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Got on WB at north end about 0625. Weather nice, light breeze, air temp about 65, water temp 76. Headed to the west wall and ran out one chrome and blue and one chrome, blue with orange gill flash 3 " Rat-L-Trap. Ran about 3.00 to 3.25 mph and pulled zig zags from the wall out about 300-400 yards into the Openness, then back toward the wall.
About the second turn away from the wall, first hit was hard and set the drag to screaming. Got the aggressive Wiper to the net and in the boat. Turned out to be the 2nd biggest one I've caught this year. Turned back thru the same area and over the next couple hours, would get a hit just on or after a turn away from the wall. The remaining 5 Wiper I boated where smaller than the first, but they were all aggressive and hit very hard. Once in the net, their actual size was much smaller than their initial hit and run indicated. Had fun tussleing with them, and released them all. Had one hit that was acting more like a fouled lure or some snagged up grass. Drag would jump every so often, but not with any force. Then once I watched it pull off the reel prety hard when I was slowed down and turning. Started reeling it in totally expecting to find some grass in it or it all looped around itself. Turned out to be a very nice Walleye, thru the water looked to be 24 inches or more. Got the net down into head him in, and he woke up, shook his head, rolled on one side and looked at the boat for a milli second, then spit the hook out and did a back flip away from the boat and down. After 3 fish boated, that area seemed to shut down, and several other boats showed up. Cruised south east to Freeway Bay. Got Wiper # 4 out in the wide open spaces running at 3.5 to 3.8 mph. Then just after slowing down in Freeway Bay, and starting to pull in the lures in the thought of sitting under my sun top and drown some worms awhile, hooked up Wiper #5.
Sat at anchor about 1.5 hours, no joy there this time. Pulled up the anchor in the intent of high speeding it back to the north marina (yea, I know, how high speed can a Tin-Can with 15 hp go?) Well on calm water, which it was very calm right then, I can get up to top speed of 10.5 - 11.0 mph [  ]. But I had to drag the lures just once more, and within 10 minutes of leaving Freeway Bay, running at almost 4 mph got my last Wiper hit of the day.
About 1330 decided I had done enough, and made my exit from the north marina in a lull between fishing boats leaving and power squadron boats coming in.
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Sounds like fun! I think I hooked into that same walleye back in June! lol! How deep is the water in Freeway bay?
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Not too bad at all! Good luck with the rematch on the walleye.
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Tin-Can, thanks for sharing that report. Lots of us have been wondering how fishing might be out there these days. Great pics too! I dug that one of your maping trails.
Question for ya: Have you ever thought about using a Duolock Snap in place of those swivel snaps? You might catch even more if you switch.
[inline "Duolock Snaps.jpg"]
The Rattle Traps, jig heads, poppers, and such ... none of them "spin" around so there is no need to use a swivel. Swivels add several more places to fail, cause the lure to look more artificial than they already look, and just seem to add more clunky unnecessary hardware.
I quite liked it when I switched from swivel snaps to one-piece Duolock Snaps. (I like size #1 for wipers).
Anyway, not my place to offer suggestions because looks to me like you've already got those wipers dialed in good.
Again, I loved reading your post.
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Most of Freeway Bay was 8-9 ft. until you get within 50 or 60 yards of the shore line. Then is shallos up to about 2.5 in a couple places. I didn't go that far in Sunday. Sat out in like 8.5 feet.
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Thanks OC. You know, as a matter of fact, I had never thought of those Duolock type clips. I think I just may have to give them a try.
I've never had a swivel snap break on me. I've had 1 or 2 get hit by a fish so hard, they got "unbent". And I've snapped the line off of several, but never had one actually break. Altough I have had problems now and again with my line "twisting" even on a lure that doesn't spin. Be bringing up the line to change out a lure or whatever, no fish on it, and as soon as the lure comes out of the water, the slack line rolls, twists, spins, and knots up. Sometimes so bad a bird nest inbetween the line giudes of the rod that I have to cut it out. So, if these Duolock clips will stop that, then they would be well worth it.
Thanks again.
My dady used to tell me, "if you didn't learn something new today, your day was wasted" So thanks OC for not letting me waste my day.
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Hey Forest sounds like a great trip, I may have to try it again after school starts and the crowds subside a little. Thanks for the report. J
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We use the Duolock clips and really like them. Never have had a problem with them either. If we need a swivel for spinning baits we place it after the clip and have had no issues with line twists.
Give them a try!
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Big DuoLock fan here, too. Been using them for almost half a century. My first ones were knockoffs from Herter's (the Model Perfect, of course!) If you need a swivel to control line twist, you can either add one to the DuoLock itself or tie one in a foot or two up the line.
Oh, and to untwist a line, remove ALL terminal items, let out 100 yards or so and pull the bare line behind the boat for a while. The drag of the water will untwist it perfectly. You'll be amazed at the drag of bare line, too!
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I like your train of thought. Been thinking the same - missed all that crazy hot spring action! Now I've got gas again, might just be worth the entrance fee to try. Haven't washed off my lures in a while. I'm sure Davey Jones would accept some donations to the underwater treeline!
Probably wouldn't need the downriggers with the water so low! haha. BUT - might be a good chance to bounce the bottom a bit. Maybe I'd find a SUPER KITTY down there? (I'm not holding my breath)
Wonder where best to launch and run to for a boat with limited run-speed? Don't think I'm as fast as the TinCan man at full bore. I've never run south from the north marina. Maybe that's what I should try?
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If I may, I will add a tip to your tip.
Rocky's suggestion is right on the money. Also, when reeling in your line with nothing on it, point your rod directly out the back of the boat towards the line.
Do this as your last task when you finish fishing each time and when you make your first cast a couple of days later you will be pleased with how pliable and far casting your line will be.
Enjoy!
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Hey Yote, sounded like the south marina was getting pretty shallow, plus the north is closer for us from CV.... I got a park pass this spring and have only used it maybe twice, so I need to try and recoup some of my cash outlay... Been fishing Cutler and Porcupine all summer so I haven't gotten any good out of the pass... Maybe I'll make it to the Bay and Bear Lake this fall to get some good out of it... Anyway my experience at the bay with my trolling motor, which has limited speed, works fine from the north marina, I can cover what area I want to fine... I haven't been there in a wind so I haven't had to run for cover, but as long as the weather is fair you should be okay... The bay is sort of fun, fast trolling, no worries about using riggers, just diving Rat'l traps work great, might be getting so shallow, my diver will bottom out on me... Hope not, if so I might have to figure out a different way to fish it... Anyway I use a lure on light line and tackle so you feel the whole fish it's great... I'm pushing to get my fall crop planted and hopefully I'll get to do some fall fishing soon... Looking forward to it since I missed most of the good May June fish fest... Want to get some of these fish in the freezer for later on, problem is they get ate too fast, can't ever get any for later of those good eating treats... Ended up cleaning up all the kokes and trout too, so I can't ever get any storage for later... That's okay they taste better when they are fresh... Well let me know if ya make it over there... I'll be a week or two before I can get there... Later J
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OK, that's 4 people.........that's sufficient to convince me. Gonna go get some Duolock clips this weekend. I assume they can be found at Sportsmans, or Smith and Edwards ?
Yep, I have used that little nugget of good info about getting the curl and coil out of my line. First time one of my kids saw me doing that, they thought I had lost my marbles. "Uhh...Dad, you KNOW you don't have anything on that line you just let out ?"
Thanks ya'll
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You better get those crops taken care of so you can shoot geese in them in less than 2 months!
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Shane that's a good thought, I think there are more geese now though. They know to leave before the shooting starts. Hard to believe my Dads pheasant club starts hunting in a couple weeks on the first of September. Where did the summer go? May have to chase a few birds this year I've been fishing right through the hunts the last two years. Catch ya later J
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