Last entry for today - the plan for Sunday

[Andy is OptiMystic]

I posted a bunch today, laying down what I plan to do this year, with what and where I will commonly go. So, with all that groundwork laid, it's time to do some actual fishing! Or it will be in a couple of days. 

I will be fishing my home lake in my kayak. This will be my first trip with my new fish finder. I have used plenty of others and owned others in the past so I won't spend much time tinkering assuming it works fine (it demos fine but I haven't had it on the water yet).

The water temp will be in the mid 40s, based on other reports and historical data. The air temp will start in the 40s and reach the high 50s while I am there. The barometer will be low but still falling. It will rain the night before, predicted to end early and I will launch shortly after. It is not supposed to be much rain and only the upper reaches of this lake are really affected much by rain. There is likely to be wind around 10 mph for a good part of the day.

The crappie fishing has been very good there lately. Most fish are in the range of ~25' under bait balls (grizzard shad). There are a few bass and lot of white perch also being caught jigging or bait fishing under the bait balls.

I am undecided about anchoring. I don't like to anchor there in the kayak because if there is wind, there are waves and they lift it often. At that depth I would need more line than I like to carry to get an angle that would hold well. If the forecast is right about the direction, I know a couple of points where I may find some protection and be able to anchor behind me in shallower water than I am fishing. I will certainly check those out first, but if they are already occupied or the bait balls aren't there I will likely be drifting, possibly slow trolling by ferrying against the wind.

Primary plan - blade on the light rod, jigging under the bait balls. If you read my other entries, you know I love that UL and would rather have it as my primary. That may not be realistic. I will drop shot with the UL with a light jig over a slightly heavier one and I will try to get that below a bait ball but it may not be practical.

Secondary plan - jig on the UL, ducking into protected coves and jigging the points and mouth. Big plastic on the light rod for a couple of casts in the bassy looking spots.

UL jigs will be marabou, probably white or chartreuse, tipped with tiny bit of Gulp.

Done for today, I promise!