So I decided to go fishing this evening at Lake Thunderbird. My usual spot was not going to be fun at all because of the Wednesday night bass tournament. Boats and people everywhere around the ramp, so I went over to the new fishing dock on the east side of the lake.
For the first few hours, it was nothing but chilly and windy. I caught my first fish (4-5" long crappie) about 20 minutes after getting there, just tightlining with minnows straight down. After about an hour and a half of very slow activity, I decided to pack it up and head home to get ready for the Thunder game on tv. Another guy who I see there quite often talked me into staying. As we were getting closer to sundown, the biting started to pick up. I was down to my last few minnows when I decided to drop one down near a tree stump a few feet off the dock. When I lifted the tip of the pole, I felt a strong resistance. I wasn't sure if I was hung up or not, so I was careful not to yank too hard, but hard enough to set the hook in case it was a fish. When the line started to move, I knew i had a fish on. It was heavy, so I knew it was going to be big, but I had caught a few drum earlier on, so I was thinking this was another one. As I got it closer to the surface, I could see it was a crappie - a big one. I was fishing over a rail, so I was afraid to lift it out of the water. I just restrung my reel with 6lb test line this weekend, but my knots aren't always the greatest, so I was afraid the knot would come undone and fish and hook would fall back into the water (it wouldn't be the first time!). I reached for my dip net and while I held the pole above the rail with one hand, trying to keep the fish near the surface but not out of the water so as to put its entire weight on the line, I reached under the bottom rail with the dip net in my other hand. My net hand was shaking, but after about 3 attempts, I was finally able to guide the fish into the net and get it on the dock.
I was about out of minnows anyway, so I gave the few I had left to the guy I had been talking with and packed up. I wanted to get it weighed as soon as I could.
15" and 2.0 lbs on the money. Maybe not the largest fish ever on these boards, but exciting as all get out for me! This is the largest crappie I've ever caught and possibly the largest fish in general I've ever caught. I caught a small mouth last year that I didn't weigh, but I think measured about 14-15" long.
I'll get pics loaded as soon as I can. My wife took the camera USB adapter with her out of town this weekend - DOH!
The lake record, by the way was 16" and 2.9 lbs caught last year at the Twin Bridges.
For the first few hours, it was nothing but chilly and windy. I caught my first fish (4-5" long crappie) about 20 minutes after getting there, just tightlining with minnows straight down. After about an hour and a half of very slow activity, I decided to pack it up and head home to get ready for the Thunder game on tv. Another guy who I see there quite often talked me into staying. As we were getting closer to sundown, the biting started to pick up. I was down to my last few minnows when I decided to drop one down near a tree stump a few feet off the dock. When I lifted the tip of the pole, I felt a strong resistance. I wasn't sure if I was hung up or not, so I was careful not to yank too hard, but hard enough to set the hook in case it was a fish. When the line started to move, I knew i had a fish on. It was heavy, so I knew it was going to be big, but I had caught a few drum earlier on, so I was thinking this was another one. As I got it closer to the surface, I could see it was a crappie - a big one. I was fishing over a rail, so I was afraid to lift it out of the water. I just restrung my reel with 6lb test line this weekend, but my knots aren't always the greatest, so I was afraid the knot would come undone and fish and hook would fall back into the water (it wouldn't be the first time!). I reached for my dip net and while I held the pole above the rail with one hand, trying to keep the fish near the surface but not out of the water so as to put its entire weight on the line, I reached under the bottom rail with the dip net in my other hand. My net hand was shaking, but after about 3 attempts, I was finally able to guide the fish into the net and get it on the dock.
I was about out of minnows anyway, so I gave the few I had left to the guy I had been talking with and packed up. I wanted to get it weighed as soon as I could.
15" and 2.0 lbs on the money. Maybe not the largest fish ever on these boards, but exciting as all get out for me! This is the largest crappie I've ever caught and possibly the largest fish in general I've ever caught. I caught a small mouth last year that I didn't weigh, but I think measured about 14-15" long.
I'll get pics loaded as soon as I can. My wife took the camera USB adapter with her out of town this weekend - DOH!
The lake record, by the way was 16" and 2.9 lbs caught last year at the Twin Bridges.
