3-24-05 - I have a plan...today I'm gonna get me a fiesty buck. Big and Red is the ticket!

3-24-05 - Just puttin' in the time, payin' our dues.

Waters Fished: Pike River, Lake Michigan (Mouth of the Pike River), Root River
Fish Caught: 0 personally
Outing Date: 3-24-05
Weather: Sunny
Air Temp: 40's
Water Temp: Root 38, Pike 42
Water Level: Root 200 CFS, Pike around 40 CFS
Water Color: both somewhat cloudy, visibility 1-2'
Fish Species: Steelhead
Pattern Fished: Eggs and Streamers, Spawn
Pattern Color: Threw the gamut.
Fishing Quality: Tough

The Pike is certainly one of our prettier rivers...	Ken S. works a bend pool.
Meanwhile Ken F. works a bit upstream.	Interesting sight...the leaves were heating up in the sun and melting into the ice, carving out their outline.

Well honestly, I don't quite remember this day....it was just one of those ho-hum days you spend hiking around, probing pools, looking for fish on the redds, whatever it takes, and yet we came up empty.

I don't remember exactly what time, but I met up with Ken S. on the Pike. We started scouting downstream spots, working likely places. Meanwhile, Ken F. showed up and hung out for a bit. Kinda gets confusing when you're fishing with two guys named KEN! Guess I should start using his new nickname...the Pike Maven ;)

The Pike ended up being a bust upstream, so Ken S. and I headed down to the mouth. I was somewhat hopeful that we might encounter fish holding in the tail of the lagoon, or maybe even manage to hook up in the big pond.

Ken and I shifted positions a few times...eventually he spotted something in the riffles just upstream from the lakeshore. We got set and Ken placed a few good casts to the fish. DARNIT....it's heading upstream. While helping Ken get quickly rerigged (that way one guy can watch the fish while the other is busy tying) I briefly lost sight of it. We resumed fishing, and again Ken got a couple casts just slightly too far across the stream. As the fish started to move again, my heart sank as I got a GOOD look at it. SUCKER.

Back to the mouth of the Pike...maybe we'd find some loopers?	Ken works the current into the lake while I drift spawn at the tailout of the Lagoon.	Ken has sighted something and gets to work...

RATS! Well, I had to head to school to grade projects in the afternoon prior to class, so Ken and I made a mad dash for the Root. I figured I'd drift some spawn in one of my favorite holes - a friendly angler going by "JP" was kind enough to share the bend with me. THANKS JP! Wish there were more like ya on the tribs...we'd all have more fun!

I literally had about 20 minutes to fish and came up empty. Spent just a little more time taking some pics of Ken fishing...some turned out really nice.

Ken wanted some good pics of him fishing and I thought these three turned out really nice.	Another shot of Ken S. on the Root.	Looks like that new rod is feeling good in his hands...Ken's cast has definitely IMPROVED!

Yup, one of those blah days...but if I'm recalling right by the time I met Ken S., he had already landed 3 fish in the early hours. FINALLY got his steelies this year! Congrats Ken!

  MP