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Air Gun Forums » Events » Fishing » The Day the Refuge Opens at Mittry Lake

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Old 02-16-2017, 04:20 PM   #1
Bob La Londe
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Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 147
Default The Day the Refuge Opens at Mittry Lake

I've been semi serious about fishing for a very long time. Since about 2003 I've been mostly a bass angler, and to a lesser degree a bass tournament angler (small local clubs).

Mittry Lake has an area that's closed to all access for a few months overlapping duck season. Its to give the ducks an area to retreat to from hunting pressures and it works. The ducks come every year, and by the end of the season the ducks in that area are mostly circling into the north end of Mittry Lake whenever they spot hunters.

There is a similar area on the west side of Martinez lake, and in the brush country on the north end of Ferguson Lake.

The bass in those closed areas don't see any pressure for a few months. Some of my friends and fishing buddies have made an almost holy visit to Mittry Lake the day the refuge opens every year. I never made the effort until yesterday. In past years I've been to busy or I went a few days later, but I'd never before made the effort to be there on the day.

I rolled out of bed, and made some coffee. I knew I would hit the lake early, and being mid week I expected there wouldn't be many people there. Imagine my surprise though when I didn't see a single other boat trailer parked anywhere around when I got to the ramp. I took my time and got the Antique Kitten's paws wet. Lucky 13 fired up and rumbled nicely as I idled over to the dock to tie up. I left her purring at the dock and wander up the ramp to go park my truck.

As I headed up to get my truck Hammer (and old tournament partner) pulled up with his ALL BLACK truck (That what his license plate says... and the color of his truck and his boat.) I got my truck off the ramp and as he was launching we exchanged a few pleasantries.

When I figured the motor was adequately warmed up. I stuck my foot down her throat and launched the nose of the boat skyward. We leveled out, trimmed up, and headed for the back of the lake. It was cold enough that I wore a light jacket, but warm enough it felt brisk as the Antique Kitten hissed across the lake. I am always enthralled by that feeling of flying about two feet above the water when she get up on her pad and flies early in the morning on fresh unturned water.

I shot past the off limits buoys like they were sitting still. Knowing I was the first one back there in months I headed straight to one of my favorite points and jerk the kill cord as I ran to the front of the boat. I scooped up a rod with one hand, and grabbed the cord to deploy the trolling motor with the other. I'm not sure of the exact order of events at that moment, but I swear my lure hit the water before the trolling motor did.

Ten casts last I was wondering where the fish were. Five hours later I was still wondering.

I can hardly stand to wait until the day the refuge opens at Martinez.
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