June 6th 2018

Three generations in the boat today with Irving, his son Eric and grandson Aiden. I hoped for a nicer start but the cold front continued! Air temps were about 55 degrees and the water was barely 58 when we started. Add to that a cold north wind and you have about the worst conditions for this time of the year. I don’t think they were ready for this either as they were way under dressed! All three came in shorts and sandals! Ouch!

We launched regardless but I remained close to the take off as I was sure we would be heading back. With lines in, I trolled several areas and despite seeing plenty of fish on the sonar, most were reluctant to eat. We picked up a few small bass but the walleye were not cooperating! One fish here & there was all we could manage in these conditions and the wind wasn’t making boat control easy either. Luckily we did have a triple header though that ended in 2 pike and another small bass!

I moved over a bunch of rocks on flats, covering water as much as I could to hook up. Some small walleye & bass were boated and something huge hooked into. Eric did battle with a heavyweight for a few minutes and I even had to back up on it to regain all the line he lost! As I was pretty sure what had happened, I wasn’t too excited! When we caught up to his fish and got over it, all it wanted to do was go back to the bottom. Eventually the hooks just pulled out and the battle was over. This had snagged sturgeon written all over it!

By now everyone was starting to show signs of freezing causing me to rethink where to go next. Irving was even talking about going home! I suggested that they call for more clothing and they agreed. Irving’s wife would deliver a care basket of warm clothes for them to wear.

With limited time to fish before her arrival, I headed out further to a reef nearby to try our luck. Almost immediately they were into a walleye but it was barely 15 inches and released. We fished all over this place and never had another hit! I shifted to another shoal closer to the ramp and barely had time to fish it before we got the call. Back we went!

The clothes were a welcomed gift as Irving was starting to shiver and the others weren’t very comfortable either. With everyone better dressed now, I decided to make a big move, making a long run to an area that had been producing the last few trips. It was here that the day was to begin!

I set the lines and began trolling over deeper water, looking for the larger fish. First reel to go proved to be a nice sized northern and the largest, so far today. Aiden was quick to take the rod again and fight yet another fish! We continued the troll after releasing his catch and covered more water, in search of others. Although several more fish were landed, I just wasn’t feeling good about this section and decided to relocate after about an hour.

With the damp air and temps still pretty cold, I wasn’t sure whether to stay deep or move shallower. The fish just weren’t very active again and you could see this by the way they were striking the baits. We really needed the sun! I trolled over to slightly shallower water and intercepted several more fish along the way. Most were pike but Aiden did manage to land the largest walleye so far this season. I knew by the way it was staying deep that it wasn’t another pike and told him to play it with more finesse. Fortunately we were able to get it boat side and into the net. What an absolute beast! Several good pics were taken and then she was released back to where she belonged.

In the next hour or so there were plenty more pike landed but I really wanted to get them a few walleye to take home, for their dinner tonight. I pulled the plug on this area and made a move to hopefully warmer water. This place hadn’t even reached 59 degrees and had lost temp just since the weekend!

The last spot of the day was a little warmer and at 61 degrees, it should be productive! It didn’t take long for the first reel to scream and Aiden landed another northern. We continued trolling and the next fish was just what we were looking for. A high end keeper walleye made its way into the livewell and we looked for more. Between a mix of pike & walleye, the reels fired often, but unfortunately the walleye were all overs. I stayed a little longer than the determined departure time and fortunately put another couple of keepers into the box. It gave them enough fish for dinner tonight!

Despite the slow start to the day with everyone being cold, we rallied to end it with a bang! Many fish were landed and some pretty good ones at that. Aiden even managed to boat the largest walleye by a customer this season! We left the area and headed back to the ramp, completely satisfied with the results today. Another great day of fishing and another high numbers day!!

June 5th 2018

James and his son Jay were with me today, looking to get into some pike on the fly! They wanted a slightly later start and we met up before 10:00, hoping to hook into a few toothy critters.

Conditions had changed considerably since the weekend and a cold front had arrived yesterday with lots of rain. Today didn’t look any better either! Light rain and temps that wouldn’t even reach 60 degrees were forecasted. I just hoped they would bite!

We made a long run to start, with the winds finally in our favor. They had turned into a SW and were blowing 10 to 20 knots. At least they were out of the right direction, for a change! With fly rods in hand, I showed them what we were going to do and they were happy to try something new. High density sinking lines would be used to troll the flies I had just tied. I also made up a bunch of single strand titanium leaders to ensure no fly loss. In the past I had donated many a fly to the pike and hoped, not to do that again!

I was shocked but not really surprised to see that the water was down to 58.5 degrees at the start. It had climbed all the way up to 64 on Sunday when I was out last and dropped again. Back to a slower troll and short strikes!

It took a little longer than I had expected for the first fish to get hooked but not before a few strikes were missed. They definitely were short striking the flies! James eventually landed his first ever pike and although not the size I had hoped for, it took the skunk out of the boat. His second fish wasn’t long after and this one was actually hooked in the back. I guess the fish missed the fly completely and got pinned anyway. Several other short strikes occurred before they managed another pike as the action wasn’t fast & furious. I wanted to see if it was just the flies and dropped one of the lures down on a rod to find out. I don’t think it was in the water for 2 minutes before the reel fired. Jay was happy to take the rod as this was his first pike as well. We decided to reset the rod after the release and ran 3 lines to try for more hookups.

Between the conventional tackle and the fly rods we managed to get into several other northerns and Jay even landed his first walleye too. It was a mix of lines getting the bites but we were still having plenty of misses on all of them. The pike really didn’t seem to be eating very well with the this cold front. In fact a few other fish were also landed, foul hooked! This was the most I had ever seen in one day!

After a quick break for a late lunch, I decided to make a short move to another area nearby. I wanted to see if anything was active in shallower water. It was here that they managed to get into more pike on the fly as well as the lure. I now knew there were active fish willing to bite so I pulled the hard bait for a while, increasing their chances with the fly rods. Both James & Jay began hooking up regularly now and the numbers started to climb. The last couple of hours saw more action and they were both having a great time landing fish. Jay even managed to beat his father with the numbers and apparently that doesn’t usually happen!

They were scheduled for a 4:00 pick up at the dock, so we called it a day about 15 minutes before to ensure they were there on time. Although the day may not have met up to my standards, they thought it was great. In their words, it was the best trip they had ever had! I can only imagine what they would have thought, if it were sunny and warmer! Regardless, there were still plenty of fish landed and an equal amount either lost or just missed. They even learned a new technique with fly rods that might just come in handy back in Alabama where they live. They worked hard for each and every fish today, but they were definitely rewarded for their efforts. Tough conditions but good day in the end!

June 3rd 2018

Another day, another ton of fish! Stephane finally made it out with his kids today and despite the terrible conditions, they had a blast. He also brought along his brother Alex who had never fished before. I definitely had my work cut out for me!

Winds were out of the E/NE when we dropped the boat in and they were blowing! Sustained 15 knot with gusts upwards or over 25 knots made for a real roller coaster. Boat control was going to be an issue but I set the lines and hoped for the best.

I hit some waypoints close to the ramp, but in 30 minutes, they had only landed a few small fish, trolling. I knew I had to make a run and it wasn’t going to be easy. With wind against current the lake was rolling pretty good. Thankfully we were in a big boat as we headed across to the next spot.

We arrived safely and amazingly the water seemed better! I decided to give it a try and reset the four lines to troll again. I had started further away and up wind of the spot I wanted to fish just so I could troll comfortably downwind. As I approached the area I wanted, a down rod fired and one of the kids got to battle a fat walleye. Although it was in the slot, barely, I decided to release her due to how large she actually was. I’m not sure if it was George or Michael as they were difficult to tell apart. At only 4 & 5 years old, they looked so much alike and also dressed quite similar. Regardless, things were starting to look up as we had several more fish on in the next 15 minutes and they were all large. Steph’s other son, either George or Michael, fought a decent northern with a little help from his dad. They now officially both had decent fish and I knew there were going to be many more!

I trolled my way over to the better area slowly, all the while picking at fish along the way. Pike were being landed and there were lots! In fact, Steph and his brother even got a chance to land a few of their own! There was really no bad area, just some better than others! I had a good spread of depths running and every rod was going off. All we were missing were a few doubles!

I eventually made it to where I wanted and George & Michael were into fish often now. They were taking turns reeling them in and there were many! So many in fact that Steph & Alex even got a few turns! The bites were fast & furious and the reels were really howling when they fired! They both landed enough fish that it tired them out, causing both to take naps. I guess I broke two more! This worked out perfectly as now Steph and his brother could land a bunch of their own!

In the next hour or so, during nap time, there were many pike caught & released. There was even a double header on walleye too! Steph landed a really nice over and Alex managed to finally put one in the well for them to bring home. With the kids sleeping they were really able to focus on their fishing and enjoyed every minute of the downtime! Eventually they both awoke and it was back to business. It was also off to the shore as one of them had to take care of business!

We broke for a late lunch after they returned and took a few minutes to relax and eat. Once done, I decided to run to an area I was saving for the afternoon bite. I also wanted both kids to land some bigger fish and knew it would happen here!

Lines all in and a couple of minutes later, one of the long lines fired. Big fish on and Michael was battling a nice northern. He struggled somewhat but with the help of his dad was able to bring it to net. It was definitely his biggest fish ever and pics were in order. Back she went and we did too! George was soon to fight one of his own when another reel started screaming. He too required a little help from dad but did most of the work himself. With both kids landing personal bests it was now time for more rotation.

For the next couple of hours the action was almost nonstop with fish after fish coming to net. Most were pike but a couple of big walleye were also landed making this a great day for all. The winds may not have been cooperative but by relocating I was able to find fishable areas. Boat control was still difficult at times but we made it work! After we got one of the boys into another quality pike, we decided to call it a day. They had all landed more fish than they could have imagined and were ready to go.

I’m not sure what they enjoyed more, the fishing or the boat ride! The run back was a little bumpy and they loved it the whole way! I on the other hand was just trying to keep us dry and not pound the boat in the rollers. I was riding the waves due to the wind direction. Fortunately with only a little splashing, we arrived without incident.

Steph’s two sons were great today and lasted the whole time without getting bored. I guess that’s what happens when you’re catching lots of big fish! I don’t even think their father expected it to go so long. He would have been happy just getting to noon! I believe that this won’t be the last time I see them as they just had a great time catching.

This is without a doubt the best time of the season to introduce kids into fishing. The number of fish being caught, even on difficult days, is absolutely incredible! They definitely don’t lose interest as there is very little downtime! Father’s day is just around the corner and what a better way to spend it than fishing with your kids. Open days are still available! Just saying!!

June 2nd 2018

Well the fishing just keeps getting better with the water temps on the rise. Peter & his son John experienced another spectacular day, filled with both size and numbers. We started out with a bunch of walleye, trolling over post spawn flats and boated a good number of keepers. As they wanted to bring some home for dinner, I put several into the livewell for them to take.

The winds were out of the north when we started so I tried not to run very far. I knew the waves would be building during the day and remained close by and on the fish. Peter’s son was having the time of his life, reeling in more fish than he ever could have imagined. Although mostly walleye, there were a few pike & bass caught too. These flats become occupied by many different species as they recuperate from spawning and catching a mix is not uncommon. Although we were targeting the walleye and there were many, we did manage to land some other fish as well.

As the morning passed, I decided to make a long run to another area to try and get them into some bigger pike & walleye. They both liked the thought of battling something larger and welcomed the idea too. We were going with the wind and the waves didn’t seem too bad when we began. As we got out into the middle of the lake they were somewhat larger but John was having a blast. He not only got to fish, but the roller coaster ride was like icing on the cake!

I was pleasantly surprised to see that when we arrived, the winds were all but gone. It seemed that we were in an area that wasn’t really affected and wave height was minimal. I knew we were going to crush the fish now!

With three lines set, it didn’t take long for the first reel to fire. As usual, John was right there waiting for the handoff and was now fighting a much bigger fish. I removed the other lines and put the motor in neutral to lessen the strain of him reeling it in. I think he was quite surprised to see the size of the pike and after removing the mess of hooks from the net, we shot multiple pics, quickly. He was struggling to hold it with the boga and we needed to get her back in the lake!

I reset all the lines and continued our troll, but not for long! Almost immediately we had another reel go off and guess who was right there to take the rod? If Peter was to get any chance at landing a fish we were going to need another double and his wish was immediately granted. A second rod got hit and now they were both doing battle. Both fish were pike and a decent size too! As I was hoping for some bigger walleye, I released the fish quickly and resumed trolling the area. I knew they were here but the pike were so aggressive that they were getting to the lures first!

After many, many more fish, we finally hooked into a big eye and it wasn’t to be the last. Both Peter & his son managed a bunch more, along with, oh so many pike! It seemed like the ratio was about five to one! Their numbers climbed rapidly and somewhere around 3:30, they decided to call it a day. I just think they were exhausted!

Peter was hoping to catch some fish today, but never expected this many! The action was literally nonstop, all day long. If we went 5 minutes between bites, I wondered why! They not only had the best day of fishing of their lives but they were taking a limit of walleye home to eat. Fresh fish of the day would be compliments, of them!

I always love having people out like this that have struggled in the past to catch a few fish. It only shows them the potential that our waters actually have. Today was just another lesson in fish catching 101 and it was spectacular! In the days to come, it should be equally as good with the post spawn fish feeding and high numbers are expected each & every outing. Take advantage of the weeks to come if you want to have the time of your life! You won’t be disappointed!!

May 29th 2018

Paul was with me today all the way from France. Despite the bad start to his vacation, with the airlines losing everyone’s luggage, today would be different. In fact, the airline never even loaded the luggage! Called it a computer glitch! Uh Huh!

He started the day off with a bang as his first fish was the elusive musky. We were trolling over pike & walleye areas when it hit, but things would change quickly. The next dozen or so were the northerns I was after and rods were firing off rapidly. I had started out with one deep & one mid rod but soon changed to both deep diving when this was the only line getting bit! Immediately we were firing the two simultaneously! At one point it was just ridiculous as every time one ripped so did the other. I had found the fish quickly and it was due to the water temps. This was the first time all year that I was actually fishing in an area over 60 degrees. In fact it was almost 63 degrees and the fishing showed it too!

Paul was also hoping for a walleye to add to his firsts and I knew it wouldn’t be a problem. Although we had to filter through a ton of pike, he finally managed to get his wish! He reeled in a nice sized over and several pics were shot before the release. He also managed to get a few more nice ones along with plenty of other pike too! Most of the northerns were on the smaller side and were getting to be a bit of a pain so I decided on a move. I wanted him to at least have a shot at some better ones, as well as some more walleye. Off we went to the next spot!

After a long run, I set up in cooler water and mirror like conditions. Water temps were slightly less, but I knew it wouldn’t matter. The last couple of times here the fishing was great and today should be no different. With two deep lines set, it took about three minutes for the first reel to scream. This time the pike was substantially larger than the ones earlier and provided him with a better fight. Too bad these things like to roll because it ended quickly when it wrapped in the line. Oh she had plenty of fight left but decided to wait until in the net to go ballistic! Always a challenge to untangle in a rubber net too! Still a nice fish and the largest pike so far. Several other equally large ones were also landed in the next couple of hours, along with some really quality eyes. This place seemed to put out bigger fish and despite the slow bites, it was worth staying and waiting for the hits. We remained here until about 2:30 and then headed closer to the take out area to fish.

It may have been a scorcher when we were trolling but jackets were required during the run. Surface water temps still remain cool and the effect is definitely felt at high speeds! They quickly came off though once we came to a stop to fish! I set up a couple of mid running lures on spinning rods and started the troll over these shoals. I was now in walleye territory and assured him that there should be no more pike! First fish however was a pre spawn bass that apparently liked the area as well. As this was also a first for Paul, he thoroughly enjoyed the strength of the smallie! I told him that he would have to come back later in the season if he wanted more, as the season was still closed. Too bad others don’t practice this as well! I’ve seen way too many people targeting both smallmouth and largemouth bass lately! Quebec still doesn’t have a Catch & Release Season people!

Although the bass was a welcomed treat for Paul I was after walleye and after being released, we got right back at it. In the next hour he managed to land a half dozen nice keeper sized eyes that all got released. I wasn’t bringing anything back today and neither was he. There were even a couple of heavier fish that came unpinned during the battle that I was sure were large walleye. Oh well, it happens!

We eventually pulled the plug on the day after a little incident of a line tangle in the main engine prop. I never like taking chances with braid getting in behind the prop and chewing up the seals. Time to limp back to the dock to take out!

Paul’s day started with a bang and got even better as it went on. He landed more fish than he’s ever done before and to say he was happy would have been an understatement. He left one happy camper!

I expect similar or even better days in the next few weeks as the water continues to warm and fish become more active. With open days available, this is definitely the time to take advantage of the great fishing. Not much boat traffic on the lakes now make it even more enjoyable!!