Finally had a half decent outing. Got to admit, I spent most of the day failing at trolling, moving spot to spot trying for multiple species and adding to the Dead Sea stigma. Usually at this time of the year, the 6"-8" crappie are a reliable way to spend time unhooking and tossing back, with a few 9"-12"ers mixed in that aren't as fortunate on the tossing back part. Considering they weren't reliable a month ago, I wasn't completely shocked they weren't reliable now. Having 3-4 bites and none landed was disappointing though. Hopefully the pounding the lake took with covid won't take years to correct.
When I was leaving spot #8 on my way to spot #9, I was passing by spot #1 and decided to check it out again. A few adjustments turned what I was starting to accept as a skunking into a 4 hybrid day. One of which was a slammer 28"er that gave my relatively new Okuma Deadeye Pro & Penn Battle 3 set up a good breaking in. The reel did just fine, I was concerned the rod wasn't going to make it, but did its job. Sensitive rod, but backbone was designed for reeling in wet socks that thump, not freight trains. Whether it was confidence in the rod or that much less power in a 22"er, but felt good on getting that one in. Neither fish needed the sensitivity the rod has to detect slight bites, nothing slight about bent in half and peeling line instantly though. Had another 22"er on a trolling rod and a dink 12"er on the same. Quality over quantity and usually when getting hybrids during the day, I rarely get more than 1. So, I know it was luck more than anything. But those minor adjustments will now be my starting point.