Open Water Season's End

November 10, 2012

Upcoming holidays, scheduled events and a likely turn in the weather all convinced me get in one final fishing session; and then put Numenon away for the winter.  I've learned the hard way that extending the season just a bit too long can make the winterization process much more dangerous, unpredictable, and down-right difficult.

Fresh off Tuesday's worse-than-expected outing on Reeds Lake, I hit it again, under cloudy, blustery skies.  My main source of hope for  a different outcome was based on the warm front pushing through; perhaps the fish would be a little more active with temperatures trending up?

It turned out to be an OK-to-Fine outing; I caught a few fish, a couple were nice enough, nothing went wrong, and I had the opportunity to end Numenon's season with a fish.

The perceived shot at a big pike (which I define as bigger than 40 inches) has kept me going back for more at Reeds, and was the main goal again, this day.  I left without having seen that fish, again; but enough happened to get me to undoubtedly return.  My first fish of the day hit like a ton of bricks and pulled some serious drag in an unhurried, deliberate manner.  I was hopeful that this was it; but I developed suspicions about half-way through the fight that something was amiss, and I wasn't surprised when the regular-sized pike came along-side the boat, foul-hooked in the back.

My two legally caught fish of the day were complemented by two drive-by cut-offs on the down-rigger.  I saw the rod simply twitch for one.  Given previous experience with hitch-hiking pike on the rigger, I released the rod, only to find my cleanly cut line.  And so what had become my favorite rigger bait for pike was replaced with another favorite; and that lure was lost in much the same way (except without me noticing the twitch.)  Let me state, in my defense, I've been using 25-pound fluorocarbon leaders; but the mounting evidence indicates the need for something a little heavier and/or bite resistant next season.  Both lost lures were pretty large baits, and yet were seemingly engulfed.  Should I choose to think that these were just regular, but motivated, pike?  Or should I choose to believe that these were lost opportunities for the big ones I'm after?

The two legal catches of the day were pike between 28 and 30 inches.  Nice fish, no doubt, but still a bit of a let down on this last trip.  (I'm thinking it's like hitting a double off the wall in your last at-bat of the season; nice, but unless it won the game for your team, not the homer you were hoping for.)  The last fish provided a quick photo opportunity, after which I headed to the dock to start the winterization process.  Let's hope for early, consistent ice; or for an extremely mild winter with a precocious spring.

Numenon's last fish of the 2012 Open Water Season.  This particular Reef Runner  Rip Stick has been a workhorse!

The Arracuda could still see some action; our rivers are filling with steelhead; and, like last year, I could slip Numenon out of the garage for a bonus, appendix session if the proper weather window presents itself.  (I can always re-fog her engine.)   Alternatively, we could have safe ice in a matter of weeks.  So, there will probably be other opportunities for some more fishing in 2012, but in my heart, my real fishing season has ended.