Double the pleasure - 2 reports in one

[tbayboy]

Been a while since I posted but I got out today for a suprisingly good couple hours so I thought I'd gather up the last few weeks and roll them into one report so pack it up, pack it in, let us begin!

 

Simcoe Bronze

The first weekend in October Mike and I went out for a last day on Georgian Bay. We caught a couple but nothing great and we talked about jumping on the Simcoe Smallie bandwagon after seeing all the great reports. Mike got some tips while I read every report I could (love this board) and we headed out for an early start. Of course being on new water using techniques you're not use to (deep water bass fishing) took some getting use to but just before noon Mike yanked back on his crank bait and we were in the game

 

<a href=" title="One last dig by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3273/2917011946_655befdb02.jpg" width="484" height="500" alt="One last dig" /></a>

 

She came in at 4lbs pretty much on the dot

 

<a href=" title="Fat 4 pounder by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3255/2917012750_c804e3b7de_b.jpg" width="1024" height="1006" alt="Fat 4 pounder" /></a>

 

Unfortunately we didn't get much else after that - my bass tactics were really paying off

 

<a href=" title="My Bass? by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3060/2917013478_dfe157cb90.jpg" width="500" height="465" alt="My Bass?" /></a>

 

But on the other side of things the perch were crazy so we spent the last couple hours pulling up perch after perch while we planned the Thanksgiving weekend attack on Simcoe.

 

<a href=" title="Calm on the bay by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3018/2936751588_9e3994bf6e_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Calm on the bay" /></a>

 

Saturday the 11th started off cool and calm, beautiful day but you know it's October when this is the decor for the 50MPH run to the fishing spots

 

<a href=" title="Ready for takeoff! by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3274/2935897351_868484ca70.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Ready for takeoff!" /></a>

 

<a href=" title="Ready for takeoff! by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3237/2936753444_73ba069ca2.jpg" width="500" height="354" alt="Ready for takeoff!" /></a>

 

 

This weekend Mike didn't waste much time and landing this 4 1/4 pounder at our first stop, nice fish.

 

<a href=" title="First of the day by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3207/2935898783_af22babf4b_b.jpg" width="1024" height="846" alt="First of the day" /></a>

 

A couple hours later he followed it up with another slightly smaller sample

 

<a href=" title="Mike's 4 and 1/2 by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3245/2935900215_37ceb43023_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="Mike's 4 and 1/2" /></a>

 

Then it happened! My first simcoe smallie, what a beast!

 

<a href=" title="Simcoe Smallie by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3061/2936756720_a62e509c47.jpg" width="500" height="443" alt="Simcoe Smallie" /></a>

 

We went back again Sunday but had nothing but a couple 1 pounders to show for it. So yeah, Simcoe kicked my ass, I'll admit it but I'll be back next year, gotta catch up with Mike sometime!

 

Technical Details

All of Mike's fish came on a deep diving crawfish patterned crank bait in 15'ish feet of water with deep water near by. Water temps were 58-60 degree.

 

Hangover Piggies

This weekend I didn't make any fishing plans as it was Oktoberfest. I got on the bus at 5:30pm Saturday and got home at 4am - 'nuff said about that night, Ein Prosit!. Needless to say I wasn't up particularly early but after a gallon of coffee and some brunch I found myself feeling more or less alive and bored at 2pm. I looked outside and damn , wasn't it a nice looking day. Figured a drive would help clear the cobwebs so I tossed the waders in the trunk and headed back to Kitchener for a different kind of celebrating.

 

<a href=" title="Grand river in the fall by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3270/2955969483_b47e3dd6db_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Grand river in the fall" /></a>

 

The water was beautiful, calm and clear when I arrived at 3:45. Damn cold though - I had on long underwear and thick socks but I gotta invest in some neoprene's some time, brrr. I'd put on a tube and started tossing into the deepest water I could find and wouldn't you know it - I get a big heavy fish on 10 minutes into the day. Unfortunately I didn't set the hook and she pulled it out. . I figured that was going to the be only hit of the day after doing something that dumb but nope - not 10 minutes later I get another pick up but this time I gave it a couple good yanks then another for good measure.

 

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emosworld/2955966057/" title="First of the day by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3142/2955966057_80f06a3473_b.jpg" width="616" height="1024" alt="First of the day" /></a>

 

This girl wasn't coming off and boy was I glad she didn't, a nice fattie was soon in my hands, too bad I didn't bring along a camera man

 

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emosworld/2956810368/" title="First little piggy by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3180/2956810368_5a399f88ee_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="First little piggy" /></a>

 

A couple casts later I had another hit, this time I gave a bit too much of a pull on the hookset and had to dodge an incoming tube in a hurry, whoops. Luckily it didn't take long to get another try - another nice fish!

 

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emosworld/2956810656/" title="Second in the half hour by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3052/2956810656_b77065d774_b.jpg" width="749" height="1024" alt="Second in the half hour" /></a>

 

The next fish was the smallest of the day:

 

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emosworld/2956812250/" title="Where'd he go? by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3283/2956812250_3dac316d4c.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Where'd he go?" /></a>

 

In case you're wondering - that's where the fish was 2 seconds earlier, just before I dropped it trying to get the camera out

 

But that was ok since piggie number 3 showed up to make it a VERY productive half hour

 

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emosworld/2955967457/" title="3rd in the half hour by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3271/2955967457_0113a48335_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="3rd in the half hour" /></a>

 

 

Then I got all stupid and decided to take off the tube and try some other things (topwater, jerk baits) - sometimes I wonder what goes through my head. Needless to say that was a waste of 45 minutes. By the time that experiment ended my finger tips were cold, my nose was running and my feet were going numb. So I put the tube back on and managed one last fish for the day

 

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emosworld/2955968907/" title="Last of the season? by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3290/2955968907_f73449a69a_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="Last of the season?" /></a>

 

Took a couple scenery pics as the sun set and called it a day, perhaps the last on the Grand this year ?

 

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emosworld/2955970401/" title="Colours reflected by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3192/2955970401_036d003a6a_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="Colours reflected" /></a>

 

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emosworld/2956814466/" title="Sunset on the grand by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3007/2956814466_8cb53482db_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Sunset on the grand" /></a>

 

Technical Details

Pretty easy one this time around:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emosworld/2956811730/" title="Todays tools by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3278/2956811730_663c397c65.jpg" width="500" height="438" alt="Todays tools" /></a>

 

8lb fireline crystal on a trusty Shimano Sahara and my St. Croix 6'6'' medium fast with a brown/flaked 3 1/2" tube tossed into the deepest holes I could find (5-6' of water for the most part).

 

Now comes that lousy time - waiting for the hard water season - take care everyone

Sean

[MARK69]

Beauty fish GENTS !!!

 

 

Freek

[Greencoachdog]

Great report and some really nice Tinymouth Bass!!!

 

By the looks of the first few pics and your description of the ambient temps in the later part of the report... I'd swear it was just a bit nippy up there now!

[Bly]

Well done Mike and Sean! Lovely fish and some gorgeous scenery.

[tbayboy]

Great report and some really nice Tinymouth Bass!!!

 

By the looks of the first few pics and your description of the ambient temps in the later part of the report... I'd swear it was just a bit nippy up there now!

Well the way the weather's been this summer I figure I'll be out drilling holes next week. At least we're getting sunny weekends for a change.

[Leecher]

Great report and pics Sean

 

Some real quality bronze backs you guys got into Great job to Mike on that 4 1/4

Thanks for sharing

Leechman

[limeyangler]

great to see ya back TBAY...was wonderin where ya'd been. Great report as per usualle.....i was laughing when you describe 'not knowing what goes throuth your mind' bit.....i came to the exact conclusion a few weeks back...out on Lac Seul catchin nice walleyes....what do i do as soon as i start catching...yup...change the pattern thats working...lol...GO FIGURE! Great pics, some nice tmb's as GCD calls em

Edited October 20, 2008 by limeyangler

[snagmaster]

Nice report.... Gotta love those simcoe smallies

[b2kptbo]

Nice double report and some good pic's, thanks...

[NAC]

Nice work Sean.

There's a lot of K-W natives that wouldn't be that successful on the Grand in one outing.

 

I've got to get to Simcoe before the too long, the smallies that come out of there just look so healthy!

[jediangler]

Nice bunch of smallies Tbayboy. You just gotta love the Grand.

[lew]

Thanks for that Sean, you always post some of the best fishing stories & pictures on this board and this one was no exception !!

 

Some excellent fish there too, congrats to the pair of youz.

[Headhunter]

Those are some really nice shots! Great eye for the camera and some not too bad fishski's too!

Nice report!

HH

[LeXXington]

Excellent going there Sean,. One of these years I will try the Grand again. Excellent pics

[mikeh]

great report, you forgot the part about lowering the camera and seeing the bass that wouldn't bite .

[fishindevil]

Some nice fall smallies for sure !!! and stunning scenery too,it looked a little chilly on simcoe that day as well,great report too !!!..cheers

[TangerineDream]

Nice fish buddy.... Gotta get out there with ya sometime