Lac Seul walleye opener

[limeyangler]

Hi all,

 

opening weekend {Walleye) has been and gone and despite being at work for the actual opening day it was a fun filled adventure that i will remember for a long time.

 

 

MY BOY HELPED ME PREP THE BOAT ON FRIDAY, HE WAS NOT PUT OFF BY THE RAIN AT ALL!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Saturday i was working, but the kid i work with (kids in care....yup I’m still hanging onto my job by a thread) loves fishing so we spent the day (afternoon) looking for walleye on Wabigoon. Surprisingly there were very few other boats out there. Don’t know whether it’s the economy or what, but the lake was empty compared to last year.

 

Anyway, water temps are still pretty low despite the ice having been gone for well over a month. The water levels on Wabigoon are a little low, but not bad. There are no weeds yet, the odd tiny scrap of very new green stuff (coontail) comes up now and again.

 

We started off on the main body of the lake. There had been a strong SW wind the day before, and a moderate SW wind was blowing when we started, so a pretty good bet would be to hit a wind swept shoreline keeping in the 8'-12' FOW range, or even shallower, given the water temps and recent/current spawning activity.

 

So that’s what we did and the shoreline we hit was also not far from a creek (2 miles)...perfect spot i thought to intercept the walleye as they slowly start to migrate away for their spawn in the creek....lol....WRONG....NADA...ZIP....ZILCH.

 

I would have liked to explore this area a little bit more, but having the kid in the boat it was imperative to catch a fish soon to keep him interested, but to be fair to him he is a very patient fisherman....LOL....HE'D NEED TO BE WITH ME AS A GUIDE!!!!!LMAO

 

We moved on to a spot I had had a couple of OOS walleye whilst Bass fishing in the last month, and we got a couple of small ones within the first hour in 8'FOW on varying size jigs with minnows as bait, i did try leeches and night crawlers but no takers. After that the bite died, not that it was ever really on, so we went to look on the deeper spots....nothing there.....so i figured the walleye were still in shallow after the spawn. I did get what i think is a young musky on my second cast.......

 

 

YOUNG MUSKY? WHAT DO YOU THINK? LOOKS LIKE IT TO ME.

 

 

 

 

 

We headed into another spot and trolled the shore with various walleye spinners, jigs, wiggle wart crank baits and other assorted crank baits, beetle spins, using minnows, night crawlers leeches, Gulp baits of various colors and imitations, again nothing but pike, only one being of size, but unfortunately for the kid it snapped him off...but he enjoyed it while it lasted.

 

We found a small creek and i decided to cast right up close to shore with a jig and minnow at the opening to the mouth of the creek, WHAM! Thought it was a pike but turned out to be a nice 22" male sitting in 1 or 2'FOW. That was it for walleye on Saturday, but we had three nice ones on the stringer and i did a fish fry for his supper. Sorry bout the lack of pics/video for this part of the story...but work has confidentiality/anonymity rules to protect the children.

 

When i got home from work on Saturday, my boy was full of beans, he really loves to be outside, so we headed down to the lake for an hour before bedtime........

 

COME ON DAD....TAKE ME TO THE LAKE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WE PLAYED IN THE SAND AND THREW PEBBLES

 

 

 

 

AND WAITED FOR A FISH TO BITE

 

 

 

 

DID NOT TAKE LONG.......

 

 

 

 

 

So considering i was at work all day of the official opener, i can’t complain at all....got some walleye....job done, and fished my first opener with my son....priceless. Now i just had to try and sleep as it was Lac Seul in the morning!

 

 

SO I GOT UP ON SUNDAY MORNING AT STOOPID O'CLOCK AND HEADED OFF TO MEET AL.

 

 

 

THE LAKE LOOKED AWESOME WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE LANDING

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To our great surprise we were the only ones at the landing, we had expected at least one camper to be there. In fact we only saw 2 other boats all day, one boat had launched from another landing, and the other was a CO who stopped to check our licenses. He was also surprised when he asked if there were any other boats at the landing and we told him no.

 

Another surprising thing that morning was the water level. The water is at least 5' down, there are standing deadheads that do not show most years that were a full 5' of showing standing trunk. Now although I love Lac Seul, and just being there always makes me grin, i was concerned that finding fish could be difficult today, given the early ice out, low water temps and now ridiculously low water i was convinced the fish would be like me before I’ve had my morning coffee and smoke i.e. scattered, confused and difficult to predict.

 

I had been reading up on early season walleye fishing lots, and the general consensus seemed to be fish close to spawn areas in 2'to 14' FOW, if a prevailing SW wind has been going, try those exposed shorelines. I had tried this the day before on Wabigoon with no success, but given the huge differences between the Goon and Lac Seul i had to try.

 

Just before you get out into the main bay there is a narrow channel with some current running through adjacent to a creek like channel that runs for a couple of miles. It is a sandbar on one side and rocky the other and about 12' deep at the shallowest point through the channel. We did ok early in the season here last year, and its becoming a tradition to cast the first jig here anyway.

 

We spent a good hour here with just one Jackfish to show for our efforts, and then Al hooked into a beauty. About ten minutes later i hooked into something big also, but it spat the hook after a 90 second tussle.

 

 

AS SO OFTEN HAPPENS....AL PUTS THE FIRST FISH IN THE BOAT.

 

 

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Good start, but definitely slower than I’m used to on this body of water. Because we figured the fish were scattered we stuck at this spot for another hour, but not another bite. Not more than a mile from the spot we were on was a reef we found last summer. I decided to head down there as last year i had struggled to find it on the second visit, and this year i now own a GPS, so the plan was to mark it on the GPS and see if there were any fish already there.

 

 

Found the reef no hassle. It tops out at 8'FOW from 50'FOW on the bay side and 30'FOW on the shore facing side. Again....we both got a few pike, but no walleye....not even anything showing on sonar. I figured that the walleye had not reached this "summer" mark yet. We trolled around that bay too, in shallow bays, rocky shores etc...etc....NOTHING.

 

Al and i decided that it was gonna be a tough days fishing at that point...lol. i suggested that we try a couple more of my summer spots just to confirm that the fish were not there yet, then continue to search the shallower water with our first spot always there to fall back on as we had caught some fish there...even though it was a long time between bites.

 

 

We headed to a spot where the lake opens out. As we approached the summer honey hole....i noticed that the rocks that are normally 5' under the water were showing. I knew there were other rocks there, but as the memory was rusty i decided to approach slowly.

 

This proved to be the best decision of the day. I was watching the sonar for rocks as we approached. We were still a way off the 15' spot i wanted to get to in 45'FOW when i started to mark school after school of baitfish....BIG SCHOOLS...coming through midway up the water column.

 

When we hit 40'FOW perfect arches were hugging the bottom and suspended. Al asked why i stopped and i explained, he was skeptical...but he can’t see the sonar from the front of the boat....lol.

 

I dropped the line in...5/8 odd-ball jig and minnow (chart/white) and got a whitefish (suspended) right away...that was it...we stayed for an hour and started to fill the stringer (remember to kill your fish before putting them on your stringer on Lac Seul...no live fish in possession on Lac Seul except bait)Lots of whitefish too, good action........although the walleye were small, odd for Lac Seul as its usually difficult to catch a limit as the fish are usually in or above the slot size of 18" to 21".

 

 

FOUND SOME....DEEP TOO

 

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Despite the weather report, storms were brewing and the bite on this spot was dying off. The CO had also just stopped us for a check and said the other boat he just checked which was up along shore had not boated a single fish; he said they had been working shallow water too.

 

I was now all but convinced we were in a situation where the fish were done with all their springtime activity and were well on there way to being in their summer haunts. I suggested to all we try a deep water reef that tops out at 20'FOW with 50'FOW one side going down to over 80'FOW on the other. I wanted to see whether or not this would produce.

 

Once again we found some fish, it was my turn to get the big one this time....then we got some more nice keeper size ones....no whitefish at this spot though.......all fish coming at 30'FOW on the shore facing side of the reef. Jigs and minnows....my bigger minnows were out fishing Al's smaller minnows as a general rule.

 

 

The storms got pretty bad, and we spent 2 hours on shore seeking shelter before we got a break in the weather, the bite died on the spot we were just on so headed back to where we caught the white fish....the bite was on again, and despite some heavy downpours we stayed till around 7pm, great days fishing, great company, great learning experience!

 

 

NOT MANY OF THE USUAL LAC SEUL ‘HAWGS’, BUT DEFINITELY A BETTER OPENER THAN LAST YEAR

 

 

 

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[tb4me]

wow awersome report! Beautifull pictures too. Oh lets not forget the fish! Yikes those were some meal lookin eyes!

Good haul and thanks for sharing! Awesome as always

[Roy]

Beauty report and pics Simon and yes, that's a muskie. I'll take the time to savour the report a little later...looking forward to it!

[chewy]

nice pics and u must be in heaven there

[Terry]

great report

[Tarzan's Jane]

That was some report, love the pics.....your little guy is precious....love the hair and the eyes and that picture of him holding your finger is some special. I think he needs a brother or little sister don't ya think.

[Nipfisher]

Once again Simon, awesome report, pics and vids. The hand/finger picture is really special. Makes me miss my little guy "Karter" as I sit here at work. I'm sure is alright at daycare. Can't wait to get him out in the boat. I hope he is more "game" for fishing then our 7 year old "Alex" is. I can only get him in the boat with his Nintendo DSi.

[ehg]

Great report again

 

The little musky, bunch of big walleye, the good times with your boy, rainbow at the end...

 

Nice!

[Spiel]

Stellar report Simon.

 

Honestly this picture put a big smile on my face.

 

 

 

 

[anders]

great report! sure is amazing living up here!

[corvette1]

congrats simon to you and al awesome video awesome rainbow

[tbayboy]

Great report Simon. Congrats on another wonderful opener!

[solopaddler]

Man that was great, very nice fish!

 

Beyond the fish 2 things stood out.

 

1. That's quite a mop of red hair your lad has!

2. Boy you sure do have a lot of grass to cut.

[WeedLine]

Great job Limey. Those are some nice walleyes. The first rainbow pic with the island looks crazy

[brkygetr]

Ah Simon..you have not lost your touch...good on ya buddy. Wish I was still there to do the same...well I guess I can live vicariously through you...

Keep it up cause I am fish deprived here!!!

[moparhawk]

Dang Simon that makes me want to fish with you so we can jig with minnows, smoke cigaretts, drink gin martini's right in the boat, and soak it all in.

[johnnyb]

You never cease to amaze me, buddy....awesome report again!!!

[limeyangler]

Beauty report and pics Simon and yes, that's a muskie. I'll take the time to savour the report a little later...looking forward to it!

 

Thanks Roy, i thought it was a musky too, funny how i never hooked any incidental Muskies before i got my first one in November....like waiting for a bus...nothing for 3 hours then 4 come along at once!

 

 

nice pics and u must be in heaven there

 

It is heaven...i never forget how lucky i am, its soooooo great to get to see my son grow up here....sooooooooo much better than the city.

 

 

That was some report, love the pics.....your little guy is precious....love the hair and the eyes and that picture of him holding your finger is some special. I think he needs a brother or little sister don't ya think.

 

SSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! the wife almost heard that!...lol...nah....its on the cards...we plan to have a baby bro//sis for wee jack. That finger picture is something else eh? Every time i look at it my emotions run wild....man do i love that child...its scary!

[limeyangler]

Once again Simon, awesome report, pics and vids. The hand/finger picture is really special. Makes me miss my little guy "Karter" as I sit here at work. I'm sure is alright at daycare. Can't wait to get him out in the boat. I hope he is more "game" for fishing then our 7 year old "Alex" is. I can only get him in the boat with his Nintendo DSi.

 

LOL...get him a bass fishing game for the nintendo! I also really hope Jack likes fishing...the early signs are encouraging...but he changes so quickly from week to week its hard to guess. I hate sending Jack to daycare too....especially when he starts to cry as we reach the driveway and he realises where he's going.

 

 

Stellar report Simon.

 

Honestly this picture put a big smile on my face.

 

 

 

 

 

Its my new desktop wallpaper.

 

 

great report! sure is amazing living up here!

 

It certainly is Anders...we are lucky eh?

 

 

congrats simon to you and al awesome video awesome rainbow

 

Sometimes you see stuff that is just breathtaking and hope the picture does it justice...i think that the pics are good.....but when your out there watching it before your eyes...its simply awe inspiring.

 

 

Great report Simon. Congrats on another wonderful opener!

 

Thanks TBAY....always good to hear from ya.

 

 

Man that was great, very nice fish!

 

Beyond the fish 2 things stood out.

 

1. That's quite a mop of red hair your lad has!

2. Boy you sure do have a lot of grass to cut.

 

Well being half Nigerian/ half Danish i have the red hair gene (my face whiskers are almost the same colour as Jacks hair) it was inevitable that he had a ginger afro...lol...i always said he would before he was born...my wife disagreed...lol...there's no argument now though.

 

As for the grass cutting...YUP...6+acres....4 hours on the lawn tractor to be precise...a real chore, and ya better get it done during the blazing sun at midday otherwise the black flies absolutely kill ya!

 

 

Ah Simon..you have not lost your touch...good on ya buddy. Wish I was still there to do the same...well I guess I can live vicariously through you...

Keep it up cause I am fish deprived here!!!

 

Dammit man...why the hell did ya move! always good to here from ya Dale...miss the adventures we had and the ones we never had a chance to do.

 

 

Dang Simon that makes me want to fish with you so we can jig with minnows, smoke cigaretts, drink gin martini's right in the boat, and soak it all in.

 

Well its only a matter of weeks now eh Don? You are actually about 20 minutes drive to Williams Bay where we were. Fancy a trip out with my wife's dad ?/

 

 

You never cease to amaze me, buddy....awesome report again!!!

 

JB...dude ...where ya been...you keep doing a disapearing act, good to hear from ya.

[Blue Lk]

Great report Simon,love the pics of the little guy,my little guys are in their 30,s,soon they will be leading me around by the hand.LOL.

I was out yesterday with my GF,small remote lake,we brought home a limit of pan sized walleyes,didn't catch anything near the size of those Lac Seul monsters,but we did watch a cow moose swim down the lake.Yes it is great to live in this North country,I know I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Thx again for the report

[asdve23rveavwa]

Just did a quick read and view of this before getting ready for work. Will definitely take the time later to savour it fully. Some really nice photos, including the rainbow shots, walleye gold, and (most definitely) the ones with the next generation of fisherman!!!

[ohhenrygsr]

Wow your in gods country. According to Google it should take approx 1 Day and 3 hours to get to Lac Seul from Orillia.

[Moosebunk]

Stunning report! Some of those pics are just magical... Lac Seul is breath-taking and your walleye.... well, they weren't all that bad either. lol.

 

Thanks dood. Great shtuff.

[limeyangler]

Great report Simon,love the pics of the little guy,my little guys are in their 30,s,soon they will be leading me around by the hand.LOL.

I was out yesterday with my GF,small remote lake,we brought home a limit of pan sized walleyes,didn't catch anything near the size of those Lac Seul monsters,but we did watch a cow moose swim down the lake.Yes it is great to live in this North country,I know I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Thx again for the report

 

LOL@leading you around by the hand.....just reminded me my father in law is up in 2 weeks.

 

Your trip sounds awesome....dude...take a camera and post a report....i'd love to see some shots of the more remote places. We had to take shelter on a small island from the storms on Lac Seul...fresh moose tracks everywhere in the sand, even saw a mom and calf tracks...thought it was a bit early for calfs...but definitely mom and baby tracks. Yup...its great living here...we fell in love with this beautiful part of the world in one week....went back to England...sold the house and moved back all in a 4 month period!

 

Just did a quick read and view of this before getting ready for work. Will definitely take the time later to savour it fully. Some really nice photos, including the rainbow shots, walleye gold, and (most definitely) the ones with the next generation of fisherman!!!

 

I really hope he does turn out to like fishing....for his sake....cuz he's coming along ...like it or not....he counts for an extra 4 walleye in the boat!

 

 

Wow your in gods country. According to Google it should take approx 1 Day and 3 hours to get to Lac Seul from Orillia.

 

LOL...i asked somebody why they call it God's country up here.....the reply...."cuz only God lives up there"

 

 

Stunning report! Some of those pics are just magical... Lac Seul is breath-taking and your walleye.... well, they weren't all that bad either. lol.

 

Thanks dood. Great shtuff.

 

Coming from the ubermaster of stunning posts i take that as a huge compliment...thanks man. Looking forward to your next adventure Moosebunk.

[discophish]

You are like a Pickerel magnet Simon! Awesome perseverance to get into the action. It's definitely an awesome example of how things can change with a little knowledge and some effort. Incredible! Thanks for the post and truly inspiring