manitoubass2

I didn't know what this was, so I looked on Google Images.

 

If I ever catch something that looks like this, I'm done with fishing.

hahahaah, Dana always bringing the laughs!

Its funny you mentioned that. Last weekend while pike fishing, I would flip the odd lilly pad with a Texas Rigged chigger craw in attemps to catch some buckets. Ended up catching more pike then bass...lol

Thats awesome! I started using the chigger craw last year for smallies and did really well. Same this year. But I started pike fishing this year and found this bait to just get smashed time and time again by pike in lots of different situations. 3-5 biggest pike this year came on this bait. One other was on a berkley 5" ripple shad on a jig head, and the other came on a shadalicious 6" swim bait. I've been trying the chigger craw on a 3/8oz jig for walleye, but haven't faired so well, a few small ones and thats about it.

Fall pike fishing is great! I think spinnerbaits are key this time of year. If the water is dingy, use something with bright colours.

I agree. I've been doing well with two baits, a chartuesse/red spinner bait, and a texas rigged Berkley chigger craw, black red flake (they've been killing this bait in shallow weeds)

Eat the fish, and try not to over think things.

Everything on this earth is contaminated, and the earlier post about chicken etc is bang on.

Fish every once in awhile is not gonna kill you, certainly not before anything else your exposed to will.

In my experience (which isn't much), they'll move into shallow structures throughout the day. The key is timing. The fall feedbag is just starting, so you'l have to experiment. Shallow bass baits are a good idea, lol. Try to make pattern if you have enough time on the water. Look for weeds, and drop offs, mud to rock structures or other similar variables.

The second boater knew exactly what i was trying to relay. Hands about 2 feet apart. I pointed to the spot and brought my hands together.He immediately reversed his motor. I am going to put a couple of empty jugs across this weekend.

Its also good to be able to read the water surface.First time i saw this area, i knew from the ripples and color, that this was a shallow spot.

Yeppers, being able to read the surface is important. I fish a river most the time, and Rainy Lake/LOTW, and you learn pretty quickly to watch for boils etc.

Good on ya though for trying, and being pro active. If it was me, I'd sure appreciate that someone took the time to mark a shallow rock.

Well, I don't normally celebrate my bday, but the girlfriend seemed dead set on it this year. When she asked me what I wanted to do, I simply replied "Do you really have to ask?" lol. So fishing was a dead giveaway, but what else is there to do? Well, go support my fishing partner at the Rainy River Walleye Tourny!

Well, thursday morning we threw a little trolling motor on the boat and headed out early to check the walleye bite. We got some fish, no big ones though.

So, Friday fishing with the kids. We arrived early to shore fish and I was surprised by how clear the water was??? I figured this was gonna be a dud of a day, but managed to find the walleye, in 3ft of water! Crystal CLEAR WATER!!!!

My boy with a 17"

We landed alot of fish all morning, but again, all smaller fish. We even caught a crappie, which is a first in the river.

Time to go support my partner. He started out with a good day, weighing in 4 fish and enough to finish the day in fourth place! The second day wasn't as kind however, and he was only able to weigh 3 fish. But, he finished in 11th out of over 90 teams, and got rookie of the tourny (his first time entering this tourny)

Entering to some tourny classics, AC/DC of course, haha

Weighing in

Having some buds, with buds

Then it was time for birthday dinner, made by the girlfriend of course!

Time to let the kids smash some leftover cake on their daddys face! Gotta make sure the kids are having fun!

a part of tomorrows supper!

I gotta do this every year, haha. Was a great weekend

awesome report!

Man, Dana you keep this up you'll be winning tournys by next year!

Beautiful fish

Awesome report Limey! Im still jealous of where you live

Man, I can't wait for the year that I can get out 150 times!!!! Although I could probably swing it if I went to the local reservoir all the time,

lol, Im just making up for the five years I could barely get out at all. The past three years have helped alot, lol

So far, this has been a great season for me and my family! Itès just getting to the good part of the season, so were far from done yet

Its been a numbers year though, for the most part. I got a PB pike, which I was really stoked on, since I just started taking pike fishing seriously this year.

Ive been out fishing just as much as last year, maybe 150 times .

This year I wanted to focus on some new techniques, which I did. I also refined some older ones! And, I wanted to take two of my boys out more and let them try alot of new things now that their getting better and better as anglers. Basically this year I was letting them pick cranks to fish, last year, they didnt get to do that very often. All my kids got PB of some kind, which is awesome. And they got to see some different species, like sunfish, crappie, rock bass, lakers and bluegill. Oh yeah, sturgeon as well.

My proudest moment this year was my oldest boy landing a 6lb laker from hit to finish! Made me very proud. Still waiting on the pics from his grandma though.

Its been a great year thus far. Now its time for big walleye and feedbag smallies!

November 17th was my last day in a boat last year. It was minus 27 with the wind chill, I was abit under prepared. Lasted about 3 hours tops, fishing was great though

Well, 6 or so hours fishing Trigger X baits today and one crappie

On the plus side, it was the only crappie I've ever seen on Rainy River, and it was 10".

I should also mention I really do like the design of some of these products, I'm not being biased here.

I'm heading out today for walleye/smallies, and all I'm bringing are Trigger X baits. Either I'll catch fish or I'll in the very least, get rid of what I have right now.

As an angler that uses alot of plastics, I was pretty excited about giving the Trigger X baits a hard run this soft water season. I have my own patterns and style of fishing, as do most anglers, so I already have a narrowed down selection of what plastics and patterns I like to fish. But when it came time to try these baits, I grabbed almost everything that was available in my area for bass/walleye to give it a fair run.

I liked some of the patterns/colors, others not so much, but if they catch fish, thats what matters most.

Out of all the products available, I figured the paddle tail minnows were gonna be the best of the bunch.

My initial impression was that the baits were very stiff. Even brand new Rockchuck jigs had a hard time rigging these baits properly. Once in the water though, the action on the baits was good. I also noticed in heat, they melt together quickly. It's not a good product to store in your tackle box for any length of time.

After a spring/summer/partial fall of using various baits, I'm surprised to say I did horrible using Trigger X baits. I did manage some decent smallies on the tubes, a sturgeon on the worms, and a few small perch on the grubs. But overall, I just flat out didn't catch many fish, and none of the ones I did catch were of any size.

I use some Berkley Gulp! Alive baits still, mainly the leeches, the 3 and 4" minnows in black shad patterns, and although they too have issues, I catch alot of good fish using them.

I'm just wondering who else is using these baits and what you think of them??? What has your experience been etc?

Thanks in advance for the riany day discussion

Sorry to hear. Always sucks losing friends

Nice fish! I love catching bass, especially on top water.

 

Yeah, Saturday was cool too.. I hit Liberty Lake A BODY OF WATER at about 5:30am, and the sun didn't rise for well over an hour, maybe close to two and holy freaking crap it was cold on the hands. Then it warmed up a bit by the time I was leaving. Then I went to Anima-Nip A DIFFERENT BODY OF WATER in the afternoon, and it was warm enough that I could have worn shorts. Then almost immediately after the sun went down, it was brutal cold again (at least on the hands).

 

I need to find some gloves for times like this, but I want good ones that let me still feel the rod and cast easily.

 

You're right too, fishing alone can be super relaxing. I've yet to take my canoe out alone, but I do from the shore often enough. Your post makes me wanna go out tonight or tomorrow, but I've not been having good luck lately.

Mechanic style gloves work well for me in the fall before it gets too cold. They fit snug, keep in body heat and you can still handle your reel easily.

beauty fish and great report!

It's just my opinion, but I actually prefer to fish alone the majority of the time. I find it's slower and more enjoyable for me. With 2-3 other people, time seems to fly by too fast

Reimer won't play until the regular season starts. The management knows that if he were to play, he'd take a slap shot off the foot and miss the season with a severely sprained baby toe .

At least this way he won't get injured until the second or third week of the season

Geebus, great looking perch!

Raising a beer to yet another season of disappointment.

Hey, it's a good reason to have a few more beers

I've had good and bad reels such as described here. After one of my fishing buds made a recommendation I haven't had any issues since.

When you purchase a new reel, get it serviced first. Amazing the difference can make, not only in performance, but life of the product as well.

But after trying various reels, my two favorites are the Okuma Avenger and Stradic CI4 spinning reels. The Okuma is cheap too, but performes very well.

I'm just glad we don't get fishing pressure on that scale in my parts.

People don't even believe there are fish in this river, so I can tell em all my spots without worry

Kind of a decent argument for catch and keep eh?

Yep, or.... We can pressure the MNR to start removing Snapping turtles from all waterways in ON

lol, that was pretty neat. Pretty good size snapper too!