If I Could Predict This...

Mixed feelings. One of my best panfish lakes this year rests in St Louis County. Way south. In the country. But an actively managed fishery. They're never gonna get the crappie straightened out without a big removal (kill) and start over. But what used to be "meh" bluegill has turned into a "better size than the MDC goal". Red ear are never in great numbers-that's just the nature of the beast and their biological reproductive traits. This lake has good size red ear but I've never figured out where they reside, rest, or even spawn. I just count on catching one now and then in pursuit of bluegill or big numbers of small crappie.

Even an angler that's on the water almost everyday suffers from "greener grass on the other side" syndrome. Wherever I've fished since July, the absolute sure deal to find the fish is shade. Doesn't even have to be much structure! Just shade. But how many hours have I spent checking everything else...that's in the sun. It's the human in us.

And so today, before I got off track with the shade I did employ a good trick that I've learned plays into a fishes savvy way of eating, sometimes. They'll sit in the shade at the edge of the shade/sun line. Guess they figure that to prey it's like me coming from outside to inside and not having been wearing sunglasses. I couldn't see a truck in my living room, for a minute or so. I cast into the sun, did a three second countdown and dragged my hand tied bucktail minnow imitation into the shade.

Red ear...shellcracker...would rather eat shellfish but in these waters where shelled prey the size they can eat are far and few between cause them to settle for "anything else". As my bucktail crawled into the shade and about 3 feet under in 4 feet of water, I felt a distinct thud that was definitely the biggest bluegill so far. Or not...it was this red ear. The size...and the species...that if you're obsessed with red ear...you'll go out in 100 degree weather and fish for this "one", all day. And "one" is the expectation. For the entire day. A respectable 9 inch red ear, my day could only go downhill from here.

But, on the chance that red ear was associating to something and not just cruising, red ear being picky, side eyeing, and with annoyingly high expectations as to hang outs, I figured a grade A hangout may also be attracting a number of less discerning bluegill. And I did feel the tick of some minimal structure working this area. So I cast back to the edge of this shade line again. Same "shell cracking" feel at the end of the rod and this time I had this trophy red ear in tow. Sort of...he did what he wanted for awhile and eventually I had to lower myself into the water to land him. A trophy size 11 1/4 inches, and thick with good health I'm sure a scale would have verified trophy status.

About a month ago I had my only guide trip so far this summer. The girl caught so many quality fish it was like a walk in the park. And it was on this same lake, which I chose after some scouting trips. And it truly is a walk in the park. A St Louis County park that's groomed, mowed, a new bench installed in memory of someone it seems every year, restrooms, and an all day dog show. But a lake that's better managed for fish habitat than the lakes that I fish one would think are managed as well or better for fish habitat.