09-19-2011, 03:52 PM
Short Story: Caught lots of different fish. Hooked up some Musky. Kept a stringer of Perchies!
Saturday - watched the Doppler as storms raged across the south, and the north taunted with occasional sunshine. Made the right choice and waited it out till Sunday's clear skies! What a great day to be out and about!
Headed to Newton "early" Sunday. Stopped by for a Church Session around 9, and for a spot I've NEVER caught a single fish - it was the Bonanza Day! Tally: Bluegill/Sunfish, Crappie, Carp, MudCats, Bass. NONE had much of any size to them, but dang if I didn't get on a few species. Loads of bitty bluegills - figure some may/were sunfish. What do you call a blue-gill with no spot? A single crappie (kept thinking I had a crappie - but only pale bluegills). Didn't take pictures cuz they were babies (and somebody'd give me carp) but they were non-stop, so - entertaining. But got into two bass - one at 10 inches, no record, but a tugger all the same.
After a couple hours, I packed up and headed over to Newton. ONE trailer in the lot. NICE! A number of bank-tanglers, couple campers, plenty of target shooters. Bolted up to the "island" to hit some wood. Parked up and started getting into my beloved perchlets. It was so windy - I couldn't find the log I'd spotted up last week. Water was higher than last week - up to above the first cement block of the launch (guess the rains?).
But I got onto some bigger class perch - 8+ inchers are pretty good in my book for this lake. Wasn't finding the bass, but the perch kept me PLENTY busy. Even trained one of TDs new lures to swim, catch and retrieve! Drop shot rig was happening. Big long worm hook helped me set free the dinkers while I filled my stringer with the keeper class. Switched up to a spinner rig, and found I had some weight on the line. Thought I'd hooked into a big-ass bass - light drag setting, and I was going NOWHERE, then saw some silver flash- YUP Musky On! (figures - I switch down to the light pole, 6lb test, reel with crappy drag!). Tightened down, and worked her in. Got a couple surface lifts to get a good look. Got her boatside and prepped the net, gloves. After a subsurface "
" for the camera boatside - she decided to take her leave. Ok by me. Running solo - not gonna get that trophy photo anyway - and can guestimate some 30+ inches of beasty.
So I continue pitching for perch - lots of pinks and plunks. The perch-pattern spinner was a hit. And another hit, and another. I was concerned that my stringer of perch might become bait dangling boatside. Was too busy with the one rod, so dropped a perch pattern "Bagley Belly Button Bucktail Jig" off the other rod in the holder - with a chunk of perch-rib. They say Musky are the fish of 1000 casts. Well I done caught my "cast off" Musky. Now it was time for the passive-aggressive approach(playing "easy" to get?). While I'm busy perch pitching - my other rod starts jiggling, then as I lift up - it takes off. Tighten down the drag, and yup- musky on. Worked er up to boatside for a photo-shoot. Couple bigs, a few leaps - what a pretty fish. Might have been the same one - as I was in HER territory. Was prepping the pliers for a boatside release, and she helped with a big shake. Nice. Thems got some teeth!
So it worked once, it worked twice. Passive rod got bobbing! Second time - I reel in my active rod with a perch on (again) - then decide to pull up the anchor too - just in case, as he'd already gone under the boat. Too late - two wraps already, Dang! Got one loop free - then a run, ping - musky off. So if you want to try one of these perch jigs - go find it! It's out there (shoot).
[inline BagleyBellyButton.jpg]
Moved around the island to another log, and the dropshot was KILLER! Dunk to the bottom, and pink - everytime - basslings, or decent perch. Game was ON! Nonstop action!
Of course there has to be ONE ski-boat come out (that's all it takes) to stir things up. Had been SO calm and peaceful ALL afternoon, and one single boat comes to cast waves. The island hoppers finally gave them some words as they buzzed CLOSE by. The danged kid couldn't even get it up - so they kept trying, and trying, and trying!!!
Finally the wind died down, and I made my way back at sunset. GREAT day to be out, LOTS of fish - good fish, good variety (7/8 species), got my Musky On! Yeah Baby!
Saturday - watched the Doppler as storms raged across the south, and the north taunted with occasional sunshine. Made the right choice and waited it out till Sunday's clear skies! What a great day to be out and about!
Headed to Newton "early" Sunday. Stopped by for a Church Session around 9, and for a spot I've NEVER caught a single fish - it was the Bonanza Day! Tally: Bluegill/Sunfish, Crappie, Carp, MudCats, Bass. NONE had much of any size to them, but dang if I didn't get on a few species. Loads of bitty bluegills - figure some may/were sunfish. What do you call a blue-gill with no spot? A single crappie (kept thinking I had a crappie - but only pale bluegills). Didn't take pictures cuz they were babies (and somebody'd give me carp) but they were non-stop, so - entertaining. But got into two bass - one at 10 inches, no record, but a tugger all the same.
After a couple hours, I packed up and headed over to Newton. ONE trailer in the lot. NICE! A number of bank-tanglers, couple campers, plenty of target shooters. Bolted up to the "island" to hit some wood. Parked up and started getting into my beloved perchlets. It was so windy - I couldn't find the log I'd spotted up last week. Water was higher than last week - up to above the first cement block of the launch (guess the rains?).
But I got onto some bigger class perch - 8+ inchers are pretty good in my book for this lake. Wasn't finding the bass, but the perch kept me PLENTY busy. Even trained one of TDs new lures to swim, catch and retrieve! Drop shot rig was happening. Big long worm hook helped me set free the dinkers while I filled my stringer with the keeper class. Switched up to a spinner rig, and found I had some weight on the line. Thought I'd hooked into a big-ass bass - light drag setting, and I was going NOWHERE, then saw some silver flash- YUP Musky On! (figures - I switch down to the light pole, 6lb test, reel with crappy drag!). Tightened down, and worked her in. Got a couple surface lifts to get a good look. Got her boatside and prepped the net, gloves. After a subsurface "
" for the camera boatside - she decided to take her leave. Ok by me. Running solo - not gonna get that trophy photo anyway - and can guestimate some 30+ inches of beasty. So I continue pitching for perch - lots of pinks and plunks. The perch-pattern spinner was a hit. And another hit, and another. I was concerned that my stringer of perch might become bait dangling boatside. Was too busy with the one rod, so dropped a perch pattern "Bagley Belly Button Bucktail Jig" off the other rod in the holder - with a chunk of perch-rib. They say Musky are the fish of 1000 casts. Well I done caught my "cast off" Musky. Now it was time for the passive-aggressive approach(playing "easy" to get?). While I'm busy perch pitching - my other rod starts jiggling, then as I lift up - it takes off. Tighten down the drag, and yup- musky on. Worked er up to boatside for a photo-shoot. Couple big
s, a few leaps - what a pretty fish. Might have been the same one - as I was in HER territory. Was prepping the pliers for a boatside release, and she helped with a big shake. Nice. Thems got some teeth! So it worked once, it worked twice. Passive rod got bobbing! Second time - I reel in my active rod with a perch on (again) - then decide to pull up the anchor too - just in case, as he'd already gone under the boat. Too late - two wraps already, Dang! Got one loop free - then a run, ping - musky off. So if you want to try one of these perch jigs - go find it! It's out there (shoot).
[inline BagleyBellyButton.jpg]
Moved around the island to another log, and the dropshot was KILLER! Dunk to the bottom, and pink - everytime - basslings, or decent perch. Game was ON! Nonstop action!
Of course there has to be ONE ski-boat come out (that's all it takes) to stir things up. Had been SO calm and peaceful ALL afternoon, and one single boat comes to cast waves. The island hoppers finally gave them some words as they buzzed CLOSE by. The danged kid couldn't even get it up - so they kept trying, and trying, and trying!!!
Finally the wind died down, and I made my way back at sunset. GREAT day to be out, LOTS of fish - good fish, good variety (7/8 species), got my Musky On! Yeah Baby!