limeyangler Posted April 10, 2010 Report Posted April 10, 2010 (edited) Hi all, still in shock really, usually this time of year i'm enjoying being able to scoot across my bay on the snowmobile to get some icefishing in after work for an hour since its still light. Well not this year, in fact the ice will be gone from in front of the house in the next 2 days given the weather forcast of sun and strong winds. The South West end of Eagle Lake has been open for the last 2 weeks but work and family commitments have been keeping me firmly on shore at home until yesterday. Boat was fine...just bought a new deep cycle...minnows and tackle ready...my buddy Al was early.....OFF WE WENT! MY BOY JACK SAW US OFF.....HE WAS VERY UPSET WE TOOK HIM OUT OF THE BOAT.....A GOOD SIGN! Once we hit the water we decided to head to a spot we had done good at in the winter(on the ice). We knew the walleye were running through the narrows as we had fished from shore the week before, but we wanted to scout around and enjoy being in the boat this early. Al got into the first walleye after i just missed one after only the first drift. We were between 2 islands drifting in 15FOW, lots of bait fish on the screen. Al was using a floating jig set-up, i was using an 1/8Oz Odball jig, both of us using pink and white which had been the ticket from shore a few days earlier tipped with medium to largish minnows. The next fish followed minutes after that. i thought by the way it was fighting it was a Pike, as the last 3 fish before that were all small pike and it seemed we'd found a little pocket of pike. But to my delight it was a 27" walleye! i was pretty pleased with that as it was a good first walleye of the open water season. STILL IN SHOCK...ALL THATS LEFT OF THE ICE IN OSBOURNE BAY MY FIRST WALLEYE IN THE BOAT THIS YEAR. We landed a lot of fish between 18 and 22" which on eagle lake are in the no keep slot size, and the smaller fish we caught were pretty small, a lot too small to keep really, but we got a limit each of smaller than usual fish and had an incident free first boat trip AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL!!!! I say incident free....but the game warden stopped us to check our fish at the landing, but what a great guy he was...i think he's a new guy as i've not met him before....but he was very proffesional but friendly, he wanted to check the 17"er Al had but said he wanted to use our tape measure.....a really good CO Anyway....the video i did for the day wont load on youtube or photobucket for some reason, i'll try to get it loaded when i get back from work this evening. Just so great to be in the boat this early....walleye is closed in 4 days, but with the lakes opening up this early....BRING ON THE LAKERS!!!! VIDEO TO FOLLOW.....WE CAUGHT QUITE A FEW THIS SIZE Well i finally got the video uploaded, seems it was a mixture of service outage and hibernation mode on the pc power saving......lol...also download speed is way slower at peak times. HOWEVER.........got back from work today and our bay that was completely covered in ice when i went to work in the morning was clear enough to cast from our shore.....SOOOOOOOO....what better way to wait for a darned video to upload than to cast a line whilst waiting and make another video...lol IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE WAITING FOR VID TO UPLOAD...... <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value=" name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> AND THE ORIGINAL VIDEO FROM FRIDAY....SORRY A COUPLE OF UNEDITABLE CUSSES. <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value=" name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> Edited April 11, 2010 by limeyangler
solopaddler Posted April 10, 2010 Report Posted April 10, 2010 Unbelievable Simon just unbelievable. I don't think I've ever seen such an early ice out in my entire life. Very nice walleyes and a great start to the season for you!
walleyejigger Posted April 10, 2010 Report Posted April 10, 2010 awesome way to start off the soft water season, sounds like u have a down to earth CO out there, be careful pullin Jack outta the boat like that, just might scar him for life,
johnnyb Posted April 10, 2010 Report Posted April 10, 2010 wooooohooooo indeed my good man!!! Very nicely done...last ice walleye from the boat...not too shabby!
FisherMike Posted April 10, 2010 Report Posted April 10, 2010 nice work!!!! i cant wait to get up there!!!
tbayboy Posted April 10, 2010 Report Posted April 10, 2010 I can't believe that's the dryden region in April! And I have to wait until August to fish it Ah well, good to see softwater reports from you again, let the jealousy begin.
archie_james_c Posted April 10, 2010 Report Posted April 10, 2010 I can just imagine the British accent . "An jost weh do ya fink ya goin ay? If ya fink mumsies gonna pool me out da boat you got anovah fing comin you does." As for your Walleye skillz, you never cease to amaze me . I gotta wait till May 15th though
trevy727 Posted April 10, 2010 Report Posted April 10, 2010 Unbelievable Simon just unbelievable. I don't think I've ever seen such an early ice out in my entire life. Very nice walleyes and a great start to the season for you! you probably haven't ever seen ice out this early It looks like the ice went off Canoe Lake last night before midnight which makes it Saturday, April 3rd, 2010 and blows away the previous record of April 14th set in 1953
Leecher Posted April 10, 2010 Report Posted April 10, 2010 Beauty report and pics Simon I'm as surprise as any to see the ice up there vanish so early But you got to love being able to fish from your boat at this time of year For us over here, ice been out for some time now.... waiting for trout opener anxiously (April 23rd) but until then, working on my deer blind Melissa and I will be heading out on Friday April 23rd for some speckies Should be fun!!! Great job on the wallies Simon and keep them reports coming dude Jacques
TDunn Posted April 11, 2010 Report Posted April 11, 2010 Great start to the year! Solid walleyes! TDunn
limeyangler Posted April 11, 2010 Author Report Posted April 11, 2010 Unbelievable Simon just unbelievable. I don't think I've ever seen such an early ice out in my entire life. Very nice walleyes and a great start to the season for you! Thanks solo....had to get out soon.....your reports were killing me! awesome way to start off the soft water season, sounds like u have a down to earth CO out there, be careful pullin Jack outta the boat like that, just might scar him for life, Yes WJ...the CO was a breath of fresh air.....as soon as it warms up a bit and the wife and I have a day off on the same day....they'll both be coming with me! wooooohooooo indeed my good man!!! Very nicely done...last ice walleye from the boat...not too shabby! Its crazy eh JB....(did i just say eh?) its awesome that the ice has cleared..there has been no interuption to the fishing this year with the late ice up in December and the early ice out. nice work!!!! i cant wait to get up there!!! Where ya goin Mike? If your in the neighbourhood gissa shout. I can't believe that's the dryden region in April! And I have to wait until August to fish it Ah well, good to see softwater reports from you again, let the jealousy begin. LOL....i get no satisfaction from making anybody jealous...HONEST. I can just imagine the British accent . "An jost weh do ya fink ya goin ay? If ya fink mumsies gonna pool me out da boat you got anovah fing comin you does." As for your Walleye skillz, you never cease to amaze me . I gotta wait till May 15th though Archie, that is the best written version of an accent I have ever witnessed...lol...as for my walleye skillz....believe me it dont take much up here..jig minnow and a rod is about all the skillz required.....I get skooled by Al on a regular basis. you probably haven't ever seen ice out this early It looks like the ice went off Canoe Lake last night before midnight which makes it Saturday, April 3rd, 2010 and blows away the previous record of April 14th set in 1953 Your right Trevy, ive only been here 3 1/2 years...and usually it is out the 2nd week of May Beauty report and pics Simon I'm as surprise as any to see the ice up there vanish so early But you got to love being able to fish from your boat at this time of year For us over here, ice been out for some time now.... waiting for trout opener anxiously (April 23rd) but until then, working on my deer blind Melissa and I will be heading out on Friday April 23rd for some speckies Should be fun!!! Great job on the wallies Simon and keep them reports coming dude Jacques Thanks Jacques....man is it that time of year already? Love your specky/brooky reports...go get 'em mon ami Great start to the year! Solid walleyes! TDunn Thanks T....it was a great start for sure...
splashhopper Posted April 11, 2010 Report Posted April 11, 2010 thanks for the adventure... I especially like the "rod cam " video... i almost fell in TO the screen watching it Keep em coming....
Jds63 Posted April 11, 2010 Report Posted April 11, 2010 great stuff Simon !!!! ..... ya lucky bugger
FisherMike Posted April 11, 2010 Report Posted April 11, 2010 (edited) "Where ya goin Mike? If your in the neighbourhood gissa shout." i'm going to lac seul. dryden is the last stop before i head into to the woods to the lodge i work at. the lodge is a little over an hour drive from town. im pretty excited!!! for the past few years the lake has been frozen when i arrived. it should be ready to rock by the time i get there ont the 6th of may. once again, congrats on that beauty walleye!!!! Edited April 11, 2010 by FisherMike
limeyangler Posted April 11, 2010 Author Report Posted April 11, 2010 "Where ya goin Mike? If your in the neighbourhood gissa shout." i'm going to lac seul. dryden is the last stop before i head into to the woods to the lodge i work at. the lodge is a little over an hour drive from town. im pretty excited!!! for the past few years the lake has been frozen when i arrived. it should be ready to rock by the time i get there ont the 6th of may. once again, congrats on that beauty walleye!!!! sounds like you are up near Williams Bay, i will be up there lots this year.
FisherMike Posted April 11, 2010 Report Posted April 11, 2010 yep!!! i fish williams regularly. its about a 15 minute boat ride from the lodge. i typically only fish williams for pike but i do know there are some monster walleye in there. the lodge is silver water wheel. im sure you've seen the signs. theres actually one right in town.
limeyangler Posted April 11, 2010 Author Report Posted April 11, 2010 yep!!! i fish williams regularly. its about a 15 minute boat ride from the lodge. i typically only fish williams for pike but i do know there are some monster walleye in there. the lodge is silver water wheel. im sure you've seen the signs. theres actually one right in town. Yup...i made the mistake last year of turning onto Silver water wheel turn off to get to williams...that road is awkward to say the least....lol i actually saw an ad for guides up there...was tempted to throw my hat into the pile and apply...but i have no experience at guiding and it would be difficult to be away from home with the baby here now.
FisherMike Posted April 11, 2010 Report Posted April 11, 2010 haha!!! yeah the road is a bit of an adventure, thats for sure. i had no guiding experience when i started. the training program is awesome!! it would definitely be a little difficult because youve got a baby, but at least its not too far from town. we are all hired up for this year, but maybe keep it in mind for next season.
archie_james_c Posted April 11, 2010 Report Posted April 11, 2010 Love watching your "outside the house, down the rod view" video's all the time. Mind adopting me? I'll pay for my own food and I have a nice, big, new boat
kickingfrog Posted April 11, 2010 Report Posted April 11, 2010 That's it. You northwestern Ontario guys burn my berries! Usually this time of year you are standing on 20plus inches of good ice and shoving copious quantities of walleye in our/my face. This year you are fishing from a boat and shoving copious quantities of walleye in our/my face, and I have to wait for a month (or more depending on the zone) to do the same???? Jerk Nice fish Simon. I hope this year is a blip that will be remembered for its uniqueness, and not as the start of a trend.
limeyangler Posted April 11, 2010 Author Report Posted April 11, 2010 Love watching your "outside the house, down the rod view" video's all the time. Mind adopting me? I'll pay for my own food and I have a nice, big, new boat Throw 3 doz sucker minnows in and you got a deal! That's it. You northwestern Ontario guys burn my berries! Usually this time of year you are standing on 20plus inches of good ice and shoving copious quantities of walleye in our/my face. This year you are fishing from a boat and shoving copious quantities of walleye in our/my face, and I have to wait for a month (or more depending on the zone) to do the same???? Jerk Nice fish Simon. I hope this year is a blip that will be remembered for its uniqueness, and not as the start of a trend. LOL KF, yeah....i kinda hope it is a blip....nice as it is.....but with the lack of snow on top of the warmer weather i'm sure if this turned into a trend it would have some impact on the eco systems of the lakes....not sure what they'd be...but cant be good.
anders Posted April 13, 2010 Report Posted April 13, 2010 yeah...this early ice out sure is a nice change...good job on the eyes!
fish-miester Posted April 13, 2010 Report Posted April 13, 2010 you guys up there make me jealous with every post!
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