Open Seat - Lake St Clair Muskie

[KraTToR]

Planning a day trip to LSC this Saturday, October 10th. Leaving from KW around 5:30am.

 

I would prefer if you provide your own "musky appropriate" rod/reel and tackle, lunch, and split the fuel costs which usually run about $100 per trip ($50 each). Also, no beer or alcohol in the boat please. A beer during shore lunch is totally cool!.

 

I have a Frabill Power Catch net (Big Game) and other release tools.

 

PM me if interested.

[leaf4]

Interested... Just have to talk to the other half, I may have a thanksgiving dinner to attend

[Rizzo]

go get em! I went last week or I would jump all over this. $50 to go fish L St. Clair can't be beat.

[KraTToR]

Thanks for the interest!

 

member mikeh has taken me up on the offer.

 

Wish us luck!

[leaf4]

Best of luck! If I didn't have a thanksgiving dinner to attend, I'd be all over it and catching a Thanksgiving weekend muskie! Hopefully I can get out there before the end of the season yet

[Fisherpete]

Good luck guys! Go smash some spotties!

[Gregoire]

Good luck. Heading out there next weekend. Hopefully the winds are good and the lake is fishable.

[Rizzo]

What a gorgeous day out there, let us know how you did once you get home!

[leaf4]

I was doing work around the house wondering and wondering how things were going, and what a perfect day it would a been out there today

[Rizzo]

ditto...cleaned the gutters, raked some leaves..thought about fishing

[landry]

St clAir was slow yesterday. You didn't miss much. We went 1/4 casting the lake and river a bit. My friend lost a giant boat side.

[KraTToR]

Member mikeh ended up joining me and I have to say what a nice fishing partner! Very respectful, generous,and a keen fisherman for sure.

 

Launched out of Jeannettes creek- we showed up around 8 am to a line up at the launch and the pop - pop of nearby shotguns going off..lol

 

After launching and niggling out one of the last parking spots we headed out towards the lake only to find an armada of fisherman (in boats and on shore) near the mouth of the Thames. I will tell you that I've never seen so many Muskie nets and red/orange Bulldogs getting flung through the air in my life!!

 

As we made our way to the open water my nav track looked like a sewing pattern of a crazy person as we zigged and zagged our way through the channel as huge lures flew through the air all around us.

 

We headed out to my favorite muskie fishing grounds the Belle River Hump, about 20kms through some pretty rough water.but as the morning went on the sun came out and the wind died down and it was as smooth as LSC really ever gets. A beautiful afternoon in October.

 

Alternating between trolling and casting, Mike landed the first fish, a nice pike on a chartreuse flat bait (Jake?). About an hour later we were casting and as I was making a comment on how clear the water was, a big greeny/gold torpedo went straight at the Double 10 I was casting off the bow. The water was so clear that the fish was at least 15 feet from the front of the boat and even Mike, on the stern casting platform, saw it come in. Well I tried everything to entice it to bite as it followed me right to the boat. The fish seemed oblivious to the boat and our jaw dropping stares as it slowly followed and went under the bow. Mike yells over "Figure 8" and I snap out of it and drive my rod into the water. Well nothing worked and I guess the fish finally left but it was a pretty cool rush all the same. It also gave us the confidence that there's still big fish out in the middle of the lake.

 

We continued to pound the area, casting until tiring out from slinging a variety of huge baits and trolling when I picked up a nice pike (34") on a 10" perch Jake. When it hit I was really hoping for a 'ski but nice fish all the same.

 

After another hour or so with no action whatsoever, we decided to head back to the Thames. By now the wind had died and the water about as smooth as LSC gets. We made it back in good time to witness several large fishing boats (Charters?) with planer boards circling the area just north of the Thames river channel. The water in this part of the lake was quite stained as well, no doubt from all the recent rain. We dropped our favorite lures and trolled amount with the big boys for about an hour with nothing to show for it except constantly picking up floating and suspended green matter.

 

At this point we decided that we needed a bit more stimulation and headed back to the river, through the armada we left behind several hours prior. Again, flying bulldogs everywhere until we made it through - a couple of times I thought a lure might land in my boat!. The water in the river was very stained but there was a ton of bass structure along the north shore so we spent the next couple of hours flipping and pitching the shoreline for bass. I picked up a large sheephead which was an un-natural silver colour (no pic, boatside release) and Mike snagged himself a chunky little LM.

 

We decided to stay in the river because the wind really picked up until about 5:30 when it appeared to die down and we were itching to get back to the hump. Well after a 30 minute bumpy and wet boat-ride we arrived mid lake and had just enough time to circle our area of interest one last time. Unfortunately we came up empty handed but satisfied that we gave it all we could.

 

Again, I would like to thank mikeh for joining me and I hope he has as many fond memories of the day as I do.

And yes, I have to learn how to hold a fish properly for a photo op... :wallbash:

 

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Edited October 11, 2015 by KraTToR

[Rizzo]

thanks for the update. Mouth of the Thames is truly a gong show. I refuse to participate in the carousel of fools (even though I have heard of ridiculous quantities of fish being caught some days). To me, catching is only a part of the entire experience, a little tranquility is nice too. Only severe winds and the inability to fish elsewhere could convince me to fish the merry-go-round again.

[lew]

Sounds like a fun day boys and good that you guys were able to hook up.

 

And your right Roger, it's a definite zoo around the mouth of the river some days. LOL

[leaf4]

Nice day too bad you couldn't hook into a ski, just means you're X amount of casts into getting one haha

[misfish]

You see, there are fish to be caught. Well done.

 

[SirCranksalot]

Good luck guys! Go smash some spotties!

 

Down there aren't you supposed to kill 'em then toss 'em overboard?? Isn't that what the locals do?

[LostAnotherOne]

Well done and thanks for the update.

[evster]

Nice! Looks like fun.

[outllaw]

yep we killed all of the musky. that's why people travel here from worldwide.,,or ya I live there.

Edited October 11, 2015 by outlaw

[mikeh]

Glad I took Patrick up on his off to fish Lake St.Clair, I have never fished there before but it was a lot of fun, as he said we didn't catch any but he had a follow that I could see from the back of the boat that was 6 feet down, that's how clear the water was, I don't think the fishing conditions were ideal as the wind died down, but it was definitely t-shirt weather out there. Going back into the river was a great idea as it gave us a rest from tossing the musky baits , as we used some flipping jigs and spinnerbaits(flipping jigs into cover is probably my favorite way to fish,although seeing a musky follow your bait in and attack is pretty good also).

 

we realized that we didn't have much daylight left and Patrick asked me what I wanted to do, and we both wanted to go and try trolling for one last time, It was a little rough getting out there but the boat handled the waves pretty good with a good driver behind the wheel, we finished our troll and headed back to the launch.

 

One thing about that area is I have never seen so many wind mills in my life , I'm guessing about 150. I have fished with a few people from the board and enjoyed fishing with them all , they all have great passion for the sport.

 

Thanks again Patrick for a great day