tjsa's most excellent LOTW's trip

[tjsa]

Soooooo..........my bud, whose wife and her family have an island on LOTW's invited myself and our other bud out there for last weekend. The other bud could not make it, but I did, ....................and..................well...........LOTW's delivered.

 

Lac Des Mille Lac, closer to me, can be a tough fishery at times, this place is definately not. Virtually everywhere we dropped a line(other than the humps, we could not beg a fish off of the humps).

 

Started off with the long 6.5 hr. drive to Kenora, stop on Dryden for a refill of Timmies, then Vermillion Bay at a place called Bobby's Corner's, where we each picked up one Musky Lure. I opted for the "Funkey Chicken"(basically a feather duster with huge hook), and my bud bought the??????????????????? "cowgirl"sumtin' or other????????????

 

Who thinks up these names for Musky Lures????????????

 

Suprisingly, I only took 50 pics on this trip, 7 of which where a bit blurry, and deleted.

 

Where I stayed the 3.5 days, an island just south of the Barrier Islands, Crowrock and Shamus Islands.

 

The main cabin, I opted to stay in the outer cabin, no electricity, no running water, oil lamp for light, felt like old times, didn't take a pic of it.

Our ride down to the island, a 20 ft. Bayliner. How we stuffed all our gear into this boat I will never know.

Our fishing vessel for those days, a very, very, old Thorens 13 ft. aluminum. This boat has been used, and abused. It was used to haul rocks for the cribbing for the dock, and has a few patches in it. My buds new Yamaha 6 horse is on the transom. It got us around OK, but doesn't match his 9.9 Mariner for torque.

 

 

We caught a lot of walleye, and perch, and a few Sauger in the mix. Here is one of the Sauger my bud caught(and it was part of a very nice meal on the 2nd day there)

Now, I have never caught a Sauger, or ever seen one personally, so I had to land one, and I did, just a wee one, lol

Actually landed two, the other being about the same size, both released.

 

Also caught my PB perch, about 15 inches, hooked deep and bleeding profusely. Said to self, get a pic at the dock, but forgot to tell my bud of my intentions, and he got to it with the fillet knife a little faster than I anticipated.

 

THAT WAS SATURDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING

 

Sunday, back out after walleye, only had one Sauger and one Walleye so far worth keeping for a feed, and we caught lots more. It was hard to come by fish over 13", must be a huge year class of them. Not disappointed at all, just not what we were hoping to land. We eventually did get 6 more walleye/sauger in the size range we wanted for supper for 4 people(14-15"), but it took the morning, and afternoon to achieve it.

We must have caught 70+ walleye, and one crappie in the mix.

 

Now, I have heard about the Pelicans on this lake, and seen pictures. But on the ride down the lake to the island, not one pelican spotted. My buds wife said she saw a "raft" of them the day before. Took a bit of time before we came across 2 on a rock. Bit of a blurry pic, full zoom in a rocking boat, but got the best shot I could that day.

On the Sunday we headed SW to Queen Island area, into the wind, and caught quite a few fish, landed the biggest walleye of the weekend on this trip, but since we already had supper taken care of, it went back. It was overcast almost all weekend.............I didn't mind...........lower temperatures just into the 20's,,,,,,, loved it.

Going west, north of Queen Island, it got very dark, very fast....but didn't look like anything was really going to happen.

 

Yeah, right............it opened up on us as the trailing edge passed, lol.

 

20 minutes later, and 5 kms later, we were fishing a hump on the main lake, caught squat, and started heading back up the north side of Crow Rock island to get back to the island..................................then.....................I saw it........................rafting Pelicans, along with Cormorants, had to be 1/4 km long, and 50 yds. wide. T'was a sight to see.

See the green point on the right, I tried to take a pic of the rest of them in the 2nd pic

Full sided to them

And a pic looking right up the length

 

OK, a bit off of fishing here........I was in that cabin............with nothing...............so........... bathing was in the lake. AND...................this is what I contended with in the mornings, lol

 

Crayfish, everywhere. No wonder this lake has such the fishery it has with such a food resource.

 

I got to swim with them for 3 days, and 2 days, they all bolted for the depths. On Saturday however, 3 of 'em dug in their tails, stood up on their front legs, and opened their claws at me. He he he,,,,,,immediately thought of Robert DeNiro in "Taxi Driver"...............you wanna piece of me, hanh, you wanna piece of me???

So, bully that I am, I kicked sand in their faces...............and 15 seconds later after the sand settled, they were still there posturing, lol

You little runts, I could squash you with my heel into the sand.

 

MONDAY, THE DAY OF INFAMY!!!

 

Ok, this day we decided to actually try to target bass, pike, or MUSKY!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Hit some likely looking spots for them(as far as we know).

In a bay known as 12 mile portage, its on Shamus Island, the winter road goes over this spot and there is a nice rock reef with a saddle, had a pike about 7 lbs. blow up on the Musky_Hawk I was tossing at the time. Was sure exciting until I realized it was a pike(trash fish to me, despite their size at times, sorry pike guys).

We hit a few other spots that should have yielded bass at least, they would have in my local territory, but, nuttin.

On the next island south of the one we were staying on, in view of the women watching us, we found a small little back bay, with wood.

First cast, nuttin, 2nd, big smally blows up on the Musky-Hawk, then my bud misses a fish he says is big as his thigh. He thinks it was a big pike. A few more casts later(I was tow-watering the Musky-Hawk, and decided to let it sink, then reel).

 

A silvery sided, pointy tailed, ESOX looking fish, slams the lure, but I missed the hook set. My bud saw it also, and commented "that did not look like a pike"!!

 

AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

It was not a big fish, but it could'a been my first.

We moved on, fishing structure, and wood in a few other spots, had a HUGE pike come for a sniff in one spot, then lazily went back down under a log.

We travelled on , saw a small back bay, bud is watching the sonar, up to 8 ft.............not likely...........oh wait.........it drops to 20 ft................then comes back up to 10 ft.

Its a fairly non-descript back bay, with a bit of weeds obviously in shallow water. What the heck, try a couple of casts.

 

First cast, screwed it up. Reeled in, reset, and tossed it exactly where I was aiming, engaged the reel, and within 2 turns of the handle, BAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

T'wasn't a big fish, but..................it is my first ever Musky, about 22-24 inches long, caught on a 25 yr., old black bodied, silver bladed, Musky_Hawk.

 

Thats it, my mission is done. Still fished, but I achieved what I wanted to.

Went back to the island, showed the ladies the pictures on the camera, and headed off for brunch to Wiley Point Lodge, one of the 3 of Totem Resorts outposts. They operate Wiley Point, Crow Rock, and Yellowbird. I didn't get to see Yellowbird.

We could not get into Crow Rock, they were booked solid for supper. Wiley Point is one of the newest of Totem's outposts, and a drive-to location. Its only been around for 15 yrs., and obviously, the most modern.

On the way there, we had to negotiate the Loisa Regatta, a yearly sailboat event on LOTW's. Lots of waving to our fellow mariners this afternoon.

Wiley Poiint is modern for sure, and their boats are used, and abused, lol.

They operate Lunds, couldn't figger out what model, the paint was well worn off of them.

Should have gotten a better pic of the boat in behind that Lund..............THAT was a work boat, I don't think there was a stitch of fabric in it other than the seats and life preservers, lol.

On our way back to the island, my buds wife says..............whats that in the water........................I see ears.

A younger Bruin making good time between the island. He/she was really moving.............we kept a respectable distance, these pics were full 10X zoom.

 

Monday night, last day there. Same day as going for brunch, but the heavens opened up on us after getting back. 3-4 hrs. later, all is calm, what a way to end a trip.

 

 

[Raf]

well i'll be....

 

there are muskies under 40" in LOTW

 

great shots tom.

[tjsa]

well i'll be....

 

there are muskies under 40" in LOTW

 

great shots tom.

 

Yeah,there are Raf, and I found a couple, thanks for the tips BTW.

[Greencoachdog]

Excellent report and pics Tom!!!

 

Those Crawdads would have made a heckuva feast!!!

[Joey]

Sweet report Tom. I love all the pics, from the pelicans rafting to the musky to the bear ears

 

Congrats on the two firsts, the musky and the sauger. I caught my first sauger this year too.

 

Sounds like you all enjoyed yourselves and had half decent weather to boot.

 

Joey

[tjsa]

Excellent report and pics Tom!!!

 

Those Crawdads would have made a heckuva feast!!!

 

Thank you Raf, and Glenn, for responding,

 

Glenn, Now how did I know you would respond as such, lol

 

Those guys were only 4" best, couple were in the 6" range.

[Leecher]

Great report and pics

A good mix bag of fish

 

Thanks for sharing

Leechman

[tjsa]

Sweet report Tom. I love all the pics, from the pelicans rafting to the musky to the bear ears

 

Congrats on the two firsts, the musky and the sauger. I caught my first sauger this year too.

 

Sounds like you all enjoyed yourselves and had half decent weather to boot.

 

Joey

 

Thank you Joey, it was basically just a fishiing trip, that turned into something else. I am not likely to ever land another Musky or Sauger,s o this trip was special indeed.

[tjsa]

Great report and pics

A good mix bag of fish

 

Thanks for sharing

Leechman

 

No, thank you for responding, much appredciated Leechman.

[Wild]

Plenty of fish and mini lobsters plus a bear and birds as well all with incredible scenery now that's a perfect trip in my book and you make me want to head there right now.

Thanks for posting this.

[modny]

great report,

 

really roughing it is always an adventure, and staying on an island really makes u feel apart of the wilderness.

 

i wouldda ran down the shoreline with a net and captured those crayfish as bbait.

[tjsa]

lol, you do not kow the half of it. If you are not seeing one of these guys, then your head is buried in the sand. They were EVERYWHERE!!!!!

 

 

It was damn near impossible to not look in a direction and not see one.

[modny]

thats pretty awesome

 

thats why the fish grow big there

 

lots of munchies

[JohnF]

couple were in the 6" range.

 

Those would be lobsters.

 

JF

[Sandbag]

tjsa

 

Looks like a beautiful trip...

 

Congrats on the two firsts and thank you for sharing your trip with us.

 

Cheers

 

Craig

[TennesseeGuy]

Nice report Tom. You had a good week on LOTW. I hit Bobby's Corner for the first time in 1972 when it was owned by Bobby and his brother, both crazy guys who were well into curling. They'd flip a coin for double or nothing on a purchase and a few of our guys thought they could beat the house. Didn't work because the house was buying at wholesale and they were pretty good coin flippers.

 

Bobby introduced us to twister tails by giving up a few free samples.

 

Your report makes me miss LOTW which I haven't fished since 1992. I was recruited to put together a trip to Totem for 48 contest winners. We had a super time and caught lots of fish. I was planning to spend a July week on LOTW this year, but it didn't work out.

 

Too bad about the long drive. My tongue is in my cheek as I say I feel sorry for you about traveling so far for good fishing.

 

I know what you mean about taking so few pictures. I just returned from a very successful week on LV and hardly have enough photos to put together a decent report. Sometimes soaking up the action just doesn't leave enough time to pull out the camera.

[glen]

Thanks for the report on LOTW. I see so much about it in magazines. I sure would like to fish it but it is too far away. I didnt know there were Pelicans on LOTW.

[Musky or Specks]

Awesome report and congrats on your first musky!!!!!!!!!

[Daplumma]

Great report Thomas.I dont think I have ever seen a pic of you with a fish.

Joe

[mattyk]

thanks for the report, great pictures!

[b2kptbo]

Great report and pic's, very well done...

[tjsa]

Nice report Tom. You had a good week on LOTW. I hit Bobby's Corner for the first time in 1972 when it was owned by Bobby and his brother, both crazy guys who were well into curling. They'd flip a coin for double or nothing on a purchase and a few of our guys thought they could beat the house. Didn't work because the house was buying at wholesale and they were pretty good coin flippers.

 

Bobby introduced us to twister tails by giving up a few free samples.

 

Your report makes me miss LOTW which I haven't fished since 1992. I was recruited to put together a trip to Totem for 48 contest winners. We had a super time and caught lots of fish. I was planning to spend a July week on LOTW this year, but it didn't work out.

 

Too bad about the long drive. My tongue is in my cheek as I say I feel sorry for you about traveling so far for good fishing.

 

I know what you mean about taking so few pictures. I just returned from a very successful week on LV and hardly have enough photos to put together a decent report. Sometimes soaking up the action just doesn't leave enough time to pull out the camera.

 

Thanks Connie, and that ``long drive`` of mine I know does not compare you what you do twice a year. Usually I am a day tripper, only 2.5-3 hrs. one way, with fishing in between, lol.

[Smokey]

Great report Tom. Of all the lakes I've fished it's my favorite.

 

Thanks for the report and pics

[danc]

That was a fun and interesting report to read Tom. The "raft" of Pelicans is amazing. And I've never seen crayfish exhibit such behavior before. And your first and only Muskie is about 6" larger than my first and only. Congrats...

[Spiel]

....Great report Tom. Almost made it there 2 summers ago with TEP but ended up staying in Vermillion Bay due to the algae bloom on LOTW. Stayed at an old motel a few blocks behind Bobby's (got the shirt ) actually right between the tavern and the public launch. I'd go back in heart beat and would definitely take more coin for Bobby's.