Joeytier Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 Spent this weekend in the bush close to home chasing grouse and inland bows with a friend from southern ON who came up to join me for the weekend. I picked a lake that required a decently long ride into the bush to maximize hunting time on the way to our destination. Despite having to run back to town after unloading everything due to both of us forgetting a lighter (d'oh) we still made good time getting in there and had a great morning of bird hunting on the way in, and got to watch a cow and calf mull around in a swamp. We dropped off our camping gear and got out on the water. 45 degree water temps had me thinking the morning bite would be a tough go, which proved to be true with only one fish hooked (and lost boatside) to show for it. However we did hit a mid-afternoon flurry and ended up 4/6 with all fish in the 20-23" range. The crazy acrobatics and peeling runs these fish make is absolutely insanity on a 6 wt fly rod, and we had an absolute blast! Got back to shore to find a chunky grouse hanging around our campfire (sometimes it's just too easy) and had an awesome meal of fresh trout before the torrential downpour showed and seemingly stayed right on top of our heads for the rest of the night. I had a miserable night of (no) sleep, and when I woke up at 4:30 to avoid becoming an icicle, I used my decrepit tent to stoke up the fire. After a pre-dawn breakfast of grouse we hit the water for a couple more hours and put one more nice bow in the boat, before packing up and leaving. Had an awesome weekend for what's probably the last trip of the year for the lund before it goes to bed for 6 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIFTER_016 Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 New tent on the Christmas wish list? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 Thats sweet. Love it. BUT Despite having to run back to town after unloading everything due to both of us forgetting a lighter (d'oh) Quit and you wont need one.LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickingfrog Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 Tough to beat fins 'n feathers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeytier Posted October 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 Thats sweet. Love it. BUT Quit and you wont need one.LOL Wasn't for that (I'm on the vape lol). I'm not that great at making fire bows so a lighter is a must for us if we wanted to stay warm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 I'm on the vape lol Ya, I dont need a lighter as well.LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beavertail Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 Looks like a fun weekend, despite the cold and rain. I know those make for some of the longest nights, dawn just can't come soon enough! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinker Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 Im always interested in hearing how the inland bows were caught. What were you using, and what depths were you targeting? Those inland bows can really pull hard, and I think they pull harder in the fall! S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeytier Posted October 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 Im always interested in hearing how the inland bows were caught. What were you using, and what depths were you targeting? Those inland bows can really pull hard, and I think they pull harder in the fall! S. I was using a purple/pink egg sucking leech on a full sink line, so I'm guessing about 10-12 feet below the surface. This was the best presentation, but my friend did well with a small single Colorado blade and a slow death'd worm about a foot behind. I got one fish in the middle of the lake (65 fow) but most were in 15-20 on sand flats. I find they will suspend over deeper water during the summer and hold tighter to shore/bottom during the fall, and I've caught them very shallow in the winter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manitoubass2 Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 Nice! Great trip/report!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinker Posted October 27, 2015 Report Share Posted October 27, 2015 Ive never tried the fly rod for them, but have caught lots trolling wooly buggers and leech patterns behind a small gang troll. I find the same depths.....spring/fall shallower, summer over deep water, winter really shallow....soft bottoms. Also get them on worm harneses, and small cranks. I get a lot on the rebel cricket hoppers. S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dara Posted October 27, 2015 Report Share Posted October 27, 2015 aounds like a fun weekend...who was it in that other thread that said firestarting isn't a required skill nowdays Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAW Posted October 27, 2015 Report Share Posted October 27, 2015 Sounds like a roller coaster of a weekend! That's a big bird in the middle eh! I didn't know their size varied so much. What colour where the flames at 4:30?!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeytier Posted October 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2015 Bit of an optical illusion with the birds. The 'big' one's laying flat on its back with the feathers spread out and the others are on their sides. Most adult grouse are pretty much the same size. I know people that claim to shoot the odd spruce hen around here but I've honestly never seen one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris.brock Posted October 27, 2015 Report Share Posted October 27, 2015 Yeah, it looks like an awesome weekend. I have no confidence in catching stocked bows, you guys did great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Caster Posted October 27, 2015 Report Share Posted October 27, 2015 damn, that's a decent stringer. Did you see any other hunters out there? That might be a good spot for future moose/deer hunting, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeytier Posted October 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2015 Absolutely. Very little hunting pressure, and what pressure there is only for moose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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