Matt's 26.5" Walleye / Bill's 35" Pike
Trip Preliminaries
Time since the last trip seems to have passed more quickly this year than in past years. Changes this year include Matt rejoining the group and Mike living in Oak Park - only person requiring air travel this year is Andy.
Trip Preliminaries
Time since the last trip seems to have passed more quickly this year than in past years. Changes this year include Matt rejoining the group and Mike living in Oak Park - only person requiring air travel this year is Andy.
Andy going through a transition - selling house in CT, moving into
townhouse in Greenwich, until retirement next summer. Closing is July
3rd, move to townhouse is end of June. Kathleen managing the process -
allowing Andy to go on the trip. Many thanks, dear.
Key documents this year are (1) passport, (2) renewed Ontario
Outdoor card, and (3) fishing license obtained and printed from webpage.
Ace Rental has moved to new quarters - south of O'Hare - much
improved. 15 passenger van with 5000 miles. Ready to depart Joe's
just after 2:00. Easy traffic. Arrive at float plane base around 7:15.
Low ceilings delay flights. Group ahead of us going to Allenwater
has to abort and return to base. Our group waits it out in van. Black
flies are thickest we have seen in these parts. Plane this year is an Otter
that easily holds the entire group - plus two of the pilot's children that take
a ride with Dad. Finally arrive at camp late morning. Water is very high
- almost to the top of the dock. Patsy says that fish seem to be holding where
water is coming in to the lake.
Weather
Not as warm as predicted. In the mid-60's and overcast. After setting up the cabin and rigging up, Mike, Matt and Andy take the 3-man boat (Patsy is letting us use her Dad's 15 HP Mercury engine) with Joe and Bill in the other.
Not as warm as predicted. In the mid-60's and overcast. After setting up the cabin and rigging up, Mike, Matt and Andy take the 3-man boat (Patsy is letting us use her Dad's 15 HP Mercury engine) with Joe and Bill in the other.
Matt's Big Fish - Walleye
As tradition dictates (although M/M have to overrule A who would otherwise have headed to Kent's Korner), fishing begins at M/M/A Matt's Gateway - and what a beginning. After having to miss 3 years of fishing, and raring to go, Matt catches the first fish - and it is a whopper. 26.5" walleye (7#) caught near the turn to the narrows. Apparently having lost none of his fishing prowess, Matt plays the fish very well, with expert netting by Mike. Matt's biggest career fish, and matches (have to check the record books) the largest walleye caught by the group.
As tradition dictates (although M/M have to overrule A who would otherwise have headed to Kent's Korner), fishing begins at M/M/A Matt's Gateway - and what a beginning. After having to miss 3 years of fishing, and raring to go, Matt catches the first fish - and it is a whopper. 26.5" walleye (7#) caught near the turn to the narrows. Apparently having lost none of his fishing prowess, Matt plays the fish very well, with expert netting by Mike. Matt's biggest career fish, and matches (have to check the record books) the largest walleye caught by the group.
Later that session, there is a pike-on-walleye attack - not the
typical encounter where someone hooks a walleye and during landing a pike hits
the walleye and both are netted. This one was a pike hit on a walleye on
the stringer! With firm prompting from Matt and Andy, Mike (middle
position) grabs the net and collects both fish. The pike measures
27" (5.5#) - and the debate begins (and will continue) as to how to record
this "catch". It is entered as a "boat catch via
stringer/net". Don't think we've seen that one before.
Bill's Big Fish - Pike
Meanwhile, back at the culvert, Bill and Joe are having a similar experience - this time on the northern pike side. Bill hooks and lands a 35" pike (12.5#) - easily the biggest pike (make that - biggest fish) on record for the group!
Meanwhile, back at the culvert, Bill and Joe are having a similar experience - this time on the northern pike side. Bill hooks and lands a 35" pike (12.5#) - easily the biggest pike (make that - biggest fish) on record for the group!
Bill and Joe continue to fish the culvert, while M/M/A move around a
bit in the Classics - with stops at the Narrows, Kent's Korner, the entrance
from Amber, and Dave's Shore. All in all a pretty good start with several
16-17" walleyes.
Dinner is pasta with garlic bread, corn and red wine. Consumed
with gusto.
Evening Fishing
In an obvious "switcharoo", B/J off to The Island and M/M/A to the culvert. Walleyes are biting. Matt lands a 20"-er (3#) and Mike a 19"-er (2.5#). Andy finally gets on the board by landing a (barely) 16"-er. Believing that there are about 12 walleye in the live well, the tired but satisfied group hits the sack. In the morning, there are only 7 fish in the live well - have to check its integrity.
Evening Fishing
In an obvious "switcharoo", B/J off to The Island and M/M/A to the culvert. Walleyes are biting. Matt lands a 20"-er (3#) and Mike a 19"-er (2.5#). Andy finally gets on the board by landing a (barely) 16"-er. Believing that there are about 12 walleye in the live well, the tired but satisfied group hits the sack. In the morning, there are only 7 fish in the live well - have to check its integrity.
No comments:
Post a Comment