Lower Buck Report

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Decided to go fishing with Rob P a very old member of this board that now lives on my street. We were debating between Stony and Lower Buck. I figured we had a better chance for Musky's at Lower Buck and better chance for pickeral at Stony, since I had never caught a pickeral on Lower Buck. We decided to go Lower Buck.

 

We decided to take a few short cuts. Well it turned a 2 hour trip into 2 and a half hours. We get there around 7:30 and on the water by 8am. We chatted with the owner of Sunrise for a bit. Apparently the muskies were biting good a few weeks ago ( ) and the fishing has been real slow as of late. We launched.Water temps were at 74 degrees.

 

We tried all my regular spots with no luck. I guess they were all pounded by the earlier fishermen. I seen some bait activity on the surface in deep water. We troll over to it and sure enough on my first cast, I get a follow. I'd say 36-38 and nice girth. Not interested.

 

We move to a new spot. I'm casting and picking up weeds after weeds, I see lots of pan fish activity, so I decided to jig weed pockets with a jig and grub. I wanted to hook some crappies. Plus I wanted to remove the skunk from the boat. Nail my first fish and its a Jumbo perch. I nail another and another and I am excited.

Rob is laughing. Then I get something a little more decent. Bring it to the boat and its mr.pickeral!In the live well it goes. Pic was taken well after it was caught and is dead.

 

 

Yes the shirt came off. It was so humid that by 9am I had my shirt off. And lucky I brought my shorts!!!

 

Rob is impressed and switches to the same technique, tipped with a leech. He brings in a massive sunfish and starts nailing alot of LM Bass. Though the pickeral were no where to be seen.

 

Then I nail another pickeral on my secret discontinued spinner baits. I have only 2 left but these are the extra jumbo ones. I had 2 smaller ones(which work even better) and 2 jumbos left. Though one jumbo has the blades modified and is only good for dark water.

 

This one is about 1-2lbs.

 

 

We spent quite a few number of hours trying to jig for more pickeral with no luck. We decided to go for Musky.

 

We went to a spot that Rob says is killer and sure enough, on my very first cast I get a follow. This fish looks really long and Thick. Possibly give or take about 40 inches. Doesn't take it. I try again with no luck.

 

A few minutes later I get another follow. This one was thick but not as long. Still, no takers.

 

Rob knew another spot. I was casting and was getting pretty decent follows. I'm thinking small pickeral, so I thriow out the jig and I nail this jumbo. Gonna keep this one and give perch a taste.

 

 

Then I switch back to the Spinner bait And wham! I got a fish on. Its a little Musky. Wasn't really impressed but its my first musky of the season.

 

 

Then started fan casting and got a hit. I'm like what the heck??? I reel in and the fish took my skirt clean off the spinner bait. I put on a replacement skirt but it was not as long and thick as the origional skirt.

 

Now I wanted to switch to the wind blow shore by Rob wanted to stay on his confidence spots. So we casted a little while longer and near a rock pile I nail another pickeral on the spinner bait.

 

 

Rob kept getting bass after bass and for some reason I kept getting perch and pickeral. I caught tons of jumbo perch.

 

We went back to the spot where I raised the first fish and sure enough after about 10 casts, he/she shows up. Though he caught me by surprise and I pulled the lure out of the water too fast. Tried figure eighting with no success.

 

We also did alot of trolling through out the day with not even a nible.

 

It was about 6pm and Rob had to go to work. He hadn't slept for 3 days and had to go to work right after fishing. Thats one hard core fisherman!!!So we called it a day.

 

There was a section I wanted to jig for crappies, though we'll get em next year!!

 

All in all it was a great day!Rob is a very knowledgable fisherman and a real funny dude. Did I mention a great net man?lol I hope we do it again soon.

[Rizzo]

Great report JB! Man I love the markings on those small muskies.

[Greencoachdog]

From one fellow nudist to another.. Great report and pics!!!

[Bly]

Small but beautiful musky! Thanks for sharing.....nice to be seeing musky pics again!

 

bly

[mattyk]

nice little muskie, very pretty colours.

[Smokey]

Great fish Johnny, Thanks. Not bad for a days fishing.

[lunkerbasshunter]

hey fun report. sorry the musky fishing was slow but looks like a grat day anyway!

 

cheers!

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Thanks! I usually wait for the fall to target muskies but this year I have more Musky gear! Its only a matter of time before I start posting some large ones!

[MJL]

That musky is so cool. I love the markings. I don't own a boat or musky gear but it would sure be nice to land one of those.

 

Great report and love the pics.

[tbayboy]

Isn't it always like -go out for one species and starting pulling in everything but . Thanks for the report.

[bigbuck]

Nice little 'ski and some decent 'eyes for the pan. There is a nice 40 odd inch 'ski in Upper Buck with my name on it. He followed my lure 3 times and I stopped fishing figuring I'll get'im next time.

[fishindevil]

Great report & pics,glad you caught some nice sized fish....cheers