I made it out to Arthur yesterday to putter around with the electronics. Windy as all crap, which I figured it would be looking at the forecast the past few days. Wasn’t planning to go, but I figured it likely won’t be another few weeks. Heck, months, to be in the upper 50s. First half of trip, I was able to dial in some electronics and found a ton of structure, but didn’t appear to have any fish on them. I was getting blown off of the structure as soon as on it, even with a single anchor down (dropping down wind). I figured that I’d head to some wind protected areas. On the way there a fish broke the surface on a dropped down tree. I went to position my boat to where I’d be able to cast and be a bit wind protected. While positioning, I notice my electronics light up like a Christmas tree. I’m talking a pretty good loop away from this tree. I figure to take another loop to see if I was just seeing things. My objective was to use electronics and try to learn, so I didn’t even make it to the downed tree (could have been loaded). Got myself relatively close to what I marked and figured to give it a try. Figured it would be gizzard Shad and be a Quick Look. I end up getting a nice 12” white crappie. Pulled out 2 other 12” and a few dinks. Then, my decision to not top off my batteries before heading out bit me in the rear…. In the blind, not a single hit.

pensfan1
I looked back at last seasons pics, we started going to Moraine 3rd week of March. Ofcourse it wasn't 50s last February either. I'd guess you could go to Pymie and fish down by the dam. Those fish are probably right where we left them in November.

I don’t think there has ever been a Saturday in early February reaching close to 60, that followed 2 weeks of enough warm weather to have it open. Some of those other variables likely happen most years. Having all of those variables is pretty rare. Usually the warm days are middle of the work week. I mostly have to burn vacation days to get out in the spring or fall. Probably how it will end up being this spring.

Porktown
I made it out to Arthur yesterday to putter around with the electronics.
 
My objective was to use electronics and try to learn, 

What are you using, Pork? Lowrance, 'Bird, Garmin? Is is new to you, or just brand new? Side & Down imaging? I'll be going into my 3rd season with my Helix 7, side and down, and I carry the instruction booklet with me and to me, (I'm cyber stupid), it is a clusterflock! I screw it up bad enough that I have to get my son to straighten it out enough that I can at least see the bottom. The Demo video that Humminbird puts out tells ya how easy it is.??? Yeah, right! 

2 days around 528 area. Next to Zilch, zero, nadda, nothing. 3bites Sunday 1 largemouth. 2 bites today, 1 crappie. We did 5ft and in all the way to 2 ft. Water temp was 46 47 in the shallow shallows. I guess it should be anyday for that to start, you would think. Good luck. I got reports of Pymie being good. There's all kinds on pics of FB.

I got one of those Artie muskies that guys have been talking about. Even a blind squirrel will eventually find a nut! Got him on my bass rod, so had a 10# leader and not my panfish 6#. Enough to get him in. Not as much of a fight as I thought. Definitely some weight, but a wiper half of his size would pull him around the lake…. Guessing just a wuss? He/she (I have no clue) did 5-6 gator death rolls in my boat inside of my net that caught the line of my other rod. I definitely spent more time untangling than fighting. Was pretty awesome though. I don’t target by any means and only my third of my life. First on Arthur. Only 30”, but made my day (week/month)…. 😀

 Congrats on the Muskie Tim.
 
 Made it out Tuesday afternoon with my youngest son. He caught around 20 or so Gills and Perch on small plastics. Told him to let everything go for today. The Perch looked very close to spawning. As for my efforts one LM and had one good run using a live Gill before dropping it. Didn't even put the chest wades on today.

Congrats on the smallies. I don’t have an area that I am comfortable wading in cold water that isn’t summer level, beyond 100’ sections. Such a good fishery, but the typical spring rains make it unfishable half of the spring. Usually the half that I can make it out.

I was hoping to get out this week. Work is just not allowing and really not happy about it. Kids’ sports schedules are getting to the point of taking the rest of my free time. Was nice having the early spring. Probably not making it out as much as I’d like in the next month or two now.

Wondering what the yough is gonna look like after all the rain this week. I was hoping to get out again but this weather is looking crap.

Wow I had not heard 3” tomorrow. And it looks like Wednesday Thursday and maybe Friday too.

Definitely gonna be a while before I can get out again.

Deer creek and Pine creek are blown out, I think the opener on Saturday is going to be a bust unfortunately. 

Fished Deer creek this morning, water was pretty dirty and a bit quick. Managed to catch 6 with some old egg sacks I picked up in Erie back in December. 

Looks like more rain this week. Warmer temps though. challenging conditions I think but that’s spring. I guess well see what’s up. I’m gonna get out there if I can. Maybe not moving water though.

My company frowns on social media used on their devices, so I stick away from there. I have checked it out though, not all that interested in what people had to eat or praising their kids for the slightest things. I checked some fishing reports pages, seems most of the sources that I had before link to a Facebook page, so less and less bait shops and other forums like this. A lot of spoon feeding of specific info/spots that used to be frowned upon in forums like these. One thing about helping a fellow angler with a common interest, but some don’t seem to realize or care that their posts reach thousands of others. The nice thing about the private message ability of forums like this, have no idea if social media has that. I am guilty of using their info, more from YouTube videos myself. But I am sure those local to the waters that those channels are filmed on are irate with those guys filming.

If you think Facebook fishing groups are bad you should check out the fishing subs on Reddit. It’s one post after another of pictures with “forgot my scale, how much do you think it weighs?”