Worth the Drive

Mar 25 2018

Chris Casner

Slot Fish

Member Since :
2012
Number of Posts :
220

Decided real late in the week to take the trip out to Hat & Star for an afternoon of fishing. Got on the water at noon with heavier winds than expected and scattered clouds. Winds decreased throughout the afternoon. Lake is at full pool with a little runoff over emergency spillway – I wouldn’t want to try and cross to the dam. Surface temp was 64 at start rising to 68 by the end of the day. Visibility of a couple of feet. First fish an 8.7 (23 plus inches) hit an under spin with a paddle tail swimbait in the first hour on a point. She really had my heart going when she jumped and fought to keep from getting netted. I didn’t realize until I was off the water that the pic of her on the Check it Stick is missing the 24 inch mark. She was 23 ½ or 23 5/8 depending on top or bottom of tail. I also didn't realize I took the pic upside down. A couple of culls and a couple of hours later a 5.3 hit a watermelon red flake worm. A couple of hours later I got a subtle pickup of my 10” Thunder worm (you guessed it – watermelon red flake), saw my line move, set the hook and felt like I was hung up. I motored over and saw that she was wrapped in the timber. She was a little too deep to reach and before I could do anything she broke off.  I did get a good look at her and she was 5 plus plus. I think I should have released line to see if she would free herself.  I’m not really sure what I could/should have done. Suggestions welcome. Caught a couple of 3+ fish, couple over 16" and culled 5, off the water at 7.  Three of my four biggest fish fishing PW lakes have come from this lake – I think I should go back more often.    

Posted By: Chris Casner