White river report

In anticipation of a busy time cleaning up my shop to prepare for the upcoming Lapel Village Fair and my open house this weekend, I grabbed a couple of dozen night crawlers and hit White river at Perkinsville. I went at about 2:30 pm, not exactly the best time to fish, but after I ran through my night crawlers, my arm was sore. Though the smallmouth were not that big, about one Or two pounds, but in the clear water, they fought like tigers and my ultralight made them seem even bigger. All were released to return to the river which is rapidly disappearing. The drought is concentrating the fish into the pools which remain. The water is very warm and there is a tremendous bloom of algae and the temperature is reducing the oxygen levels. Recently there has been reported a fish kill at the Patoka river in southern Indiana. One or two inches of rain will not help much. In the meantime fishing is good. I haven't caught any big ones lately, but I saw a couple of big guys at Lafayette trace the other day. It is nice to see the fish. In the clear water. I have also been seeing lots of soft-shell turtles and snappers in Stony creek. The only interesting birds lately are lots of cedar waxwings along the river and even in Lapel. I did hear a yellow billed cuckoo, the commonly named rain crow, but he had little to say. Today I spiffed up the Shop and got ready to display my handmade rustic bentwood willow furniture this weekend during my open house. I will be joined by leatherworker Joe Green and printmaker Bruce Neckar and whoever else is lured by the prospect of free beer. Please come out and see us!