I met Hal at the gate at 6:30 this morning to fish at the Garhole for the first time since the middle of July. The leaf blower came along because I knew the boat would need a good cleaning. It was also a good way from the water because the water had fallen about a foot and a half. We finally got started after the depth finder would not work, and after taking a few minutes trying to fix it, finally saying to heck with it. If we had to waste time, early was the time to do it , because not much was going on. A DT-6, a worm, a swim jig and a shallow running crank bait were what we started with. We went into the Eastern hole, that is shallow, and caught a few small ones around the edges but nothing of note. When we came out into the large deep part it was still one here one there with the above mentioned baits. Finally we came to one of my favorite spots where I have caught not a fish this year, because I surmised the water has been too high. Even though it has fallen still nothing. At another good spot where I have not caught a fish this year we were able to catch some on a worm. The bites were very soft. By this time, beside the few bass we caught Hal was loading up on other species. A 10 1/2 pound catfish, another large catfish, a large carp of some kind, a goo, and a goggle eye or Warmouth bass. Here is the big cat.

As time passed the fish appeared to become more active especially at one spot with our DT-6’s. We caught several there, not one on every cast, but enough to get us excited. After that ran out we went to a nearby spot, fishing the bank all the way there and catching a few. When we arrived the fish were biting on the worms and DT-6’s. We had quite a flurry there. The fish were hiding under some bushes in the shade. When the DT-6 would make a “plop” near the bush they would come out and get it. Sometimes more than one.

One of the most fun fish of the day followed my DT-6 out to the boat. I saw it and stopped the bait allowing it to stay in the water. I twitched it and the fish bit the back hook and I caught the fish with about a foot or so of line out. I had to laugh. That spot eventually ran out so we visited all the good spots again picking up a few each time with bonus fish coming from the bank on the way to each. Finally all spots ran out and we also were running out of gas so we decided to quit. It was 3:30. We had caught 54 with a 3 3/4 FOD and another @ 3. I tried to get in on the other species with a catfish and another small carp of some type but I couldn’t keep up with Hal on that note.