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Michael · Joined: 28 Jan 2012 Posts: 3823 Location: Bridgeport

NWS was original predicting showers and thunderstorms throughout the day Thursday but decided to check once again when I got up out of bed. They changed it to showers and thunderstorms more favorable from 5 to 8 pm before starting again around 10 pm.

I hit the road and got to the upper section of Beardsley Park around 3pm. Had my 5'6" ML setup with me.

I worked mostly topwater due to the area being shallow and weedy with pads and branches but nada except for a new love taps by sunnies.

Still nothing happened in certain areas that would produce so I headed down to Bunnells Pond. Stuck mostly with topwater, which included silver FLR-6, Heddon Tiny Torpedo, fire shad SW-8, and yellow perch XRP-7.

Once I got to a certain spot I landed a 7" bluegill on the Tiny Torpedo. 2 casts later I get a huge swirl and then started to speed up the retrieve. Big explosion and the fight was on! I felt lots of pulling and loosened the drag. I then see a nice pickerel come jumping out of the water wagging its tail up and down. I get it in and was so thrilled! 20.5" 2 1/2 pounce chain pickerel! First chain pickerel I've caught at Bunnells Pond in 5 years or more!

No more hits or swirls once I caught that pickerel so I moved on to the rocks.

The issues at the rocks and most other areas was lots of weedy run off from the rains we've been getting. I landed a dinky bluegill on a tennessee shad HJ-6. Tried going for crappie with that lure but only had 1 go for it. Still played topwater at the rocks and also tried throwing a JSR-4. Landed a 7" rock bass with the XRP-7.

Last was the cove. Got a few swirls in there with the XRP-7.

Around 6:30pm is when light rain started but got heavier while I was still at the cove. Right as I started to get ready to leave and take cover at Duchess is when I heard thunder. Stayed in Duchess for a while as the rain kept falling, was hearing thunder, and seeing some lightning. Once the thunder and lightning stopped and the rain wasn't as bad anymore I headed home.