Lake Bastrop - 1/14/2018

Got on the road early and headed east. It was 29 degrees when we left the house. As the sun came up, we could tell it was going to be a beautiful day as forecast. When we did our usual stop at Bucee's in Giddings, the wind was blowing harder than anticipated. Crud. Got on the water about 9:00am and yes, it was cold. Man, it is hard bending over in a cold weather parka/bib. Started out at the dam, fishing the few remaining eel grass patches. We did not get a single bite. Moved around but the bite was tough. The first fish I hung into threw my crank bait. It was probably around 11:00am before I caught the 1st fish. There wouldn't be many more after that. We even went over to the discharge, but as the lack of smoke from the stacks foretold they weren't generating any hot water. They were circulating but the water was a tops of 58.6 degrees. The lake was 54 degrees in certain areas. The vegetation looks healthy but recent winds must have been the reason for the cloudy water in some areas.

I wound up with 5 LMB, losing 4 others. My Wife caught 4. Nothing spectacular. The biggest was probably 2.5 pounds. The highlight of the day was seeing an eagle close to the intake.

My Power Pole stopped working in a half up position. I checked things out and found that the fluid reservoir cap had a crack in it. I poured some more hydraulic fluid in it and screwed the cap back on. It went back into an upright position and I left it alone for the day. Amazing, how I used to fish all day without one in the past. Now I NEED my Power Pole! Ha!

Beautiful day and certainly can't complain about only catching 9 fish. A heck of a lot better than being at work!

It was a day on the water, don't get much better.

I tell myself all the time that I need to fish this lake. I catch a decent amount of fish on it but there something about it that I'm not that crazy about. And I catch decent size as well. But when I get to my cut off from 77 on to 21 my truck wants to keep going south towards Fayette, so that's where I end up.
TFTR though.
The truth is this, 21 is so dangerous with the speed limit t 70 with all the curves in it. You see signs all up and down this road that say guard rail damage ahead. I see others almost side swipe my boat trailer all the time, it's crazy. I don't think the high risk of an accident it worth taking when all I'm doing is going out to do a little fun fishing.
Now I'll drive over there for a tournament, but that's about the extent of it.
Was the eagle a Osprey?

Nope, definitely a bald eagle. There are plenty of osprey on Bastrop, that's for sure. People get them confused with each other all of the time. When you see a large raptor fly, they will usually turn to expose their underbelly. A bald eagle from afar will show his white head, dark underside on wings and body and a white tail. An osprey is "all white" on the bottom. If we see a bald eagle, my Wife will take out her Canon camera with a 300mm lens and take pictures. Also, a bald eagle, unlike an osprey, has yellow feet and a yellow beak. This eagle landed in a tall pine tree but there were branches obscuring a good picture of him.

I was on the lake last month and heard Military helos approaching. I was watching as they flew by in formation and a Bald Eagle flashed directly in my line of sight to the helos. Definitely had a 'Merica moment with full body chills and a deep appreciation for the blessings of Freedom.

They are a spectacular bird. People generally see them from a distance. Picking up a good pair of binoculars will give you a close-up look of an awesome creature.

There's a Ma, Pa and Jr out yonder.

I would love to see one myself. I'm sure it is an awesome sight.

Not the best picture in the world. The eagle chose to land in a scraggly pine tree with branches that blocked a good picture.

Thanks for report and bald eagle siting. I have seen them on Fayette, Conroe, Gibbons, and Raven. I know former employees who see them regularly out their office window in the Woodlands..

We have seen them on most of the lakes we fish regularly, too. On the north side of Caney Creek on Conroe there are some tall, barren trees that eagles frequent. Those eagles in the Woodlands have almost celebrity status.