A Few Scenes from the Lake...

Took the canoe out for a couple of trips last week. I only caught one fish, a blue cat on a red sparkle rattletrap but I had a bunch of fun and have the photos to prove it. 

A solid 23 inch long blue cat. 

This is a cell phone picture and could have been a bit better. This is a creek winding through the woods. It's very scenic place and I had hoped to paddle through finding a secret trail to a hidden duck hunting spot but it's choked with the invasive floating species giant salvina. The fall leaves are landing in it making an even thicker mat on the surface. There are no fish here. The thick mat kills wave action that oxygenates the water and the lack of sunlight kills the tiny tiny plants and animal at the very very bottom of the food chain. The big boys then have nothing to eat. I'm talking about the big boy me. No fish means I go hungry.  

This is a different area very clear water and clear of salvina exept a few spots where it is traped in the buck brush along the band of the lake. This spot is a bit further by several miles south of the first one. I think the north end of the lake where I rarely go has lots. There are some plants in this photo but they are the good kind. 

I do love something about the winter clear lake water. I don't think it's clearer than any other time but it seems like it. Maybe I'm just sad because it's too chilly to swim. 

Mud hens are not too scared of me, just nervous. 

Some kind of small duck. I need to get out the book and brush up on identification before season reopens. I probably can't shoot good enough to hit these little fast flyers anyway.