Lac Seul Bass on fire! Walleye not so much.

[limeyangler]

Hi all,

 

Got back to Lac Seul looking for big walleye alas was not to be, only a couple of eyes of 21 and 20, then a whole whack of keeper size.

 

I headed out half an hour later than I wanted because I believe that one, or more, of the otters that live on our shoreline finally learned that my stash of minnows are now up at the house since I moved them from the trolling bucket in the lake (I moved it from the lake because they even learned how to flick the hatch lock open). Anyway, my wife and I have been laughing hard at the video I shot for this report totally unaware of the minnow situation.......

 

 

I THINK THIS IS HILARIOUS...STUNNED SILENCE HAD MY WIFE CRYING WITH LAUGHTER

 

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It’s not often , despite my unintended stop for bait, that I am on my way by 6am, one bonus was I was not rushing to get to the lake, and in my lack of haste I stopped quite a few times along the logging road to take some pictures of the mist lifting off the landscape. There were also a lot of puddles with skims of ice on them, winter is just around the corner me thinks....

 

 

A SLOWER PACE RESULTED IN MY STOPS TO TAKE IN THE SCENERY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On one stretch of road I had to drive at a snail’s pace, we' had big rain the day before and the washouts and deep potholes commanded respect. It was at this point I noticed all the partridge/spruce hens/grouse....not sure what are what....feisty little critters, did not seem to mind me being there too much.

 

 

KFC ANYONE?

 

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The weather report was awesome, but it was difficult to tell how gorgeous the day was going to be until I arrived at the landing at Williams Bay....I’m not kidding you...it literally took my breath away...the pictures don't do it justice...you had to be there.

 

 

STUNNING MORNING AT THE LANDING

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I spent over an hour trolling around the first spot with only a jackfish to show for my efforts, although I did hook into and lose 3 big fish before I decided to go and check I reef I know. On the approach to the reef in 25 - 30' FOW I was marking lots of fish on the bottom.

 

Because it was such a flat calm day I could just sit stationary and watch my jig on the fish finder tease them up a foot or two off bottom before they zoomed back down. Even with the zoom feature turned off these were big arches (big fish).

 

But despite spending another hour changing baits and methods (jigs and minnows, varying jig size and color/shape, Nightcrawlers, walleye spinners, bottom bouncing large suckers and regular minnows, even set the slip bobber to 26' deep with both jig and plain hook/sinker, tried my jigging raps as I was sitting vertical, raided my ice fishing box further and various little cleos and spoons tipped and plain) I decided to try shallow across the top of the reef.

 

Very first cast produced a bite...turned out to be a nice rock bass, second cast a solid thump of a bite on the jig and minnow....Nice big bass (smallmouth)....and for the next hour it was nonstop bass...not many under 17", one or two close to 20".

 

It was literally a fish a cast, I switched to gulp at one point to save minnows, but did not get a sniff, as soon as I put a live minnow on the bait sometimes did not even make it down to the bottom ( reef is 10' deep across the top) before a bass slammed it.....

 

 

AWESOME SMALLMOUTH ACTION!

 

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I could have stayed there all day, and it was hard to drag myself away from the frenzied action and fun, but the big walleye have been all but totally avoiding me at Williams Bay this year...and I was going to try again.

 

I tried the drop-off of the reef on the shore side and just a bit deeper than where the majority of the bass were stacked up....nothing.

 

I headed to shore, a spot where a weed bed is in summer, a shallowish shelf then a drop to 23'. I was marking fish at 18' to 24' FOW on the drop off and missed the first 3 bites, one felt like a really nice walleye but it spat the hook half way up.

 

I trolled the shore line to a point, keeping at the same depth range and eventually landed a nice 21". Not long after another slot at 20". Then I got into around 5 or six small ones...then nothing...despite still marking fish they just switched off.

 

After another hour trying to entice the less than enthusiastic wallies at that spot I headed off again. Same story at the two spots I tried after the first.

 

Marking lots of big fish, lost a couple of big ones on the way up (stinger hooks for me next time out) found large pockets of active fish, but all small ones. In the end I landed a whole whack of eaters, kept my limit but never managed to land a really big one...OH WELL GUESS I HAVE TO GO BACK!

 

 

LOTS OF FISH....LOST SOME NICE ONES, LANDED LOADS OF SMALL ONES

 

 

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Gonna head to a lake half way up the road to Lac Seul tomorrow, only fished it once before, trout and walleye in there, will only have a few hours to spare so might be difficult to locate fish as I don’t know the lake at all...but will be fun trying...I’ll post a report tomorrow...right now I’m going to close and lock the lid on my minnow cooler...no more nasty surprises tomorrow I hope....but those otters are crafty...would not surprise me if they have bolt cutters!

[Leecher]

Great report, pics and videos Simon

Got a good chuckle out of the vid where you were checking in the minnows Sounds like you gona have to keep them indoors

 

Love the vid of the partridge too..... that male was busy trying to get a female's attention.... he wasn't one bit interested in you

 

If only you had your hunting license.... you'd of limit out on them

Again great job on the bronze and gold

Thanks for sharing

Jacques

[GBW]

DAMN Simon, I have to get up your way some time in my life. Talk about a walleye factory! Good job and don't force winter on us yet...

[kickingfrog]

If you've got a trail cam, I'll pay for some minnows... if you post the video.

[bushart]

When I lived in Larson Bay it cost me several doz minnows before I picked up on the otters.

 

I ended up wiring the door shut so he could'nt open it.

 

Inspired this work and the word for word inspiration beside the painting in my book of works

 

 

 

IN NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO WE HAD A FAMILY OF OTTERS THAT LIVED ALONG OUR SHORE. HOURS COULD BE CONSUMED WATCHING THEIR PLAYFUL ANTICS. TRULY ONE OF NATURES TIRELESS PERFORMERS. IF I COULD ONLY KEEP THEM OUT OF MY MINNOW BUCKET.

[corvette1]

awesome video simon nice eyes where are those minnows keep us posted

[Rod Caster]

The bird with the red markings is the grouse. The partridge are the brown/grey ones and taste batter.

 

This report reeks of autumn!!

[johnnyb]

Awesome report as usual....the photography had me absolutely aching to get up there....what an amazing part of the country...no...WORLD you live in, my friend. The stunned silence WAS hilarious...and there's ICE! Which means ICE FISHING!!! Wooohooooooo!!!!

[Guest Manitoubass]

Lac Seul is an awesome lake, one of my favs alongside rainy lake and lake of the woods.

 

Not surprised to here about the lack of larger walleyes, seems the bites has been tough for most (for 27+inchers)

 

In the next week or so, they'll be they're, ready for bites

[limeyangler]

DAMN Simon, I have to get up your way some time in my life. Talk about a walleye factory! Good job and don't force winter on us yet...

 

NAH..Sorry man...bring on winter!...love the smell of a 2hp auger in the morning...smells like...VICTORY!

 

 

If you've got a trail cam, I'll pay for some minnows... if you post the video.

 

LOL KF...that response is as funny if not funnier than the minnow incident itself...made me laugh anyway...thanks for that.

 

 

When I lived in Larson Bay it cost me several doz minnows before I picked up on the otters.

 

I ended up wiring the door shut so he could'nt open it.

 

Inspired this work and the word for word inspiration beside the painting in my book of works

 

 

 

IN NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO WE HAD A FAMILY OF OTTERS THAT LIVED ALONG OUR SHORE. HOURS COULD BE CONSUMED WATCHING THEIR PLAYFUL ANTICS. TRULY ONE OF NATURES TIRELESS PERFORMERS. IF I COULD ONLY KEEP THEM OUT OF MY MINNOW BUCKET.

 

 

Crafty little buggers eh...well i'm just thrilled to have them living here...i watch them most evenings as the sunsets....amazing creatures, dont mind forfeiting a few dozen minnows...but cant afford many more...lol.

 

The bird with the red markings is the grouse. The partridge are the brown/grey ones and taste batter.

 

This report reeks of autumn!!

 

Thanks Rod Caster, was hoping someone would clarify that for me....are the Grouse the same as 'spruce hens'?

 

Awesome report as usual....the photography had me absolutely aching to get up there....what an amazing part of the country...no...WORLD you live in, my friend. The stunned silence WAS hilarious...and there's ICE! Which means ICE FISHING!!! Wooohooooooo!!!!

 

 

YUP...ICEFISHING! LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT.

 

Lac Seul is an awesome lake, one of my favs alongside rainy lake and lake of the woods.

 

Not surprised to here about the lack of larger walleyes, seems the bites has been tough for most (for 27+inchers)

 

In the next week or so, they'll be they're, ready for bites

 

Thanks for the heads up on the bite MB....you local as in Manitou lake off the 502?

[Guest Manitoubass]

NAH..Sorry man...bring on winter!...love the smell of a 2hp auger in the morning...smells like...VICTORY!

 

 

 

 

LOL KF...that response is as funny if not funnier than the minnow incident itself...made me laugh anyway...thanks for that.

 

 

 

 

 

Crafty little buggers eh...well i'm just thrilled to have them living here...i watch them most evenings as the sunsets....amazing creatures, dont mind forfeiting a few dozen minnows...but cant afford many more...lol.

 

 

 

Thanks Rod Caster, was hoping someone would clarify that for me....are the Grouse the same as 'spruce hens'?

 

 

 

 

YUP...ICEFISHING! LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT.

 

 

 

Thanks for the heads up on the bite MB....you local as in Manitou lake off the 502?

 

I'm local on the Rainy River, near Manitou, lol. I do fish Manitou lake though every year, as well as a bunch of other lakes near that area (usually not quite that far up.)

 

I am pretty close though, hit me up if you ever want to make a weekend fish

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Great Report! It was a treat. The lake looks awesome! Sunny day, no wind and cold water equals inactive pickerel. Look for fast water. River mouths, narrows, bottlenecks,(then look for structure, weeds, rocks) ect....And use big sucker minnows!The colder the water, the better odds of hooking a monster eye.Good luck on your next advanture!

[solopaddler]

Finally got around to checking out your report.

Wow man, some of those photos are fantastic! It's truly beautiful country up there and you captured it well.

 

Great fishing as well, nice job.