Fishing Forum

Well, we went to Twin Lakes here in Idaho yesterday. Unfortunately it was slow for crappie, which is what we wanted to target. Timing could have been part of it -- we got there at 1 and left at about 7PM.

My most exciting and probably largest catch of the day was at the start. I powered up my trolling motor on my Scadden Renegade as I started across the north lake. About midway across I picked up a really nice trout on my fly. He came up, jumped twice, then headed right at me. I was busy stripping line in like crazy when he had the grace and ingenuity to run my line right into the trolling motor that I had forgotten to shut off. I remembered it then!! He jumped again to say goodbye as he thumbed his nose at me and shook my hook out. I was left in the middle of the lake with my fly line twisted into an unbelievable mess that was still attached to the prop. At least it was a nice day for a row across the lake!

Once on the other shore I managed to get the line unwrapped but it was still twisted into a ball. Of course it was one of the few times that it was the only line I had with me, so I had to figure something out. I got back out into the lake and spent the next half hour with the trolling motor on high so that I could drag my line behind me and untwist it by hand and with the drag of the water. Actually it came out without much damage and worked ok. Just don't get busy and forget to turn off your trolling motor when you have a fish on!!

The rest of the day was very nice with little wind.

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We caught mostly trout from 10 to 15 inches. Next most common catch was bluegill -- about 4 inches long though.

We did catch a few crappie, but not many and they were spread around.

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I also caught this nice bass and a perch that was almost the same size!!


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Wow you found the smart fish in the lake.[:p] At least you had a productive day and a lucky one too. No broken line!
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Lol, thats some "funny" story. Im glad that your line did not get all cut up.
But hey, you still got into some fish and saved the day.[]
Thank you for the read and nice pictures.

Peter
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[cool][#0000ff]Some lessons in life are "hard learned". Now if somebody had told you before you went out that you needed to shut off your motor when you hook a fish you would have smacked them for being so bossy. Of course you would NEVER do anything like that. Right?[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I once started keeping a list of the "prerequisite" boo boos we all have to experience before we can really call ourselves tubers or tooners. I guess I can now add "stretching your fly line with a trolling motor" to the list. Heck, that is almost as good as snagging your waders with your best fly or lure...and you only have one...and you can't reach it to get it out...and it has already put a leak in your waders...and the water is COLD.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Nice report and pics. Glad you at least got a few fishies to play. That bass was a bruiser. Are you sure you didn't photoshop that pic to make the fish look bigger?[/#0000ff]
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The disgusting thing is I already knew to turn off the motor, but that fish was so wild and aerobatic that I just plan got "fish fever" (closely related to "buck fever") and I forgot to flip the switch.

I caught a number of baby fish -- bass, crappie, and perch. It is good to know that there was bunch of "young of the year" out there. Hopefully many of them will survive to become reacquainted with me again in a few years!!!

But it got to the point that I felt I was basically trolling with LIVE bait more often than I wanted!
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I like to keep my troll motor on low while hooked to a fish that is still far away for manuvering purposes. When a fish is caught or brought in closer to the toon, I do shut off the motor to avoid tangling in the prop. Some wary fish like to dive under cover of your toon at the last moment.

But, when you hook a powerful fish that strips line, it can run in a direction away from where you are facing. That means I may have to turn to face using foot propulsion and chase a distance using a troll. I like to use the thinnest line possible, because the water is so clear I seem to get more hits. I can also put more of the thin line on small reels set up on sensitive rods. Also I enjoy the challenge of using the lightest tackle possible, to catch the biggest fish. With practice, and some method of remote steering one can keep both hands on the tackle while using a troll to follow. The real challenge comes when trolling with more than one rod and having to manage a double hookup.

Pon
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I keep my motor on too because as mentioned, I have had to chase the fish with rod high and cruzing backwards.
I have left mine on allot but when the fish gets under me I just turn the direction it is headed. My Maxxum can turn so slowly, I forget it is even on. It is all to hold position. Never had a line wrap...knock on wood.
But, for the most part on calm days the motor gets shut off at first hook up and if it heads towards me, I kick like heck, but I prefer to play the fish on the reel on my boat...(the 30' leader thing becomes a habit)

I did cut a line ONCE. But it wasn't mine[cool] Wind blew the hubby across in front of me and neither of us thought about his line traveling underneath me. Come to think of it, I think it snapped his rod tip off...bummer.
That was many, many rods and years ago.[]

I love the doubles too. Specially deep nymphing. Two fish hit and my wings are flapping[laugh]

Oh I did have my motor off on the Big Fish at "C" and I got blown right into shore and the trees, so the motor stayed on after that.
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