The alarm on my phone woke me at 2:00, playing the theme song from "Fishing With Bill Dance" and I immediately tapped my favorite weather app "The (stupid) Weather Channel". The report was excellent, no rain and little to no wind forecast for the day so it was off to hook the Fish Hawk. I'm guessing it was just shortly past 3:00 when I backed the trailer into the water at a place where the "ramps don't meet the docks" (sorry; no spot burning today) and gently set the Hawk afloat.
The air was warm and humid along with the water looking like glass and strangely, I was hearing, (over and over) the words of a wise and very successful angler.... "BTDT, find the brushpiles in 12 ft water". Those words were energizing as I set my plans for the day and so having, activated a special feature on my sonar/GPS, I set course for places unknown. At this time I should like to say; thank goodness for quick menu's and "easy to navigate" instructions with these new sonar/GPS units as I'm sure, it would have taken me longer then the 40 minutes required, to activate that special feature.
My first location, just past an overhead object and to the left, was a bay where I began making circles, each being wider all the while, eyes glued to the screen of my sonar/GPS. Circle after circle, after circle; suddenly in an area one would never have expected, just feet from shore a huge log submerged in 12+ feet of water. A word to the wise at this time, if I may; it is not a good thing to cut the main motor and dash to the bow of your boat to deploy ones trolling motor after having just made many, many, circles all going in the same direction just because, little fishy pictures appear on ones sonar/GPS. I would like to recommend, from experience, to remain in the drivers seat until ones balance stabilizes.
Now, I know it will be hard to believe but, (after having regained my balance) I tossed a jig into the water giving a few cranks on the reel then letting the jig fall and as I watched I saw the line had stopped going under water. Raising the rod tip quickly but without force, I felt the weight of a hooked fish. Can you believe "I" caught a fish, yep I caught a real fish and with my first cast, and it was a Crappie to boot.(eat your heart out Marco)
But as luck would have it, seconds after releasing the fish, I heard the horrible sound of a big motor pushing a big boat being piloted by some old hairy guy out strutting his stuff on the water. Even worse, the boat stopped just a few hundred yards to my starboard, out came the wake board followed by a person who couldn't get out of the water using the board which required many, many, many stops and starts. Of course we could not just "ease around" returning to allow for another try, nooooooooooo we had to cut the wheel as hard as we could while jamming the throttle full ahead making all the kids in the bow scream weeee, woooooo, yeaaaaaa as, they got their chills and thrills.
No need to say I moved on, once again searching for "a" elusive fish but alas.......... to no avail! Soooo, by now, having been on the water for 5 hours (still using the special feature on the sonar/GPS) and the sun now setting with thunder clouds looming, I chose to put the Fish Hawk back on her bunks and call it it a day and a beautiful day it was and yes, I did have fun.
In closing; just let me say, as they say in the old country........ "we'll get em next time"!
Stupid fish!