Woke up early and wasn't feeling well enough to go to work. I had what they call "fishing fever". Decided to hit up Gene Coulon for the first time in search of some bass. Arrived at 7:30. Weather was awful; rain, wind, cool and gray. Started out by Kidd Valley and made my way down to the fishing pier fishing various spots along the way with not so much as a nibble. I was using cranks, senkos, topwaters, spinners, jigs and swimbaits. Nothing produced and I'm starting to wonder why I bought all this crap! J/K, but it's been quite a struggle this year. After about 3 hours, I decide to try the ol' half a night crawler on a black rooster tail. At this point I'm just trying to get bit by a perch or trout or something. Started getting a few hits and finally landed a dink of a SMB, maybe 10-12" but I was happy with that. Tossed him back and went right back to the same spot...tick tick BAM, it's on. Nice little female, maybe 14" with a fat belly. I guess still pre-spawn but not sure?? Switched sides of the pier employing the same rooster tail method and after half hour got hit hard. This thing fought great and was fun to play landing my first pike minnow, around 16". Last fish was another beauty of a SMB, 15-16" and quite the fighter. Met a nice gentleman out there and he snapped this pic of me, Thank you sir! Anyway, it's kind of a bummer using all this bass tackle and only having success on a rooster tail and night crawler? But sometimes, you definitely need to think out of the box. All fish C & R'd, left around noon.

Tight lines all!