(Panfish) Opener on Buckhorn

[PickerelHunter]

Hey guys...well headed up to the trailer on Buckhorn with my dad and brother for our annual opener weekend. On the way from Barrie I stopped in at the dam in Gamebridge to see this walleye run everyone keeps talking about...didn't see anything for a bit as I walked the bank until a walleye almost jumped on top of me. Then I gazed out from the bridge and saw alot of fish, some were absolute monsters!! Here's a cool pic that I got...the fish decided to jump just as I was clicking the button, got lucky.

 

 

The park isn't officially opened till May but we always make the trip last weekend in April and make due with not having water in the trailer. We don't have a boat and it was a bit windy for the canoe so we just hung around the docks dipping microtubes and maribou jigs for crappie. My original game plan was to upsize the maribou in order to upsize the crappie...but after a few absolutely beautiful OOS fish I downgraded in size. Saturday was a beautiful day, but awful for the crappie. Only caught a few and only a couple of those worth keeping for the table, so they went back in. I couldn't understand what was wrong, year after year these docks produce plenty of crappie on opener, and this year not a sniff. Next day much the same, no matter what you threw there wasn't anything, which told me they weren't there for one reason or another (maybe too early yet?, no weed growth so maybe a week or two will be better). I had the polarized on and I didn't see ANY fish aside from a few bass here and there. Not even the sunfish were around and they're usually in there very thick. Dad and brother took off midday, I decided to stay another night since I didn't work Monday...and boy am I glad I did! After some thought and realizing they weren't in the marina or the bay, I decided casting out into the lake. We didn't do this earlier because the wind would be coming straight at us, and with 1/32 ounce jigs they don't go very far. Went back out close to dusk on Sunday and a couple hours worth caught me plenty of crappie, most in the 9-10 inch range. All in all it was a great weekend as always...hopefully make it up for the walleye opener and by then the crappie should be in (I hope!!).

 

Here's some pics

 

 

 

 

 

[Sinker]

Nice slabs!

 

I think the pickeral opener is going to be killer for slabs this year. There were no new weeds on rice this weekend either. It was slow fishing, but we managed enough for dinner.

 

Thanks for the report!

Sinker

[perodimi]

Hi PickerelHunter,

 

I'm interested in the trailer park you're in. Ours is off of sturgeon lake but we're always looking for others so I'd appreciate any info on yours and whether you like the place?

 

Thanks,

 

Peter

[PickerelHunter]

PM sent perodimi

[gone_fishin]

that's a cool shot of the sucker jumping.

 

good job on the crappies too.