I genuinely love fishing... not just the "catching", but the whole experience of the time and environment. I go whenever I can. Needed a little change of scenery, a little more solitude, so headed for Lake Ballinger this morning. A cursory look at the barometer before I left, told me that conditions were less than optimum... but, "you can never tell!?" Arrived at the lake about 7:00 AM, lines in the water by 7:15. Fished off the pier at the city park. Cloudy, temp at 44 degrees, water temp off the pier at 15' was 50 degrees. Chilly wind from the southwest all day! Started with Power Eggs on both rigs, fl. orange (my "go to") on one rod, 3' leader, chartreuse on the other, 4' leader. Nada the first hour... a couple fishermen joined me on the pier about 8:30... about fifteen minutes later, rod tip down and good fish on... reeled in a feisty 13" Rainbow (fl. orange PE). Nothing the rest of the morning... not even a nibble! Tried various baits (nightcrawlers, shrimp, Power Dough), various presentations, leader lengths, etc.... NADA! About 12:30, rod tip began to dance and second fish on! This, a beautifully colored 13" Rainbow (chartreuse PE). That was it! Two hits, two fish.
Noticed that the water was pretty stained up... recent rains... Ballinger gets a lot of run-off from the neighborhoods along Hall Creek, and I've noticed that heavy rains tend to color up the water. Seems to effect the bite there.
Had several other fishermen come and go while I was on the pier, a couple fished from the shoreline, one in a kayak... no other fish caught while I was at the lake, left the pier about 2:30.
Got lots of the solitude I was seeking... time for meditation, needed prayers and just soaking in the experience. PTL!

---