So Monday I launched at the State Park cause they are working on the public ramp at HFB. Don't know how long or what they are doing.  (Editors note:  status on the ramp work on-going at SML can be found here)

So I looked and tried around Strawberry Banks, the water tower, the beach, the hump and was seeing nothing except maybe loners and some bait. All I got was about six good whacks on the trolled cranks and nothing else. Kept moving up lake, Hickory cove, R25, the condos and B&B creeks and saw bait and only very small pods of fish. No bites. I really did want to be above the bridge and later learned that of course that's where the action was. Well anyway this was the maiden voyage, the shakedown cruise and I ended up happy and please with everything.

Wednesday I took the ride to the Hardy ramp. I putt-putted over the flats to where the deeper water starts (forgot the marker number) and saw nothing. Two other boats were out at the same time and stayed there waiting for fish. I kept moving down river looking. I set lines out a couple of times but nothing bit. Made it down near Lynville and started trolling again. Finally got one right near the mouth. A chubby 31". Yippee! I was marking some fish and cast around and jigged for a half hour with no bites. Made it all the way past Beaverdam to Harbor Ridge. Saw some fish there but no bites. I started to work my way back and saw some schools at R64 and R68 but couldn't get a bite. Those fish were only about 20-25' down. I didn't see a single breaking fish all day. I'll just have to try again.

Later Joel

So,,,,,, I had a hot tip about Strawberry Banks so I wanted to start there. But Jared (kayak man) stopped by yesterday and said breaking fish were going crazy up at Moorman's Landing last week! And remember Steve told me of big breaking schools down near the dam! I was in a quandary. So I prayed and God told me to hit the Banks.

I cruised down that way and stopped here and there looking for fish. Nope. Saw bait balls but no fish. Even checked the hump. So I started trolling near SB and saw bait and a few fish. Not much and only 1s and 2s. Could even have been only green bass. Came out and trolled past the water tower and got one smashing strike. I also saw a few other boats working that area and over near the park beach. But I didn't see anyone boat a fish. I looped around a few times but got no takers. About 9 I started back up the lake, again stopping around and looking. I started trolling again just past R25 and actually caught a fish nearing the condos. Only 17". Kept going and got another 17 in the mouth of Becky. But I was seeing small pods of fish, maybe up to 12-14 in a pod. Worked around and just inside the creeks and got nothing else. Since I planned on "unpacking" the little brother Battleship today, I hauled in early and headed home only to get that joyous phone call.

later Joel

I got out at the crack of dawn Tue and decided to try up river. Scouted around a bit and started trolling around R32. Saw a few bait balls but no fish chasing. Worked my way up to Indian Creek and it was the same thing. Some bait and maybe onezy, twozy fish here and there but no biters. So a little after 8 I ran down to B&B creeks.

Started at the condos and was seeing more bait balls and more fish. Now it was twozy, threezy but still no group, pods or schools. Worked both sides of the river and the mouths of the creeks but all I got that morning was 3 largemouth. 2 on cranks and 1 on an A-rig. I was trying lots of stuff. At those times I would see a few fish around some bait but they turned out to be the bass. Nice day, hoped for more fish.

I did get some reports from the neighbors' brother, Steve, (I may mention him again in the future) who does a good bit of striper fishing. Last week he got on BIG schools of breaking fish down near the dam and Craddock Creek! Wonder what there're doing down there? He is having line problems and broke off many more fish than boated. I plan to get out this week but it looks like a bunch of rain early on. Maybe Thursday.

Later,
Joel