Guest Johnny Bass Posted June 17, 2007 Report Posted June 17, 2007 Went Fiashing Saturday as usual. We decided to try Katchewanooka. Got there around 6:45 and launched. We started covering water. First bay looked very promising. Lots of fish jumping around. We thought they may be musky but later found out they were carp. They were everywhere. We covered water for a bit with not even a follow. my buddy hooks a smakkie, its airborn and comes off. After that, nothing. Tried to jig for pockeral with no luck. Started catching some jumbo perch. This lake is infested with baby perch with a few Jumbo's here and there. I had caught 4 by about noon. My buddy had a 10 inch fluke bit off by more than likely a musky and that was it. We did not catch a decent fish or see a follow. Other than the smallies we seen in the shallows. We scouted the lake and didn't like what we saw. Water was way too clear. There was hardly no structure and it was sunny with no wind.Looks like the lake will produce in low light conditions. We decided to leave at noon and we chose Balsam. I figured it would take us 1/2 hour. By the time we gpt back to the laucnh and loaded up the boat and got to Balsam, it was past 2:00pm. We got there and I see the sign and just realized there is a slot lomit on Balsam! There goes my fish fry!! Should have kept the jumbo perch.... I was pleasently surprised to see 15-20 K winds and cloudy skies. We decided to go to the first honey hole. Did 2 drifts and nothing. We went to the second honey hole. The weeds had not grown in fully but some were there. We fished the drop off. I get a hit! No hook up. Wierd, maybe a bass. I get another hit. WHAM! Set the hook and bring it in. Musky!!! They are getting bigger!Nice colours!!! Though it completly mangeled my magic lure and the hook Split his lip right open. But he swam away strong. We continue the pattern and I see a follow, though couldn't quite make it out. I do the L and it grabs the tail of my magic spinner bait. Though didn't get hooked. It was a smaller one. Then I am casting and see another large musky follow, but no takers. Can you do a figure 8 with a spinner bait. I have only had luck once enticing a Musky with the figure 8. But he didn't bite. So I'm continuing the pattern and my buddy wants to move. He hasn't caught nothing all day so I say sure. I would have caught more musky for sure!!! We get to the 3 honey hole. I start catsing and told him there are always musky around. Sure enough after about 40 casts I get a follow. Either a large pickeral or Musky. We seen guys jigging for pickeral, but I told my friend I have never caught a pickeral on that spot. Just musky and smallies. Oddly enough, this weekend we did not catch any bass other than the smallie that got away and a rock bass. Anyways, I cast my lure and I hear SNAP!! I'm thinking lost another magic lure. Nope, the blade came clean off! So I basically lost $30 of lures and only caught 3-4 fish on them. Though working on getting my hands on more. I'm only left with 1 and its a llarger one. 2 1/2 ounce. This one goes down deeper. I wasn't sure if this one would produce.I start casting and WHAM!! I get a hit!! After a nice battle, I bring it to the boat and I'm thinking another small ski. I see PICKERAL. get the net!!! We netted it and it was 23 inches. Just over the slot limit. Looks like I am having a fish fry after all. Next cast, get a follow. its a decent musky, no takers. Next cast wack!I got anothe rone. Bring it in and its about 19 inches. back in the drink it goes. So basically I am on fire and wanted to continue the pattern. Though my friend says he wants to go check out the last honey hole. I'm like WHAT???I'm seen 3 fish in 4 casts and landed 2 and you want to leave?? We had found a 9 foot weed hump in 15 FOW that dropped off to 18FOW on the other side. Thats why the pickeral were stacked there. I told him lets fish for another 5 minutes and if nothing we will go to the last honey hole. So we throw a few more casts and nothing so we decided to leave. I know 100% if I would have stayed there I would have brought in more Musky or pickeral but my friend wasn't catching anything and I wanted him to catch some fish also. Cant be selfish or greedy. We get to the last spot. We worked it for 2 hours without even a follow. We decided to head home. Buy the way,these pictures were taken with my sisters Camera. So hopefully I'll have clearer pictures in the future.I wanted to take more pictures but I opted not too. We saw a guy driving a car with a lawnmower strapped to the back hood with the handle bars sticking out. We took pictures and I will post it later. We called it the redneck spoiler.lol We saw 2 turtles being pretty friendly but didn't post the pictures because this is a childrens site. We saw the thinest crescent moon ever last night. We saw a dead deer on the road. We say a huge field infested with fireflies. It was lit up like a Christmas tree. Really nice! And ofcourse the standard loons and Herons and such.
darsky Posted June 17, 2007 Report Posted June 17, 2007 Great report-nice pics.I think that 'ski may be a hybrid. Any pike in Balsam?
mason05 Posted June 17, 2007 Report Posted June 17, 2007 Nice report as usual JB. Nice pickerel! Corn Nug
mattyk Posted June 17, 2007 Report Posted June 17, 2007 nice pics, looks like a tiger musky. I guess the pike are slowly making there way into balsam.
tbayboy Posted June 17, 2007 Report Posted June 17, 2007 Nice stuff JB, great looking 'eyes there. Enjoy the feed.
Guest Johnny Bass Posted June 17, 2007 Report Posted June 17, 2007 Thanks. I have never heard of any pike caught in Balsam. Some say they have made their way into Mitchel Lake though but who knows.
Smokey Posted June 18, 2007 Report Posted June 18, 2007 Great report. Balsam lake sure produces fish for you, Congrats.
lunkerbasshunter Posted June 18, 2007 Report Posted June 18, 2007 great stuff! awesome looking musky you caught there! CHeers!
Mike the Pike Posted June 18, 2007 Report Posted June 18, 2007 JB that was an enjoyable report thanks for posting MTP
misfish Posted June 18, 2007 Report Posted June 18, 2007 As always, nice read and pics bud. Now lets talk about sit ups.
Guest Johnny Bass Posted June 18, 2007 Report Posted June 18, 2007 Hey brian. I'be been actually losing weight. But I did go to 2 buffet in 2 days previous to those pics. Thursday and Friday.
Zamboni Posted June 18, 2007 Report Posted June 18, 2007 Thanks for report Johnny Bass, probably taking kids to Katchewanooka this Sunday coming for fishing/swimming day trip. Did you launch at Lakefield....if so, busy-lots of parking? Been awhile since I was on that lake-nice because wife can have few hours exploring the town (shopping) without the kids and I complaining.
Guest Johnny Bass Posted June 18, 2007 Report Posted June 18, 2007 I launched up that road in Lakefield next to that abandoned marine. We got there, there were no trailers. When we left, the parking lot was full. I seen some nice beaches there to go for a swim and the kids will have a ball bringing in little perch. There were millions of them.
Carmen Posted June 18, 2007 Report Posted June 18, 2007 Good to know JB, always nice to have a spot you can bring the wife and kids too. Thanx
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now