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A last minute cancellation opened the door for Fang & his family today. Mary and their two children, David & Claire would be with me for a half day of fishing this afternoon. As I was no longer booked in the morning I offered them an 11:00 till 3:30 instead. They gladly agreed to the adjusted time!

We launched the boat right on schedule and soon after were fishing open water for a mix of fish. I figured with this many people in the boat that they would be best to drop shot. After a quick instruction, Claire hooked up on a small walleye. Her brother David was soon to follow with a large perch too. The parents were also getting bites but they were missing their fish on the hookset. Multiple drifts later and only small fish to show for our efforts, I decided a change was in order. The winds started out perfect but had now increased to 15 or 20 knots from the west and I made the move.

Trolling was to be the method now and I began fishing an area I hadn’t been in since June. With all the high water, this place was still looking good! I set the four rods in the holders and began covering water looking for our first bite. Although it took a while to find the fish, I eventually located what I was looking for. The first reel to fire was the long line and Fang was into a nice walleye. I knew the fish still had to be in the area as all the offshore spots weren’t holding them this year! He reeled it in and after a few pics, we put it into the livewell for Claire to keep watch over. I continued the troll and soon after, another walleye was landed by their daughter and things were looking up. We fished the area more and managed another nice eye and a double header on northerns before moving on. They had wanted to get back to drop shotting and I had left about an hour for them to do it.

The run to where I wanted to fish was a little bumpy as the waves had increased to 3 footers while we were gone. I hadn’t noticed this as we were in a somewhat sheltered area where we had been trolling. Although it was rolling, I was still able to get them back on fish in the remaining time we had. I think everyone hooked up in the end and they even had another double of walleye on their last drift.

Although the fishing wasn’t great in the short time out, there were still many fish landed and lost by everyone. Half days are always more difficult as I am limited to certain areas, so as not to waste time running too far. Regardless of the outcome this afternoon, this family had a great time catching fish that they had never seen before. Most of them were fishing for their first time and it was a success! Hopefully they’ll continue the sport on their own when they get back home from their vacation! Good times were had by all today!

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Irwin & Irving joined me this morning and we hit the water just after 8:00, looking for action. Conditions seemed almost perfect with winds out of the west at about 10 knots. We were heading to drop shot open water for sure!

I settled on an area in deeper water and showed them what they needed to do. They were quickly into it with Irwin missing several after they were hooked. It took a while but they finally got the hang of what to do and eventually both were reeling in fish. Walleye and a few bass came to net and some of the eyes went into the livewell for them later.

We made multiple drifts over the areas and despite catching a bunch of fish, eventually pulled the plug and opted for something else. The winds had increased and unlike the 15 knots they had listed, it was closer to 25 in my eyes! I figured it was time to head west and try to escape some of the big blow.

Trolling was on the menu and I prepped everything to be able to set the lines. Although I hadn’t planned on doing this, I am always prepared for anything! With lines in the water, I began covering the area and my waypoints. I think Irwin & Irving were both enjoying what we were doing as it required very little energy on their part. They had also never seen anything like this before and were anxious for the first reel to fire. After about 5 minutes the short line finally went off and it ripped good! Irving was into his first trolled pike and it was a pretty decent one too. Unfortunately it was a little on the slim side, otherwise it may have been closer to the ten pound mark. A few quick pics and it was released.

The trolling bite wasn’t great but we picked at them alright, landing another 3 or 4 fish. One of them was a nice over walleye that may have been Irving’s personal best! We fished until about 3:30 when they finally called it a day. This was originally supposed to be a half day outing but they decided to make it a full day. Neither of them were sure what to expect and didn’t know if they could handle a full day, Apparently they could as they left not showing any signs of being exhausted. At over 70 years a piece, they weren’t any worse for wear!

Although Irwin had fished this lake many times in the years past, he never had much success. Today was the total opposite as they landed more fish than all his years combined! I think he now believes that there are fish in the lake! This may have been the first time they fished with me but I don’t think it will be their last. They’ve sort of gotten the bug again and really enjoyed the catching part instead of just fishing! I hope to see them again this season as the bite will only get better with the cooler days ahead. Fall is always a great time to fish and numbers of big fish are willing to eat. Only time will tell but there’s definitely a good chance it will happen before the season is done. Great guys and great laughs all day!

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August 22nd 2017

The gang was back again today but this time I had four & Don had only one. It seemed that everyone wanted to have a chance at catching their first sturgeon. All but Clayton however as he was happy to be alone, just fishing for bass & walleye.

A later than usual start had us under the wire as there were several storms expected to arrive during the day. We finally got set up in the new area, around 10:00 awaiting our first bite. Although there were fish all around, it took almost 30 minutes before we had an actual bite from a sturgeon. Many nibblers had me checking and adding worms to the hooks prior, as the gobies were like piranhas.

Sam had the honors of battling the beast as I loaded the rod and now they were getting a firsthand look at exactly what to expect. This fish was a bulldog as it remained on the bottom for most of the fight. It lasted almost 20 minutes as well and gave Sam quite the workout! The fish never took to the air but stayed deep making me think he had a really large fish on the end of the line. Eventually he did manage to bring it close and everyone got their first look at a real live dinosaur! It was XXL and the fun was just about to begin! I told Sam that was the easy part, now it was going to get hard! I must admit that it was quite funny to watch as he tried to hoist the beast up for a few pics. In the end, he had to sit for the photos as it was just way too heavy to stand. A great release after and we resumed our quest for another one.

I had hoped to get all four of these guys into a full rotation but the weather wasn’t on our side. The light winds had turned ugly and were now blowing much harder from the south making it tough to stay anchored. For over an hour we battled the conditions and never really felt comfortable in being anchored. The boat was all twisted around and even with the aid of a drift sock, it wasn’t perfect. Eventually the anchor just released and we were now drifting. Time to set up in another location!

I repositioned in another area again in hopes of being able to stay anchored. Although it wasn’t easy, I did manage to keep it stuck and we were able to fish again. I had Anthony and Mat holding their rods and I had the other one in my hand, looking for another fish. We all had plenty of non sturgeon bites that had me re baiting the lines frequently. Just when I wasn’t sure about remaining here, Anthony reeled up on a fish and had a baby sturgeon for his reward. Amazingly enough, it gave quite a struggle as it neared the boat, pulling line from the reel like a big dog. He held it for a few pics but would have rather battled a monster like his uncle had earlier.

For a while we weren’t sure if we would be able to remain here with the strong south winds. There was a storm system coming and it had picked up the blow with the pre frontal conditions. Luckily for us, it stayed mostly north and passed us by with only a little drizzle. In fact, once it was gone, the water flattened out and we were actually able to get the rods back in the rod holders and fish comfortably.

Joe had decided that he was going to let everyone have a shot at the sturgeon first, so Mat was up next. With the conditions almost perfect now, I was sure we would have our chance. One of the rods telegraphed an actual bite and I was on it immediately. I reared back and loaded the rod for Mat to take. He wasn’t sure of the actual size until I realized the line was coming up to the surface and was about to go airborne! We all saw the beast and it was large! It immediately sounded to the bottom again, screaming line from the reel. The fight wasn’t a long one but lasted about 10 minutes and just when he thought it was almost over, the fish went insane again. It leaped and ripped another 75 feet of line from the reel, sounding to the bottom one more time. What comes in, must go out! Mat finally brought his fish close enough for me to net and the battle was officially over. At least the first part! Now he had to hold it and that wasn’t going to be easy!

I prepped the tarp for him this time after realizing I should have done it on the first one. It would be a lot easier on the fish and him as well. He had a little trouble lifting it but with proper instruction, he was able to hold it for several pics before torpedoing it back in the water. Three down, one to go! I had hoped to be able to get into another one foe Joe and reset everything in anticipation of a bite.

We had been anchored for a brief period before I started to see signs of a wind change. It was now starting to blow from the east, signifying another weather change, again! One look at the radar and I knew why! We were going to get crushed in less than 30 minutes and badly. I pulled the lines and cleaned everything up, heading closer to the launch to fish. I also informed Don in the other boat to do the same.

We spent about 5 minutes fishing before we started to hear the thunder in the background. Time to leave! I usually end up running in once the rain hits but this time I was prepared and off the water before anything got really bad. I even had a chance to put everything away properly before the lightning alert siren screamed. It was coming and the lake was starting to disappear! The only thing we saw was a wall of water and huge winds. Everyone was in the truck and safely tucked out of the storm. The waves even got so bad that all we could see were walls of white and the torrential downpour confirmed we had made the right decision.

There’s never any doubt in my mind when I call the day due to storms and this one was very electrical. No fish is worth taking a chance when Mother Nature throws this at you! All of these guys knew the call was the right one and had no problem with the decision either. It poured for quite a while we were sitting comfortably dry in the vehicle. I eventually drove them to a nearby bar where they had a quick drink before calling another cab to take them back to their hotel. Apparently the one they had ordered earlier was too stupid to find their way to the address of the boat ramp. It was over 30 minutes and three conversations with them later that we decided to just go!

Their two days here had proved to be very interesting and although there may not have been that many fish caught, there were some really good ones. They had endured all kinds of weather as well as an eclipse and tasted walleye for the first time. Despite the bizarre weather, we had somehow made it work and their trip was a success. Staying in Montreal was just a bonus as they had access to some of the finest restaurants and took advantage of the great food they had to offer. I’m pretty sure this will become an annual thing as plans of a return trip are already being talked about. Hopefully next year all the stars will align and there will be more and bigger fish landed by all. Either way, we will make it work and everyone will have another great time while here in Montreal!

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A big group today had me requesting the help of Don & his boat. Joe, Sam & Clayton were with me and he had Anthony & Mathew. We hit the water about 8:30 and with the winds looking great, headed to our first spots to fish. I was immediately marking all kinds of fish but for some reason, they weren’t hooking up. Sam did catch a small walleye but it was foul hooked. Clayton was the first to actually hook a keeper and this one went into the livewell for them later. Multiple drifts over this area had similar results and I decided to move quickly to another place nearby.

This new spot had many more fish marking but for some reason, they too were reluctant to bite. Another foul hooked walleye along with a foul hooked carp came in, making me wonder what was going on. I made a pass over the deeper rocks and finally managed to stumble upon several walleye and smallies that actually wanted to eat. We made more drifts over this area and boated several other fish each time. As long as they bit, I kept drifting over the area. Eventually they depleted all the active ones and we pulled out completely and headed to another area further away.

Our next spot was a deep drop that required them casting to open water. I explained how to fish it due to the current and hooked up on a cast presentation. Enough said, time to fish! It took a few casts to fully understand how the baits needed to be retrieved in this current but Sam finally caught on and hooked into a walleye of his own. Several casts later he hooked a smallie and now he knew exactly what to do. Moments later, Joe also hooked a nice smallie and managed to bring it to net. This place had plenty of fish for all of them to get into but it was a small area that required precise casting in order to hit the sweet spot. Unfortunately Clayton was in the back and not able to reach the exact area he needed to throw to. Several more nice walleye and smallies came aboard in the next 30 minutes before we pulled out to meet the other boat for lunch.

Anthony & Mathew had a good morning with Don and managed to catch a number of bass including one really nice one. They also had landed several walleye that were all returned to the water too. It was definitely time for a break and a well deserved one! We drifted slowly while eating and not long after, everyone was recharged and ready to fish again.

I had decided that we were going to try a little trolling so I prepped the boat and set the lines. They had never seen anything like this before and were excited to give it a try. With the chop on the water from the right direction, I was sure it wouldn’t take long! The first reel to fire was a long line and I handed the heavy rod to Joe. He managed to feel the weight and then the line went slack. Very weird as I don’t miss many fish with the rig I was using! We set the rods once again and a little while later, Sam was into a nice northern. I expected more action from the area but wasn’t seeing it. Several smaller fish later, we pulled out and changed up completely. It was looking a little dreary out with the eclipse beginning and I wasn’t sure how it was going to effect the fish. It had obviously had some sort of effect on them earlier however as we had more short rips than actual hook ups while trolling!

I had decided before that I was going to hit a couple of areas that I hadn’t in quite a while and set the lines once again to troll. This was also not great as I had other short rips that turned out to be drive byes too!

In a last attempt at getting into more fish, I pulled the plug on trolling completely and headed back to drop shot. First drift they landed several more small walleye and another smallie but missed more than they caught. One more spot before we called it for the day and a few more fish later we were done.

This day wasn’t what I had expected but there were still plenty of fish caught. Although I would have liked many more, they had put enough eyes in the livewell for a great meal. I had made arrangements at a restaurant and they were going to have walleye for the first time ever. We all piled into my truck and headed home so that I could take care of the fish. A nice cold one was waiting for them while I filleted their fish. Shortly after we were at the restaurant and they were eating the catch of the day! Needless to say, they all loved the tasty appetizers that were prepared and several drinks along with them.

We will be back out again tomorrow for hopefully more action and something tells me that if there’s any walleye caught, they might be bringing them home. I’m just hoping for slightly better fishing as today fell below the standards I’m so use to seeing. Only time will tell as I plan on hitting as many good areas as I possibly can to ensure bigger & more fish landed!

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Dave was back with his son Mathieu again today but this time he brought Otis & his son, Mehki as well. The two young boys were looking forward to catching a few fish, as were their parents. With the conditions not great to be running around I focussed my efforts on drop shitting in 3 foot waves. They had only the afternoon to catch fish and I wasn’t going to beat them up moving all over the place to get it done.

We stopped in a new area that had been producing the last couple of times out and I instructed everyone on what to do. With almost no fishing before, Otis hooked into the first walleye of the day. Mathieu was right there behind him with one of his own too. One fish went into the livewell and the other one was released due to the size. Almost immediately after Otis was back in, he hooked into a nice smallmouth that battled him right into the net. He hadn’t been fishing for 3 minutes and had already landed two different species. His son Mehki also hooked into a really nice smallie but unfortunately it came off on one of the jumps. Not to worry, there were plenty more to come!

With multiple drifts being made, fish were coming aboard often and everyone was catching. Both bass & walleye had been landed and some of the eyes had joined the first one in the tank. It was also a great distraction for the boys as they made many checks on the fish throughout the day.

As the time passed, the winds picked up and the drifts got quicker. They were now blowing 15 to 25 knots from the W/SW and the waves were larger as well. Although we were still catching fish, it did make it a little more difficult to feel the bites. Many fish were lost or missed on the hook sets. Not all of them however as Otis and Dave landed some really large bass and Dave caught the biggest walleye of the day too. It may not have been easy fishing but with the proper boat control and patience, we got the job done.

I shifted locations with the last 30 minutes remaining and although the boys weren’t fishing, they somehow managed to reel in several fish. A couple more walleye made it to the tank for them to cook up tonight! Some nice bass were caught as well and then we were done.

The half day trip this afternoon was filled with plenty of exciting moments. Some of them weren’t even mentioned! High numbers of fish were caught with some really nice fish for the pics. The kids had a blast catching all kinds of fish on their own and with the help of their dads too! Dave & Otis had seen firsthand just how effective fishing in the wind could be with a drop shot rig. It looks like they might come back again this season and with any luck, in less wind. Either way, I’ll put them on plenty more fish for everyone to catch making it another memorable outing. Today was just that!