manitoubass2

Well, with the weather steadily worsening and the river still flowing, I figured it would be a good time to reflect on my season and some highlights of the year.

I got out just as much as last year , probably around 250 times. Fished alot of "ol'faithful lakes", some new ones, some I hadn't visited since childhood, and managed to hit the Rainy River 4-5 times per week.

Every year I refine my style of fishing, and what I need to be a successful angler. The tackle box transforms itself year in, year out. This year it didn't transform too much though. It was more rods/reels that got changed up this year.

One of my goals this year was to try and target larger pike in the river (which I wasn't even sure existed, lol). It was alot of fun, and my PB was caught and one upped at least 3 times this year. Fishing pike also helped my patience, and also develope new patterns for smallmouth! Always a bonus. My previous best was 40", this year I caught from 40" up to a 47" bohemoth that was released from shore witout a pic (booooo)

Poor pic, but most times I was fishing pike I was solo (so pics with fish just werent possible)

I also took a kid out fishing for his first time and he got into a nice mid sized pike

The smallmouth fishing this year was sort of a letdown. Not as many big fish, but great numbers. I never found any smallies over 4lbs this year, and usually have numerous 5lb+. Oh well, it'll have to wait until next year, lol. I did alot of drop shotting this year and improved alot on that technique. I also grew as a crank bait angler as well. I spent alot of time digging cranks on bottom, smashing rocks, putting lures in the dirty stuff! Turned out to work very well, and you know what? I think I lost maybe 3-4 cranks all year, as opposed to 50 or so the previous year, lol.

The walleye bite was also a bit of a letdown this year. The water started at flood levels (at ice out), and delayed everything. The fish were still in great numbers, I just couldn't manage anything over 30" for the first time in years. In fall, the extreme opposite happened, and the river was almost dry, again, screwing with the walleye. Still did great though, I'm not complaining.

This year my two oldest boys got some new species added to their belts, which is always great. Pumpkinseed, rockbass, crappie and lake trout were all added this year! Way to go my boys!

I also spent more time preparing for more tourny fishing for next year. Spent some time getting to know some other anglers etc, which was great experience.

And another fun time was getting to meet Limeyangler and fishing the long sault for a day. We missed a few big girls, but still did ok. Great boat company though and I wish we had more time

No amount of camera trickery can make this fish look big! lol, Simon on the other hand?

I can't wait for hardwater now! And next year too!

I hope you all had a great year as well! I was happy to witness some of the board members personal growth from their reports, great job guys/gals!!!

Makes you wonder if you went over with our style lures and techniques for walleye... If you'd get Zander...

I would imagine so, all the listed characteristics etc are virtually the same as walleye.

I seen one rig pop up in alot of the videos, and I was pretty surprised it would be effective. It was a heavy ball sinker, I'd guess 3-5 oz., with a swivels attached to it. The straight on the swivel was either a grub or what appeared to be 4" swim baits.

I f I was to use a similar rig in heavy current (like I seen this rig being used on), I'd use a leader of some sort to keep my presentation off bottom a bit, and get it further from such a big sinker.

It would be fun to get the chance to try out North Amrican techniques though

I find the fins look like plastic...

 

I've seen people try and pass these fish off as walleye on other fishing sites...

lol, I could see some doing that.

I don't really care for it on a spinning set up. I find it slippery and has poor knot strength. If the knot strength was better, I'd like it for vertical presentations.

Never herd of this fish before.

 

Looks like one hell of a fighter though!

I agree!

It looks like a trip to Sweden or Russia is in order to catch them though (or other areas of Europe)

Basically the same as a walleye (Sander Vitreus) but has an ability to grow longer/fatter. Some of the big ones I've seen in pictures have some ugly coloring, but others look beautiful, and identical to walleye.

Some of the rigs I've seen used to catch them are quite odd too, at least to me

I'm determined to take a trip sometime in my life to fish these beasts. I can't imagine reeling in 109cm fish that looks almost identical to it's cousin walleye.

Has anyone here had the pleasure of catching these fish?

My link

109cm

The guys that constantly bicker over walleye/pickeral will love these being added to the mix, lol

Thanks for that, very cool. I had to show the kiddos that, they said "awesome!!!"

Very weird seeing all the lights from space too, and the storms/lightning as well

on the other hand i caught 4 walleye and a pike and my dad running stock hooks only got one... maybe he couldnt feel the missed fish... maybe i got more bites...

 

all the hits were very light last night... and i know after dark they dont hit the bullzeye every time...

 

they are very very sharp tho... pricked my fingers a couple of times and the fish that did get hooked were not getting off... they really grab deep in the flesh...

Yep, sounds about right.

I'll be using these trebles for quite sometime, they do work well.

well... i tried the triple grips last night...

 

you guys were right... "when" they hook a fish they grab deep...

 

but i missed half the hits i had... i was afraid of this due to the inward bend of these hooks...

 

im gunna give them the benefit of the doubt and hope that the fish were bumping the baits last night...

That surprises me MM. I've landed walleye on these after very subtle hits, where as before I never would have boated half of those light hits.

Maybe it was just one of those nights??? Or if it continues, maybe try some minor changes to your hook sets. When I'm using cranks/stick baits etc, I find a reel set is the best method, at least for me.

Great fish superdad!

Great report too! You guys did an excellent job in the derby!!!

Man, look at the belly on that 13lber

+1 for musktmatt!

I'm a leafs fan, and I hate Ottawa, but it is what it is. Enjoy your bragging rights

When my Grandfather passed away, my Mom and Grandmother found 160K hid in empty frozen OJ cans in the freezer.He refused to put his money in the bank.

I remember always wondering why he had so much OJ. He would always say"Drink up Paul, it will PAY off in the future"

 

 

Your grandfather is an awesome man, major cool points on that story!

Both goaltenders tonight had some amazing stops!

Who else is looking forward to the Leafs vs. Ottawa on Saturday?

Ohh the notebook or a tampa game? I'd think about offing myself.

Screw that, I'd watch the notebook then build an ice shack.

Seriously

I showed this to my kids today and asked them what they thought.

They thought it was brilliant, as do I. And I'm very thankful my children understood this message.

Amazingly done doesn't do it justice

If I was making decisions at OFC (or any outdoors channel), I'd be all over this

Mine started from my girlfriend,

always put some loose tobacco in the water before the first cast. Thats my superstition.

My tradition is to be well prepared, have everything where I need it, and in a tidy fashion.

A peg board on the wall by the bench is always handy to hold the smaller tools you use on a regular basis, rather than digging thru the toolbox all the time.

Yeppers, and trace the tools where you want them to be if your especially picky. Also, keeps the wife or friends from grabbing a tool only to throw it on a shelf somewhere afterwards

Oh my, sometimes my last cast happens consecutively for an hour or two. Last Cast can also mean, "as soon as my spool runs empty, I'm done"

Just checked the standings...still in second place in the conference.

 

...had trouble finding the Sens, had to scroll down underneath that bold line at the 8th spot.

Wednesday morning funny!

We got one that lives in the river bank in a tree stump root were we fish. I've gone over to retrieve floats off the bank by the stump a few times and heard it growling at me from inside the stump. Needless to say I don't spend a lot of time near that old stump. This guy is a big full grown fisher and more than likely has a family in there as well.

I've had one nest on a stretch of shore where I shore fish all the time. He made two nice boroughs in the shoreline.

The first time we met, I was chasing pike along the shoreline, and I kept hearing surface water breaks. I had assumed it was a pike feeding, so I was following the shoreline taking cast, hoping to meet up with him. Took a good 5-10 minutes for me to actually see him, D'OH, it's a fisher! lol.

He;s been around for quite some time now, and he doesn't seemed bothered by me at all. He comes close (about 10-15ft), but no closer. And he appears to like making me think hes a fish? lol.

Dana,

Eagle Claw makes some good hooks, just depends on what type of hook you are looking to use. I have yet to see a company that makes the best hooks for every style. I like the Trokar Drop shot hooks, they work very well (now I'm waiting to try the VMC Drop shot hooks)

Sinclair, I don't think Mustad has a treble hook like that. Gamakatsu does though

The Mustad triple grips are really good hooks.

 

I like the 1x LONG, 2x STRONG hooks on the belly of crank baits (the ones that Rapala has started putting on some of their crankbaits)...but unless my eyes are not working, I cannot find them on the Mustad website.

Those are VMC hooks if I'm reading you correct. The Sureset Treble I believe?

i read a report where someone said the same thing... a hook that hooks too well... thats a good thing in my mind..... i get a lot of walleye bumping and tapping my baits... maybe these hooks will help turn those fish into caught fish....

It will help, for sure. I would def. use these hooks if your guiding, especially for those with less experience in landing big walleye and how to keep the pressure on.

The KVD ones work well also.

I got mine from lureparts and the price is good. Def. worth switching out your trebles if your gonna catch more fish

the hooks on my walleye cranks take an absolute beating cause i literally drag the bottom with em sometimes...

 

i regularly have to change the hooks on my baits... i just ordered a pile of split rings and pliers... but im having a hard time deciding what trebles to buy...

 

im leaning towards ultra point cause they sound very durable... more specificaly the - mustad ultra point triple grip - trebles...

 

or do you use others that you would recomend?

 

thnx everyone...

 

again... these are for cranks only if that makes a difference

Go with these. I started using them a few months back on my cranks and I really like them. They do hold up well, and I like to "drag" my cranks as well at times. These hooks reduce snags as well (they still snag, but a little less then conventional trebles). Your odds of landing fish go up abit as well, these hook really well.

If I have one complaint, its that they hook almost too well (if there is such a thing). If your trolling for walleye, you'll need the pliers on alot of fish.

Thats awesome! Years from now you'll be very happy you captured that moment on film!!!

Congrats to your son!!!