Had some business to tend to up in Sedro Wooley this afternoon, so I figured I would hit one of my favorite Skagit County lakes in the morning then head for Sedro. I chose Clear Lake because it offers more structure variety like docks, pilings, deep weed edges, laydaowns and weedy transition areas where shallow water breaks to deep water. With Mother Nature throwing a hissy fit today I had a feeling the fish may have moved a bit deeper and tight to cover. I decided to start fishing docks. I threw jigs in black and brown, drop shots, spinnerbaits, Senkos and a Texas-rigged Powerworm. The wind was blowing up to 20mph and it was pouring rain! However, the water was a very workable 55-56 degrees. After pounding the docks with no results, I moved deeper and fished the ends of a couple laydowns, again nothing. I decided to fight the wind and move out to one of my favorite points in more open water. It breaks from 8' to 22' here and has some wood and rocks deep and a pronounced weed edge where it breaks.

I worked the area with my 1/2oz jig and drop shot with a 5" Robo Worm and only had a dink tap me on the drop shot. I switched over to my Texas-rig before moving and had a pickup on the first cast! Unfortunately I missed the hookset due to the wind making it difficult to feel the soft bite. I kept casting to the same spot and four casts later she picked it up again...this time I nailed her! She ran me around pretty good and jumped as I was trying to lip her, fortunately she didn't throw me and I was able to land her, she went 5lbs 6ounces!

I continued working the area, I would cast up into the weeds and drag my worm back deep using short sweeps making sure I kept bottom contact, it seemed the fish would get it soon after it broke the weed edge. About ten casts after the 5.6 I hit a 4.7lber in the exact same area! I would miss two more fish here and lose one in the pilings! If the wind was about half of what it was I am pretty sure I would have hooked up more....about the time you made sure it wasn't grass you were feeling, they would drop the worm, I got to the point where I would just set the hook regardless.

I was using a 6 inch Berkley Powerworm in Motor Oil color, fishing it with a 1/4 ounce screw in style bullet weight, I tried switching to a 1/2oz weight due to the wind, but it would bury the worm in the weeds to bad. I fished a few other areas, but nothing produced like the point. Had to head out at about 1pm. Time to upgrade to a 24 volt trolling motor!! The old 52lb 12 volt just can't handle the really windy days....

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