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July 25th 2018

 

Cameron & Andy had the pleasure today of fishing for something new. Being from Africa, they were use to saltwater fish and were looking forward to catching a few new species. I knew they wouldn’t be disappointed!

We hooked up at the usual 7:00 time and headed out in a big SE wind. It was also blowing three footers directly on the ramp, making for a tricky launch! The run to our fishing area wasn’t too bad, even with the big waves. This Ranger really makes for a great ride!

I set the lines and gave the usual orientation on rod removal and began the troll. Within 3 minutes they both had landed their first northern and they were well on their way to another freshwater slam! Andy had flown all the way from Africa to visit his friend Cameron that now lived close to Toronto. They were staying in Montreal for a few more days and then heading back to Ontario to where Cameron lived for a couple more weeks. I wanted to make sure they landed as many fish as they could and trolled through all kinds of great looking water to do it.

Although they had now landed many northerns, I was still searching for some quality walleye for them to catch. The waves were pretty good with these big winds and I thought this would make it even better. I finally hit on an area that began producing fish and some pretty good ones at that. In no time they both managed to bring several nice over eyes in the boat but all were released due to their size. I had hoped to get couple of keepers for them to bring home but continued to hook up on only larger fish. Not a bad problem to have!

After countless fish throughout the morning, the overcast skies finally gave way to some sunshine in the afternoon. This also helped the fishing somewhat as they were finally able to put a couple of keeper walleye in the livewell for their dinner tonight. Along with these walleye, they still continued catching much bigger ones too and Cameron completed his slam by landing a huge largemouth bass as well. He had never seen one other than in magazines and on TV and was really happy to finally catch one this size. While trying to take pics of his fish, we had a little fire drill with multiple rods going off. So much so that I had to put the largie in the livewell, just to net all the fish they were catching. Each time I managed to get the lines back in, another reel fired and I had to wait again. Nobody seemed to mind as they caught 6 more fish in about 5 minutes time! Eventually I was finally able to take a few pics and he released the bass afterwards.

Andy had wanted to try for some smallies late in the afternoon and after many more pike & walleye, we switched it up. I headed closer to shore where I knew they would be able to get into some decent fish and they weren’t disappointed. Despite the overcast that had returned, I was able to find what I was looking for and they threw soft plastics for the fish in this area.

Cameron was the first to hook up but unfortunately the fish had all the control. After a couple of jumps it finally bounced off the big engine and was gone. He realized at that moment that these things were out of control! They weren’t like trolling pike & walleye, they were just mean! Andy had similar results up front when a big one took his bait twice and both times he missed it due to a light hookset. Things could only get better!

We didn’t really have much time left in the day and I wanted both of them to land some of these smallies that they were losing. I instructed them on what to do a little better and made them aware of a solid hookset. Next time the bass hit, they would hopefully keep them pinned!

By covering the water slowly they were both able to get into several of these bronze beauties but still managed to lose more than they hooked. Fortunately some of the better sized ones made their way into the boat before we had to go. Andy landed a couple of really nice ones and Cameron did as well. He even caught another walleye from the same area as an added surprise fish!

Right about 4:00 we called the day and I packed everything up for the run back. It would be a lot more pleasant than this morning as the lake flattened out almost completely. We had a little rain fall earlier and the winds just died afterwards. Smooth riding all the way back to the dock now!

This day was another great one filled with lots of fish and these guys enjoyed themselves immensely! They had caught loads of pike & walleye and slammed on bass in the end. Andy even managed to land a huge perch casting for smallies that gave him another species as well. Overall, they couldn’t have asked for anything more!!

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July 23rd 2018

 

Thomas and his daughter Katie were with me today for another spectacular outing. There were suppose to be three of them but his son decided to remain in bed. Big mistake!

After travelling a good distance in a light chop, I set up the rods and began the troll. It had been so good lately that there was no reason not to. Thomas had caught both pike & walleye before but his daughter was new to this fishing and had not. Within minutes of the lines being set, a reel fired and she had her first Canadian walleye. Not only was it her first, but it was much bigger than anything her father had ever landed before! I held it for her while several pics were taken and then released it back to the water. Nice starter fish!

I was pretty sure we were going to have a great day with overcast skies and a good chop on the water. The reels were firing often throughout the morning with both northerns as well as good walleye being caught. Katie was having a blast reeling in both and many fish too! Although I did have to work a little harder at locating them, they were quite active. Her father also managed plenty of good fish and I think he even landed his largest walleye as well. Katie still had bragging rights with hers though as well as the biggest pike too.

We had trolled for several hours now and were into the afternoon when I decided to switch it up and get them both a slam. I packed away all the rods and pulled out some lighter spinning rods for them to use. Off we went in pursuit of the smallmouth bass!

Katie had caught bass before but only largemouth and was in for a treat. She was about to feel the strength of a bass on steroids! I explained to them what to do with the soft plastics and had them casting over shallow rock flats in search of the brownies.

It didn’t take long before Katie was fighting a nice big bass. I could see by the way she was struggling that this fish was more than she expected. It fought hard and peeled line from the reel several times before I was able to get it in the net. Her first ever smallie and an official slam for her today! I didn’t want to keep the fish out of the water too long as it had swallowed the hook and I had to perform surgery. The technique I have for removal is great but immediate release is imperative! Sorry Katie, no pics this time!

Shortly after the release, Thomas was hit and he too managed to fight a nice smallie of his own. Within 10 minutes of stopping for bass they both had completed their grand slam in Canada! Unfortunately just like his daughters fish, this one had also swallowed the bait and no pics were taken. It didn’t matter though as there were plenty of others to be caught!

I covered the area looking for more and managed to put them on a few other fish. I had also wanted to try another place a little further away and saved enough time for the last spot of the day. Off we went, hoping for bigger and more!

The winds had kicked up some and we were out in the open on this place, fully exposed. I zoned in on the key area and anchored up with the electric motor right where I needed to be. Almost immediately, Thomas was hit and with bent rod once again. He was absolutely loving the bass and landed several more in the time remaining. Katie also landed a few but also lost several others on the hook set. It didn’t matter though as they were having a great time.

Sometime around 3:45, we decided to call it a day and head back to the dock. One last cast and Thomas almost had his final fish of the day. Unfortunately a missed strike had him ending it without. He had caught plenty though and wasn’t disappointed!

Today was not only a great day of fishing but it was an excellent way to introduce Katie into freshwater fishing. She had landed so many fish and had a fantastic time on the water, in the company of her father. I’m sure this experience will have her wanting more father daughter outings for other species as well. She’s already talking about steelhead fishing and I think it will happen pretty soon. Either way, they will always remember the day they both completed their first Canadian Slam!!

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July 22nd 2018

 

Troy was scheduled to fish with me this morning, along with three others. Well let’s just say that he was the only real fisherman in the group! He was flying solo today and it would be a great choice in the end!

We headed out on the water at 7:00 in a bad S/E wind that saw us running in huge waves. I didn’t care though, as long as I could get to where I needed to go! The fish were big and I wanted Troy to experience the best fishing he had ever seen.

Once we arrived, I set the lines and kept the two other rods nearby as spares, for when we needed them. One minute in the first reel fires and hard! He reels in the first northern of the day and it’s a biggun! I toss another line in quickly and take a few pics before getting back to business. Soon after the reel goes off and this time it’s a big walleye. As soon as it’s in the net, I reset another line and continue fishing as I take more pics of his catch. By always having two lines wet, we were able to monopolize on the limited amount of time we would have today.

Troy couldn’t believe the fishing so far but I knew it was going to get even better! I was hoping to get him a slam today and would save some time near the end to get him a smallie or two, if needed.

As we continued our troll, reels were firing every few minutes. He was bringing in walleye after walleye until he had something jump behind the boat. It didn’t look like a pike and for a very good reason! He had managed to catch a nice largemouth and this gave him the slam I had hoped for too! More pics and back she went. This was proving to be a great day so far!

Sometime mid morning the rain began to fall and the winds picked up slightly, causing the fish to become more active. Hard to believe but it was true! When the next reel fired and he was tight to a big eye, again, the other rod also howled giving us a double. I told him to concentrate on one fish at a time and I just left it in the holder. After I netted his fish, he grabbed the other line and boated yet another huge walleye. He somehow managed to get his own double header and they were both big fish. I quickly set the other two rods and began taking a few pics when one of the reels screamed again. This was chaos at its finest! After he released the pair of walleye he grabbed the rod and brought another golden beauty to net one more time. As fast as I could get the lines in the water, he was fighting more Walters!

We fished through the morning in a light rain, all the while hooking into quality fish. Most of them were big walleye but he did manage to catch two high end keepers that were going back with him for a nice dinner tonight. Along with all the big walleye there were plenty of northerns as well as one more good largemouth bass. He had never caught these before and now he had landed two of them! This was an absolutely insane fishing day with very little down time . Troy managed to catch all kinds of big fish with the majority being gold. I think he found the pot at the end of the rainbow!

Right before 11:30 and after several more fish, we packed up and headed back to take out. I knew the ride back was not going to be pretty but took the waves like a sailboat to arrive at the dock. I had also given a set of keys to Don before leaving this morning and was happy to see my trailer in the water awaiting our arrival. In seconds we were out!

Today couldn’t have gone any better for Troy after finding out he was flying solo. I guess he was lucky, as it just meant more fish for him in the end. This was like the Olympics of walleye fishing and he was the only one competing. He finished the day with plenty of gold medals!!

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July 21st 2018

 

Alyssa was back with me again today and this time she was with Yanick. He also brought his two sons, Henri & Jacob and all of them were in for a surprise. I don’t think they were expecting to catch as many fish as they would see today!

We headed out shortly after 7:00 and straight to our first spot, hoping for a few quick bites. The boys were really excited about catching fish as I set the lines and explained how it would work. We were once again trolling as this had been the most productive method lately and there were too many bodies in the boat to be casting today.

We hadn’t gone 3 minutes when a reel fired and Jacob had his first northern of the morning. With a little help from his father, he managed to bring the pike to net. A few pics later it was released and shortly after, Henri too had his first pike of the trip. Although both fish were small, I knew there were going to be much bigger throughout the day!

The bite wasn’t a great one this morning but I did manage to find fish here & there keeping it interesting. Somewhere around the third or fourth rotation, I decided to try another area and made my way to deeper water. Almost on cue, one of the reels screamed and Yanick grabbed the rod from the holder. This was to be our first walleye, but unfortunately it wasn’t a keeperr. In fact, it was way over the legal slot size! It did however make for a great pic before releasing it back to the water. As quick as she was back, another reel went off and simultaneously a second one as well . We had a double header and they were both good walleye! Once again though, they were overs and only pics were had!

Things were looking up after the last couple of fish as I continued trolling the deeper water, searching for more. We were now firing reels often with a mix of fish species and everyone was getting a chance to fight more fish. The bite stayed good for a while and I remained in the area taking advantage of it while it lasted.

The temps had risen during the morning and the little wind we had disappeared, making it a whole lot hotter than I liked. Time to raise the roof and enjoy the comfort of the shade! With the bimini up, we continued trolling the same areas, picking up fish frequently. A couple of other boats were also in the area and it was starting to be difficult to remain on the spot, so I just trolled out of it completely. I had other places to fish and didn’t need the traffic!

I realized quickly that this was the right decision when the reels began to fire again. We had multiple doubles and a triple, that ended in another double. Both walleye and pike were being taken and some of them quite large! It was definitely not a good day for keepers! So far all they could get was one upper end slot fish, but had landed so many more! This didn’t look like it was about to change anytime soon either as the bite just got better when the wind picked up. It was blowing pretty good out of the S/SE and the fish were on fire. each time we had a reel rip, it was almost always a double. Big pike & bigger walleye were getting caught and returned immediately after. The fishing was just unbelievable! They were landing more fish than they ever could have imagined!

It was later in the afternoon and the fish were still pretty active, but not quite as much as before. I now had to work the areas a little more to get bit. It didn’t matter though as the numbers were already pretty high and anything else was just a bonus. Eventually I dropped the roof and readied the boat for the return, all the while keeping the lines wet. After a few more fish, we pulled the plug and headed back. It was almost 3:00 and I wasn’t sure how bad the dock would be to take out. The SE wind would be blowing right on the ramp and I didn’t know what to expect!

As luck would have it, The waves weren’t too bad and I had a spot immediately. Within minutes we were off the water and done for the day! They had all experienced some great fishing and I’m pretty sure they will be talking about this day for a while. Not only did they catch all kinds of big fish but in the end they also managed to take 3 keepers home with them for a pretty good meal. All in all I think today was a success! Plenty of numbers, size and enough fish for dinner tonight! Great day for fishing!

 

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July 18th 2018

 

After countless Emails to juggle a scheduled date, Mark & I were finally able to make it work! He brought along a couple of friends/co workers and we hit the water by 7:00 this morning. When asked what they wanted to fish for, their reply was, « anything that is biting »! I love those answers too!

I was going to start out by trolling for walleye & pike and see how it went before making any alternate decisions or changing up. It had been really good lately and I hoped it still was as two of the three had never fished for either of these species, being from Florida.

I set the rods and they were in awe at how I trolled on this water. In fact, they said they might even give it a go back home next time they encounter similar conditions! With rods in & lines set, we awaited our first rip!

I had gone about ten minutes without a strike and wondered if the cold front and NW winds had something to do with it. The water had muddied up some as well and temps had fallen to 72 degrees. I covered plenty of good water before I finally heard that lovely sound and we officially had the first pike of the day! It took a while before we managed the second one, but when we did, it was a double header! One nice northern and a good eye were what they landed and now our confidence was building.

We trolled over all kinds of depths looking for active fish but the bites were only here & there. I couldn’t get a handle on their location or they just weren’t very active, yet! Eventually I moved to slightly deeper water and changed my trolling direction and this is when our success also changed! I had finally cracked the code and big walleye were being landed. In fact, they went three in a row in just seconds apart! We were now landing fish every few minutes and with only one other boat in the area, far away, they had to move on in. Apparently they had seen the net too many times and decided to get theirs. Boy were they in for a surprise!

We were now on good fish and hooking up on a regular basis with both pike & walleye. The other boat however wasn’t as fortunate as they never hooked into a thing. Despite them being almost on top of us at times, I just stayed out of their way and continued firing the reels. Right location, wrong presentation I guess! Eventually they just trolled out of the area in a straight line, barely visible in the distance.

As we were only out for a half day, I really wanted to get them as many fish as I could and made shorter trolls over the most productive areas. Plenty more good walleye & pike were landed in the remaining time and I eventually pulled the lines by 12:15. They had arranged a pick up for 12:30 and I didn’t want their driver to wait.

I don’t think any of them they had expected such a productive morning of fishing. What had started out a little slow, turned full circle when I made a few adjustments. By paying attention to detail I was able to refine a small section that was holding a good number of quality fish. They also got to see just how productive this technique can be and hopefully will be able to utilize it when faced with similar conditions. They left with good intentions of coming back, possibly later in the year. Hopefully when the big sturgeon are biting! Great day of fishing with a big fish bite!!