Good news, Bad news

Today was our first full day out.
We launched out of Mazurek's and head off Kellys to find cleaner water. Good news the water color was good, the bad news is their was a pack of boats working in the area. I hate pack boats, so we headed north and found some nice marks north of the pack.

We ran our standard spread of Bandits on the port 75, 85, and 95. And spros starboard 80, 100, and 110. Good news we started picking pretty regular working a figure 8 over the pod. Bad news the boats started moving in and we couldn't work the pod the way we wanted. I pulled off these fish to get clear of the traffic and we just picked at a few here and there. We did come back in the afternoon and the fish were still there and we picked up where we left off. Temps were 36ish and we trolled 1.4 to 1.7.

Good news we had two Fish Ohio. Bad news one was a Sheepshead, took the board down like a bobber. We finished with 17 walleye and not a short in the bunch. Allot of pre spawn females.

Best colors where almost anything in a chrome combination and Pink Lemonade also hit several. We caught fish at every depth but 75 to 85 back seemed to be the best.

Bad news it is going to blow the rest of the week and my boat is scheduled for the shop next week. So we will be off the water for awhile.

BTW we don't keep any pre-spawn fish. We released everything today.

It sure seems like when you're working a pod of fish, here they come and move you off. It really sucks when you figure them out and get pushed off and you have to figure them out again. Glad to hear you got back on them. Hope you get your boat back soon, FISH ON!

What an awesome report! Keep them coming!

Two thoughts on two often-recurring topics that you addressed, often nagging all of us: overcrowding, and the harvest of pre-spawn females.

Overcrowding is a fact of life in today’s reality. While good manners (keeping your middle finger in your pocket) always seems to be the responsibility of the first boat “on the spot on the spot”, nobody likes to be squeezed off “your fish” that “you found”. That said, we all help each other out ALL THE TIME. This site is a great example. So, if we post that we caught fish in the South Channel, can we really be upset when people show up the next day? No! Let’s celebrate other peoples success that was based on our success. These are not “our” fish. Or else, never talk to anyone at the ramp.

Second, last November my partner and I boated our limit 3 days in a row off Huron. Cleaning them, most had early developing egg sacs. Kinda figured that, but who knew? Point is, taking those fish in November vs. the following March made no difference. They’re out of the gene pool. Unless we release everything over the size of an average adult male, everyone is guilty of the same crime of removing breeding females. Doesn’t matter when it happens.

I’m sure this post will generate plenty of chatter, and that may be good for all of us.

Just my 2cents.

Keep safe, and thinking, out there.

I would like to clarify I do not begrudge or judge those that keep legal fish at anytime as long as they eat them.

Particularly the Captains who's clients are paying to take fish home. Been there done that and nothing keeps clients and referrals coming in is meat going home . It not only makes a special trip and memories for the clients but provides needed cash for our community. They not only directly pay the charter, captain, mates, fish cleaners, hotels, and restaurants to mention just a few. And indirectly marinas, mechanics, baitshops and on and on.

The same can be said of all the visitors to our lake. The ramps are full of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Tennessee, and many more license plates. These guys and gals often only get to experience our wonderful fishery once a year. I can't blame them for wanting to take fresh fish home. And the arrogant side of me says they can't catch that many anyway, lol.

I feel blessed that I have the luxury of fishing most anytime the wind (and admiral) will let me. We don't always limit but we were lucky enough to never get skunked last year. More a testament to the abundance of fish. not our skill because in years past I was skunked many a trip. Bottom line we fill our freezer with as much as we can use and are at a point in our life where releasing big fish provides more pleasure than killing them. Besides the little guys eat better anyway.