Bronson 63 ep. 1

Area -SW

Wade/Float - Wade

Water Level - Fairdale @ 2.50ft.

Water Temp - 75+

Clarity - Med Stain @ 8"

Fly/Spin - Spin - Bronson 63

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I got out on the south branch of the Kishwaukee River and with the recent rain I decided to break out a rod/reel combo that my uncle in-law Walley picked up for me at a sale in the state of Michigan.

The combo was made in 1962 (year of my birth) and is unique in it's own way with the reel being built right into the rod with the reel trigger on top of the rod handle, and it is for left handed people which I'm not. I believe some refer to this as a Uni-Cast.

I started out tossing a tube with a 1/16 oz bullet weight but could find no action. I then tied on a top water popper and soon picked up a 12 inch smallmouth. Things kind of went flat after that as I waded my way up stream. Rain kept turning on and off and there was one instant where I thought it wise to seek shelter on dry land in the woods. The Mosquitoes didn't think that was a very good idea and in a very not so polite way they asked me to leave their neck of the woods. Fine! As I turned and started to leave I heard one of them say "Run!", so I did.

Waded my way up steam to my money-hole and decided to tie on a weightless Sinko as the popper was turning no action. I always pull a nice size smallmouth out of my money-hole. I cast the Sinko tight to the bank and right when it hit the water it was fish on. It's a nice one too. Dive, pull, run, dive, this is the fight I've been looking for. Dive, run, pull, dive, came unbuttoned. Damn it! I hate it when that happens. I probably didn't get a good hook set since the fish took the Sinko the very instant it hit the water.

On my wade back to my take-out point, I did hook into a nice (24 inch?) pike. The pike flopped off as I was trying to get to a sandbar to snap a pic. That one was my fault as I do not like to handle pike in fear of having the fish kick my ass for catching it. Pike have sharp pointy teeth and a gill plate that can cut you open. I'm pretty much a 7 year girl when it comes to handling pike.

Thanks for the rod/reel combo Uncle Walley!