Numenon: New Year, New Techniques

It appears as though I've made it through another winter (although the current forecast seems to put any further progress on hold), and the ice has been out for 10 or more days. The docks are not yet in place, but both bass and pike seasons are now open; and weather and schedule were favorably aligned. On March 5, 2017, Numenon began her 15th year of service.

34 degrees F air temperature; and 37 degrees for the water.

It's a fishy launch; but I still find it difficult to believe that modest Reeds Lake supported such enterprises.

My maiden voyage each year is usually a shake-down trip, with actual catching being a pleasant bonus. I usually start on Lake Michigan for brown trout, too; I'm not exactly experienced in chasing bass and soft-water pike at this time of year. The actual fishing details of the day can be found here; it was a good day!

We saw a bald eagle; we caught both targeted species (pike and bass); and I converted on two new-to-me techniques. The pike ate a crank bait delivered off a three-way rig (2-ounce bell sinker); this is not exactly a new technique for me, but it is on Reeds Lake. The biggest bass of the day (as well as a very heavy Mystery Fish that, alas, got away) succumbed to The Technique of Silent Capture, i.e. spy-baiting. I'd sought the spy bait for exactly these conditions; cold water and difficult conditions. It seems to have paid off! I've definitely added it to my tool box!

Three-way rigging cranks caught the season's first fish!

Slow-jerking a Shadow Rap fooled the first bass.

The season's first lunker fell for The Technique of Silent Capture!

Duo Realis Size 80 Spy bait (top) and Rapala Shallow Shadow Rap jerk bait (bottom) caught bass this day.

But there were many other reasons to declare this to be a good day! I was sharing the boat with long-term friend TM, and I know he likes to relax and enjoy himself. In addition to simply sharing the day with him, I thought I'd treat him to a hot lunch aboard Numenon. Now, a portion of my winter has been spent day-dreaming about pike and perch fishing in Sweden; in fact, a trip to Sweden has probably wormed its way onto my ill-formed Bucket List. While I've long been aware of the outsized, brackish pike and perch in Scandinavia, this group of pikers has awakened my interest in fishing there. In addition to the fish, the solitude, the surroundings and the coffee, they always seem to enjoy a hot lunch out on the water! So TM and I enjoyed the Kanalgratis-inspired Inaugural Hot Dog Hot Lunch aboard any of my vessels.