spincast Posted July 15, 2015 Report Posted July 15, 2015 (edited) The Fishing wasn't great, but the time was With the weather playing silly buggers at the end of June. our 4th annual last day of school outing got cancelled. I tried a few trips out on the east end of Lake Erie with no success - no one but myself to blame for those days - wasn't really focused and it was new water. So we decided to do the delayed get away to Restoule. I have been there a few times and while the fishing has never been fantastic, it has been pretty steady. It had been a while since G & I had been fishin' bass, and he had yet to learn my favourite small water fishing technique - spinners. I could call it Aglias to be honest, because while I have boxes of spinners the Aglia 4 and 5 is my go to and it rarely lets me down. Looking at Fisherpete's success on Restoule stoked my interest,and the helpful insight of a couple other OFC'ers who pm'ed me added to the info. Thanks to you guys, you know who you are - much appreciated Our prime targets were bass and pike, with an "eye" for supper. Heading up on the Sunday, we got an excellent choice of sites, on the water around the corner from the launch and at the end of the Park. Nice quiet spot. The sun was high in the sky and beaming hot by the time we were set up. Peak time for fishin' - 2:00 in the afternoon of a sweltering day . But we went anyway. Headed out to a spot that never fails.. and failed. Hit a couple other spots, and failed. So it was time for a swim and then back to the site for garlic sausage from the farmers market and lessons for G on building a campfire, now that he is old enough to wield the axe. He's a quick study at this outdoor stuff We called her in early that night after the long drive and set up crossing our fingers for better luck on the other lakes the next day. Up early, we stopped at a recommended location and tossed spinners for about 20 minutes. Striking out, I said out loud my usual threat to all the fish at this point - " OK, 10 more casts and if nothing comes out to play, we're out of here" BAM. 1/2 inch into the slot. C YA later walter - . 10 more casts and we tried to find our way to the narrows. Now, to those who may have been wondering - those HDS 7 Gen 2 maps may be awesome for detail down on Erie and Ontario, but I don't recommend going WOT in the dark based on their mapping up this a-way we finally found the narrows and made the run to a back bay that had good recommendations. The sun was doing a repeat of the day before, clear blue skies and bright sun. Not exactly prime. Ah well, its fishing. I got G going pretty well with the chartreuse and black spotted Aglaia, making highly accurate casts and good retrieve speed. It worked - his first bass on a spinner was a beaut 19 inch fatty. This was a strong aggressive acrobatic fish and G had a blast with it. we continued to work the bay from end to end but with no great results.The screen was clean and whether it was worms and jigs, body baits, spinners or tubes, today was not to be our day. On the way out we stopped at the walter spot and found the mornings sibling - 3/4 in into the slot. G also got his first snot rocket on a spinner to make for another big smile for the day Back to the camp for more fire and father son chats. We talked late into the night about all kinds of things Next day greeted us with a cold front that blew in overnight. The temp had dropped 16 degrees from the day before, and the water surface had dropped 10 degrees.. It drizzled on and off all day. The fish were on fire, hitting everything we threw at them .... NOT. We did some travels and walks and talks. Next day was pack and go, home for a baseball game for 7.00. Karma?. A work week that was Thursday and Friday was a great way to get back to the grind - and watching the winds come from a mostly westerly direction, and maintain a low speed had me smiling. Fingers crossed that an easterly wouldn't blow in again and ruin it, on Friday night I sat on Windfinder, superforecast, Vineland station, and smiled. G had to babysit for a neighbour at one on Saturday, so it meant if we were going, we had to leave early. G's best friend J was helping clean and restore the boat for the O outing when my other half - smart and kind woman that she is - comes up and says, "are you going to invite J with you tomorrow, after all he is working pretty hard on the boat?" I looked at her like she had 2 heads. Early for J is 7:30 . But after almost 25 years with S, I have learned she knows things this big clod sometimes misses. 10 minutes later the boat is done and the boys have finalized plans for a SHORT sleep over. 3.30 m and I'm up. 4.00 am we are pulling out of the driveway. 5.00 am we are leaving a very quiet Timmies and arriving at a launch where we are the only boat!!?? 5:30 and we are lines set up in 65 FOW, watching one of my favourite sights: Just as it crested the horizon the first rod fired - and as always, it's the guest's fish. Great colours on this fella and still a bit of a kype on him? After a revival sing along in the well he was off to swim another day The biggest fish of J's life - and fight. He was so psyched! It was great to see. And now, it was like that sun just shone her blessings on me for the next few hours - here are a couple of crazy examples. We're trolling along and its got kind of quiet. I grab my muffin and say " look fish, you do it like this, "and I bite the muffin - and a rod fires; a little later, I say "G, I think they need some music, why don't you put on the radio?". And not 30 seconds after he sits down having picked his favourite (groan) station, a rod fires. Then I decide to change up a spoon, and as I put the blue money puke down, I say - they were just bored of those colours and really wanted blue - and the rod fires; It was crazy - at least two more situations like that happened. But the real capper, well I am not sure I will ever repeat, let alone beat, this - the dipsy fires, and as I pull it out of the holder and pass it back to one of the boys, out of the corner of my eye I see the lead core shoot out of the holder and drop into 180 FOW. Somehow I had got the handle of the dipsy rod on the handle of the core and pulled it out. I reach over and turn the downrigger to up retrieve, saying to myself - It just MAYbe snagged on the wire and the torpedo weight (PPPPPPLLLLLLEEEEAAAASE). And after what felt like an agonizing 30 minutes, but was probably only 1, sure enough, there it is: reel one one side of the wire, rod on the other, and torpedo weight underneath. I reach down, grab the rod butt and put it in the holder as G brings his fish to the back of the boat, in a cluster of dispsy, core and mono. I hand reel in Gs fish, un-cluster the incredibly easy to straighten mess and thank my lucky stars ( and my wife). By 9:00 am we had 9 in the boat and a bunch of laughs and high 5s. We didn't get any trophy fish - but we all got some trophy memories - and my forecast was right, ending up 11-14 for the day, catching a brown, a big laker a nice (albeit skinny) bow some coho and a couple small kings. and that's enough for my carpal tunnel fingers and one report, I'll close out with a few shots of the "day of grace" Man - you gotta love softwater season Edited July 15, 2015 by spincast
Tom McCutcheon Posted July 15, 2015 Report Posted July 15, 2015 Geeze I love to read posts like this. Great narrative and photos to boot. Thank You.
Freshtrax Posted July 15, 2015 Report Posted July 15, 2015 Nice going, pretty much the size of our fish out there.
trruker Posted July 15, 2015 Report Posted July 15, 2015 Good looking Brown and the bow don't look too shaby either,those kids are going to remember that day for the rest of their life.Something tells me your planning on installing a few more of those days on the boys....Great Stuff
mr blizzard Posted July 15, 2015 Report Posted July 15, 2015 Thank you for such a great posting, I really absorb threads like yours, relive the years of raising our son, but some not all forget the past and at 19 they go out and think they know it all, hi five to you and please post some more, time spent with family is priceless
Pikeslayer Posted July 15, 2015 Report Posted July 15, 2015 I particularly enjoyed the goat rodeo episode I'll manage the rods on Sunday Thx for taking the time to put this together Rick. Well done & great read !!!
Freshtrax Posted July 15, 2015 Report Posted July 15, 2015 Just don't let Simon touch the cannonballs.
lew Posted July 15, 2015 Report Posted July 15, 2015 Great story & pics for the early A.M. Fun times for sure !!
NewHips Posted July 15, 2015 Report Posted July 15, 2015 11-14 sounds like a great day.I miss those early morning strikes on the Great lakes. Thanks for sharing.
Rod Caster Posted July 15, 2015 Report Posted July 15, 2015 Considering the tough conditions, you got some decent fish at Restoule. I've never been there, maybe I'll have to take the little one there sometime...looks like a nice PP. G's favorite station must be classic rock Great report!!
AKRISONER Posted July 15, 2015 Report Posted July 15, 2015 if theres one thing i promise you is that the kids are going to remember that day for the rest of their lives. I still tell my friends about epic trips I had with my old man when i was in my early teens. Thanks for the awesome report.
Steelheadphycho Posted July 15, 2015 Report Posted July 15, 2015 Good times! I'll never forget those times with the old man....... The kids won't either! Great report!
MJL Posted July 16, 2015 Report Posted July 16, 2015 John Madden would be proud of that football brown Great report!
spincast Posted July 16, 2015 Author Report Posted July 16, 2015 Geeze I love to read posts like this. Great narrative and photos to boot. Thank You. glad you enjoyed - for me fishing is more then just feeling the fish on the end of the line - its therapy Nice going, pretty much the size of our fish out there. we just gotta find the bigger one still FT - they're out there Thank you for such a great posting, I really absorb threads like yours, relive the years of raising our son, but some not all forget the past and at 19 they go out and think they know it all, hi five to you and please post some more, time spent with family is priceless Thanks MB - trust me, I think about the day G's interests will be in others every time we are out. I plan on enjoying all that we can while we can. Hopefully, the lifelong enjoyment will bring him back I particularly enjoyed the goat rodeo episode I'll manage the rods on Sunday Thx for taking the time to put this together Rick. Well done & great read !!! OK. I'll drive and reel in when you pass that next Tyee hit to me. Great story & pics for the early A.M. Fun times for sure !! Thanks Lew - Nice brown!!! 65' of water eh? cool! Tanya, and yessir, 65 FOW set up, We hadn't gone far, you can see that in the sky in the background. - had J been stronger I could have shown some very strong colours, but I didn't want to stress the fish anymore. 11-14 sounds like a great day.I miss those early morning strikes on the Great lakes. Thanks for sharing. They're still there ! Considering the tough conditions, you got some decent fish at Restoule. I've never been there, maybe I'll have to take the little one there sometime...looks like a nice PP. G's favorite station must be classic rock Great report!! LOL - I actually did manage to get himt o appreciate the Clash.... but left to his own devices its hiphop and pop. Amazing how you can block out some stuff after 25 years of marriage if theres one thing i promise you is that the kids are going to remember that day for the rest of their lives. I still tell my friends about epic trips I had with my old man when i was in my early teens. Thanks for the awesome report. Thanks for that Akrsioner - that is one of my goals as a father. I didn't get that growing up Great report! thanks Dave
spincast Posted July 16, 2015 Author Report Posted July 16, 2015 Good times!I'll never forget those times with the old man....... The kids won't either!Great report! x2 as I said to AK above, thanks John Madden would be proud of that football brown Great report! Sorry I couldn't get you on our target fish with the same success, MJL, but it was great to meet you and watch your excitement as the fish hit. Next time
Joey Posted July 16, 2015 Report Posted July 16, 2015 Great read and pics, just like I was there Thanks!!!
misfish Posted July 16, 2015 Report Posted July 16, 2015 Thanks for taking the time Rick to put up a great report.
davey buoy Posted July 16, 2015 Report Posted July 16, 2015 Rick,great report,looks like the guys had a blast!!!!!!!
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