Catfish Are Biting...

I note from the fishing log that last year on November 19th me, Cathy and her brother mat caught 75 catfish. We headed out to the lake yesterday with multiple plans of action. 

One ongoing deal around here has been the demise of the original Yamaha 50 horse power motor that came on the boat when we bought it in 2006 I think it was. The last lake trip the motor did not run well so we took it the the shop. A stopped up carburetor denied gas and oil to two of the three cylinders burning one, damaging another to a lesser extent and leaving one ok.  The cost of a new motor was about twice the cost of the repair so we are now the owners of a new 40 hose Evinrude purchased at Callahan Marine. This was our first lake trip with this motor and hopefully this will be the last motor purchase and will last until I'm too old to fish. 

The Evirude E-Tech. It's fuel injection, computerized, use less oil, less gas, EU certified and environmentally friendly and made in the USA. The first pontoon boat we owner lasted 17 years and the motor was a 60 Johnson. This boat came with a 50 Yamaha and I did not notice any change in performance from the 60. Now after a test run this 40 certainly seems powerful enough though we certainly won't know till we get a summer time load of people and pull a ski tube but I think it will be ok. Going fast aint what it used to be. 

How many more photos do you need of Cathy with a catfish? Ok here is another. I took all the fishing gear out while the boat was at the shop and one thing I forgot to return to it's rightful place was the maize we use to chum up the catfish. It did not seem to make a difference as we caught 32 fish and proved to show that the fish are here at this same spot I mentioned we caught them a year ago.  I think Cathy might have put it on me a little. I mean I caught fish but I threw back a bucketful of undersized fish. Her's were keepers.  

This might have been the reason for good fishing. Lots of little tern like birds perched on every stump is a good indication of bait in the water. 

A closer zoom. 

I mentioned multiple plans of action. It is duck season and I carried a shotgun. Cathy put me out and I walked up a creek. I killed one cat squirrel and flushed two wood ducks I did not get a shot at. Cathy continued to fish and reported seeing 13 ducks from the boat. That's ok. At this stage of the game and what with the sore knee I have had from the past week or so it's just comforting to know that a fat boy can still put on waders, negotiate flooded creek bottoms and catch a glimpse of birds on the wing and scenic lake views.   

Another sundown on Big Sam. 

32 catfish. made about 5 pounds of fillets with one small package held out that I might try to make a courtbuillon (pronounced coo-be-yon) out of. I saved the squirrel for a gumbo or soup flavoring or if I get a bag full this hunting season I'll get Cathy to fry.