Well I got off work at 4 and headed straight to the lake with new toys in tow. I had dropped by the fishing store and bought 2 deep diving cranks (8'-11') one red and one baby bass. I also picked up 2 jigs a medium diving crank (4'-6') silver and black in color. I started out throwing the red crank since that was what I was told was the hot color, nada zippo nothin. So in my infinate wisdom I threw on the baby bass again nada nothin zippo. Well now I decided to try out the worm threader I had bought at the same time since the experts had told me that was the fail safe method to large bass in this lake. Well I learned 2 things, threading a worm is messy and if you have the wrong hooks doesn't work so well. So now pushing 6:30 I decided to troll the lake using my rattle trap that had worked wonders the day before thinking that the bass were all down deep. So off I go with the trusty 14lb thrust motor around the lake. All I caught was myself and the real urge to head to shore for a potty break. So after taking care of both my needs I headed back out now around 7:00, the whole time thinking I was really glad the cell phone didn't work out here, because the wife was pobably wondering where I was and wanted me home. Well after pondering what I was going to do because it was getting dark and the whole wife thing, I decided one more pass around the lake. Spinner nada, Jig nada, top water nada, shallow diving minnow nada, rattle trap nada, well you are beginning to see the point. I was now 1/4 of the way around the lake on the east side and was thinking I should really head in because in 30 minutes or so it would be really dark. So I looked one more time in my trusty cheapo takle box and realized the only thing I hadn't thown yet was the silver and black crank. So out it came and snagged it right away on a branch in about 2 feet of water. Here is where my boy scout training didn't pay off because the line came untied leaving the lure in the water and me fuming above. So I moved over to it and was determined if I had to get in the freezing water I was gonna save my $2.49 crank if it killed me. Luckily it was reachable with no more wet than my sleeve. So this time I tripple tied that sucker on and boy am I glad I did. First cast after retying I nailed a 2 pounder. Then I had 4 strikes one was huge but no hook sets I knew I was on to something. So I'm working my way around the lake the whole time it is getting darker by the minute by the time I had gotten back to the island it was dark but I had pulled in 8 smallish bass surpassing my outing 2 days before. I had nothing in hits around the island so I started working the mason county shore line. I threw up into some dead fall and had a good bump but didn't set so I tossed in again and came out with a 2 pounder. I wasn't convinced that was the source of the bump so I tossed in again and bingo 4 to 4.5 pounder was on and the battle was raging. I landed that beautiful baby and tried stare longingly at it in the dim light but really couldn't see much of how beautymus it was so I gave it a kiss and let it go.

So all in all by the time I had made it into the boat landing by brail I had landed a dozen fish with the one big one and come to a simple conclusion. Bright noisy and diving from 4 to 8 feet is what they are hitting on at Panther and I can't wait to get back out and see if I can catch the big ones bigger brother or sisters. I just hope my cheap rods and tackle can hold up to the challenge. *Making out my christmas and birthday list now ;-)*

And Yes it was worth all the dirty looks from the wife and the extra chores I now have to do.

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