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Fishing with Mike, Nick, and Max 4/25/16
I swung by the Holiday Inn Express at 5:45 this morning and picked up my crew for the day. Mike, and his cousins, Nick and Max, were hungry, so we headed to Bopper's for a quick breakfast. When we left, I headed to Mazurik's, but after pulling in, I decided it would be better to launch at Catawba, because I wanted to head to Niagara to start the trip.
We launched at Catawba at 7am, and indeed headed to Niagara. We set up on the northeast side of the reef and had a fish on the first Bandit as the Off Shore board was going out. I made the comment, "I hope this isn't like a tournament day, where you get a fish right away, and then...nothing". They laughed, and agreed, but that's exactly what happened. We didn't see another board go back for the next 45 minutes! We found some good marks further to the NE of the reef, but several of the other charters were catching closer to the reef.
The radio chatter had the Bandits working at all different depths, from 30 to 100 back, and it was making me crazy switching things up and changing colors, trying to match what they were doing.
After the second fish came in, we decided to make the move from Niagara up to the north side of North Bass Island, where I thought I would have it to ourselves. But, that was a wrong assumption, since there were approximately 25-30 boats working that area too. Uffda! We made one pass, and caught one nice walleye. We moved back up to the NE side to make another slide, but I didn't see the marks up there that I would have liked to see, so we decided to move down between North Bass and Niagara...somewhere out in the middle of nowhere in the direction of Niagara. We would mark a bunch, and then nothing....mark some more, and then nothing. At one point, I was listening to that stupid radio again, and decided to change something up. After I took the board off and started to reel, a walleye hit it, so I figured that meant I should speed up the troll, so I did. But, that didn't help anything....we were still struggling.
We were getting really good at catching white bass though. I've got that down pat pretty well!
Then.....it happened....Max pulled a BANANA out of his lunch bag!!!! I looked at him and said, "You brought a banana on a fishing boat?" He said "Yeah, what's wrong with that?" I said, laughing, "What's wrong with that? Have you never heard of the long standing superstition of how bananas shouldn't be on boats....ever?" He looked at his brother and his cousin for some recognition of what the heck I was talking about, but they had never heard of it either. So, I explained it to them, and told him, "Well, you'd better eat it, or throw it overboard". So, he decided it was best to eat it. When he took the first bite I said, "Well, now that it's in you, I have no choice, but to throw your body overboard too". (Just kidding, of course!) He laughed, and finished his banana. Smiling, I told his kin, "If we don't catch anymore fish today, it's Max's fault." They were more than willing to blame him too. lol
After finishing the pass up near the reef, I told them I had one more spot I wanted to try, since the NE wind was starting to kick up. I thought it would be a good idea to go over to Green Island and try that area. This time though, I would turn off that blasted marine radio, put on some Pink Floyd, set out Bandits at 60-75 back, with one on the 2oz inline 60' back, and adjust my speed to the current, which right where we were would be, 1.6mph.
It turned out to be a good idea, since we managed to catch as many fish in a 1/2 hour as we had all morning up north. We ended the day with 10 walleye from 25-29 inches.
After dropping the fish off at Bay's Edge Fish Cleaning, I took them back to their hotel, and told them I would text them tonight with a launch time for the morning. I told them I had to look at the forecast for tonight and tomorrow, since they are calling for a chance of severe thunderstorms overnight and into the early morning hours. More than likely though, I will have to wait until I get up at 4am to check it. We will have to wait for any storm remnants to pass.
All I know is, that I won't be looking forward to more North winds, and colder temps again. I've had just about enough of that, thank you very much....ugh.
Stay tuned....
Capt Juls
thanks for the chart Juls
would you happen to have one for tadpole applications? I primarily use the 1 oz in the spring time.
