We were right on time, motoring out the river in the dark. It was light enough to see by the time we passed the lighthouse. And I was pleased that we had some pretty good chop despite the forecast for smooth seas.
We headed north, slowing down periodically to check for marks. Didn't see much. Got to the dump and still the fish were few and far between. What we did mark was pretty small, maybe not even walleye. We kept heading north. Finally saw a few marks that were bigger and slightly more plentiful. So we stopped there and put down our lines - about 2 miles north of the dump in 45 fow.
I was thrilled to discover that the bug hatch was finally over.
We had 3 bandits, my lucky reef runner, and a couple spoons. Cranks were 60 - 100 back unassisted. Spoons were 40 - 60 with Tru-trips. Trolled to the north at 2.5 sog, hoping to find better marks.
We did find some good size marks every now and then, but we'd see just a handful, and then nothing. After trolling for a while in 46 fow, we eventually turned east toward Vermillion. Went that way for miles until we got to 44 fow. There were a couple dozen boats over there. We marked a lot more fish in that shallower water, but they weren't very hungry. Tried every color, depth, speed, direction. Eventually changed out bandits for crawler harnesses with 4oz snap weights.
Once we lost the chop, the bugs attacked. The hatch is very much still at peak. I think I inhaled 6 today. It started getting hot. We had been averaging about one walleye every half hour. In the shallower water with the better marks, we were catching just drum and cat.
We hit a long dry spell and couldn't stand the bugs or the heat any longer so we took a break for an hour to just drive around fast.
Resumed fishing about noon, 4 miles north of the Huron dump. But no more walleye. Just drum and white bass. Ran out of battery, crawlers and enthusiasm simultaneously.
Final take was 10 walleyes, 17 to 21". Only bandit that bit was Khaki. It took 3. Also had 2 on a big flat-black spoon my dad used for salmon in Lake Michigan. A smaller flamboyant spoon took one, and our other 4 were all on crawler harnesses.