Fishing with Barry and Dave... 7/28/2023

I was meeting them at the White Caps Motel at 5am. Barry said he would just follow me, to the launch. I told him we were stopping at the gas station and Hi Way Bait, before heading to Catawba, to launch. "No problem", he said. "I'll just follow you". 

Thankfully, Hi Way had their tanks full of Emerald Shiners, this morning, so I picked up 6 scoops. We only needed three scoops. But, I'd rather have some left over to freeze, or feed to my porch critters, than not have enough. :)

When we headed out of Catawba, we were greeted with a lightening horizon, and just a ripple over the surface of the lake. It was beautiful. What little wind there was, was out of the SSW....less than 5mph.  The air temp was 78 degrees at 5:30AM, already, and it was supposed to get very hot today. I wanted to find some perch and get done before it got hot and muggy out there.

As it turned out, it only took about 15 minutes of searching, before I set up the Spot-Lock over what looked to be a nice school of perch... SW of Green, in 28 feet of water. 

I got the men in their perch fighting seats and set them up with towels, pliers, and minnows. They had brought their own perch rods. "Cool", I thought. "These guys must know how to catch perch."...I smiled. Thinking to myself, "I hope that is a school of perch down there, and I hope if they are, that they are biting!" I wanted these guys to have a good morning.

"Dollar for the first yellow?", I asked. Dave said, "I'm in." Then, laughed, pointing back at Barry, and says, "Just so you know....Barry won't pay out, if you win!" To which Barry laughed, and said he would. Which reminds me...Barry caught the first yellow perch...but neither of us paid him. Oops! I meant too, and then I got distracted, and forgot to...sorry, Barry! :(

We didn't have to move once we set up, and the bite got better after about 20 minutes, and became a slow/steady bite...but, not too slow. We had our 90 by 8:45. The fish would come in waves. We would go through a flurry of catching, and then it would slow down again...then, pick up again.

It was a fun morning, and the company, and conversation, were great. Dave likes to sing... and, he knew all the songs on my playlist, so he was singing along to all the songs, keeping himself, and me, entertained. I doubt Barry could hear him, while sitting up on the bow...and, he was busy catching perch, up there. 

We are close in age, so they grew up with the same songs, that I did. 

Barry and Dave were happy to be done early, so they could get back home, to do "Home Stuff". :)

I don't have anything scheduled now until we get back from our Canadian Adventure. 

But, I might go perch'n with friends...we shall see. 

Stay tuned....

Be safe....

Capt Juls