Since both guys have families our morning started early and ended before noon. After we parted ways there was just enough time to for me drive to Portillo's in my waders, get a beef, eat it, and check the weather since the western sky was dark grey and getting darker.
Sure enough the radar app on my EVO 4G showed a dark red line of storms. What to do...well, I did what anyone that had been up since 3:30 AM would do; park in a spot, set my alarm on my phone, and take a nap. I woke every hour to my alarm, then a check of the radar showed 30 minutes more would likely be enough to let the storm pass.
Refreshed I made my way to the downtown area and a park on the river off Rt. 34. I readied my gear and walked into the river.
I made my way across the river by way of an island. Once on the opposite shore I began drifting worms and minnows down along the rip-rap and concrete edge of the shoreline. I caught my share of dink smallmouth bass then I saw a rock sticking up out of the water. It wasn't very big but it looked perfect for cover for a fish or two. I nose-hooked a fresh minnow, opened my bail, and dropped the float in line to go around the back side of the rock. Reel back halfway and move my rod to the left and open my bail to let the minnow drift to the left...BAM! 17.25" of beautiful bronzeback ate my minnow and came to the surface for a picture with me.
Soon after releasing this lovely smallie I stopped catching smallmouth. I started catching channel catfish. In total I got 10 channel cats; estimated 3 at 5# and the last one at 7#. Good fights and good cats all of them. This last one pulled my drag for a few good minutes before I finally got her up for her closeup.
I waded out of the river and back to my car. I was tired in a good way. I knew I'd sleep well and deeply and have catfish in my drift fishing dreams.
