Reservation Number : 33573
Property Name : Lake Side
Reservation Date : 09/10/2022 All Day -
Total Fish/Sizes : 21 LMB; 10.1 LBS @ 25.5 inches
Lures Used : Chatterbait; senko

I fished Lake Side, Martins Mill, on 9/10/22, for 8 hours, from 7am – 3pm.  I caught 21 LMB, with one cull and 20 returned.  Fish #21 was the fish of unusual size, being 25.5 inches, 10.1 lbs.  The water level is up about a foot from August, but still about 1 ½ feet low, and I would guess the water temperature is in the low 80s.  None of the summer patterns worked.  I caught no fish deep and only three fish in the dock area.  I noticed early on that there was a lot of busting activity right next to the shoreline, all around the lake.  Turns out the fish were very shallow, sometimes one foot or less, with most fish caught shallow in the SE arm, right up to the fence line.  The first 7 hours and 59 minutes comprised a good fishing day, with one at 5.2 and two 4lbers, and the rest 1.5 – 3.5 plus one cull.  For my last cast of the day at about 2:59pm, I threw a senko at the submerged fallen tree in 3 feet of water next to the boat launch area.  I didn’t notice a bite on the line, but when I reeled in the slack, it felt heavy, so I set the hook.  The fish swam directly past the boat to the deeper water.  I thumbed the reel and the fish pulled the boat for about five feet, then I got it turned and it very casually went into the net. I think it tired quickly from pulling the boat.  I got it measured and weighed and let it swim off, later realizing that I forgot to get a photo of me with the fish, but the check-it stick photo sums it up.