Today was an absolutely gorgeous day. The weather is beginning to cool off more at night, and the humidity is lower during the days. There's getting to be a really strong hint that fall is just around the corner. So guess what that means? Elliott has an ever increasing urge to take 1/2 day vacation and go fishing or hunting! I chose to launch today at the Gallaher launch to concentrate on the upper end of the Clinch. I got to the river at about 1:00 p.m. and was at the upper end of Jones Island with a bait tank full of perfect shad at 1:30. Melton Hill was generating yet so I through out a shad on a float and put it on the Ambassadeur 7000 with 50 lb mono on the 8' St. Croix rod in the holder in the back of the G3, and fished with a bottom rig on the Shimano Stradic 8000 with 80 lb Power Pro and a 50 lb flourocarbon leader on the 7' Shimano Tallus Saltwater rod up front. I slowly used the trolling motor and worked my way down the north shoreline of the island. As I worked my way down the river I spooked up several pairs of wood ducks (Aix sponsa). They are especially beautiful ducks, and very leery of any one coming close. I kept count today and I saw just over 20 wood ducks in all today. About 30 minutes into my float trip, the current began to pick up and I no longer had to use the trolling motor to move myself along. My confidence always goes way up when I've got a little bit of current. I particularly like to be on the river when the generation starts and conditions go from nothing to good flow. I feel like this can sometimes turn things on for a number of reasons; current creates ambush points, current moves baitfish, it can drop the temperature, along with a variety of other reasons. But... today it wasn't making a difference - no bites. I had invited my good friend Charlie Shields to come with me today, but he had a couple of things on his plate and wasn't able to make it, but at about 3:00 he called and had miraculously cleared his schedule and was on his way to the ramp. I think he might have a touch of the same addiction I have had since birth. On the way down the river to pick Charlie up I noticed a bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) sitting on a log on a shallow flat (about at old Pickel Island). I immediately slowed down pulled out the binoculars and watch him for a few minutes before he took to flight and his flight path took him back across in front of me with the sun at just the right angle highlighting all of his beautiful features; deep dark brown body, snow white head and tail, crisp yellow beak and feet. I got an exceptionally close look at him - he probably came within 50 to 75 yards of me. As I fired the motor back up to head down to pick up Charlie, I hoped he would stay perched on the bluff overlooking the river for Charlie to see. I got Charlie and we headed back up to Jones Island for another float. This time Charlie used a float (free line) rig on my Shimano Stella 4000 with 15 lb Power Pro and a 15 lb flourocarbon leader, I continued to fish the bottom, and I left the 7000 Ambassadeur in the rod holder. We floated about half way down the north side of the island and I hooked up a spunky 5 lb striper. Little did I know this would turn out to be the only fish of the day. At about 5:30 Charlie had to leave to go back to a work appointment, so I ran him back down to the ramp. Along the way we spotted the bald eagle again and Charlie snapped a couple of pictures before he tired of our gawking at him and flew off. After I dropped Charlie off I worked downstream from the Gallaher launch, and focused the last few hours of my day on hopefully finding some breaking fish pushing minnows up on the flats. I stopped at 5 or 6 places along the way between the Hwy 58 bridge and Rick Klein's house only seeing an occasional rockfish break the surface. When they did break they were very spread out and never stayed in the same spot long enough for me to capitalize. Only at about 8:00 p.m. when there was only a hint of twilight left did I finally get into a school of fish. I had one blow up on my redfin and another crushed a live free line minnow, but neither fish fully took the bait and so I did get a hook up.
I did have a beautiful V of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) fly over me at dusk. Again as earlier, the faint bit of remaining sunlight highlighted perfectly the best parts of these beautiful waterfowl making for a great nature scene. On the ride back to the ramp I realized I've been seeing an increasing number of Great Egrets (Ardea alba). There is a roosting island for the Great Egrets just downstream of Rairity Ridge on the opposite side of the river. Each bird provides a unique viewing opportunity. I really enjoy watch and learning of their ways, and how the Master created them to survive and thrive.
Thank you Lord for a great day out on the water, with a good friend, and for time alone to enjoy You and your creation.
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