First fish for 2009!
Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 5:56 pm
Matt and I continued with our two parter today. We were a little late to start since somebody forgot the minnows at home 
Nah, no worries Matt. 
We were hoping to meet up with Kris...but I forgot to put his cell number onto my phone just before we leave. I called what I assume to be his house number...and obviously he's already gone. Sorry Kris...maybe next time?
Hope you had a great day out there! 
When we got to our put in point, the parking was full as can be. Our usual parking areas now have NO PARKING signs all over. Sigh...the few that ruins it for everyone
So we unloaded our stuff at the put in and I parked the car a good walk away. Coming back, we wanted to get fishing...so I ran back to the put in. Once we started walking to our spot, I had to take off my jacket and vest because I was already too warm in my wool undershirt, cotton turtleneck and fleece hoodies
Man, it looked like a village out there. There were permanent huts and portable huts...and everyone's brother, aunts, nephews, neighbour's sister's cousin twice removed...well, everyone was there! I guess we can't blame them...we're there too
Matt and I decided to avoid the crowd a little bit. In between two large group of people, there was strangely a void. We picked to fish in that void just a little deeper than the last guy on from the groups. When we popped a hole, the Vexilar told us were were at 12' of water with 2' of weeds. Nice!
As soon as Matt dropped in his first line, there was a hit...a little like a perch hit. But that was a hit and run...so we got down to drilling the second set of holes and dropping the second line. Matt had another hit and that one was just a little lighter and faster...much like a walleye.
It was a slow sunset bit...not just for us...but for everyone. We heard of a few fish caught in the shallower water...but nothing that indicated any consistent action.
Once the sun set, some people started to leave. Matt and I knew we'd be fishing way past dark...so we got our propane heaters started just before the sun set. Without the heaters, we couldn't have lasted long fishing without a shelter once the sun set.
Once dark, the fun began. I had a hit on my deadstick. I was actually watching and jigging my jigging rod...but I heard a little plop that was made by the ice bead on my line that formed at the water surface. I guess sometimes it's nice when water beaded up on the line
I have a 1/4oz jighead on the bottom hook, with a dropper loop 8" above the jig and a #8 baitholder hook. We used 3" shiners for bait. I also had a wire spring bobber on my deadstick. Anyways...I had a hit on that deadstick and I waited until the fish pulled my spring bobber all the way down, but just before the rod bends. The fish can't feel the spring bobber at all...which allows it to pull about 3" of line without any resistance. Then I pick up my rod, point it toward the hole and let the fish pull some more....until I got impatient and set the hook. Fish on!
The fish gave a few headshakes...but was soon within vision range. It's the right kind...the golden walleye kind. I got this fish on the jighead...which was about 3" off bottom. I guesstimated the fish at about 12"
Then a while later, I had a hit on my jigging stick. I have a Buckshot spoon with a shiner. The fish gave my rod two good rips...and again, I lowered the rod to let the fish take it. When I went for the hookset 2 seconds later, I connected with the fish for about 3 seconds before it came off. Darn!
Matt was watching all the action...but he has none for himself. He saw a few lookers on the Vex...but none committed. He was getting a little cold...and asked me what time it was...and I said 6pm. He said we can give it another 30mins.
Just a short while later, Matt said "There's a fish looking at my jig now...take it...take it...take it...Got it!" Woohoo! Matt is no longer a walleye virgin at this lake...even though it was only a 9" skunk buster.
Then, Matt and I both missed a couple of hits each. Those darn fish...they hit, hold onto the shiner...but when you go for the hookset, they just managed to miss the hook in their mouth.
Now...while Matt saw a fish teasing him on the Vex...and hitting his line 3 times, I had a hit. I missed the fish, dropped the line back down...and noticed my line went taunt once it hit bottom. I thought I snagged the weeds on the bottom...but the spring bobber started dipping...so I waited...and finally made good on another hookset. Up came the previous fish's twins Alright! Limited out on my Conservation License! This one was caught on the baitholder hook...which sat about 12" off bottom.
A couple of missed fish later, Matt hooked one...and it was a dinner plate sized rockbass. It was about 1.5lbs! Nice size for a rockbass...but Matt didn't want a picture with it
I had one more bump on the deadstick...and then Matt missed a fish that teased him again...and everything went dead after. We fished for another 15mins, checked the watch...and it said 7pm. It was getting colder...the action much slower...and we decided to call it a night.
I invited the twins for the ride home...and offered one to Matt. But Matt was hoping for at least one more of that size...since he has a big appetite so he said I might as well keep both of them.
When I got home, I took out the ruler...and as usual...I underestimated my fish Fisherman are famous for their lies...I'm just one that lies about how small my fish are
Ah...good two days of fishing. Hoping to get out on the weekend for one more day...then it is back to some serious lab work.
Nah, no worries Matt.
We were hoping to meet up with Kris...but I forgot to put his cell number onto my phone just before we leave. I called what I assume to be his house number...and obviously he's already gone. Sorry Kris...maybe next time?
Hope you had a great day out there!
When we got to our put in point, the parking was full as can be. Our usual parking areas now have NO PARKING signs all over. Sigh...the few that ruins it for everyone
So we unloaded our stuff at the put in and I parked the car a good walk away. Coming back, we wanted to get fishing...so I ran back to the put in. Once we started walking to our spot, I had to take off my jacket and vest because I was already too warm in my wool undershirt, cotton turtleneck and fleece hoodies
Man, it looked like a village out there. There were permanent huts and portable huts...and everyone's brother, aunts, nephews, neighbour's sister's cousin twice removed...well, everyone was there!
I guess we can't blame them...we're there too
Matt and I decided to avoid the crowd a little bit. In between two large group of people, there was strangely a void. We picked to fish in that void just a little deeper than the last guy on from the groups. When we popped a hole, the Vexilar told us were were at 12' of water with 2' of weeds. Nice!
As soon as Matt dropped in his first line, there was a hit...a little like a perch hit. But that was a hit and run...so we got down to drilling the second set of holes and dropping the second line. Matt had another hit and that one was just a little lighter and faster...much like a walleye.
It was a slow sunset bit...not just for us...but for everyone. We heard of a few fish caught in the shallower water...but nothing that indicated any consistent action.
Once the sun set, some people started to leave. Matt and I knew we'd be fishing way past dark...so we got our propane heaters started just before the sun set. Without the heaters, we couldn't have lasted long fishing without a shelter once the sun set.
Once dark, the fun began. I had a hit on my deadstick. I was actually watching and jigging my jigging rod...but I heard a little plop that was made by the ice bead on my line that formed at the water surface. I guess sometimes it's nice when water beaded up on the line
I have a 1/4oz jighead on the bottom hook, with a dropper loop 8" above the jig and a #8 baitholder hook. We used 3" shiners for bait. I also had a wire spring bobber on my deadstick. Anyways...I had a hit on that deadstick and I waited until the fish pulled my spring bobber all the way down, but just before the rod bends. The fish can't feel the spring bobber at all...which allows it to pull about 3" of line without any resistance. Then I pick up my rod, point it toward the hole and let the fish pull some more....until I got impatient and set the hook. Fish on!
The fish gave a few headshakes...but was soon within vision range. It's the right kind...the golden walleye kind. I got this fish on the jighead...which was about 3" off bottom. I guesstimated the fish at about 12"
Then a while later, I had a hit on my jigging stick. I have a Buckshot spoon with a shiner. The fish gave my rod two good rips...and again, I lowered the rod to let the fish take it. When I went for the hookset 2 seconds later, I connected with the fish for about 3 seconds before it came off. Darn!
Matt was watching all the action...but he has none for himself. He saw a few lookers on the Vex...but none committed. He was getting a little cold...and asked me what time it was...and I said 6pm. He said we can give it another 30mins.
Just a short while later, Matt said "There's a fish looking at my jig now...take it...take it...take it...Got it!" Woohoo! Matt is no longer a walleye virgin at this lake...even though it was only a 9" skunk buster.
Then, Matt and I both missed a couple of hits each. Those darn fish...they hit, hold onto the shiner...but when you go for the hookset, they just managed to miss the hook in their mouth.
Now...while Matt saw a fish teasing him on the Vex...and hitting his line 3 times, I had a hit. I missed the fish, dropped the line back down...and noticed my line went taunt once it hit bottom. I thought I snagged the weeds on the bottom...but the spring bobber started dipping...so I waited...and finally made good on another hookset. Up came the previous fish's twins
Alright! Limited out on my Conservation License! This one was caught on the baitholder hook...which sat about 12" off bottom.
A couple of missed fish later, Matt hooked one...and it was a dinner plate sized rockbass. It was about 1.5lbs! Nice size for a rockbass...but Matt didn't want a picture with it
I had one more bump on the deadstick...and then Matt missed a fish that teased him again...and everything went dead after. We fished for another 15mins, checked the watch...and it said 7pm. It was getting colder...the action much slower...and we decided to call it a night.
I invited the twins for the ride home...and offered one to Matt. But Matt was hoping for at least one more of that size...since he has a big appetite
so he said I might as well keep both of them.
When I got home, I took out the ruler...and as usual...I underestimated my fish
Fisherman are famous for their lies...I'm just one that lies about how small my fish are
Ah...good two days of fishing. Hoping to get out on the weekend for one more day...then it is back to some serious lab work.