Pike derby in Waubeneshe (Georgian bay)

[Tjames09]

There's a pike derby derby coming up in waubeneshe and Ive never fished pike on Georgian bay. I was wondering if it's reasonable to boat from the launch near waubeneshe and then boat towards honey harbour area or if that's to far and I should look at other areas closer. Not sure if I should look north or south either, seems like good bays on both north and south.

[Terry]

y

Edited May 7, 2017 by Terry

[Canuck]

And watch for rocks! If you don't have a chart plotter, be very very careful. There are shoals all over that area and they come up fast.

 

Check out the Navionics Web App for planning:

https://webapp.navionics.com

 

Their iphone/ipad and Android app is great too.

[Garnet]

It's not that far to Honey Harbour. Just no reason to go. Plenty good pike water around Waubeneshe. Stick to channel only map chips suck in this area.

[Terry]

i

Edited May 7, 2017 by Terry

[irishfield]

How big is your boat?? A west wind could give you a BIG surprise when you come out of the Green Island channel and try to turn towards HH in the middle of the Sound.

[bigugli]

How big is your boat?? A west wind could give you a BIG surprise when you come out of the Green Island channel and try to turn towards HH in the middle of the Sound.

Cutting across the sound in a good west wind can get real dicey

[irishfield]

Even in my 2150 Lund, Bruce, why I asked. Been boating the Sound from VHarbour to Manitoulin for 38 years.

[Garnet]

If you are talking Top 50 the winners will go to Barry Sound. That's a haul and you better have gps.

[Tjames09]

 

How big is your boat?? A west wind could give you a BIG surprise when you come out of the Green Island channel and try to turn towards HH in the middle of the Sound.

16', which is why I dont want to venture to far, rather stay in protected areas. Just trying to have an idea of where to go, never been there before.

 

If you are talking Top 50 the winners will go to Barry Sound. That's a haul and you better have gps.

no this is a for fun derby, not some series.

 

It's not that far to Honey Harbour. Just no reason to go. Plenty good pike water around Waubeneshe. Stick to channel only map chips suck in this area.

Thanks, ill stick in the waubaushene area then. I checked out navionics and the north side of the area looks very rocky. Is it a better bet to go to the south side bays? Northwest of potatoe island looks like a crazy amount of rocks on navionics.

[Garnet]

If you are out of Marshes or Pier 69 both launch like backing off cliff. Pier 69 likely better. I would drop my trolling motor and start fishing. There's rock weed pads out to the mouth. Then I would work left and across to other side.

 

It would be possible I never start engine.

 

Or when I got to the mouth of Wabenshe to your right is marked gap go thru there and fish the shore to right. There are several small in cut bays up a ways.

 

Water high so you could launch in Vic Harbour. Same thing I would leave Hogg bay. And if I did I would do above. Make sure you catch the channel going over to Wanbeshe.

Edited May 8, 2017 by Garnet

[AKRISONER]

im a georgian bay guy, dont mess around with the open water...just stay the hell off of it.

 

Its totally normal to have 10 footers on what you think is a calm day.

 

Ive ventured out into the open water in my 14 foot tinner, but that was on days I had a guarantee that the wind was "light" aka less than 5kmh

 

If you are new to the area, you wont be able to read the lake well enough to tell if you can venture out. The last thing you will want is to make the run in the morning while its calm only to have the wind pick up to 15kmh in the afternoon and now you are trying to make it back to waubesheen in 6 foot rollers..its just not worth it, especially for pike. As a rule we dont go out there without perfect conditions unless we are in the 26 foot boat...that should put some perspective for you.

 

Swimbaits off of weed edges dropping deep...dont even be scared to try spoons...no need to go with big gear in the spring, all my baits are 6" or under this time of year. Find shallow weedy bays and then fish their openings.

 

Tight lines and good luck.

[Raf]

how did we go from Severn Sound to open waters of Gbay? Yeah Severn Sound can blow up but if there's 10'ers, hell even 6'ers out there you're at home tying down your lawn ornaments.

[BillM]

Launch out of Honey Harbour, all the water around there is fairly protected.. That's where I launch out of, but I'm making fairly big runs for spring pike even from there.

Edited May 8, 2017 by BillM

[Garnet]

There is inside channel lot's of twist and turns. Still wouldn't leave Waubensee.

 

Firetiger Rapala jerkbaits or the orange one. Some never use leaders. I like the titanium leaders 9 inch made here in Ontario. Gannon's had them but now I have them lol.

 

Snap a couple hard ones and let it sit.

Edited May 8, 2017 by Garnet

[Tjames09]

If you are out of Marshes or Pier 69 both launch like backing off cliff. Pier 69 likely better. I would drop my trolling motor and start fishing. There's rock weed pads out to the mouth. Then I would work left and across to other side.

 

It would be possible I never start engine.

 

Or when I got to the mouth of Wabenshe to your right is marked gap go thru there and fish the shore to right. There are several small in cut bays up a ways.

 

Water high so you could launch in Vic Harbour. Same thing I would leave Hogg bay. And if I did I would do above. Make sure you catch the channel going over to Wanbeshe.

 

Thanks, yeah it does start around pier 69.

im a georgian bay guy, dont mess around with the open water...just stay the hell off of it.

 

Its totally normal to have 10 footers on what you think is a calm day.

 

Ive ventured out into the open water in my 14 foot tinner, but that was on days I had a guarantee that the wind was "light" aka less than 5kmh

 

If you are new to the area, you wont be able to read the lake well enough to tell if you can venture out. The last thing you will want is to make the run in the morning while its calm only to have the wind pick up to 15kmh in the afternoon and now you are trying to make it back to waubesheen in 6 foot rollers..its just not worth it, especially for pike. As a rule we dont go out there without perfect conditions unless we are in the 26 foot boat...that should put some perspective for you.

 

Swimbaits off of weed edges dropping deep...dont even be scared to try spoons...no need to go with big gear in the spring, all my baits are 6" or under this time of year. Find shallow weedy bays and then fish their openings.

 

Tight lines and good luck.

 

Ya that was my concern, that the water can kick up good, probably wont venture that far by the responses here, seems the fishing is good without going far.

There is inside channel lot's of twist and turns. Still wouldn't leave Waubensee.

 

Firetiger Rapala jerkbaits or the orange one. Some never use leaders. I like the titanium leaders 9 inch made here in Ontario. Gannon's had them but now I have them lol.

 

Snap a couple hard ones and let it sit.

Thanks, your talking about the channel above green island?

[Garnet]

I don't have my map handy. If you came out Hogg Bay you can run between shore and that island and then channel is straight ahead and little left. To far left really bad.

 

From Waubensene you will see marker buoys going both directions. No marker buoys STOP. If you ever get up there on a day you can see in water will scare you to death.

[bobowski]

Been fishing these waters my entire life. Like previous people have said stick to the channels. Even navionics wont show some of the hidden rocks. When venturing away from the bouys take your time. Just look at other boats and the path that they take. Lots of Pike in the area. Big spoons and inline spinners can be effective. Good Luck in your derby.

[Tjames09]

Thanks guys. Would you recommend staying shallow like less than 5' of water. Or should I move out a bit as well and try around 10'.

[Garnet]

Just let the fish tell you.

[BillM]

Fish it all. I find early in the season the males are a lot shallower then the big girls. They're usually coming back into the shallows, I find them on the edges.

[AKRISONER]

Thanks guys. Would you recommend staying shallow like less than 5' of water. Or should I move out a bit as well and try around 10'.

 

you will find males this time of year in 2 fow

 

but ive consistently hooked into 40+ inch fish every spring on the may 2-4 by sitting on a bay edge in a channel, casting out into the channel letting my lure hit bottom and then running the bait right back up into the 5 fow in the bay. Has literally worked for me every year.

[mikeh]

not sure where to catch pike, but you could launch at musky's landing(flat launch) near Port Severn, it's about a 10 min boat ride to Waubeshene . As someone else stated the launches in Waubeshene are pretty steep