ESOX
10-29-2006, 05:03 PM
My wife said when I told her I thought we should take our two boys (6 and 8) and a couple of kids from up the street(11 and 12) out shore fishing this afternoon. "Just how long are you going to maintain your sanity trying to keep Eddie Haskel and Bart Simpson under control?" Eddie and Bart are the neighborhoods pet names for the little cherubs. How they earned those monikers could fill a book. "Well, you will be along to help out..." I started before being interrupted. "I WILL?" she asked, but it wasn't really a question. When we got to the lake my wife looked at the water and said she would sit in the van and read her book. Either she thought the water was dirty, or more likely that her sitting there would be quicker than waiting for an ambulance.
Anyhow, we found ourselves out by the end of a long point that sweeps ESE into LSC,;) and found the perfect spot where the waves couldn't decide wether to break on the shore or parallel it. The water was filthy. I rigged the boys all up with colorado bladed spinnerbaits for as much thump as possibe in a slow moving bait. I spaced the kids out and explained to them that I thought the fish would be real tight to shore, right at the base of the riprap and to cast parallel to the shore and retrive slowly. Eddie and Bart wanted to know why we didn't bring the boat. They proceeded to hurl their baits as far as they could into the lake and burn them in. My kids knew the program, and shortly thereafter my 6 year old was into a little smallie. Eddie and Bart came running down to see the aerobatics. Then they decided that maybe we were on to something, and thay scrambled back to their positions, this time casting as instructed. Soon they were all keeping me busy unhooking a combination of largemouth and smallmouth. Nothing outstanding, just solid 15-17" fish.
Then I turn around and Bart is perched about half way down the rip rap with the water belly button high. His rod had a pronounced bend to it. I ran down there, got him to hand me the rod and give me his hand so I could help him up. He really didn't want to give up the rod, but did. I handed him the rod back after getting him back on top, and in a few minutes we finally saw it roll just offshore. "Huge walleye!) said my 6 yr. old. Nope, it was a big channel cat. I would guess 16-18#er. Bite was hot, but the wet kid had to be gotten home to dry off.
The ride home was filled with the happy chatter of kids excitedly reliving the details of their latest adventure. Bart actually gave me a hug and a big "Thank You", then asked when we can do it again, when we dropped him off.
Thats what it's all about.:):coolgleam
Anyhow, we found ourselves out by the end of a long point that sweeps ESE into LSC,;) and found the perfect spot where the waves couldn't decide wether to break on the shore or parallel it. The water was filthy. I rigged the boys all up with colorado bladed spinnerbaits for as much thump as possibe in a slow moving bait. I spaced the kids out and explained to them that I thought the fish would be real tight to shore, right at the base of the riprap and to cast parallel to the shore and retrive slowly. Eddie and Bart wanted to know why we didn't bring the boat. They proceeded to hurl their baits as far as they could into the lake and burn them in. My kids knew the program, and shortly thereafter my 6 year old was into a little smallie. Eddie and Bart came running down to see the aerobatics. Then they decided that maybe we were on to something, and thay scrambled back to their positions, this time casting as instructed. Soon they were all keeping me busy unhooking a combination of largemouth and smallmouth. Nothing outstanding, just solid 15-17" fish.
Then I turn around and Bart is perched about half way down the rip rap with the water belly button high. His rod had a pronounced bend to it. I ran down there, got him to hand me the rod and give me his hand so I could help him up. He really didn't want to give up the rod, but did. I handed him the rod back after getting him back on top, and in a few minutes we finally saw it roll just offshore. "Huge walleye!) said my 6 yr. old. Nope, it was a big channel cat. I would guess 16-18#er. Bite was hot, but the wet kid had to be gotten home to dry off.
The ride home was filled with the happy chatter of kids excitedly reliving the details of their latest adventure. Bart actually gave me a hug and a big "Thank You", then asked when we can do it again, when we dropped him off.
Thats what it's all about.:):coolgleam