Half Moon chain on 5/5

[fiker]

My son and I decided that we'd do a little fishing yesterday afternoon.  I haven't been out to Half Moon yet this year so we went there.  I know of a couple of spots that smallies like to nest on so off we went.
I just installed an hydrofoil on my boat last Sunday and wanted to test it out before hitting Clair this weekend.
The weather would go from cloudy to sunny off and on.  The wind would go from absolutely still to 20 mph off and on.
Water temps varied about 3 degrees depending on location.  The warmest water we found was 60.
We headed out from the launch and motored our way idown to Blind Lake.  Just as we went through the bridge I noticed a bunch of smaller Large mouths hanging around.  We stopped to try them out.   I used a small jig with a wacky rigged 4" smoke/pearl Yum Dinger.  First cast, hooked up with a 12" largey.  The rest of the fish didn't want to play.  In fact most were spooked by our lures.
We moved to the opposite side of the lake to the long points that extend out into the lake.  As I  moved along the drop off my son hooked into a small large mouth.  He was using a 1/4 oz black/blue jig.  A few minutes later he hooked into a hammer handle Pike.  I hooked up with a 14" large mouth and we boated the two fish at the same time.  This time it was a 5" Nemesis Sicko on my wacky jig.   We continued down the drop off.  Ryan boated two more short fish, 1 smallie and 1 large.  Ryan decided he kind of likes the jig.  He'd never tried it before today.  A little farther down I got a 15" Large mouth.  Also on the jig.  When things slowed a short while later we decided to check out a couple more spots. 
We left Blind and moved into Half Moon.  Just below the Willie Pee Ryan boated a keeper Bass, and another Pike.  Both came on a Lucky Craft slender pointer in Aurora Blue. 
From here we moved into Bruin Lake.  At the far end of the lake we fished the long main lake points to the left of the camp ground.  I changed to a Yo Zuri Ultra Vibe lipless crank in baby bass color.   A couple of casts later a 16" Large mouth just smacked it as I  cranked it across the flat.  We moved on down the drop towards the camp ground.  We'd cast up on the flat and bring the baits back.  Sometimes I'd crank right along the drop.  I noticed that the weeds were starting up nice and green.  Picked up some cabbage from time to time on the rattle bait. 
I switched to a 1/4 oz. blue/black jig that I put together for myself.  I start with a Zorro jig head.   I cast it out and let it sit right on the drop.  Tick, Tick, Bam!.  Another 15 " largie hooked up. 
We fished all the way to the fishing pier without another bite.  The wind had slowed.  I wanted to check on some potential Small mouth bedding areas across the lake sowe moved.
As soon as we got to where I wanted to be, the wind picked up.  We didn't get bit, and never did see any evidence of bedding activity.
As we drifted over one of the points a huge Pike slammed into my Ultra Vibe. 
Chinese fire drill.  Find the net, fish under the boat, drag set too high, thumb the reel,......  Landed what turned out to be a 34" Pike.  Nice fish.  He was bleeding a little so we put him in the live well to make sure he would be ok.  Later at the boat launch he looked fine and we released him back to the lake.  My grandmother would have smacked me if she'd seen me do that.  She loved the taste of fresh Pike.
We left bruin and moved into Island lake.  No bites.  On to Patterson.
We moved into one of the back bays and the North end of the lake.  I switched to my black/blue jig.  Cast it out, let is sit and hooked up with an 18" Large mouth.  According to my Gator rule this one would have gone 3#5.  Not bad.  A little farther down Ryan hooked another small keeper Bass. 
By now the wind had picked up, and it was time to go home for dinner.  It was a great day.  I don't get to fish much with my sons anymore but yesterday I did.  It was just great to be out on the water with Ryan and experience the day together.  The fish we caught were the icing on the cake.

[Bender]

Sounds like a great day out there! I really like Blind Lake, it is pretty back in there.

[nitroderrek]

how did you like the hydrofoil, as you said you wanted to try it out, but never said how you liked it.  thanks, nitroderrek

[fiker]

It does do as they advertised. 

I get on plane quicker, and can stay there at lower speeds/rpms.

I also picked up a whopping 3+ mph top end speed with last winter's gas still in it.

I like it.