I was hoping to get on the water early enough to beat the wind this morning, but I slept in until 7. Get off my back, I'm on vacation. The Small Person went to pre-school this morning instead of going with me. They're practicing for their end of year program and Queen Esther needed to be there. I'm hoping she and I can get out there on Saturday.

I wasted no time zooming (yes you can zoom with the mighty Johnson 35 horse) to the area where I've enjoyed such great luck with the schoolies all week. There was a gentleman near there doing that weird kind of fishing where there is only one forward casting stroke (another fad that will never catch on). Just as I pulled up, they started churning the surface.

Recipe for a smile: a fish on your first cast of the day.


I picked up a couple more in the next five minutes or so. I've really got to speak to my photographer about getting the lighting right.


I think I had at least one more in the boat, but my photographer failed to get pictures of that or those fish. I may have to dock his pay. I had several missed strikes and at least one fish that spit the hook right at the boat. All part of the fun of schoolies.

I had a really nice conversation with the gentleman in the other boat while we chased them around. He told me that he hadn't seen any fish break the surface until right before I showed up. Unfortunately, as is the nature of schoolies, just as suddenly as they appeared, they were gone. The gentleman in the other boat said that the bell must have rung and that school was out, hence the name of this post.

By that time the wind had begun to pick up, so I wandered around in search of calmer water. I caught this little fella off of the riprap on the dam on my 3wt.


Here's a chunky little sunfish from not too far away from where I caught the bass. He was thick. Give him some time and he'll have a forehead like the ones Pearow and George catch.


One more little bass on the 3wt and I called it a day to head home so I could get my run in and work on some honeydos.


All in all, not bad for about 4 hours on the water. Who am I kidding? I've had less fish and a lot less fun in 8 hours on the wet stuff.

Brutal. Thanks for all the sacrifices you've made on behalf of the team.

Run away! run away! run away!!!!!!!

I finally got a new sig line, he he. Thanks for taking us along with you on another vacay week.

I am starting to think every fish in Lake Athens has a new lip piercing compliments of Raider. Ok maybe not all but I am sure you are working on it.

I'm a team player, JM. It's just how I roll.

Something I said in a signature line? I may need a new hat.

Mybrainisflied, the big fish are almost always safe from me. It's the little ones that tremble in their aquatic environs at the mere mention of my name or the sound of the 'Ween screamin' a'cros't the waves.