good night on the lake (story)

muggs · August 4, 2006

Took the girlfriend out on a little local lake last night. Got out there around 7:30, sure enough, when we came into the area, hard rain and a stiff SW wind (I'd guess about 15 mph). With my luck, I've almost come to expect this sorta thing. This is a small lake, maybe only 1,000 acres, but it can get a serious chop, especially when you're in a 16-foot canoe.

I didn't feel right about taking her out there under these conditions, but Sarah's a trooper and she insisted we go out anyway. So we loaded up and headed out while everyone else was heading in. I have a decent topo map of the north end of the lake, and I planned on locating some of the sumberged humps and then troll them for walleye.

The waves were rough, 1-2 footers with whitecaps. But Sarah grew up on Lake Erie, and has been a serious boater all her life so it didn't even phase her. Besides, I told her once the sun set it would settle down, which it did. Its moments like this that have made Sarah think I'm a great outdoorsman. I tend to call things like that when she's around. Usually, I'll say to my buddies, when they're trying to convince me not to head out, "nah, it ain't gonna rain, let's go!" Then we get poured on. It happens so often its become a standing joke among us. But, for some reason, when I'm with Sarah, my predictions come through like Nostradamus.

Long story short...boated 4 walleye, biggest was 21 inches and about 4 pounds, smallest was 17" and two pounds. The kicker was hooking some smallmouth bass, the biggest being 3 pounds. Lake Erie is world famous for its smallmouth fishing, but not many inland lakes in Ohio have them...they say this lake's population is really good, but in 6 years of fishing it, these were the first I've caught. We also caught 3 crappie (Sarah caught the 12 incher) and probably a dozen white bass...not a bad night.

Sorry no pics, didn't want the digi to get soaked.

Squirrelhunter91 · August 4, 2006