Any day it's above 70F in late Dec is a gift to take advantage of especially a Christmas one.   I went to Norman(NC) today out of Pinnacle.   They removed the garbage bin and portapotty?   What's up with that?   I've been going there 15+ years and it's always had them.   

I've been fishing another ramp because they were supposed to start construction on west end of 150, but they've rolled back the start date and things cooled down at the other area.

Lots of people taking advantage of the day, not many jet skis, but pontooners were buzzing fishermen and some trying to swim and paddle which is hypothermically risky in 49F water.   

Water was 49-51 and there were large schools of bait and plenty of gulls to dive on them.  The stripers guys were catching either.   I managed ***.5# spot.   They just didn't want to bite - which is not that unusual in southern <50F water.  Too many Christmas cookies?   I was around a bait school and watching fish eating them and I normally could catch them in there, but they'd follow and take a look and not bite it.   Wouldn't even taste it.   I started to think it was the livescope so I shut if off and didn't make any difference.  At one point they were busting around my boat and resisted my offerings.  I felt one, but no hook up.   I tried scent and colors but no dice.   Fish were quite active for the temp with the sun out and moved up to ~6'.   Water is going down but can still launch ok.   Hopefully we'll get a pass for NewYears too to get the skunk out early.

I was doing the annual to get back on the water for New Years day but found the old cloudy/creamy lower unit lube. I'm out of commission til maybe later this week, if he gets all the parts.

I normally do that myself, but the 4 strokes are a little different and I don't have the tools to "operate". Cost for tools which weren't that available pays for the local rebuilders labor. Shipping's been messed up since after XMAS. Hard to get outboard parts on time right now. I was delayed and he was delayed by shipper last week til this week. He called yesterday and needs another part, so who know when? They're only coming from one state over! Could almost walk that fast. It's getting cold again, so maybe a few more weeks, before I'm water "logged".