29.March: Arrived behind Bart's by 4:15 pm, only one lone regular plying the bank. The water was up about 2' from my last trip, but coffee colored, muddy. The current was strong, and the surface temp was about 47ºF. Very little flotsam drifted by, just the odd branch or board here and there. It was nice and warm in the sun, but when a breeze came through, it was chilly.

I put my arm in a cast, and idled away some time jawing with my erstwhile companion. He said his father had called him earlier, and told him the Rainbow Reservoir had been drained. That was likely the reason the river was coffee colored. Our shore mom showed up to chat, but didn't fish. Shortly after her arrival, her son (who caught the first shad I've heard of this year) joined us on the bank. We all took casting practice, and by 6:pm we were done. Not so much as a nibble. No fish today.

I won't be out tomorrow, MIL has an appointment. But I may come out Friday after work, depending on the weather. This time of year I take it a day or two at a time, as the weather is so variable.

Terminal tackle: 5/8 oz drail over 3' of 10# flouro, with a white, hammered silver willow, emblazoned with a St. George's Cross.

Tight lines!

3.April: Only had about an hour after work to practice my casting technique. Arrived behind Bart's ~4:30 pm, to find nobody fishing. Weather was pleasantly sunny, and warm, and the bank shielded me from the blustery South wind. The water was up 8" or so, clear, with a decent current, and very little floatsam. Surface temp was just shy of 50ºF, but I subscribe that to the rocks that had been baking in the sun all day. As I finished setting up, I found a nice, new hammered silver willow in green and orange with a black dot sitting on a flat rock. Funny, but there was no way for me to miss it when I set my tackle bag down. Now I'm wondering how the H*LL I must have dropped it, because I had not yet opened my tackle bag and removed my tackle box. This getting old sh*t ain't for the faint-hearted...

I started with 5/8 oz of weight, and I could find the bottom no problem, but I just couldn't hold it there reliably in the current. So I switched to 3/4 oz, and changed the leaf while I was at it; hammered silver in pink and white with a black dot. Before I left, Dylan and Tyler, and another young'n from up the street joined me on the bank. Sissy stopped by to chat while we all took casting practice, and spun yarns. Things look promising, but it seems they're false promises.

Hopefully the scattered showers forecast over the next few days will raise the water level and current, and start the shad to moving up, as I have heard no reports of shad caught since Dylan's vitamin shad last week. Wishful thinking I suppose.

Terminal tackle: 3/4 oz drail over ~2' of 10# flouro (the back-cast area is thin, and the rocks are hungry), and a hammered silver leaf in pink and white with a black dot.

I can't make it tomorrow, so I'll be back Wednesday after work, and hopefully can spend more than a scant hour on the bank. Tight lines!

Shad fly were out and about today, that has to mean somethin".

OH Boy! where's my stuff, WHERE'S MY STUFF, GOTTA GO!

5.April: Hey Now, cat_in_the_hat! Good luck tomorrow.
After work today, I arrived behind Bart's about 4:30 pm. Bill C, Dylan and his mother, and Tyler a local kid were already there. Dylan caught his 2nd shad of the year earlier this afternoon, and he reported somebody else landed 2 yesterday. Things seem to be starting to pick up.

The water was down a hair from Monday, clear, with a little current. The surface temp was an even 50ºF. It was a little chilly in the breeze, and threatening rain with the odd drizzle passing through. Three other gentlemen joined us, and at any one moment 3-5 of us were working the bank at once, while a few of the others rested/chatted on the street. Conversation was good, but the shad didn't contribute their $.02. No fish today. By 6 pm my hands were cold, so I rolled up my kit, and skedaddled home for supper.

Tomorrow promises to be a nice, warm day. I'm looking forward to fishing in shirtsleeves! Tight lines!

Terminal tackle: 3/4 oz. drail over 3' 10# flouro tied to a white/blue, smooth silver willow leaf with a black dot.