Well, decided to gamble on a trip from St. Louis Saturday, knowing it would be rainy and blowing going down, but next couple days looked okay. Had some second thoughts when buying minnows at Lakey's bait shop by Aldrich, the attached metal building was blown apart just before I got there. Hmmmm. Some of the recent posts said stick baits were working, and my thinking was to start with trolling. Maybe having four rods running at all depths with different lures would work. Bottom bounced with a crawler harness as well, just in case. Nothing. After a couple hours without a strike, running from 15 to 35 feet, I decided to try some stick baits along the rocks, given it had become sunny and quite pleasant as Sunday morning wore on.
Got a couple big whites pretty soon and was encouraged. Then, a really big fat 23" walleye!
Alas, not what it seems! While tossing the stick bait I noticed a fish floating 50 yards away and decided to check it out . Low and behold a big walleye, and it was alive, barely.
Turns out the walleye had a big bluegill wedged in its mouth. Took a bit to get it out, and put the walleye in the livewell but it was gone within an hour.
No point in letting it go to waste! The belly part of the fillet I cut off to fry up right away.
My trip got cut short as wife had to help a relative and I needed to watch the dog. I did catch a couple crappie over brush 25' deep on a jigging rap. Didn't have the time to drop minnows once I knew I had to leave so soon. Was planning to troll through some big deep shad schools but never got there. Sleeping in the back of my truck at the Cedar Ridge park is not condusive to a comfortable trip when it's plenty dark and cold starting about 5:30! But got a few fish and had some fun. I'm always perplexed when other folks throw lures and get bass and walleye, and when I do I don't. I'd say my Stockton gamble paid off, having the lake mostly to myself on a beautiful sunny day, even though on this trip I didn't have much time to try things out. Not like it's been an unlucky fall though; got this 9 point with my recurve so the freezer is looking very good this year!! Anytime we can get into the outdoors is a time to give thanks!
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