Can not believe it, I got skunked at fish lake.

With nearly 30 years of fishing this lake, this is the first time
I have ever gone home empty handed, and only the 2nd time for my
friend if you count his one stab at winter ice fishing.

Friends and I drove up from the West Side to fish the evening bite at
Fish Lake. Got on the water about 4:40p.m. with moderate wind from west.
45 minutes later we were literally blown off the lake.

It started with an increase in the Westerly wind, followed immediately by a micro burst down draft coming off the mountain to the North. The micro-burst hit the lake with enough force to lift a mist column 100 feet high and nearly 100 yards wide off the lake, like the “rooster tail” thrown up by jet engines at airports on wet days. The mist column rolled East tumbling end over end, at the same time, the wind tore the tops off the little white caps, making a blinding; mist we thought we might see a water spout form…

With three of us in a large Jon boat, it was all we could do to keep the bow down and stay in control.

As we approached the resort, things were in a bit of an uproar.
The Marina dock had dragged at least two anchors and was almost in the
Lilly pads and reeds on the south-east. The wind made approach difficult, but
had to get off the water as a full-blown thunderstorm was breaking loose.
Got tied up, then had to move. After we got secure, went to the store and
got Scotty and others to come out. Scotty used one of the rental boats to
push the dock back close to its original position while several of us worked
to secure it.

We went to my friend’s truck to dry out while we waited to see if the thunderstorm
would pass or stay for the evening, after 45 minutes we decided to chance it.

Got back on the lake about 6:30 and fished for over two hours with no luck.
Used Rapalas on the surface trolled slow (that had worked the week before),
no luck. Went to two of my favorite spots and still fished with bait, no luck.
Trolled our usual loops varying depth each pass, no luck.

Went home tired, and wet, but will be back again another day.
This lake gave me the largest Rainbow of my life as a child, and I keep
coming back, even after an experience like this.


P.S. Please heed this Warning: Mountain thunderstorms can come on fast; be prepared.

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