Fished "PowerBait Lake" with 5 other baitdunkers this weekend. Weather was cool over our way
too. It was 17 on Saturday morning and a balmy 24 on Sunday when we left the house.

We had prizes for "first fish", "biggest fish" and "first limit". I sure wish I could have caught the biggest
as it paid the best. All I could manage was "first limit" each day and what looked like a tie for
"biggest" on Sunday but I lost the tie breaker.. Guess I still have the touch for watching the rod
tip. Must be why I like chronie fishing so much with that little bobber.

Did not have to stand around the BBQ outside on Saturday night. We hit the Brunswick Tavern in
Othello on Friday night for Prime Rib and gizzards as appetizers.

Lemon Twist was the hot color for power bait.

signed,

thinking of being Zen Powerbaiter.

Gotta love the two tone powerbait method. I use a half power egg (floating), and a contrasting glob of powerbait paste. Works great at the kid's fishing lake.

Got the book, thanks! I'll send you some smoked stuff next time I catch one. Andy

Zen:

I hope that this was just a slight transgression and not a picture of things to come in the future. You can find your way back. Perhaps starting with PB chronies.

BTW - That BBQ was cold, but the JW antifreeze helped.

MB

Shoot... I'm primed to run over to G.I. Joes and pick up a six-pack of powerbait... that and them teeny-tiny little egg hooks that kept zapping me in the finger.

MicroBrew, if you think this was a transgession, then you have gone over to the dark side... of Darth Wader... beware!!!

Shame TM's working today and not able to read this stuff. It would really get him going.

I'll go back to the Brunswick for those gizzards.... Maybe the end of March I'll be able to make another trip.

Maybe I should send TM over to PowerBait Lake. He's good enough to catch some trout there and it's close enough to a camping area.

Zen Powerbaiter, The world is coming to it's end.
Stay away from any store that sells powerbait.
Zen you have the force within you. Reach deep into your soul to find it. The dark side my look pretty on the outside, But inside it is dark very dark and it smells like pautzkees red balls of fire!!!!!!!! And from the ceiling of every room hangs millions of tiny egg hooks just waiting to snag you. Come back Zen LEECHER and may the force be with you

TM, of all people I thought you would have understood.

In order to be a true zen master one must embrace all methods of angling and be conversant on all manners of the angle.

At the zen powerbait retreat 5 other neophytes learned how to be "one with the rod tip" and detect even the most minute twitch of the line....

That is why I won the $$$ pool for "first limit" both days.

In April I will be giving retreats for the casted fly... TM, you are welcome to learn.

My Gawd, The Zen has turned into a Masterbaiter....errr, make that a Master baiter.
Shame on you Zen! Hope you washed all that gunk offn your sticky fingers. Get any of that
stuff on your good flyz and all you'll catch will be dumb hatchery planters. Hmmm, maybe this
does have a good side to it after all.

Ron,

I wouldn't class myself as a "masterbaiter" because I don't consider myself in the same class as you and the TroutMaster, but on this weekend I would say I was "good enough".

Bill

Maybe we should change his handle to zen power baiter instead of zen leecher. Ohmmmmmmmmmmmmm,ohmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, Just an old man spouting off Jim S. :p

I checked with the powers that BE and Zenboy has fallen out of favor with the FishGods.
Anyone who has used..... Gack "powerbait", even once, has broken the sacred covenent we true flyfishers all have with the Gods and must go through "purgitory" for a one year period catching only insignificant small planter trout. Other reel anglers are allowed to laugh at them during this time.

This is actually GOOD for us. He waz pretty deadly on the big fish with those big ugly "Midnight Fire" leeches. This will give somma us novices a crack at the bigger fish. OmmmmmmM OmmmmmmM! :p

FF,

You ain't no stinkin' novice. You're a real ringer when you get on a lake!

Whoa settle down Zen baiter!! You will now speak to all of us fly casters as Lord Trout Master! Lord Fishing fella, Lord Micro Brew, Lord Old Man etc etc etc. When you have giving more lessons on tying I will except you back and only after you have been completely cleaned of all residue from the power GACK. BOW down to the Fishingfella.!

Zen - You might want to check out another dunk bait, Crave Bait with SEXattract. They have a website that could probably help you out. Let us know when you want us to beam you back to reality.

Got another powerbaiting trip in the offing. Wife, I and dog are headed over in two or three weeks for next trip. That one will be at the same lake as it offers a good bank for sitting on and some good areas next to it for running the dog.

TM.... just a word to the wise... and I may have to hold up a cue card for you. (Cue card for TM) Pay attention to what bait fishermen tell you because that is how some of the best flyfishing lakes are found. I came across one last spring just because of reports from bait fishermen. Smallest one I caught there was 18 inches and I'm still trying to figure out how to get back to it for this year.

Another word to the wise (Cue card for TM) .... don't follow the pack as pack members usually don't show much individual thought and generally just follow the person in front of them, who's following the person in front of them.. who's following the...... ad infinitum... The first person in line might not have known where he was going...

Don't make me testy as when I'm testy I'm closemouthed about lake details... got some potentially good lakes scheduled for fishing in April. Could be a bust... or could be something hot. One lake in the early 80's was putting out 10 pound trout. (Cue card for TM) This info came to me from a bait fisherman. Back then the bait of choice was worms. Lake is fairly close to us. About a 2 hour drive on good roads, except for the last 1/2 mile. Jose could not get there unless he intended to homestead once he got stuck.

One more testy moment. I consider onlyr one of you fly fishermen my fishing equal and I think he choked on a "powerbait ball" as he was making choking sounds like Bill the Cat. He also likes to experiment with beads for fly bodies.

TM, you have slipped down a notch or two on my fishing scale... you must grovel in order to recover.

MB... you are lucky you didn't join in. You are still in good graces... but the company you keep is suspect!

have had morning coffee... not as testy now.

Maybe we been a little hard on the multitalented Zenbaiter in his serch for
new waters. Let's forgive him IF HE COMES ACROSS WITH A HOT TIP!!!!!

Actually I'm rather fond of powerbaiters. Love to fish out in front
of em and hear em complaining, "Geez, he's got another one,
wonder what hez usin?".

Ron,

I've done that often on Upper Hampton to the bank fishermen.

Our standard answer back then was a "red Dick Nite".

B

Maybe we should't pick on Bill(zen). I used to use that stuff,but it never worked for me. In fact I don't think that anything ever works for me. I can throw files all day in any river and I don't ever seem lucky. Oh I have places that do work but they are few and far between. I guess that's why it's called fishing and not catching. But I have fun no matter if I catch them or I don't. I just like to get out on the water and view all the wonderful things out there. I guess I better quit now as I like to ramble on some times. Jim S.

Zen, You did you say something?

I am enjoying excellent morning coffee again today... TM is safe.

Good thing I'm a guy and don't suffer from PMS as TM would be in trouble... I got guns too.

I do suffer from TMPIB syndrome... stands for Trout Master Pain In Butt syndrome.

Tell you what TM... I'll give you a bone... nope... not that kind.. nor that one either... If you're free this weekend fish Martha Lake. It's doing exceptional.

Only thing.... which Martha is it??? Try a (509) area code.

Might as well fish Martha (at WARM beach) this weekend Fellas.
I woke up to 18 degrees and 3" of powdered snow on my deck.
The fishes ain't a gonna like this. Don't come East this weekend.

FF why do you want to go there. They haven't planted it yet and from what I here the fishing hasn't picked up yet as it is cold over here also. 27 yesterday. Heck it even snowed last night. Just keep tying all those good flies that you tie. I won't make it over that way till it warms up alittle more. These old bones need just alittle more sun light. Jim S.

Hey Zen. Didn't mean to expose you today. Luckily, I don't think that many of the guys in the club know this site. Speaking of clubs, you should join me in that trip to the lake in a couple of weeks. Its the 23rd and 24th of the month. It is actally considered an outing, but I doubt I'll get more than a handfull of people coming along. Vern's got me in charge of the thing. Maybe you can bring along a "Powerbugger!" and show the club what's up!

Tyler,

I did a worm fly for a BC fly swap... but will leave the power bugger for someone else to invent.

Jim Lemert did a deer hair yellow rubber duckie years ago. Guess every body has to do something odd.

You should drag crowds of people to other lakes.. and not this one. Take them into Dusty.. or some other lake that requires a little walk. Harris for that matter. Let them slog through sand.

I tied a super looking worm fly too,with some "made for worms" chinelle I got up in BC. Now
to find some place it works. Tried it several times with no result. Maybe Chopaka? One time up there I threw a worm in from a mudpuddle and waz surprized to see a 16"er dart in and grab it.
Snuck out to a walk in lake in the Potholes yesterday. Nice calm morning but cold. Water waz 1 degree colder than when I waz there two weeks ago. You'd think we were heading for winter.
I dredged up 4 in 4 hours with bloodworms. Then walked to another lake nearby and got in on what started to be a hot chironomid bite around 2 PM (in 38 degree water). I had landed 4 to 16" in 1/2 hour when the wind came up 30-35MPH and put an end to everything.
Now the weather forecast looks like we been sentenced to Lower Slobovia.Don't know when I'll get out again.

FF - Thanks for the info. I didn't like the water temp though, same as when I was over the first of March. I was hoping for heat wave to kick it up to the mid 40's. May rethink my trip this weekend.

Glad you picked up a few.

Zen,
I truely appreciate your words of wisdom on powerbait, it seems as you are truely the zen master, to be a master you need to try and understand all types of your chosen hobby. I try to fish as many different ways that I can, but the old shoulders can't take the constant casting anymore, so I've regressed to a bait fisher. If anyone is interested in learning the finer art of powerbait fishing, I would be more than happy to teach them all that I can. This offer in from the heart and not advisarial (spelling).
And conservation, I do know what that means, as I work for a local conservation district, I am now the water quality coordinator/ Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program coordinator, also I have 10 years experience in salmon habitat restoration, (just so you all can see I'm not someone who does not understand conservation).
By the way I have won 5 fishing derbies using powerbait, the largest fish in those derbies was 28" and weighed 3pounds 8 oz. I wish you all well and hope that you all continue to enjoy this great sport in whatever manner you want to.
Banock