nathanhooper

I love fishing for them for sure. I try not to get too cocky about it. I pulled up to the ramp Saturday and after parking my trailer I came back down to the boat. A family was there camping and he said that my boy(gotta love that little guy)told him we were going to catch walleye. He asked if there were really any on there and I told him there was. Then we came back a few hours later and they were still down by the water. He asked if we caught some and I was happy to tell him we did. So I'm sure he is thinking it's like fishing in a barrel now. Lol It's nice to learn how to catch them for sure. But I'll have to say that Saturday night was the only time I actually went out with the intention of catching them specifically. I knew they would make some good tacos.

That's about what I have been doing. And I'll say, we have been loving it. Used to be that we would buy fish from the store. I don't think my wife has bought any this year now. The only fish I keep in the freezer are the whites and stripers I have caught. They thaw decent enough to fry up just fine. It takes 2-3 eyes to feed my family, depending on their size. At least 5 whites, better with 6. Who knows with crappie....ive yet to bring in enough for a full meal. So I guess I do self regulate. Most of the fish I caught earlier this year went to the big fry we had. I did package up the other for frying latter on. And now we just eat fresh. I'm sure in the coming weeks I'll only be able to get out once or twice each week. So, if we were just strictly talking walleye, I imagine that when you really count it up, I don't harvest that much in comparison to what's in there and gets stocked. When fall comes the boat is going to be lucky if it gets out on the water. So really I only fish "heavy"(for me) about 7 months of the year. 2 of those months I do hit the whites harder than other fish. And my plan is to go after the stripers more so than the walleye now, so in reality I only fish for the eyes about 3-4 months of the year. If on average 2 trips per week, and average out about 2 eyes a trip, that's only ~70 eyes a year? I think that's a generous number too. I highly doubt I'll ever get that many in a year. Just all makes me wonder what the population is and what it can take. I know that AGFC sets their limits to help keep the population good, but what are their limits based on? A guy going X amount each year? Or overall X amount of fishing license multiplied by X average times a person fishes? Ok....my brain is starting to hurt....

I figured that the more out the more likely I would start to get the lures rolling and all. As long as the rain holds off tonight I will try it out. I'm thinking I could put the line on the balls with a rubber band and that might allow me to see the lure ticking the bottom. Then I could see just how deep below the ball the lures run. On another side note. I've caught a lot of walleye this year. And I am wondering if that's a good thing, or potentially a bad thing. I know that just the fish I take out is not putting a dent in the population, but I also know I am not the only one catching them. Is there anyway to truly over fish this lake and negatively impact the walleye population?

Hopefully the first report of many this week. I actually did look at the water temp, 82+ degree's. We trolled in anywhere from 20'(and even shallower when I was not paying attention) out to 40'. Trolling SK XD's Got out around 6:30 and stayed till little after 10. 6 fish total. 2 Walleye, 3 SM, and who knows what. We contend it was the striper he was wanting to catch, lol. Took a friend out who always says he is the black cat of fishing. And, I'll have to say, we have fished in the past and been skunked most times. But I was really hoping to get him on a striper. The fish all came in 20'-25' FOW. But I was seeing a lot of fish out in the 30'-40' range. My lures just don't get down deep enough. I am thinking that its time I start with the down riggers. The majority of them just seemed to be deeper. I really want to cut my new boats teeth on a decent striper, and I just cant see it happening anytime soon with long lining crank baits. Anyways, question time - If I have crankbaits that run 20' deep just long lining out 150', If I put them on down riggers and set the balls 10' deep, will those lures now run 30' deep? I have a small remembrance of asking this question before....but maybe I can get some new insight on it.

Nice one J. Now we are gonna be left with figuring out who is who.

Thanks for the report. Hope they are still biting good into the rest of the week.

Yikes, teenager, got one coming myself this week in fact. She's been acting like it for a year or so though. So, just bad luck day fishing? Or time to head east? I've got nearly, unless something happens, every evening this week free. Think I'm gonna travel a little further than the norm and fish new waters. I'll work up to it though. Have a friend that says his norm is after the 4th it's good to go at the dam end of the lake. Think their headed up this way?

Ok, so one of us is a month behind.... Just sayin "Fishing Report 060514" Must have been an afternoon bite. But you never know till you go. Maybe we are starting to clean the lake of the big eyed boogers.

I'll have to look up your posts again on that rebuild. I think I remember reading about it? What was the turn around time for it? I will probably get the kit, but I was trying to get it back on the water sooner than later. I hear ya on the boat. I love the layout of the CC, but a bass rig is versatile in its own right. I personally have never been much of a bass fisher, so with the front and rear deck on this I can still bank fish but trolling will be the biggest portion of time spent on it. Only thing I wish I had was the storage of a bass rig. I'll make do, but it will be on top of my list on my next boat.

I might have to give him a shout. I need one little ole seal for my TT unit and don't want to have to get a whole kit.

No fiberglass. Couldn't afford it at the time. It's 2 part epoxy paint though. Should last for a good amount of time as long as I keep it covered. Can't say i won't keep an eye out for one like it, except maybe a tad longer, and do a complete redo using only fiberglass and aluminum. I think I could rebuild one using those for around $1500. I sure like that evinrude. I'm no motor expert, but that thing is nice for its age. They say them things can take a beating and keep on going. It's not given me much trouble at all.

Thanks guys. It is a lot friendlier to trolling than my other. What I'm really looking forward to is that big front deck and a fly rod in hand. Crazy thing is that boat and rebuild was around $600-$700. The outboard is from my old boat. Cheap way to find out if I like a CC setup over the traditional side ones. I figure it should last long enough to save up for a new boat one of these days.

This is the new ride

It's a white 16' center console. Used to be blue, and I only painted the top half of it. It was an old wide open boat that I took and built a big front casting deck with an old 30 gallon cooler for a live well(now I can really stack the whites in there). Put on a rear deck as well. I was just going to do a cooler in the back and put a seat on it, but this worked out better. I'll see if I can get a few good pictures of it.

Took the "new to me" boat on on the water this morning. Wanted to see how it ran in the daylight before I did much fishing from it. She ran great. Got the motor too high, but I'll fix that another day. Got out of the water and couldn't get the motor up high enough. Tilt trim ram seal is shot...great.... Decided to do a little old school engineering. Found an old manual outboard lifter that I built and headed to work to fix her up to work on the old evinrude. It's the kind you hook into the back of the cowl and get a good foot hold on the transom and lean back. Not ideal...but it worked. Fixed a cable so it would jump out of the water in reverse. Anyways...wife said she wanted fish tacos and asked me to thaw some fish in the freezer. I said that fish wouldn't be good for that, I should go get some. She said she was headed to town and would just grab some frozen... Well, I decided I needed to see how the new ride would fish so grabbed my youngest, he helped me this last month fixing the boat up, and headed to Indian creek. Boy oh boy, sure do know why they invited tilt trim now. Anyways, got on the water about 8 and trolled the strip for a few hours. Didn't get the water temp, but the fish were holding at around. 25-30 feet. Three eyes and a white in the boat and I figured we would be eating some good fish tacos tomorrow. All came on crankbaits trolled long lining at 150' or so back. Lost a few after hookup. And while bringing in the last one of the night had a house boat decide it would come close to have a look I guess. I could hear the wave coming, just never thought it would be that big. My boy said he nearly wet his pants when water started coming overboard. Guess that's what I get for going out on a holiday weekend. Good stuff though. Be eating good tomorrow and got the first trip done on the new rig. If you see me, I'm the one driving around with a big grin on the homemade center console now. Oh, forgot, I was fishin Indian creek area. Great fireworks show. Couldn't get my boy to focus on the rods...

I know it. He is very liberal. But he has taught a lot of us a good deal. I actually have never fished in the area's he has knowingly at least. I try to stick to my neck of the woods the most. I learned a while back that I can learn a lot about hunting from listening to what people do while they are out, not so much where they go. I used to try and go where they go, but never had much success. It was not till I started implementing what they do while they are out, to the spots that I would go to, that I started harvesting game on a regular basis. Now, just about anywhere I go hunting(as long as it is remotely possible to come across game), I implement what I have learned and have good success. I do the same with F's information. Other than water clarity, its all the same water in reality. I know that certain area's of the lake hold more fish than others, the same as I know I could go set up a tree stand in a lot of back yards in Lost Bridge Village and see more deer than I could shake a stick at, but the lake as a whole has fish all over. I'm still pretty green when it comes to fishing. Spent a whole lot more time in the woods than on the water for sure. But I know with time it will come. And I do not look down on anyone who does not want to share the location they are catching fish. You can go to the exact spot someone is slaying them in, but if your not doing the same thing they are - exactly - then all your doing is making it more crowded. I have taken a few guys hunting in spots where I always harvest deer. I can set them up and walk away and over half the time they come back with nothing. They just simply do not know what to look for or how the deer act in those spots like I do.

Well J.....you know what they say....tit for tat....my boat is fixing to be ready....hehehehehehe

you know though....now your gonna be having people following you like in the movies....watching where your going with binoculars and such....planting little gps bugs on your boat while your busy inside getting bait....

No worries. I was just curious if it was the RB area or 12 Bridge area etc. But I understand if giving away the area would give away the spot. I got all but the motor on my boat build done. I am mounting it tonight and should have it hooked up and ready to go by morning. I am ready to be back out on the water myself giving some reports.

........waiting for pics....... What area were you at?

I have had good luck with it early in the year. Definitely do want to stay shallow. I have not been for a while now, and when I start back out I'll be using the DR more I imagine. But they have enough of an action to them they do produce fish. I think one would be better off with a good loud rattling crankbait though.

That is a beauty for sure. Good eatin right there.

I'll take you up on that for sure one of these days. Are these AGFC placed ones? I was just interested to see that they have what seems like a lot of them in just a few area's on that map. Of course, we all know how online info can sometimes be misleading and such, so I'm only going to put so much stock into the data I see there. I will take a ride up there once I am back on the water. I have fished that arm off Indian Creek before, but never hard enough to notice any fish attractors. I do know there is a lot of standing timber where those fish symbols are on that map.

Darn crappie. They will try and get you every time. They must really have it out for me because I never seem to run into them...

Yea, attwoods has two different ones. A fixed one that they say is at the optimum angle, and one that your aware of. The fixed one is only fixed as far as angle, it looks to be adjustable bow/stern. The ones I have made are fixed, one sits at a pretty good angle and the other almost flat. Then I made two more out of rebar... and they sit just right. About 10 to 20 degrees I like.