An Old Wall"EYE" Opener. Report.

[Moosebunk]

Found this older guy in a search of some reports pre my being here at OFC. Didn't used to blab-on so much with the story telling.

 

These days I am just so ansy to get the boat out and lay chase to spring pike, eyes and brookies on the home waters. This is a good one from days past but not forgotten. That opener was the best weather ever, and the fishing was really only the icing the cake. Enjoy.

 

 

 

A REAL WALL"EYE" OPENER.

 

 

Long winters lead up to huge anticipation in the north of the walleye opener and this year was no different. My buddy John and I were totally pumped to get up the French River for an entire weekend of walleye and pike fishing. The French River I speak of isn't the well known French that dumps into a great lake, it's a much smaller river which instead leads north connecting with the Moose River and ultimately James Bay. The French is true wilderness that goes untouched by most except for when water levels after the ice-break-up allows safe boat travel. It's the kind of river for that for a canoeist could completely kill them when water levels along it's average week long stretch drop, leaving paddlers walking their gear and canoes on trickling river bottoms for miles. I hadn't been up the river in two years since Laker_Taker joined myself and John last. This trip was completely different from that experience, but again, it was just as awe inspiring and worth every lesson, as you'll see.

 

John and I depart town heading south on the Moose River. His 20HP on a 20 foot freighter Nor-West canoe are a perfect match for river travel south.

 

Then we turn and head a little ways up the French. The water changes to more of a tanin blue, not so much a muddy flow.

 

I love the French. It's more closed in and scenic than the Moose.

 

John and I dabbled a little with the rods on the way up to camp. A few early small fish promised better things to come. The day was sunny and hot, and matter of fact, that's exactly how the next three days continued on.

 

John and I after setting up in the cabin. We're about 20 km's or so from home. The cabin belongs to Jimmy, an old man and trapper upon the further reaches of this river. Age, diabetes and near blindness kept him from joining us this year, but, what he taught us on our past trips still sticks.

 

The Outhouse could use a little work. Like maybe some wider walls and a door. Haha... pooper shot.

 

John and I wolfed down some homemade Chili I had made up and froze a few days prior to our trip. Then we hit the river for an evening fish. Without trouble we zipped a few kilometers up river and hit a couple spots. The end result for our short evening was seven fish each. John caught four fallfish and three walleye and I managed one fallfish and six walleye. My pink and chartreuse bucktails did great, but of course they were either tipped with dace or sticklebacks. We had set the trap the night before and managed probably around 15-20 dozen minnows for our trip.

 

Here's Johns 4lb and my 3.5lb best on day 1.

 

Found this beauty in about three feet of water off the back of an island.

 

But John had already done better with this scrapper in the rapids.

 

By the end of the night we were whipped. We retired to the cabin after a beer. Strangely I had trouble sleeping on my three mattresses. Might have been anticipation of what was to come.

 

the next morn we wolfed down some bagels and hamsteaks and were off by 0800. We were really surprised not to have seen hardly any others on the river the day before. We took off up stream. Today was a big day to push about 25kms up river. On the way we had a honey hole or two to visit.

 

More fish caught by 1300 but none kept, we arrived at 1/4 mile rapid. This was the last big obstacle before our destination. John had knocked the skeg and prop a little by this point. Water levels had dropped about 3-4 inches overnight. The rapid was insane. I stood at the front of the boat for over an hour gesturing left or right and picking the best possible routes to navigate our boat safely through rock gardens in little more than 12 inches of water at times. I could swear the motor was skimming along in a foot wide path just made for it. John, who was driving, was astonishing. I was so impressed with his skill, (and maybe some luck) and really, he only just tapped bottom 3 or 4 times while we crawled up river. It was truly one of the most proud team efforts two friends could ever have. Unbelievable.

 

Once we got up top of 1/4 mile, too some surprise, nobody was around. Last time it was a traffic jam two years prior. This year, all ours. To the victors of the river that day went the spoils. We stopped for lunch and fished several hours. Here's some pics.

 

I had never caught a walleye on the fly, on this trip I caught two. Clouser minnow...

 

On the way out back at 1/4 mile rapids, John snapped this pic when the going was a little safer. We just decided to paddle that section of river and save a skeg.

 

Nobody around we stopped again on the way back to the cabin around 1700. Our honey hole was all ours. Lots of people know to fish there but again to our surprise, hardly anyone was on the river. John I caught some fish for supper, and then, while dragging one of my bucktails along bottom, I got a good hit. This big fat marble eye came up to see me and pose for some pics.

 

PPPPPPPPZZZZZZZZZZZZOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWYYYYYYYY

Great fish for me.

 

That night we fed ravenously on fried spuds, maple beans, and breaded walleye fillets. Bushed, we hit the hay. Fish count for the day though, John 18 walleye, one fallfish and one pike. Moose, 14 walleye and two pike. Including the 25" 6 1/4 lber. Best lure. A pink paddle tailed 3" white grub.

 

Next day we headed back up river. Overnight the water had dropped several more inches. Speeding away as usual we were met with a hard knock on the motor. First set of rapids, couple more hard dings. The Yamaha was shaking like an epileptic on acid. John got atop the first rapids and changed to his other beaten spare prop. The situation got a little better, but John was bothered. It's a new motor, and having gone through an entire lower end last year myself, I know how each good knock and new problem can dampen the spirits. He even shaved a little off the skeg, but we pushed up river and he nailed like five walleye in about an hour back at the honey hole.

 

For the afternoon we went exploring calm back bays in search of pike. John showed me an amazing looking spot, but at days end it only coughed up four fish. We bumped into a local acquaintance and his wife and kids. Steve (from Peterborough area originally) spoke of how great the fishing used to be on the Moose years back. Said the locals used red devles and 5 of diamonds only for everything. He used to nail big eyes on his own bucktails by the bucketload.

 

Heading home the water levels killed us. The motor took an absolute assault in places 2 days prior we zipped through. Shallow drive was often not shallow enough. We fished a little heading back to the cabin, and I caught a 28 inch pike just after some friends we met on the river had caught and released it. It was cool. Total fish count had John schooling me with eight walleye and a pike to my own three pike. His patience for the slowest of presentations persevered over my quicker tactics; that and his stinger hooks.

 

Back at the cabin I cooked up a big feed of fajitas, while John pounded both props back into shape with a hammer over a tree stump. That night we stayed up to about midnight and drank a bunch under warm, bug-less, full moon skies. We felt like Kings. It’s trips like this one with a good friend, in such an amazing place, that keep people happy in life.

[canadian_copper]

AWSOME REPORT BRO!!!

AND PICS TOO BOOT

[wolfville]

A great read. Thanks for sharing. Trips like this are priceless.

[Reef Runner]

Killer post. I always enjoy reading of your adventures Moosebunk, thanks for sharing.

 

reefrunner

[Ramble]

Soild report Bunker. It's always good to think about great trips of the past. Where are you gong for the walleye opener this year?? I get 2 openers this year lololol

 

-R-

[irishfield]

Stop rehashing bud... you're just torturing yourself and thus may never come "home" ! LOL

 

Great stuff Drew...but think Brookies!

[John]

Outstanding Drew, but your killing me!

[pikehunter]

Warm, no bugs and beautiful eyes! What a combination

[Moosebunk]

Where are you gong for the walleye opener this year?? I get 2 openers this year lololol

 

If I have my way Dave it'll be the North French. Past couple years water levels have been too low by opener so I end up on the Moose and Cheepas. Not so bad either.

 

Looks like I'll have 5 days off so I'll go N. French, then work 5 days (60-hours), then have 6 more off which I'll split Moose/Cheepas and out on the Bay for searun specks. (see Wayne, I'm still thinking trout) Bren's joining me for one trip, but otherwise since other recent plans fell through I haven't filled a seat.

[rob v]

Great report - thanks for sharing. sounds like a wonderful place/experience. Just one question though, what's a "fall fish" ? I've never heard that term used before.

[Ramble]

fallfish are FAN-tastic on the fly rod. They are one of the largset of the minnow species...their scientific name is (Semotilus corporalis).

 

here's a link... http://www.unb.ca/cri/projects/Fish_key/Cy...e/Fall_Fish.htm

 

-R-

[MuddyWater]

ive caught fallfish on the eastern tribs about when the lampreys are spawning they like to use the lamprey nests for something maybe eating the eggs which is good. never any big ones but up north i know a river where i was fishing smallies and i thought i had a smallie but it was a fallfish around 2-3 pounds it was neat!!

[oldphart]

~~~AAAAH another great report from the North Country, great to know you have a indoor Throne Room