May Long weekend at Crotch Lake

[Badger Shark]

Hey guys and gals. Well I was hoping to post a report with pictures but I seem to be having a bit of trouble trying to figure out how to upload them to the gallery and then to the report, so I will write the report and add the pics when I figure it out.

 

Me, my wife and 6 friends headed out on Friday for our anual trek to Crotch Lake, we always stay at Tumblehome Lodge in a cabin because the weather is usually bad. This year finally it was nice (except Sunday) . We arrived at about 3pm and got checked in, unpacked and then launched the boat. I wanted to make sure everything was working properly since it had been sitting since Jan. so we headed out for a couple of hours. The optimax turned over on the first crank (I love this motor). I bought a brand new sonar/gps this year and was anxious to try it out, it is a Lowrance 334c igps colour. Everything worked great except a higher speeds I would lose sonar signal. I will have to work on that.

 

So after a bit of touring I decided since we were out we might as well fish a bit. We decided to troll for a while, we trolled around a point we have had luck on in the past but nothing really to speak of except one OOS smallie. So we headed in for the night to cook up some steaks mmmmmmmmmm.........STEAK!

 

Next morning me and my usual fishing partner and his girlfriend head out finally for a real day of fishing. We decided first to try a spot where a creek flows into the lake, it is usually pouring in like a torrent but this year it was just a trickle (damn ontario hydro ) it is a known spawning area for eyes and we were hoping there would be some post spawn males hanging around. We tried jigging minnow at first without any success then I decided to throw on an x-rap and cast, BOOM as soon as it hit the water fish on, unfortunately not what we were looking for, it was a nice oos largemouth. Back he goes quickly and next cast to a different area and WHAM another one, this one alot bigger and again a oos Largemouth and my buddy hit one at the same time. For a lake that isnt supposed to have to many largemouth, we have found alot in the past couple of years. So since three of them in a short time we decide to head to another location. This spot is an area of the lake we found on our own and had the most success on . In a 1.5 hour span last year we caught a fish on every cast and troll. We got there and there were 5 other boats But they werent quite in the right spot.

 

We set up to troll and got out the go to lure for this area ( rapala origional #9 or #11, blue and white) didnt take long, first fish on and its a typical Crotch lake pike, nothing huge but a fish none the less. On pretty much every pass we go at least one and the other boats that were there got only one fish. They were anchored and using jigs. My buddies girlfriend got her fist two fish ever and they were pike. So we were only there a little while but we got 11 pike, with 2 being decent, the rest were snot rockets but fun anyway.

 

We decide to head back in for some dinner and some beverage, whoa did I have a bit to much! I usually dont drink but I was working on the boat for 2 hours after we got in setting up my home made top because the next day it was supposed to be cold and windy. Well it was driving me nuts (short drive) and took forever because I couldnt see properly. Anyway finally It was put up and we would be comfortable the next day.

 

Am I ever glad I took those 2 hours to set up my home made welfare top because when I got up the next day the wind was howling at about 30k and gusting, and the temp was maybe 5 deg. Me and my buddy headed out and straight to our spot. Not one boat to be seen and it was nice and cozy with the top.

 

We arrive and set up for trolling, using the same method, well it didnt take long, first pike of the day followed by my buddy(Eric) getting one on. Then we do a slow turn and wham my rod gets smacked, I thought it was a bigger pike but as I got it close to the boat it was doing the Walleye skip and yes it was an eye, just under slot at 17.75 inches, slot on Crotch is 18.1 to 24. So into the livewell it goes, I usually release all fish but I promised everyone that if we got any we would have a fry. Right after that Eric gets one on and its an eye, this one 15 inches and in it goes, then I get one on and it is the same as his at 15, then I get one more but decide to release it as I remember last year three were enough for a good snack. As quickly as they turned on they turned off, but the pike didnt. We ended up with 4 eyes, 14, pike and one huge rock bass. On the way back we decided to troll for a bit, now we didnt catch anything but as we were heading with the wind I noticed we were going quite fast, so I put the motor in neutral to slow us down, well we only slowed to just the perfect trolling speed and no less, We couldnt believe it, with the home made top we were now sailing and I could steer! So I turned off the motor and we sailed for a good half hour along the shoreline at between 1.5 and 2.5 mph. This was just funny, saved fuel and trolled under wind power.

 

Got back in and cleaned the fish, fried them up in a beer batter for a snack after dinner and man was it good. These fish were so clean, not a mark on them.

 

Now we go back to this lake every year multiple times and it is not for the amount of fish we are going to catch. Your not going to get a tonne of fish, it is a hard lake to fish. The main reason we go there is because the owner of the lodge has to be one of the nicest and most accommodating people I have ever met, he is very helpful if there are any issues and he runs a first class place.

 

 

Sorry if this report isnt the best, I am writing in between runs at work. And I hope I can figure the picture thing out so I can add them later. I have them all loaded into my computer but cant seem to get them to load in the gallery to attach them to this report, I will try again later. Hope you enjoyed what I could write in a short period of time. I should have another report for my outing on this Sunday.

 

Don

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok there are pics now but they arent to big, I was hoping they would be bigger. Next time I will figure this out.

Edited May 25, 2007 by Badger Shark

[ccmtcanada]

No need for apologies! This is an awesome report...very descriptive. Cant wait to see the pictures. If you need help, shoot me a PM and I'll do what i can ok?

[Fishnfiend]

Thanks for the report. It sounds like you had a great time. Maybe you could sell your welfare tops and finance your next trip!

 

I am looking forward to the pictures.

[yellowboat]

Nice report and I'd be intrested in a welfare top for my boat, do you give classes on how to make them.

[Badger Shark]

Once I get the pics posted you will be able to see how I made the top. Basically I used existing rod mounts to hold two poles, made a frame from copper, used my existing boat cover which was doing no good, cut into the shape we needed and hemmed, etc..... bought industrial plastic from Bou Claire for windows. It really makes a difference on those cold windy days and hot sunny ones too. It isnt gonna win any beauty awards but it serves it purpose once it is set up. Believe me I get alot of looks but once people see us out on the water and they dont have a top, they change their gazes into questions on how we did it. It is a work in progress to get everything to fit better.

 

As for my pics, I figure it is a size issue and will have to wait for the wife to show me how to reduce them. I am a computer moron.

Edited May 25, 2007 by Badger Shark

[b2kptbo]

Beauty report and pic's would be good...

[gozwob]

cool report! .......but............pics???

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Great Report!Looking forward to the pics! I'm not sure but I think ypou should try using photobucket.com as a host and then add the pictures to this site. It might work. I dont even resize my pics anymore.

[huntervasili]

Great report... i will be looking forward to seeing your pics when you figure that out

[Badger Shark]

Ok I am uploading pics to photobucket, now I have to get them from there to here. Lets see if I can figure that out.

[Mike the Pike]

Awesome report and awesome roof.

 

WTG MTP

[kennyman]

That was a great report Mike. Makes me wish I was there. 14 pike eh ....nice! Thanks for the post. It made me jealous.

[BryceBurzynski]

Nice report!

[gozwob]

Cool pics!.....I had to get out my magnifyin' glass to see 'em.....but still......cool pics!

Edited May 25, 2007 by gozwob

[Smokey]

Great report and pics. Thanks

[yellowboat]

nothing wrong with that top

[Badger Shark]

Once again sorry the pics are small, Cliff explained why and next time I will post them the right way. To bad there isnt an easy button to help the computer illiterate like me.

[ccmtcanada]

Once again sorry the pics are small, Cliff explained why and next time I will post them the right way. To bad there isnt an easy button to help the computer illiterate like me.

 

Once you get used to it, it's a piece of cake! Glad to be of some help.

[solopaddler]

Great report, thanks!

[BLACKFISH88]

Awesome report my brothers go up to crotch every year as well and the fishing is tough for the eyes but they said it is almost maddening how many pike they catch while in search of eyes.

[Badger Shark]

There are certain spots that always produce, you just have to ask people who know them. The only reason I havent fished them is because there usually are a bunch of boats around them, one spot in particular gave up at least 30 or more to two boats each day and these guys were on it all the time and about 4 to 6 others were around them. We found our own spot that produces a variety of species so we tend to go there and avoid the crowds. But even this area had 4 or 5 boats, only difference was they werent in the right spot, we know exactly where to fish and what works.

[Moosebunk]

Crotch is a tough fish for many. Any success on that lake is success nonetheless.

 

Scenic area. Nice report.

[bpcbear2000]

Hi Everyone just back from a week on Crotch Lake. Walleye were a little slow this spring my wife and I managed 7 trolling all but 1 under slot, loads of pike in the 15-20 range and 8 over 24" with the largest 34" . The jig bite was slow We got none jigging but my buddy got 3. Did get a few big perch in the 10-13" range that cooked up good with the Eyes . All the eyes we got were in the narrows or big black bay. Fawn lake was not good for eyes this spring for us but did hold lots of pike and perch. Gull creek is just a trickle. All in all it was a good week

[Badger Shark]

Fawn is where we got the eyes. nice sized pike you got. Maybe do up a report with some pics.

[irishfield]

Great report Badger!!!