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Jigging lakers and my 1st attempt at a Musky


limeyangler

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Hi all,

 

I went back to the lake where I got two 27" walleye the other day to see if I had just got lucky the other day or whether I could repeat the success and semi confirm to myself that I was doing something right for a change....lol.

 

I anchored up on the same spot, and sure enough first jig with minnow to hit bottom attracted a bite within seconds. Last post I did I received a lot of accolades for the camera work.....lol....but it does not always go to plan and I lose a lot of fish messing around trying to hold the camera....as I did with the 1st fish......

 

 

MISSED THE FIRST FISH WHILST MESSING AROUND TRYING TO FILM

 

 

 

 

There was a bit more wind than the previous outing and I kept drifting off target and having to pull up the anchor and re-anchor again (hard rock bottom without much to snag the anchor). It is amazing that at this spot you only need to drift 10 feet or less into 30'FOW and the bite stops, get back to 28FOW and the bite resumes.

 

Anyway.....I dropped the jig back down with a nice 3" dace minnow and bang...fish on....this time though I made sure the hook was set before grabbing the camera....lol....and would ya believe it....another 27" walleye. I am beginning to think its the same fish...as i've now had 4 walleye all exactly 27" in as many days.

 

 

ANOTHER NICE 27" WALTER

 

 

 

I had to laugh when I got home and realized the still shot I thought I’d taken of the 27"incher in the clip above was a video, I’d had the camera set on a timer but did not switch the mode from vid to still.

 

 

YOUR STILL IN VIDEO MODE IDIOT!!!!!!!

 

 

 

Like I said before, I was on a learning mission, wanting to see if I it was luck or whether that spot consistently held fish, and using the same method as the previous outing. So far it was going exactly as the previous outing except I was on the spot half an hour later than previously and there were not as many keeper size fish.

 

2ND CAST PRODUCED ANOTHER NICE SIZE FISH

 

 

The last time I was out there I also noticed that the bite stopped...or at least slowed at around 8:30am, and true to form the same thing happened, and I ended up taking an hour after that to get another nice 21" walleye.

 

The amount of fish on the screen definitely slowed and the fish that were showing would come up and inspect the jig but were biting very shy, I need to start a little journal with all these observations as a record to determine patterns so I don’t have to bore you all with the details....lol.

 

 

AFTER 8:30AM THE BITE SLOWED, AND THOSE THAT DID SHOW INTEREST WERE SHY

 

 

 

I DID MANAGED TO ENTICE ONE MORE AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR

 

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The thunder clouds were starting to gather so I decided to see if I could jig up a few lakers. I headed back to the same spot as before in 55'FOW but the bite was not as fast and furious....and although there were plenty of trout on screen they would chase the bait but not take it ( jig and minnow).

 

After a frustrating hour and a half a landed a respectable 23" laker, no pics as the rain was coming down, so I decided to try the downriggers. I was marking the majority of baitfish clouds and fish arches at around 30 to '40 FOW so set the downrigger at 31' ( I have this stoopid superstition of only setting the downrigger on a prime number) and 37' was the next depth I tried after no hits.

 

 

As I was trolling around I noticed that there were a couple of spots in the deeper water(60-70FOW) with huge amounts of bait fish and large fish arches...so after a while I stopped using the downriggers and ended up anchoring over the deeper sections.

 

LOTSA BAIT AND FISH IN THE DEEPER WATER TODAY

 

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Straight away I was getting follows and hits, but I could not manage to set the hook. After numerous jig changes I switched to the little jigging rapala I never got round to trying through the ice and that seemed to get them biting aggressively...and not long after the switch I got a nice 26" fish....more inches for team #3!!!

 

 

THIS WAS THE HOT LURE APPARENTLY

 

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NICE UPGRADE FOR TEAM #3

 

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With my limit of trout I was gonna go get some smaller walleye for supper, but the lightning storms hit and I was forced off the lake at around 2pm. I still wanted to fish but after waiting at the dock for the storms to pass, by the time they did, my fishing adrenaline levels had dropped, and the early start was taking its toll so I packed the boat on the trailer and headed home. After spending a great evening with my baby boy, I headed down the lawn to see if I couldn't get us some supper fish.....lol.....at least that was the plan.....

 

 

BEST LAID PLANS HUH?

 

 

 

Well....the video trails off at the end there....but I did not get my 4th little fish...and had to make do with more salad and fries than fish....still tasty though!

 

 

The next day I got a call from my buddy Lew just before I was due to finish work...."do ya wanna try for some musky when ya finish work?" LOL....ya think!!!!

 

 

Anyhoo Lew drove his boat round to my place and we headed off on what was my first attempt at catching a musky.

 

 

MY MAIDEN VOYAGE MUSKY HUNT

 

 

 

We tried casting for a while but Lew suggested we troll around to Larson bay with some giant musky diving crankbaits. We were not even round the corner of the bay when I got the first and only fish of the evening, a nice 39" pike.....another nice upgrade for Team #3.

 

ALMOST TOOK 2 OF US TO HOLD HER DOWN FOR THE PICCY....LOL

 

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That was it fish wise for the evening, Lew lost a really nice (and expensive) crankbait, but all in all a relaxing evening troll around "The Goon" (Lake Wabigoon). We came up with a plan to hit Thaddeus and Ord Lakes on Sunday to try and get me my first musky....so hopefully I’ll have a Musky report by Monday!

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Love your reports, Thats a sweet pike ..... they are a RUSH to catch eh ?

 

That would be crazy if it was the same fish over and over.... maybe next time tag her, hole punch in the fin or something.... that way you would know ! haha

 

Thanks again !

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Great report...

 

How do you film while you are bringing a fish in?

some kind of attachment to your head/chest to hold the camera?

 

Your reports make some of the WFN shows look like they copied "mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom" shows...

 

keep em coming....

 

splashhopper

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Great multi species report. Simon, you catch nice fish indeed but you need to sort out that camera!!!! I keep seeing these sweet deals on cameras all over the place and I try to think to myself, Who do I know that needs a camera? Oh yeah, SIMON DOES. lol

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Great multi species report. Simon, you catch nice fish indeed but you need to sort out that camera!!!! I keep seeing these sweet deals on cameras all over the place and I try to think to myself, Who do I know that needs a camera? Oh yeah, SIMON DOES. lol

 

 

I know...i know...i'm working on it. Trying to convince the wife we need an slr....something with decent zoom.

 

When ya see the deals ...post me the link if ya like...would appreciate it if ya did.

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Great report, pics and videos Simon :thumbsup_anim:B)

You got to love it when you can hook into quality fish like that!!!

I think you just found a real gem for big eyes :worthy:

 

Like Lunker said bring a paper puncher next time and punch a hole in the tail.... That way you'll be able to determine if it's the same fish or not.

 

How far is that lake from your place??

Good luck with your musky hunt.... I'm sure it's just a matter of time before you land your first!!!

 

Thanks again for sharing and keep up the excellent work :clapping:

Jacques

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Love your reports, Thats a sweet pike ..... they are a RUSH to catch eh ?

 

That would be crazy if it was the same fish over and over.... maybe next time tag her, hole punch in the fin or something.... that way you would know ! haha

 

Thanks again !

 

 

Good idea Lunker...will have to add a hole punch to my tackle box

 

 

 

That was a great report Simon. I love the video where you fall in the water, LOL. Very funny.

 

That's a nice pike.

 

Joey

 

 

I almost didn't put that in...but hey...you gotta be able to laugh at yourself right?

 

 

Great report, pics and videos Simon :thumbsup_anim:B)

You got to love it when you can hook into quality fish like that!!!

I think you just found a real gem for big eyes :worthy:

 

Like Lunker said bring a paper puncher next time and punch a hole in the tail.... That way you'll be able to determine if it's the same fish or not.

 

How far is that lake from your place??

Good luck with your musky hunt.... I'm sure it's just a matter of time before you land your first!!!

 

Thanks again for sharing and keep up the excellent work :clapping:

Jacques

 

 

Its called Thunder lake, i did a load of ice fishingon here from that lake reports last winter, its about a 1/2 drive from my house....even quicker in the winter cuz i can scoot across the lake from my house, come off lake wabigoon at the twin towers, cross HWY 17 and i'm on Thunder Lake

 

 

Good report Simon. Been a while since I've read about your adventures. Last time was on Ice Shanty...

 

How's the little one?

 

Your toban buddy, "Boatless".

 

Dude!!!! :D How's it goin man!....good to see ya on here, i'm not 'Tobanist' lol...thats Glen(da).

 

The young one is AWESOME...cant believe we were ever without him...lovin' being a Dad.

 

We gonna meet up on softwater this year?

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Simon... your reports are legendary! You are rocking the big walleye on Thunder!! I wasn't going to name the lake... but since you did. Anyhow, awesome man!! Great job on the trout too. That pike was a slob!! I figured wabigoon looking at the water colour and the pale fish. You'll get a muskie over on Thaddeus/Ord. I know a couple people who work at Thaddeus Lake Lodge. There's BIG walleye in there too and tank muskie. Good luck buddy.

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Simon... your reports are legendary! You are rocking the big walleye on Thunder!! I wasn't going to name the lake... but since you did. Anyhow, awesome man!! Great job on the trout too. That pike was a slob!! I figured wabigoon looking at the water colour and the pale fish. You'll get a muskie over on Thaddeus/Ord. I know a couple people who work at Thaddeus Lake Lodge. There's BIG walleye in there too and tank muskie. Good luck buddy.

 

 

Thanks Ben.

 

Yup, Pike was from the 'fishless, brown Goon' as i call it now....lol

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