backbay

Huge. Congrats, I'm sure neither of you will ever forget it!

Another vote for the Plueger Trion. IM8 blank for $40 is a pretty good deal. I have a 6 1/2' one, and use it a fair amount. It's senstive, has decent backbone, and is fun to fish with.

Dude, you're on a roll!

Noice! I sure hope you were able to do up some of those catfish for dinner.... Cajin style, anyone?

Great work on and off the water; hope the wife volunteered to cut the grass!

Fantastic fish, fil! Did you get a length measurement?

Backbays are where I am a lot of the time!

You're right on both counts, Ciceri! I was pretty surprised to catch it, especially on the big spinnerbait, but really felt great knowing they're around.

We had hoped to be on the road to Gbay Friday, but my pal Mike had to work, and we didn't get to the cottage until early afternoon Saturday. We still spent some decent time on the water, and caught a few eating-size pike. We didn't waste much time in getting them into the fryer: With morning mist, calm water and a quickly-downed breakfast on Sunday, I was good to go. This is what it looked like from the dock: A bowfin tends to her young in the shallows by the dock: The weather turned out to be almost too good. We caught a 4 or 5 weed rockets and a couple of more respectable pike, but I decided if the bite wasn't really happening, then I would go big. I broke out my heavy gear and started throwing a big black Bucher Spinner bait with a Berkley gulp perch on the trailer hook. Then this guy came along: And that made my day! I've never thought of myself as a walleye fisherman, and don't generally go after them, especially where we were, because they're very seldom caught. We were fishing an area that is fairly shallow; the strike came in somewhat deeper water, adjacent to the weed beds. Coming up, I thought he was maybe a muskie, knew he wasn't a pike, and was pretty surprised when I saw the dorsal fin. At 31 inches, that's my best 'eye ever. A couple more photos, and back in the water he went. A great way to wind up the weekend! Backbay

"When a female enters the male's territory, a complex dance occurs, with the pair rubbing and biting each other. The actual act of spawning occurs in about 5 seconds, and is repeated for up to 2 hours. After spawning is complete, the female is chased off, and will occasionally mate again with another male." Reminds me of my ex-wife!

Wow! And your dock in located where, exactly?

I used to live in NB, from '81 to 84, working in the ag business. Fished a little at Jackfish, but mostly windsurfed there, and went for beers at the Beaver or the Capri!

I have 15 lb Fireline on my spinning rig, and have not had a problem with it. I love the stuff, but haven't tried Power Pro, which does seem to have a great reputation.

My fishing partner has an electric, and it's started to lose some of its effectiveness through use over time. I asked him if it could be sharpened and he didn't know. They sure work great when new, but in the long run, I also wonder if you're not better off with a good knife and a stone.......

I'd like to know the same. Can the blades on an electric be sharpened somehow?

I had great luck with them last summer for bass. I used the larger size leeches, (bought the tub), and fished them using a single hook and split shot a little way up the line. Terrific bait.

great work, beautiful fish!

Hi Flatbottom: I can't speak for Rosseau, but I fished Lake Joe for a number of years, and it can;t be that different. In the summer, I used to fish structure, like off the side of cliffs, for suspended fish that were about 20' down. Slow presentation, almost jigging, Powerbait worms. That was in the afternoon. In the evening, anything goes. Find a quiet bay, and go topwater. It worked for me, hope it works for you. That was for smallies, never caught a walleye there....

Toby Mcguire?

I think the Saugeen would be described as navigable, no? There's probably precedent going back 100 years+ And thanks, this forum is great!

If you're in the water, you're not trespassing. It is possible that she owns the shoreline, but a bridge adjoining her property would probably result in an easement that you can legally use to access the water. At the end of the day, some people don't seem to have enough to keep them busy. Living well (fishing) is the best revenge. BB

Thanks, guys, giant baits indeed, we'll be throwing, or towing them, for sure. Gonna bring up some cat food for the minnow trap just in case it gets tough. the weather even looks fairly decent. Now, if Detroit can just close the deal..........

Hi Jedi: For sure I'm going to strap on some bigger baits and see how it works out, and I may do some late-day trolling after dinner. We'll be after pike for the most part, but I have a couple of spots I want to try for 'skis.

Thanks Roy, that pic was taken last summer, same place I'm headed this weekend. The weather had been great, and we decided to stay over Sunday night, and go home early Monday. I caught it not long before dusk; so glad we stayed up. The best of everything always seems to happen on Sunday after everyone's headed home!

Hi gang: I've lurked here since April, when I was trying to cope with the fact that it was still three weeks till Pike opener, and I was all revved up with no place to go! I've returned to fishing after being away from it for many years, but I was an avid fisherman in my youth. Anyway, I got the call today from my pal and we're off to the Moon River area this weekend, hope I can report back with lots of pics. GREAT site, by the way, this must be the best fishing community out there. Cheers, Chris