shad, a Bluegill !!!!, and another big Fat Carp (28 inches, snagged in the tail). I've snagged more fish in these two trips to Shabbona than I've snagged in my entire Life !!!

Anyway, with even a minor warming trend, this lake is going to POP, and the fish will go WILD !!!

Good Luck Everybody

See you on the water.

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