Title sums it up. I’m working on a job with a sweet little 3 acre  backwater pond to a bigger pond /lake. This is absolutely black water also. It’s about 2 feet deep at the shore line. I seen my blades coming and picked them up just before the retaining wall. Big wake came out from under the dock right as I picked it up. Scared the crap out of me when he popped his head up about 5 feet away and looked at me.  Boy am I glad I didn’t catch it. It’s amazing they can hunt in that black water. Cool story now, since it ended well. 

They are a big hazard/nuisance here in Minnesota. They are our state bird and unfortunately, people try to feed them and so they approach boats, lures, etc. Many close calls on my end from tubes to chatterbaits. Known many people that have caught them and it is nasty/dangerous to unhook them. 

15 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

They are a big hazard/nuisance here in Minnesota. They are our state bird and unfortunately, people try to feed them and so they approach boats, lures, etc. Many close calls on my end from tubes to chatterbaits. Known many people that have caught them and it is nasty/dangerous to unhook them. 

I know I've bounced a crankbait off the head of one...he came up just as my crank was about to hit the water...perfect timing.

I've had them swim right around me while wade fishing for brown trout in spring.  Freaks me out.

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

I've had them swim right around me while wade fishing for brown trout in spring.  Freaks me out.

I bet. 

 

Looks like a big black, butterball turkey when they swim underwater. I have to watch out for otters.

I had one shoot out from under my boat on Table Rock after my jerkbait, scared me and both my buddies. Water was really clear, about 10' visibility, so it was just this massive black and white think moving at Mach speed through the water towards my jerkbait. Thankfully I yanked it out of the water before he caught it.