5-31-13 Fri.

5-31-2013 Fri 10:00 AM – 7:30 PM

Weather:
(1253) S 15 G 25, mostly cloudy, one thunderstorm, 75 ˚, 29.68 falling
H2O:
10.52 falling, 71.1 kicks, 65 ˚, clear
Location:
Mississippi River pool 8 (briefly) & pool 4
Caught:
11 LMB 12 – 19”, 15 pike 18 – 28”
Partners:
none

Comments:

It was a Friday and it was my day off and I wanted to fish the Stoddard area today. I was a little worried that the water might be muddy because of all the rain we have been having, but it did not look too bad behind the house on pool 7. When I got to Stoddard the wind was ripping and the water was very muddy except for the areas in close proximity to the boat landing. As soon as I got to the landing I knew that I had made a mistake. I fished approximately twenty minutes, got discouraged and loaded up the boat and headed up the Minnesota side of the mighty river until I found clean water. That ended up taking me all the way to Wabasha. The water was very high there, but it was pretty darn clear.
I ended up having a very good day catching bass and pike. For the second straight time I was unable to explore the big open lake on account of the stiff southerly winds. Besides the wind the weather was not too bad, except for about a twenty minute period when my location was on the edge of a pretty significant thunderstorm. The storm caused me to seek shelter under a bridge and it gave me a chance to eat my lunch.
I did have a couple pretty cool encounters with some wildlife today. The first instance was a coyote that was crossing a pretty large slough that I was motoring down. At first I thought it was a small deer, but when I got closer I saw it was a very nervous coyote that was caught swimming out in the open water. Several times I headed it off and made it swim back the other way farther away from shore as I tried to get both my camera and camcorder to work. I was unsuccessful with either. After playing the cat and mouse came with the wily coyote about a half dozen times, it finally eluded me and made it to one of the shorelines. That was one lucky coyote; I think a large majority of others probably would have run the critter over.
The second interesting critter or I should say critters were two snapping turtles wrestling and frolicking in the marsh. I watched and filmed the pair for quite some time as they were literally under my feet. All I can say is if I had to go through what that guy had to go through for a littler procreating, I might have to pass!

Observations:

The water is still very high and muddy around the La Crosse area. The locust trees are starting to bloom along with the roadside lavender flower that I like so well (no idea on the name of them).