Post by UAWBigDog on Oct 9, 2005 20:56:44 GMT -5
I got up on this morning and decided not to go to work. ;D The forecast was for the weather to be sunny and in the 70's. I figured this would be the last real nice day to fish until say maybe.................next April. So I called into work to take a vacation day...........and what a day it was.
I decided to fish a lake I had never been on before, so I went to Thompson Lake in Howell. Everything I have read on this lake indicated that it was a real good largemouth lake and that the average size of the largies were in the 2 to 3 pound range. And I can honestly say that was no lie.
I got out there right about sunrise and started fishing right from the launch along the north shore of the bay. Right off the bat I boated three largemouth that were about 16 inches. These were chunky 2 pounders with fat little bellies. I then moved to a deep drop off to the south of the large islands in the center of the lake along the west shoreline. Here I caught another 2 pounder on a crankbait. I moved up in the shallows because I saw a lot of surface action. I caught three more on a topwater with one of them pushing 4 pounds. I moved along that shoreline to the south and right into a stump field and that is where the real fun began. Over the next two hours, I boated 10 fish with two of them over 3 pounds and one definitely over 4 pounds.
I then went to the very north end of the west arm of the lake. I fished along the eastern shoreline which comes to a point that separates the west arm from the east arm. I caught 12 bass along this shoreline. All but one of these was a keeper and one was over 5 pounds which I caught on a jig worm. A retired local on the lake saw me land the 5 pounder. He came right over and told me that this lake always fishes big and the best time of the year to fish it was September and October. He said that there were some huge northern pike in the lake and that was what he usually targeted. He then went off drinking his beer and just cruising slowly along.
I then went back to where I started in the northern part of the west arm and fished down the western shoreline and caught 3 more keepers all on jig worms. I then fished along the northern side of the island and around to the southern side of the island and picked up 5 more in the 2 pound range.
The retired local came around again and asked me how I did and if I was ready for a "cold one". I usually don't drink when I fish but since I was ending my day couldn't help but take him up on his hospitality. He told me his name was Paul and that he retired last year from Ford. He told me more about the lake. He told me that launching was free to Howell residents from Memorial Day to Labor Day and that the launch fee for non-residents was $15. "OUCH", I said. The lake lies within the Howell city limits and that it gets pretty busy in the summer with jet skiers and pleasure boaters. He told me that spring was really good and that the big ones were down in the stump field to the south end during that time of the year spawning on the stumps. I finished my cold one, said thanks, shook hands with him, and we parted ways.
I will make this lake part of my spring adventures next year and will try to get out there again before the end of the month. I wouldn't mind giving it another shot as the weather and the water cool. It may even fish better and bigger.
WHAT AN AWESOME LAKE!!!!! IT IS MY NEW FAVORITE INLAND LAKE!!!! ;D
BD
I decided to fish a lake I had never been on before, so I went to Thompson Lake in Howell. Everything I have read on this lake indicated that it was a real good largemouth lake and that the average size of the largies were in the 2 to 3 pound range. And I can honestly say that was no lie.
I got out there right about sunrise and started fishing right from the launch along the north shore of the bay. Right off the bat I boated three largemouth that were about 16 inches. These were chunky 2 pounders with fat little bellies. I then moved to a deep drop off to the south of the large islands in the center of the lake along the west shoreline. Here I caught another 2 pounder on a crankbait. I moved up in the shallows because I saw a lot of surface action. I caught three more on a topwater with one of them pushing 4 pounds. I moved along that shoreline to the south and right into a stump field and that is where the real fun began. Over the next two hours, I boated 10 fish with two of them over 3 pounds and one definitely over 4 pounds.
I then went to the very north end of the west arm of the lake. I fished along the eastern shoreline which comes to a point that separates the west arm from the east arm. I caught 12 bass along this shoreline. All but one of these was a keeper and one was over 5 pounds which I caught on a jig worm. A retired local on the lake saw me land the 5 pounder. He came right over and told me that this lake always fishes big and the best time of the year to fish it was September and October. He said that there were some huge northern pike in the lake and that was what he usually targeted. He then went off drinking his beer and just cruising slowly along.
I then went back to where I started in the northern part of the west arm and fished down the western shoreline and caught 3 more keepers all on jig worms. I then fished along the northern side of the island and around to the southern side of the island and picked up 5 more in the 2 pound range.
The retired local came around again and asked me how I did and if I was ready for a "cold one". I usually don't drink when I fish but since I was ending my day couldn't help but take him up on his hospitality. He told me his name was Paul and that he retired last year from Ford. He told me more about the lake. He told me that launching was free to Howell residents from Memorial Day to Labor Day and that the launch fee for non-residents was $15. "OUCH", I said. The lake lies within the Howell city limits and that it gets pretty busy in the summer with jet skiers and pleasure boaters. He told me that spring was really good and that the big ones were down in the stump field to the south end during that time of the year spawning on the stumps. I finished my cold one, said thanks, shook hands with him, and we parted ways.
I will make this lake part of my spring adventures next year and will try to get out there again before the end of the month. I wouldn't mind giving it another shot as the weather and the water cool. It may even fish better and bigger.
WHAT AN AWESOME LAKE!!!!! IT IS MY NEW FAVORITE INLAND LAKE!!!! ;D
BD
