LA April 14th - bad idea.

[Ericalovestofish]

We went out on Lake Austin yesterday afternoon/evening. Put in near Hula Hut a little before 4 and blasted up river. Water temp was 71 where we put in, and low 60's upriver. I don't think you can live in Austin and not know that the winds were a tad on the insane side yesterday, especially on the water. It blew anywhere from 18-30 mph, so needless to say, it was difficult fishing. It never really rained on us, but that was just about the only good thing that happened to us all day.

The first sign that we should have stayed in bed was the 50 tourists and greyhound bus on the boat ramp area that tested my trailer backing skills. Tourist frogger.

Jeff had the lure I wanted to use on his rod from the last trip, so I used his pole for a while. We caught one tiny dink each, both on chartreuse cranks. I think that color worked well because the water was super dark. After the wind took my lure into a tree, Jeff decided to try to get it out by trolling dangerously close to the tree line. Tip #1: don't wrap your hand around fishing line and back up the boat. The lure was stuck tight in that tree and the line sliced through his hand like a knife. AND, it snapped his $200 Shimano rod in half. Agh... bad.

Tip #2: don't try to get your lost lure on Dell's dock. Consider it gone.

Getting the boat to do what we wanted was not easy. It tested our patience, that's for sure. There were a few places on the lake that blocked the wind somewhat, so we tried to hunker down in there. Unfortunately, blocked wind spots did not equal good fishing spots.

After lots of frustrations and little fish, we got considered it a lost cause and headed back around 7. I swear, it felt like we were on the ocean with the size of the waves going back in.

Let's just say it was character-building.

[Travisheals]

Thanks for the report. Back out there today?

[Ericalovestofish]

Nope, not today. Housework calls.

[NjTexan]

Put a small piece of wooden dowel or broom handle in the boat to wrap the line around when you need to try to free a snag..keeps from getting cut and you can pull in a straight line so as not to break rods.

[Ericalovestofish]

Put a small piece of wooden dowel or broom handle in the boat to wrap the line around when you need to try to free a snag..keeps from getting cut and you can pull in a straight line so as not to break rods.

Thanks NjTexan!!

[midnight5]

Sorry to hear about Jeff's hand. I have done that a few times, but to my fingers.



Russ

[Limey]

Put a small piece of wooden dowel or broom handle in the boat to wrap the line around when you need to try to free a snag..keeps from getting cut and you can pull in a straight line so as not to break rods.

Or even more convenient: Use the rod handle. Learned this one after a painful lesson from some braided line

[Triumphx]

Sorry to hear, i had a similar day yesterday. Snapped my falcon lowrider shaky head, cracked my beer holder in the boat and then fuse blew on my tm. Funny part is i fought the wind w/o trolling motor for 30 mins before i snapped my rod...thats when i had enough. Good luck next time

[phisherman]

Did you have trouble with security? Got a buddy who walked up that treehouse dock and got one back without issue.

[Ericalovestofish]

Did you have trouble with security? Got a buddy who walked up that treehouse dock and got one back without issue.

Oh yes, they watch that dock like a hawk.