I went to the Garhole again today, but before arriving there, I saw the water crossing the dam of Catfish Chute due to a fast rising river. I was tempted to stop there and fish in the running water but it’s usually not good fishing when the water is as cold as it is now. I continued. It was 11:45 when fishing started and the water temperature was 47 degrees. I started on the sunny North bank with a DTF-3.  After an hour and a half, a fish finally bit, but only one of those “courtesy bites”. It really didn’t want to eat whatever it struck at.  It was right where I got one of the same kind of bites the other day. At what I consider the good spot, another light bite or two but no hangers on.  Finally on a shakey head I got a skunk saver into the boat.The water had warmed to 49 to 50 by now.  I managed to catch two more on a DTF-3 in completely different spots, including the FOD 2  3/4. Then I returned to the “courtesy biter” to give it another opportunity. It took the opportunity and scolded me again. By the way, my DTF-3 has the Rapala “sure set hooks” on it that are supposed to catch the light biters. I have no clue what the fish are doing or how to get them to bite consistently. I went back and looked at my log from last year and saw that the water temperatures were higher then.  There is also a full moon.

The water in the Garhole had warmed to 44 when I started at 10:30 today and warmed even more to 48 by 3:30.  Things are indeed warming up. As I came around a corner today a 10 foot alligator slid from the bank into the water.  I started fishing with the shakey head that worked so well the other day. Nothing doing. Then a DTF – 3 got the call because it will almost suspend when stopped.  I’ve had luck with it in the past. Got a bite after about 10 casts and caught the OFOD a few casts later (OFOD = only fish of the day).  3 1/2 pounds.  Did not get another bite for the rest of the day, even in the good spots where I can usually always get one to bite.  I got pretty disgusted and quit about 3:30. Also the landing was pretty muddy and I was a little worried about having to maybe winch out.  That’s a cheap excuse however because if they were biting I’d probably still be there.

The garhole water was cold at 39 degrees when I started fishing today at 11:30. Eventually it warmed to 45, in places where the wind blew the sun warmed surface water. I started fishing in the open after reading all the articles about jerkbaits in cold clear water.  The water was so clear I could stick my 7 foot rod into the water until only 18 inches were above the surface and I could still see the bait on the end of it. After an hour of nothing except once pulling the bait over some kind of fish, I quit that and went to something slow.  I used a shakey head with a tiny brush hog. Caught the first bass of the year in 8 or 10 casts. Since the water is so clear the markings on the bass are especially vivid. The line of black spots down the side were very dark and seemed to stand out more that normal. It was 18 inches long and weighed an even 2 1/2 pounds.  I caught it on the new 17 pound test Basspro  flurocarbon line I just put on. A first for me along with the first bass for the year. I tried for another first, catching a fish on a dropshot rig, but that did not work.  The new line surprised me in that I thought it may be more difficult to cast.  On the contrary, it cast very well even though it was very cold. As advertised, it did sink, and again as advertised it was sensitive. The sensitivity was needed today because the fish barely bit. They were very sluggish.  Nine fish in all, most in the 15 to 18 inch range. Since it was so cold, I considered it a very good trip to start the year.The sidefinder feature on my depthfinder had quit working last fall. It went back to Humminbird and it came back with a new transducer and updated software. It worked perfectly which was a relief.  I did not troll around and look for fish but if it doesn’t rain tomorrow I’m going to make a pass  around the Garhole looking for some new spots before I start to fish.

I made 30 to 40 casts around the pipe at the Catfish Chute.  Casting to the edge of weeds, moss, or whatever, I’m used to but to the edge of ice?  Went too far one time and the Booyah went through the ice and got hung.  Snatched pretty hard and it came loose.  Did not stay too long because there was nothing going on and there was not too much open water so it was fished quickly. But I did wet a hook.