Last week I traded in the "tin" Ranger on a "tin" Tracker. Been working in this deal for about a month & finally pulled the trigger...took it home last Friday. So yesterday I had to spend the 1st 2 hours performing the break-in on the motor. It's kind of like torture driving around watching everyone fish...but you can't.

Got to the lake at 10:30 & ran the boat til 12:30. Started fishing & testing out the trolling motor & electronics at that point. About a half hour in I thought I got hung up in the rocks & started over to try & get loose. Suddenly the "rock" started "shaking its head" & swimming away. A few minutes later the net did its job & got her in the boat. It was my biggest bass since 2-9-24 & went 6 pounds 9 ounces. Ended up with 14 total, but this fish made my day for sure.

Spent a lot of time running all over the lake looking for sunfish, with no luck. Last year it was 4/23/24 when the sunfish started showing up in numbers. The water temp then was 77 degrees...yesterday it was 67-70 degrees, so we still have a few weeks to go. In 2020 the sunfish season began on 3/16 when the water temp was 77 degrees. The average time for them to start is the 1st week of April on this lake.

They have started raising the water level in this lake, like they do every March. Yesterday the mean sea level was 390.44. Full pool is 391. In November it was 389...which is the level they lower it to every winter. The lake was pretty busy with a lot of spring breakers, but not as bad as I had anticipated. The parking lot at Oak Thicket was a little more than half full.

Congrats on the new rig....

Nice rig and bass.

Beautiful fish, beautiful boat, beautiful pictures, and …… angler.

Thanks GT Thrash & Barry
Barry...agree with your 1st two observations...but the last one is a bit of a stretch.

Beautiful boat and awesome bass Vogey! Congratulations any major difference between the ranger and tracker?

Congratulations Vogey, nice boat! pretty bass

Thanks Yesenia & Leo...No major differences...both 17.5 feet long & same brand & size motor. The difference I did notice when launching is the trailer has a much longer tongue. When I tried to load the boat it kept sliding back...finally just got out & pulled the strap all the way out to connect. Next time I won't back the trailer so far down & it should work fine. Hope no-one recorded the episode on their phone & posts it on social media...it would give someone a good laugh.

Nice boat Steve. The fish never stood a chance with you in your old boat. Now the fish really don't have a chance with that new one! Congratulations on both the new boat and the big bass.


You broke in your new boat in a very GREAT way!

Was the Ranger not getting the job done? Why the switch?

Stratton...The Ranger was fine...Just like to get a new boat/motor every 4-5 years b4 everything starts breaking & you still have a decent trade in value. This will be my 4th Tracker...I had two Rangers, a Monarch. a Fisher Marine & 2 john boats b4 that. You been out lately? Keep looking for your report ? How your dad ?

Thanks Chuck...totally agree !

Nice boat and a super nice fish. Good job Steve!

Thanks Curtis...

Vogey, that makes sense as boats always end up breaking down and can become more of a financial burden than anything else. You have not seen my report due to haveing 3 kids uner 5 and one of them being a newborn!! My time will come though, trust me! Dad is doing well. He has had a slow winter on Fayette honestly. That seems to be the general consensus from what I am seeing for bass. Some sucess, but not the number or weights we are used to. Woudl you say that is the case for you as well?

Stratton...I really can't compare to last year because that was when I was having shoulder issues & subsequent surgery. But it has been slower than 2 years ago...which was a banner year for bass. It seems like the weather this year (wind) has been more brutal than the past few years, but am still hopeful that it will improve. So...Now I understand why you are not fishing as much...that other bedroom hobby is taking up way to much of your time.