Out of the Oak

[cook]

Headed to the Oak for the first trip of the fishing season, left Franklin, PA for Erie to hook up the boat, then drove I90 east.  Looking at the ice on Lake Erie, it was a pleasure to see open water Saturday morning.  We talked to two nice gentlemen from the Poconos who fished Friday and said start at the pump house and head west to Johnson's Creek, so that is what we did.  The air temp was 38 when we left the dock and the water outside the oak was 40.  Set up two down-riggers with small spoons 70 feet back 5 feet down and two flat lines with long stick baits.  The fish hit immediately with the first thee never reaching the net.  My wife asked if today could be a catch and release day so I agreed.  Once we got closer to Johnson's the rods kept moving.  Overall, we released 18 browns and 2 coho's.  Headed in around 2:30 to get some food at the Black North.  For the first trip of the new season, it could not have been better.

[mhalsted]

good work I hope to be heading out there tomorrow morning