I decided to go check out this lake as there hasn't really been much report action on it, plus no directions how to get there. I used maps.google.com to get me close enough to find my way. I wasn't even really planning on fishing since it was raining off and on all morning with threaten clouds overhead. By the time I got to the lake though it was rather nice out. It was just warm enough with a breeze and partly cloudy. Since I hadn't really planned on fishing I didn't get any worms and since I knew nothing about the lake I decided to leave the flypole at home since I didn't know what type of shoreline access there would be. When I arrived at the lake I noticed a "Private Property" sign....its really hard to miss. Its a large yellow/orange sign that pretty much says that this lake is private but the owner allows for 30 feet of access from Kitt Rd for fishing purposes only, use at your own risk. The access is easy enough to manage on foot but if too many more people try to back their pickups to the water it will soon be pretty dug up. I would say its hand launch only and you are going to have to walk your boat about 50 feet in unless you try like everyone else and dig up the access area with ruts trying to get back out. The access puts you right at the deep end of the lake and stupid me forgot to bring the camera for pictures. There is a border of lily pads just to the north which I assume marks where the lake goes from shallow to deeper. The directions on the topomap puts you on the north end but the access I found puts you on the south end next to the deeper pool. I didn't check out the north end as I thought this was the only accessible location. I'll check it out again next time I go.

So I arrived at the lake around 1:30pm, I decided to try out some Gulp Corn that I picked up at Big R the other day. No sooner than I had the line in the water I started getting bites, I was even able to put the pole down. I lost that fish, so I recast in the same spot. I didn't get another bite until about 15 minutes later for which I hooked a 9" rainbow. I had hooked it in the gills and it was bleeding something fierce so I put it on the stringer to take home. After than I was getting pretty good bits not too terribly far from shore and only on the Gulp Corn. I tried using the bubblegum colored powerbait (red & white swirl) but nothing. Three times I was able to set the hook up I kept losing whatever it was in the weeds...there is a really thick carpet of weeds here, other than the logs. So the final time I was able to hook the fish I was able to play it above the weeds and learned why they loved digging down deep into the weeds....I pulled up a 9" bullhead catfish. When I got home and cleaned the bow its belly was full of tiny fresh water mussels and tiny snail shells. The meat was pretty soft by that time too, I'll take a cooler with me next time but doubt I will bring any more home.

I hate taking catfish off the hook, luckily I hooked it in the lip. I had taken a picture of it but forgot to press the save button before closing my camera phone. I included a picture of the rainbow, its the best quality I could get with the camera phone. I'll make sure to return to the lake soon with my rowboat to see what I can get with the flyrod. The temp at the shore was pretty warm so I would think early morning or late evening would be best. Other than the fishing there was a few birds or fowl in the area and some of the airbase's boeings flew overhead too. The road to the lake is all paved accept for Kitt Rd which is marked with a sign as a "summer access" road but it was well maintained.

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