Pickerel and Twice Caught Smallmouth

Remember that face above, it's going to show itself again later.

I fished the backwaters of the lake again today. The change towards cooler weather turns the pickerel bite on BIG TIME, and I realized this as soon as the first one I saw nailed my streamer four times. Of course I missed him, and then I noticed that most of the fish were interested in the fly but had trouble pulling the trigger. I switched to a mouse and a monster turned it and my tipper into powder. I believe it was the same one I lost earlier last week. I'll get that big sucker sometime soon.

The gorgeous little beast bellow crumpled a black Crystal Sex Dungeon three times, finally got hooked and flew all over the place. Missile!

 The biggest pickerel of the day ate in a very musky like fashion. I had on a white Heifer Groomer, which wiggle better than any other pattern I know of, and I watched this predator materialize from the depths. A few casts to him failed to get an eat. Then I got it just right. I pulled the fly perpendicular to him, stripped it once, watched him turn towards it, stripped it again, he finned forward, quick strip flash gills flared BAM! I love pickerel.

And the last fish of the day was also the first.... no kidding, it's the exact same one. That's the first time I have landed the same fish twice in one day.