Balsam Lake camping

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Decided to go camping with another friend this weekend. I wanted to go to Emily, Ferris or Balsam. Balsam was calling for 15k winds and I know it can get choppy, Ferris apparently has no swimming area,so opted for Emily. Unfortunately Emily was having registration problems. Rather than take a chance I booked at Balsam. Plus I know Balsam pretty good.

 

Got to Balsam and our camp site was unsatisfactory(couldn't fit the boat). Picked another one and thank goodness it was available. Other than a few mishaps, everything went very well.

 

Got out fishing Saturday morning. It was windy and most places were hard to work. All the places that had cover produced only little smallies and I mean none over 1/2 a pound. When ever I caught something on a lure, I gave it to her for confidence. She caught 2 small smallies on a tube jig. Fine. She was starting to get frustrated working the lure because of the wind and snags. So we moved. Many times....We decided to go in for lunch.

 

Went to Coboconk and had some lunch at the Pattie house. Great restaurants , great patio, great food. I had the chicken parmagean with linguini which tasted amazing. She had the phili steak sandwhich which was also very good. I definitely recommend it. We also stopped by for some Kawartha ice cream. The flavor selection was minimal and it was ok.

 

In the afternoon around 5pm I drove to a spot I know was wind sheltered and its a LM bass spot. Perfect. Give her a senko and she just throws it out and the lure will do the rest. Nothing. I take the senko and giver her the jig and grub I was using. I get a hit. She says are you sure it was a hit? I said yes. And proceed to hook a largie about 1 lb max. Then I hook another one, near the same size. Then I give it back to her. I cast it for her. I tell her to make it sink and how to work it. I see the line start to move. I tell her to set the hook and its fight on. This fish was really giving her a great battle in heavy cover! After a nice fight it was in the boat. Unfortunately she didn't want to hold it. Too bad. She is really photogenic and looked great in her bikini.

 

 

After that she wanted to stay on the spot but they were hitting in the current, so it was hard to stay on the spot. My other largie spots were unworkable due to the winds.We had both forgotten our cell phones at the truck, so we didn't have any idea of the time. She said it was getting late and me thinking its 9:00 heads in. I get to the car and its not even 7:30 yet. Was a little ticked. I wanted to fish the night bite. Oh well.

 

Woke up Sunday morning late. Same thing. Windy and small fish. She was too impatient on all the spots and kept on wanting to move. Plus the drift was too fast and her lure kept going under the boat and she was frustrated. She wanted to return to the largie spot and we did. Nothing. Decided to head up towards coboconk. At this point she didn't want to fish anymore! I was throwing out the fluke and nailing largies in the 1 lb range. Decided to go up the river. We get there and it definitely looks workable, but it was noon and we were getting hungry. We headed back.

 

Went swimming and what do I see in the middle of all the people in 2-3 FOW? Two 4 inch smallies and what do I see next? A 3+ lb smallie swimming among the people!!!!

 

Came back in the afternoon around 5pm. Went to her confidence spot and checked out a few other spots. Nothing. So we decided to go up river again. We had decided we will drive to coboconk. Fish up there and get a pizza at the Pattie house. We got up there around 7:30. I watched the boat while she went to get the pizza. I seen a 3-4 lb pickeral just wading in the current. Casted for it but it swam away. By the time the pizza came back and we ate it(it was average). It was getting dark and I don't know the area well enough so we didn't get to fish the area at all. Headed back in.

 

Monday morning we headed out late and it was a cold one. With a really cold north wind. Decided on my last day to go to some confidence spots. Tried for smallies. Nothing. Wanted to try my Musky spot, but again. Too windy and she was complaining. Plus I wanted her to catch fish too. Then I went to my pickerel spot and she was saying how she caught the biggest fish and mocking me!!! I said now I am going to have to start trying and as I said that? Fish on!! She thought I was joking but I brought in a 20 inch pickerel!lol

 

 

After that she was complaining about the wind. So I went to a weedline that was sort of out of the wind. Caught a puke. Hard to stay on it so I decided to just go with the flow and we drift fished in deep water while dragging tubes and grubs. We caught a few small smallies, and that was it. She had enough and we packed it in before noon.

 

Over all I had a great time. The park itself was decent. I didn't like the fact that there were no restaurants anywhere, but the fact that there are BEARS in Balsam could be part of the problem. The launch facilities were great and had over night docking available also, which was great. The fishing was limited and I couldn't work the areas as I liked, but the company was great and alot of laughs were had.

[limeyangler]

Great rport Johnny.

 

i dont wear a watch either, and i know exactly what you mean....how many times do i get back and look at the stove clock and realise there were still another 3 fishable hours!!!!!DOH!!!! Good to see you got a few nice fish...i would have been casting a topwater inbetween all those people for that 3lb + smallie...hehehe(just kiddin'...kinda)

[tbayboy]

Nice report Johnny, sounds like you really worked to make the most of every day. Glad to hear that the camping worked out - sure is nice to be right on the water and skip the 2 hour drives. Thanks for the update

[Bly]

Nice detailed report Johnny. Please tell your friend congrats on the nice bass she caught Too bad about the winds but as you said, the company was good and lots of laughs.....great way to spend some time

[Kerry]

Next time you're there try giving that outside swimming area a little bit more attention.All the fish you mentioned like those flats and drops at one time or another.My biggest walleye there is a 27" during the early evening on a trolled believer in 22'.

 

Kerry

[PatrickGG]

Nice Largie Congrats to the lady and that Walleye must have had you going, Nice report and nicely detailed thanks for sharing your trip.

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Next time you're there try giving that outside swimming area a little bit more attention.All the fish you mentioned like those flats and drops at one time or another.My biggest walleye there is a 27" during the early evening on a trolled believer in 22'.

 

Kerry

 

 

I tried to the right of the launch but not the left. I did hear it is a good pickerel spot. Will definitely give it a try. Thanks Kerry.

 

Thanks guys.I wasted a lot of time driving to places I have never been to get away from the wind! I explored most of the north end of the lake that was fishable. All I have left is to explore west bay. There were so many good spots we came across. Some did not produce and some were not worked thoroughly, because of the wind and company.But Balsam seems to be a very versatile lake for sure!

[Leecher]

Great report and pics Johnny Bass

 

It sure is hard to target some of our favorite spots when the wind is dominent.

congrats to your friend for catching that good looking bass and

thanks for sharing

Leechman

[b2kptbo]

A couple nice ones but it sounds like ya worked for'em, you and your friend had a good time and your out fishing, WTG...

[Greencoachdog]

Great report, pics, and fish Johnny!!!

 

Your friend doesn't have to hold a fish to have her pic taken if she's wearin' a bikini... just holding a rod and reel is fine!

[Guest Johnny Bass]

A couple nice ones but it sounds like ya worked for'em, you and your friend had a good time and your out fishing, WTG...

 

Thanks. Next time I will get her live bait, so I can just sit back and work structure properly rather than moving constantly and trying to put her on fish.

 

Great report, pics, and fish Johnny!!!

 

Your friend doesn't have to hold a fish to have her pic taken if she's wearin' a bikini... just holding a rod and reel is fine!

 

Thats true. But I don't want to post any NF material. Might get some complaints.

 

Oh and although the boat without the dol-fin gets better gas mileage? It was brutal with the waves....We got sprayed a bit. Its ok for now but not in the fall when it is cold. Might buy another one.

[Reef Runner]

Nice report. Winds and waves on Balsam are brutal sometimes, making for a hard fish. Only pulled one trip out there this year, as you know, ya did better than I That's a nice bass your friend hauled in! Thanks for posting.

[corvette1]

nice bass and eye wind is allways a killer

[johnnyb]

*cough* driftsock! *cough*

nice report...I can't wait to try the Pattie house...been driving by it all summer hearing about how good the food is

[GBW]

I can't wait to try the Pattie house...been driving by it all summer hearing about how good the food is

it is good. we go all the time as our cottage is close to it.

[pokerdemon4]

Great report as always. I would have like to seen scantly clad pics of your friend though. Nice job and sounds like you had a great weekend.

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Yep. Wind sucks and I only had ONE day this year with semi-low winds. And I do have a drift sock. It was still too fast for her. She doesn't reel too much and the lure was always under the boat. Wrapped around motor, boat corners, ect... I may have to invest in another drift sock, one of these days.

 

The pizza was kinda disappointing at the Pattie house but other than that? Everything we tried was good!

[Kerry]

I tried to the right of the launch but not the left. I did hear it is a good pickerel spot. Will definitely give it a try. Thanks Kerry.

 

Thanks guys.I wasted a lot of time driving to places I have never been to get away from the wind! I explored most of the north end of the lake that was fishable. All I have left is to explore west bay. There were so many good spots we came across. Some did not produce and some were not worked thoroughly, because of the wind and company.But Balsam seems to be a very versatile lake for sure!

I've never caught anything on the right side of the launch either but friends have including two musky's in the mid thirty's.Another spot to try though on that side is out from the canoe launch,lots of drops,rises in between weed beds and some scattered rock ledges as well.I haven't really delved too far that way but caught walleye and perch in the drops early in the season on jigs/grubs with a bit of worm.

The last time up there I talked to a guy on the water and he said he hadn't gotten into anything unless jigging the base of the weedbeds.He was using a big bass jig at the time.Unfortunately for me I was ready to pack up and leave so I didn't get to try out the theory and I hadn't gotten anything throwing inlines, spinnerbaits and cranks so he may well have been right.

Kerry

[BigGuppy]

I went with some friends to Balsam on Sunday. We rented a boat from Rosedale Marina. All they had was a pontoon boat!!! 15km/hr max it killed us getting around the lake LOL We got skunked with everything we threw in the water. Finally my 5 year old put a worm on a pickerel rig and caught a 1 lb smallie !!! It was a tough day but we had fun. I'm still new to the fishing thing but had a good time.

[hoops12]

Great report Jonney. Question for ya......where did you get that black spinner bait in the firt picture posted. I can't find that type and size of spinner anywhere!!! Thanks

[hoops12]

Please help me Johnny Bass!! i need to restock on spinners!!

[snagmaster]

nice report johny...wheres the pics of the pretty girl???lol...bud i got a hot spot going...ill shoot you a pm

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Please help me Johnny Bass!! i need to restock on spinners!!

 

I bought that lure long ago. Can't remember the name. Sorry.

Edited August 29, 2008 by Johnny Bass

[Guest Johnny Bass]

nice report johny...wheres the pics of the pretty girl???lol...bud i got a hot spot going...ill shoot you a pm

 

Sounds good Al. If I take her out again I will take a picture. Hopefully its in a bikini. She looks great and she is stacked!

[tbayboy]

Sounds good Al. If I take her out again I will take a picture. Hopefully its in a bikini. She looks great and she is stacked!

Oh boy I hope she doesn't find google - this site is fully indexed you know