A Perfect Day For Fishing...

Day 214

Today was the first day in almost two weeks that the wind has slowed. Just 7 mph. Good to go fishing. When the wind is over 10 mph it can be hard to keep the boat anchored. The bottom of Houghton Lake is a soft, silty mush due to the amount of vegetation that grows and dies each summer and fall.

The areas where the vegetation grows is normally the best fishing. This is because the small fish feel safe in the weeds. This make the weed beds a prime feeding area, as the big fish know, the small fish are in the weeds.

Now, on any given day, at any given time, the fish can be anywhere in the lake. Many factors affect the movement of fish. Sun, moon and wind can affect where they will be. Also the time of year, the time of day, water temperature and areas where rivers, streams or creeks run into, or out of, the lake.

As for me being on a lake, on any given day, the wind affects me most. Not because of the fish but because of the boat.

My two man boat is powered by a 50 lb. thrust Minn Kota trolling motor, currently powered by a 10 year old deep cycle battery. The battery still holds a charge well, but I am looking to buy a new battery, just for peace of mind. I carry a paddle with me but my boat is not made for paddling.

I've been on Backus lake twice with propulsion problems. Once was the battery wasn't connected properly to the charger and I didn't check it for a full charge before I went out. I made it back to the boat launch under full throttle and barely moving.

The other time was a problem with the motor. I had to paddle a short distance and discovered how difficult it is to paddle that boat in a straight line.

As I was saying, it was a perfect day to go out fishing. I called my brother to go out on Houghton Lake on his pontoon, but he was out of town. No joy. I could have taken my two man out onto Backus Lake (a first for this year).

Instead, on this beautiful day, I stayed home and read the new Stephen King book that just came out yesterday. Probably not a great idea for someone having trouble sleeping at night. But neither's watching The Conjuring for the second time in two days (I hope the next movie is as scary as the first).

I'll turn that off soon and go back to reading the book. I want to finish it and return it to the library. There are three other people with holds on the first return.

The wind suppose to pick up again tomorrow according to weather.com. But I have found predicting the wind is day to day.

So...

Until tomorrow,

Ken