The Last Time on the Boat for 2024

 

Today marked the last time in the boat for the 2024 season, I think.  The winter weather is forecasted to come in very quickly on Wednesday and remain cold and windy throughout the 10-day forecast.  I am a bit sad, like all years to put the long rods away for the year, however I am so ready for the ice fishing season.  The last ice fishing season was the shortest of my life, lasting only 6 weekends.  Hopefully this year will be much different and "back to normal" with 3 months of ice fishing here in Iowa.

The day of fishing went about the same as a typical late November day on the Wapsi River.  Fishing slow and catching smallmouth bass around rocky structures.  I caught a few nice smallies on a homemade finesse jig and the others on a leadhead with a small plastic trailer.  Nothing fancy, but it is just what the smallies want this time of year.  It always amazes me how much these smallmouth bass fight.  I caught several pike and five walleyes on this day too.  In the matter of second or two, I knew when I had a smallie on.  Even with the water temperature at 46-degrees, these brown beasts just keep on fighting.  It was a great day, but sadly the last chasing these fish for awhile.  Hopefully, I will be on to ICE FISHING soon!