No fishing.... really?

So, I got home on Sunday from Minnesota, got some sleep and worked on Monday. Tuesday got stuff done around the house, not even sure what it was but it was alot. Today getting more stuff done around the house, dishes, cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. Thursday I'll start getting ready to go to work on Friday and generally get done what I didn't get done today. Every day that starts feels like it lasts all day and then some. I mean it's crazy how long this week has been, even with working Monday, it feels like I'm days ahead of what it really is. It's amazing how much time there is to do stuff without fishing....don't worry I won't be making this a habit.
Next week back to fishing.

Erie take III

Like I always say, "you can't fish all day if you don't start in the morning". I fished all day, only to come up 1 short of my limit... again. I started the day with a swing and a miss, as soon as I was setting my second rod my first rod fired, by the time I saw it that fish was gone. It only took a couple minutes for me to set my second rod and have it fire after I missed the first one. I went 5 for 6 with that fish being the only one getting away.
So, a limit has still evaded me on Erie, looks like I'll have to keep going until I can manage to catch a limit. I really thought it was going to be easy this time since I geared up for Erie- AKA- spent a ton of money on lures and reels. Also since it was so easy last time to catch 10 in a matter of hours and all the shakers we missed. I guess I just got spoiled. That's ok though I like a challenge, especially if it means I get to fish more....
That little dink on the right.... well that was the last fish of the day. I caught him 5 minutes to 7 I had my alarm set and decided to be done at 7. I figured that would give me enough time to get the boat loaded and mostly home in the daylight. I was pretty happy with him cause when I boxed him I thought he was my 6th fish until I pulled them out for the pic. 😂😢😢😢

yep still only count 5

  So, I finally got the boat loaded and was on the way home when my phone rang. It was my mom and she asked where I was. I said I was on my way home from Erie, why? Well, she says, your grama passed peacefully this morning.
Mom has been telling me for a couple months that gram wasn't doing well, she had her good days and bad. But it's been months and each day that passed made me hopeful that gram was holding on until I got home to see her. Mind you, she didn't know when I was coming home, she didn't even remember who I was. But that didn't matter, I knew who she was, she was my gram and I Loved her. My last goodbye was my last goodbye, you never know when your last goodbye will be, so let the important people in your life know they are important while you can. As for me, I know my gram knows she is loved and will be missed.

Bud and Bea Reed ... my grampa and gram

Wednesday bonus

Thought season was over... from the looks of these guys I should get another week.

and mowed the lawn

Yesterday was the fishing day for the week. I headed over to L.M. cause I heard they were boating some really nice Kings. With no one able to make it this week I packed the boat and headed West to tangle with some salmon. For the first time this year, I actually made it to the landing on time and got on the water by sunrise. Of all the days to make it to the lake on time I think I picked the coldest, it was 37 at the launch. I put in at Michigan City and set up out front of the mouth of Trail Creek and headed West. It wasn't too long before I had my first hit/coho since I was by myself I was running one rod deep with a slider for Kings and 2 on top for coho. Well, I didn't get into a King but did have a shaker Coho on the slider. All of my fish came off the 2 top rods, pulling an orange maglip and lime green thinfish.
The good news was I caught my limit, the bad news was the drive took longer. I had limit by 10am, so there I was packing it up and heading East before 11am, got home in time to clean the fish put the boat away, eat and even get the lawn mowed.

I really don't care for "cooler pics" but with no bragging board, it's better than putting them on the asphalt for the pic.

P.S. it slicked out and warmed up nicely.

Lake Erie take 2

With turkey season over it was time to get back to fishing. Sunday night after work I ran up to Coldwater to hit the Gander that is there, then go across the street to Walmart to get my shopping for the week done. I got up @ 2am Monday morning so I would be able to eat and call into work to see if I could work. Well, they didn't need me to work so I decided to get ready to go fishing. I texted my buddy Reggie and waited, I knew he had to get his kids around by 6 or so. I finally called him around 6-7 to see if he was up and at'em yet. When he answered I asked him if he wanted to go fishing and that Lake Erie is on tap for the day. He immediately answered "yes" and let me know he could be at my house by 9ish. Outside of the fact that this was going to be a really late start, which I had already come to terms with, but wouldn't let him live down. I let him know that would be fine and I would be ready and waiting. So I got out to the garage and started getting the boat together. I have been getting the equipment needed to fish this lake together for the past couple of months, it has been mostly consisting of lures. Erie walleyes love warm to hot colors, lotsa purples, pinks, greens and whites w/purple so after a couple hundred dollars in lures and reels later I thought I was ready to hit the lake.
Well, Reggie finally got here and we were on our way. We stopped to get our license then off to Catawba Island State Park to launch the boat. After we got the boat launched it was a 20-minute boat ride to where we were going to start fishing, just northwest of Rattlesnake Island.
It was a horrible start, I didn't even have 3 lines in the water before we had 2 fish in the boat.

They wanted green but also hit white, perch and purple gold Bengal

 We started trolling and just kept going over the same track we were on when we hit the fish. We were able to boat 11 one being a 26" that we let go.

 We also missed 5 or so fish between the two of us, when we decided to pick up we were 2 fish short of a limit. The wind was starting to pick up and that turned into 1-2 footers with caps really quickly, also it was getting kinda late. We only fished for 5 or 6 hours because of the late start, remember kids you can't fish all day if you don't start in the morning.
All in all, we had a super great day on the lake

selfie

  Reggie picked things up pretty quickly, we caught fish and did it safely.

We finally got to my house a little after 10 got the boat in the garage and got the fish cleaned by 11. Thankfully I was home, but Reggie still had an hour run to get to his place.
It was a very long, very fun day and I had a blast and hope Reggie did too.

These ducks walked right over to us, I think they're still waiting to be fed.

 Oh yeah, that safety record went right out the window when I was on the last walleye. I had the carcass and was just about ready to drop it into the trash when I ran the tip of my fillet knife into the meat of my hand between my thumb and pointer.... Suck.

I don't usually take pics of my food but, MMMMmmmm walleye.

Everythings on hold for Turkey season

That's right Turkey season started last Wednesday, and the weather was damper than I would like to see. Even so, it was the start of turkey season, so sack up and get out there. I didn't get my draw for Mississinewa this year so I hunted my magic5 acres and Jake had me out with him on his props. I went out on the opener and we (Jake and I) hunted pretty hard and only had 3 birds to work before the day was done. Thursday morning and Sunday evening I hunted magic5 and didn't work a bird, I did see some when scouting. Monday had monsoon written all over it so I called off, big mistake, it didn't start raining 'til late in the day. Tuesday Jake and I had birds around all day just couldn't get any to commit.
This morning.... well this morning was a dark, windy, rain threatening day and the birds were up early. We got set up a little before shooting light, and the birds were gobbling like crazy. We no more than got set up when a Tom hit the ground and was cutting the distance to meet his destiny.

Well if you watch the video I didn't have camera light and the whole hunt only took about 15 mins. I had to have Jake check the time while the Tom was on his way, just to make sure it was legal shooting light. Anyway, he was an awesome bird and worth the hassle of going out in and drying everything out because of the rain. Maybe next year will be drier, I sure hope so.
Next week will be back to fishing not sure where but I hope it'll be a big lake.