MLF REDCREST

[Bill Babler]

Due to “ Inclement Weather “ I watched Redcrest start to finish today. 

I will tell you I totally went nuts watching Westley Strader reel in those Small Jaws. 

I’ll relate a story we fished Texas 2 weeks ago for Big Florida strain LM. We caught them. My biggest was 6.1 but some of the other guys went double digits. I caught about 15 a day. My week, 5 average per day was a shade over 20 pounds. 

I fished here last week, using pretty much the same gear as I had put new line on everything and just didn’t want to waste that expensive string.  

Long story short I caught a 14 3/4 small jaw on a heavy 7’9”  Falcon and that fish would have pulled the 4-5-6 pound Floridas backwards. 

Today on Redcrest the guys catching the LM pretty much just reeled. them in and weighed them.  Those Jaws tried to kick Westley’s butt. 

I’d rather catch one 17” jaw than two 5 pound LM. They just flat have attitude. 

We went to Sturgeon Bay for Jaws  last year. It was fun but our TR Jaws would give them a butt whipping. Long and lean here with a big wide tail and heavy but shorter and chunky up there.  Ours looked like the ones they were catching today. 



 

 

[Quillback]

Love those smallies.  Dutch got one about 3.25 lbs., a couple of weeks ago, it pulled pretty good.

Beaver has been fishing good for smallies the last few years, but it seemed to slow a bit last year.  It's about time for them to get going.  

[snagged in outlet 3]

2 hours ago, Bill Babler said:

’d rather catch one 17” jaw than two 5 pound LM. They just flat have attitude. 

Me too!!   Not to mention a 20” smallie!!   Brutes!  

[curtisce]

I'll agreee the northern fish are chunkier but shorter?

[Bill Babler]

Just totally different body styles. We had a blast but the 6.1 That Mark is holding he caught swimming a Keitech on 4# Maxima and it took him about a minute to put it in the net. 

There  were 5 of us on Sturgeon Bay for 4 days.   We caught maybe close to 100 fish. The 6.1 was the biggest. 

We were all a bit disappointed in the fight. Not near what our TR Jaws do in the pulling category.  Water temps mid 50’s. Actually the Walleye we caught by accident were the real beast. 

 

[Foghorn]

DANG! Some nice fish..

[Bill Babler]

The fish Curtisce pictured were wonderful. Congrats. I didn’t say Northern fish, I said Sturgeon Bay. 

We caught a couple of S.Jaws up there that were over 3 pounds that were not keeps here.   15”. 

Those fish were just meatballs. 

Had a great time but the fishing pressure made Lake Fork seemed like a ghost lake. 

We went in May which is tournament time and the ramps and parking lots, were full by 7 am. Fishermen fished extremely close together to the point of being very uncomfortable. 

Nothing says 99% of the fish live in 10% of the water more than Stutgeon Bay.   Could not have done it without Brad’s help. 

Would love to go back I’d be a little better on the second go around. 

Guys the fishing was fun but all of us simply loved Door Co. Wisconsin. Fabulous lodging restaurants, vineyards, wineries, breweries, shopping just a million things to do. It was totally beautiful up there.  I’ll not go back without my wife, she would love it. 

Cheese, cherry butter, sausage, turnovers and without a doubt some of the nicest people you will ever meet. If you get a chance it is way worth the drive. I’ll spend two weeks next time I go. 







 

[Lvn2Fish]

I’ll add on to this , since we’re sharing our trips . I’ll stick up for the Florida strain haha .First time for me to lake fork. The 5-8lb fish the time of year I was there fought harder than any large mouth I’ve ever caught . They would dog you for a while then come up to the boat like they were done only to absolutely go ace duece . Lost a lot that size on the jerkbait that were just too hot to handle on my little table rock jerkbait rod .   Set my PB the second day I was there with an 11.80 . Also had my heaviest 5 fish bag at 33 lbs . Should have had 5 that went 40 , which is just stupid to say haha . Lost several of those 7 -8lber that day . I can’t wait to go back. But like Bill Mentioned it was packed . And apparently by Fork standards pressure was light .  

[curtisce]

2 hours ago, Lvn2Fish said:

I’ll add on to this , since we’re sharing our trips . I’ll stick up for the Florida strain haha .First time for me to lake fork. The 5-8lb fish the time of year I was there fought harder than any large mouth I’ve ever caught . They would dog you for a while then come up to the boat like they were done only to absolutely go ace duece . Lost a lot that size on the jerkbait that were just too hot to handle on my little table rock jerkbait rod .   Set my PB the second day I was there with an 11.80 . Also had my heaviest 5 fish bag at 33 lbs . Should have had 5 that went 40 , which is just stupid to say haha . Lost several of those 7 -8lber that day . I can’t wait to go back. But like Bill Mentioned it was packed . And apparently by Fork standards pressure was light .  

What year was your trip, recent?

[Bill Babler]

The hits just keep on a commin!  Recent Texas trip. 
Have buddies down there this week and it’s slow. 6 ft. Lake rise and water so muddy you can walk on it.