fishing reports

[West Branch]

Third year in a row we did lake of the woods on labor day weekend. Filled our limit and in the last half hour had 4 nice ones in the slot.

 

[West Branch]

What's the trolling speed in that last pic?

Around 20 :D (lines aren't out). That pic is the mouth of the Rainy River where it enters 4 mile bay. Need to get up there for some sturgeon fishing in the spring on of these years.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Dang your picture made me hungry! Good thing its almost supper time.

 

[gunther89]

I think I gotta get out a few weekends for fishing before the rut gets here. I know the wife would be happy! lol

 

[BJE80]

Had some luck tonight. 13 gills in the live well and this guy still swimming

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bat man]

Just under 50 panfish today. Mostly gills. Great day on the water.

How much fish do you guys eat in the winter?

 

[foggy]

Finally caught some walleye the other night on Gull. Been s l o w all summer. Maybe the fall bite is on. More fishing activity on the lake now. Strangely, no fishing pressure all summer. The water is clear....like gin.

 

[Freeborn]

Finally caught some walleye the other night on Gull. Been s l o w all summer. Maybe the fall bite is on. More fishing activity on the lake now. Strangely, no fishing pressure all summer. The water is clear....like gin.

Have they found zebra mussels on Gull yet? They are on Pelican and they make the water very clear. Pelican was always a very clean lake (all underground steam fed) which makes fishing more difficult. Pelicans a much better spring or fall fishing lake for Walleye and decent for large-mouth in the summer.

 

[foggy]

^ Yep. Got Zebes here just about the time I bought my lot. The water has gotten much clearer on Gull as a result. Amazing clarity. The eyes are there....but harder to catch now.

 

[bueller]

Full moon coming this weekend. I remember reading somewhere that a majority of fish in the record books where caught during the full moon period. Does anybody believe in the theory full moon theory? Weather is finally stabilizing and the forecast looks great for catfishing after dark.

 

[shawnv]

I've done really well when on days where the full moon is rising about an hour before dark in May and June. It's also a good time to use lighted slip bobbers for walleye this month in the clear water lakes with good action up until 1am.

 

[bueller]

How about bait mate? Anybody use it? The local guides have been pushing the heck out of this stuff the last couple years now. Normally I don't buy into this type of hype but the water is very stained here so I can see how extra scent may help.

 

[wiscwhip]

Bueller or badger, either of you troll the Rock for walleyes at all?

 

[bueller]

Bueller or badger, either of you troll the Rock for walleyes at all?

I've got the gear and have given it a shot a couple times but really don't have the time for it. Right now my boatmates think it's "boring".

 

[wiscwhip]

Right now my boatmates think it's "boring".

I am thinking by the phrase "boatmates" you are referring to family and kids, if not, those you are referring to must have never fished for salmon on Lake Michigan. That said, we used to hammer them trolling crankbaits this time of year. Best part was, it wasn't just walleyes on the bite, we caught some of the largest crappies of the year while trolling and drifting with nightcrawlers. Jumbo perch and the occasional northern as well.

 

[wiscwhip]

We don't have the gear plus that doesn't interest me much.

The lack of "interest" is obviously a personal choice thing any way you look at it, but "gear", if you have a boat, a fishing rod, and a few crankbaits, you have all the "gear" you need to troll for 'eyes. The whole downrigger/outrigger thing is WAAAAYYYYY overrated, you can fill a livewell by just longlining straight behind the boat if you know what you are doing, done it many, many times over the years. Having a rod holder or two does come in handy at times though.

 

[bueller]

I am thinking by the phrase "boatmates" you are referring to family and kids, if not, those you are referring to must have never fished for salmon on Lake Michigan. That said, we used to hammer them trolling crankbaits this time of year. Best part was, it wasn't just walleyes on the bite, we caught some of the largest crappies of the year while trolling and drifting with nightcrawlers. Jumbo perch and the occasional northern as well.

Yep. Swimming and tubing currently take precedence over trolling. When I do pull cranks I usually put a few fish in the boat fairly quickly. As you said it's fun because until you get the fish to the boat you really have no idea what it will be as trolling out here seems to catch a little bit of everything.

 

[bueller]

Anybody been hitting the water this spring? We went out last Saturday targeting eater size channel cats for the freezer. Got our two man limit (10 per person) pretty easily in about 3 hours. Going back at it this weekend, hopefully we can tie into at least one of the bigger girls 10+ lbs.

 

[bigbendmarine]

Anybody been hitting the water this spring?

Went out late April in hopes my favorite species to target had arrived, and thankfully it had!





Fishing bud I took out on the same trip put this iridescent and toothy king on ice.



Also had this happen... check out the boil on the water a second or two after the goliath makes his first swipe at the small gag grouper. Wish camera had given the full view of the goliath that I had with my own eyes... it earned the "goliath" name.

 

[Eggman]

You had a good day Bigbendmarine!