HI.......................          
 
Got on the water just before sun-up (as in straight-up) ready to target Crappie.  I didn't dilly dally around, headed straight to where I located the fish the last time I was on the lake.  Rigged one rod with a slip bobber, a second rod with a fixed bobber and, a third rod with, a no bobber.    Small Fat Heads were the bait of choice which I was very lucky to purchase at Richters Grocery, located just before the Jamestown Park Entrance.  I say I was lucky because the salesperson had to search hard to get what was left in his tank.   He says the bait suppliers are reluctant to deliver when just a store or two places a order.  I can appreciate that seeing how the sissy's have put their boats to bed and nobody is buying bait.  However, should you wish to fish using Fat Heads, you might want to call ahead to check for availability. 
 
In addition to the ultra light rigs, two MHF rods were rigged, one with a Johnson Blade Bait and the other with a Sinking Rattling Rap.
 
I began by presenting live bait on two ultra light rigs set at different depths under the bobbers, followed by jigging a 1/16 oz jig rigged with a tube body or switching between the two MHF rods.  Just a hint of a breeze from the south made for an excellent drift but, something didn't seem right, something was missing.  Continued fishing the live bait, changing the depth under the bobbers every now and then  as well as bouncing one of the jigging lures off the bottom.  
 
Boat control wasn't difficult as I would use the motor to slowly back troll to to a new location and let the light south wind drift me back.
 
Eventually, I laid the jigging rods aside, poured a cup of hot chocolate and munched on some peanut butter and crackers, still trying to remember something I should be doing while fishing for Crappie and Walleye.  Meanwhile, I continued to adjust the bobbers, changed tube bodies, use different methods of jigging and munch peanut butter crackers.
 
A couple of hours has now passed, I've covered shallow water, deep water and, all kinds of bottom structure and still wondering what doesn't seem right about today's fishing.
 
Still perplexed, I opened a second thermos and poured a cup of hot vegetable soup than, grabbed two ham sandwiches (imagine that, ham, not baloney) a second cup of hot chocolate and kicked back for a Pymie Picnic.   Bobbers were still in the water and I'm saving money, I'm still using the first two Fat Heads I started with.
 
Finished my picnic, tidied up and, put all my trash in a bag when it dawned on me, there's no beeps!  You know the beeps your fish locator makes when it detects fish?  Well my fish locator is not beeping, nor is there, those little fishy pictures popping up on the screen.
 
I've just spent the last 3+ hours  fishing where there's no fishy pictures, WTH.. they were here the last time I was but, not now??  What's up with that?
 
Well I didn't want to look foolish and be caught red faced so, I moved slowly past the other six boats fishing further up the lake when, I started seeing fishy pix and hearing beeps on my locator where I did land a Small Mouth bass and a dink Walleye using a blade bait.
 
Didn't catch any Crappie but, something good came about, because of that.  I still have 22 Fat Heads I can use when I do it all over again tomorrow.
 
 
Of course, catching makes fishing all the more funner but, scenes like these make for some wonderful memories and, I got to see them.
 

 



Tight lines to those who still seek..............
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

lmao..goin call my engineer friend to explain  to me how you were fishing!  but it does sound like a good strategy..i think!!...great pics!!!....hope to be there soon!

Stupid question time:
Is it legal to fish the docks at the marina in Espyville, like some of the guys here fish the docks at Jamestown?
 
Another stupid question.
Do you think the fish that are around the docks are resident there year round or do they migrate into the shallow bays (docks areas) prior to ice up in the winter and before moving out to deeper water. if they are resident year round do the dock areas get "fished out" after awhile?  Then more fish come in in the spring?
 
Third stupid question: Would a flasher like some use for ice fishing work to locate the fish under the docks or would the dock supports get in the way and cause the flasher to light up from top to bottom?
 
Thanks.

BTDT,
  I have to meet you your posts really crack me up wife and I enjoy reading them We gota fish together sometime ok!!

 

roygpa
Stupid question time:
Is it legal to fish the docks at the marina in Espyville, like some of the guys here fish the docks at Jamestown?
 
Another stupid question.
Do you think the fish that are around the docks are resident there year round or do they migrate into the shallow bays (docks areas) prior to ice up in the winter and before moving out to deeper water. if they are resident year round do the dock areas get "fished out" after awhile?  Then more fish come in in the spring?
 
Third stupid question: Would a flasher like some use for ice fishing work to locate the fish under the docks or would the dock supports get in the way and cause the flasher to light up from top to bottom?
 
Thanks.

Roy,
Here's a stupid answer to your first question.
Not sure but I don't think you can fish from the docks.
BTDT and I fished the marina area from his boat a few months / weeks ago.
There was a sign up about not fishing but I can't remember if it was no fishing from the docks or no fishing from boats docked in the marina?
We fished around the docks from BTDT's boat and didn't catch anything.
I've had some luck fishing for perch from the break wall.
 
Here's a stupid answer to your second question.
Fish move depending on any number of factors. Docks can provide shade and structure and game fish will frequent them as long as there are bait fish around and the water is deep enough not to freeze.
 
Here's a stupid answer to your third question.
I never thought about using a flasher under a dock. Might be a great idea. If you have some luck with it let us know.
 
Good luck, hopefully, BTDT has a better memory and will remember what the sign at the marina says.
 
rob

registeredhopefully, BTDT has a better memory and will remember what the sign at the marina says

 
I read this part, then I had a good LOL.  
 
I can tell you that in the past Lake Arthur was very seriously about their no fishing around docks signage.  But recently I'm not sure they still care.  The only warden I've seen in three years drives down in his Cherokee and glances at all the chuckleheads crowding the Bear Run launch CLEARLY violating the 100' no fishing rule and just drives off.  Not sure if he ever gets out of his car.  

HEY ............!!  No spot burning and, what sign????
 
 
 
 
  Paging; Zelie Sam,  Paging...... Mr.  Zeilie  Sam,  Message for, Mr. Sam......                           
 
 
 
 
Ice Nut thank-you for the flowers and, I should like to make your acquaintance someday soon.  I'm certain, if you speak to the right people they will tell you I am not the type of person that, some of my so called friends, make me out to be.  Problem is, it may be difficult, finding those right people.
 
 
 
And now my friends, today's fishing report, I didn't go so,  stick that in your bean pipe and smoke it!!
 
 
 

Real good day crappie fishing the Jamestown area. Fished brush in 16ft using a small jig tipped with a nibble. Caught over 70 fish from 4 spots. Kept a few nice perch too along with around 30 crappies. Also released 3 nice small mouths. On the water by 10am and off by 4 pm.

 
 
 
NOW stop that......... (lol)
 
 
 
 
 
Congratulations Chauncy, that's a nice batch of crappie.  

Tough wind today but still managed to put 20 crappies in the live well. That wind was cold too. Didn't stay long. Three hours and I was whipped. Hope to get out a few more times before this weather changes.