July's here with a heat wave

Sorry about not updating this like I should be, but there really hasn't been anything to write about. I have been getting out fishing but haven't really caught huge numbers or massive fish.
That has been the trend the last couple weeks.
Today however was different, I thought I should start with some night fishing considering it was supposed to get to 100 plus. So I went up to Crooked Lake, to try to catch some walleye and/or pike. I caught neither, all I caught was 1 smallmouth. So after staying until an hour or so after sunrise I decided to change lakes.
I went to Silver Lake to hopefully improve my luck and catch some bass and maybe a pike. I did catch some bass but the closest thing I came to a pike was a bowfin (dogfish). This beast put up the best fight I have had this year. When I was bringing him in I couldn't believe how he fought, and it's a roughfish!!  I'm guessing he weighed around 3 or 4 pounds, he even straightened 2 of my hooks.

Well I stayed until the sun popped out and bumped the temp up 10 degrees or so. After getting beat up all night and struggling until I got to Silver, when it heated up I was ready to throw in the towel. So I did just that, I packed up the boat and pointed the truck south for home.

P.S.- Hunting season is just around the corner..... I can't wait.

Lake Michigan

Well I went up to the big lake this week. I really wasn't going to go up til next month, but I noticed the weather was going to be perfect so I thought I would give it a shot. I called a couple guys from work to see if they wanted to go but no takers. I woke up at 1:30 am and couldn't sleep, so I got up and started to get around. I packed up my 3 poles and set out at 3 am.
I got to the dock and met Mike, the charter captain of Brother Nature, and he said they have been catching 'em out by the wreck. Good enough for me,  I ran the 8 miles to the wreck and set lines.
This is my mom's kind of fishing, just look for all the boats and go there. There were plenty of boats around and the radio had people sayin where, what on, and how many they were catching. I was at a distinct disadvantage with only being able to put out 3 lines.
My first taker was around 9am, a nice coho. I thought my luck was changing and I will be filling the cooler.


A couple hours after I caught my coho I started switching up and doing some radio fishing- that's what its called when you go where they are catching 'em and by using what they are saying they are using.

A couple hours after that I was still struggling, I was switching lures and depths regularly.

Then all of a sudden it happened, my right rigger pole started bouncing like it had a fish on it. I jumped up grabbed the pole and started reeling in the slack and I was right, there was a fish on it. After realizing the fish was on the line I neglected to pop the line out of the clip, and before I could snap out of my daze, he got off.  Just that quick from a hero to a zero.

I think this is one of my better drawings... what do you think?

 I kicked myself the rest of the day for this - take an idiot fishing day - moment.
After giving it alot of thought I figured it was a steelhead that took the orange spoon on the slider off the main line. That's why I could feel the fish and not have the line pop out of the clip, I'm guessing it was a steelhead because they LOVE orange.

Anyway I lasted til 6 pm just trolling around the Lake and marking bait balls and many fish. I'm not sure why I couldn't get them to bite but that's why they call it fishing and not catching.

It's ok though, I had a great day anyway

What I did for Summer Vacation

I went home to MN for vacation this year. Sarah and I left on Tues. morning a made it home Tues. night. While we were home we stayed in Mom and Dad's camper- very plush accommodations.
Since I only get home once a year my mom has the family over one of the days so I can see everyone. I  also went to Gander,Marine General and the local sporting goods store. I did find some stuff I couldn't live without.
I even went out for some pizza with my best friend from the Falls, Steve. Thanks for a great catch up session and pizza, by the way next year I get to buy the tips.
After all the shopping and visiting was over with, it was time to go fishing.

 I went out to Eagle Lake twice, with my Dad and Uncle Reg. My Uncle Reg has a cabin on the Eagle and knows all the hot spots.

As always I went fishing with my cousin Corey. We went to Fish Lake and drifted for some walleye.

Then the last trip I went on was with my Uncle Rick, who has a cabin on Rainy Lake on the Ontario side. I was only able to spend a couple days, but still had a great time.

I had to split up the movie I made of Rainy because it was too big unfortunately the end product turned out a little grainy. 
PART 1

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PART 2

After all was said and done we had a great vacation. I want to thank everyone that made that happen, especially my wife who let me stop at Cabela's on the way home.