May Long weekend on Crotch lake

[Badger Shark]

Been a while since I have had a report or a computer( broke the other one) so here is my first report of the year.

 

Friday finally arrived, we loaded up and headed out. Had to pick up my sister-in-law and her boyfriend first then groceries and finally to Tumblhome and the start of the long weekend. We arrived at Tumblhome just after 1pm, Bill and his wife had arrived about 15 min. before us. We got everything unloaded and I headed down to do some work on the boat. I switched out the transducer and mounted the one Andy loaned me. Got Ward to launch me and the damn thing still isnt working properly. Well its a good thing I know the lake well.

 

Bill and I headed out for a couple of hours, we headed up to Fawn Lake first. Started trolling and got a few pike, I didnt take pics except one because of the bulge in its belly, you could see the fish it had in there.

 

It was getting near time to head in so I said I wanted to try a spot that worked well for Eric and I last year. I switched up baits to black and silver origional rap, blue and white never works well near dusk. First pass through and my rod goes " fish on!" I am thinking to myself this feels like a good eye but dont say anything because I dont want to jinx it.

It gets close to the boat and Bill says its a big eye, in the net it goes and it is one of the nicest eyes I have caught in this lake.

 

After a couple of pics I decided to put it in the livewell (didnt measure until back at the dock and wanted a few more pics 23.6" just in the slot.) headed bact to where we started the pass and in the exact same spot the rod goes again! And it is the exact same feeling, Bill gets the net and has a few choice words, and in comes the first ones twin, though a tad heavier.

 

We tried a couple more passes then headed in. I was thinking this was either a good sign or that would be it for the weekend. Looks like the later. Unfortunately the weather turned crappy with an approaching cold front.

 

The next day we awake to thunder and rain, lots of rain. We end up waiting till around noon to head out. John was to arrive with his girlfriend around 2pm. I had Andys vhf in the cabin so they could call us when he arrived. John called right on time and I headed back into get them and we headed back out.

We started fishing and caught a bunch of pike the biggest being the one John got.

 

The cold front got closer and brought more rain and wind. We did alot of running around the lake and checking areas, though it was tough with the sonar being erratic. We didnt spend the whole time fishing, in fact maybe half the time. Before we headed in for the night we decided to check out the area around Colonel Island and the sonar was working for a bit and we found fish leading from shallow water around 11 ft to hanging in deep water 40-30ft. Unfortunately we couldnt get any to bite except a pike off the boards that Johns girlfriend got.

 

Headed in for the night.

 

Here are a couple more pics of the eyes, unfortunately the setting was off on one but I think Johns girlfriend has the same shot on their camera.

Releasing the fish.

 

Went up and started dinner, huge steaks.

 

While making dinner I was out at the barbecue, I hear heavy footsteps and grunting, I look out and see two big black shapes out in the back yard. I am thinking bears so I run inside and get the camera and tell everyone. I take the pic and I am stunned, they werent bears, turns out they were Yaks! They stayed there the entire night and were not afraid of people at all. In the morning there were some nice landmines all over.

 

Next morning John and I head out for a while, crappy cold day, the cold front really made things difficult. It definitely affected the fishing. Only some small pike, perch and a few oos bass were had while we were out. Around 1pm another friend of mine came up with his family, they called us on the vhf and I went in to pick him up. It was cold so I changed into warmer clothes. Out we went and stayed out for along time didnt get alot and just toured around.

 

Went in and ate decided to break out the alcohol while playing cards, fun night. Next morning got up at 10am ate breakfast, Bill was already gone out so I checked to see if John was there but he and his girlfriend had left to go home. So I took out the wife and sister-in-law and her boyfriend. Of course our last day of the weekend it was beautiful out. sunny and warm.

 

I did some fishing and did catch one nice pike but unfortunately the net man didnt know how to net and while I had the pike at the side of the boat waiting he dipped and hit it and it went away. Oh well saves me the trouble of taking it off. But I would have liked a pic because it was the nicest pike of the weekend, around the same size as the one I got last year which was 7 lbs.

 

Despite the lack of fishing and catches of eyes and the usual crappy weather it was a great time and nice to just be away. Our cabins were really nice and situated high on a hill overlooking the lake. I hope everyone else enjoyed it and I am lookikng forward to getting back there soon.

Here are a few more pics of the weekend.

 

Back of our cabin

 

 

 

 

 

Type of structure all over Crotch you want to watch for when shallow

 

 

 

 

 

Gull creek

 

Lots of areas like this

 

Cant wait till the next weekend away . Oh ya and forgot about the OPP chasing Bill into the harbour!

[ccmtcanada]

Wow!! You sure know how to come back with a report! Fantastic pictures and you got into some great fish. Thanks for taking the time to post this...was a great read!

[Badger Shark]

Ya I dont fish in the winter so not much to post but been without the computer for a while and had problems logging back on here so hadnt been back for a while either but I finally got it to work again.

 

Hopefully I will have more posts every week until winter.

[Leecher]

Great report and pics Don

That is a beautiful area you guys got to fish in and some beauty eyes to boot

Doesn't get any better than that

Great job you guys and thanks for taking the time to post and share with us

Jacques

[bigugli]

Great report. What a beautiful looking area. Thank you so much for sharing

[Terry]

real good report

[b2kptbo]

Nice looking place, thanks for the report...

[Jer]

Nice report.

 

We've got a campsite booked at Crotch for July 6. It will be our second annual trip there...can't wait.

[lunkerbasshunter]

great report! Nice eyes! I have heard crotch could be tough on a boat prop cause of some dangerous things lurking just at or under the surface, sure looks like you know where they are

 

cheers!

[Badger Shark]

It is a tough lake to fish and takes a while to learn it but is just such a beautiful place and made better by the lack of boat traffic and cottages. It is all Crown Land.

 

And yes you have to be careful and learn where the obsticles are on this lake. The water levels drop very drastically due to Hydro. In fact a difference of 16 ft between spring and fall, and then back up to full again in a few weeks. CRAZY

 

We also keep going back due to the hospitality we recieve every time by the owner of Tumblhome lodge, Ward, he is a great guy and very accomadating. I definitely recommend the stay there. But dont go expecting to catch loads of eyes each outing, like I said it is a tough lake to fish and takes several years of going to learn.

[solopaddler]

Sure is a beautiful lake. Thanks for posting, looks like a great long weekend!