Epic failure

 I had a soon to be son in law of a buddy, who's property I have hunted for years join me on Monday for a little walleye fishing on Erie. He is from ND and comes to visit a couple times a year, and the weather was going to be good Monday so we left the house at 2:50 headed to Erie. 

That was the good news and that is pretty much where the good news ended. I asked on the way there where he would like to fish... a spot I can almost always catch a limit... or a place I've been prospecting but have the possibility of catching a decent fish. He chose the latter and I thought... not a great idea I'll go to the first spot he won't know and we'll still catch fish. I wasn't happy with his choice so I asked again, and again he chose the latter. I should've went with my gut because after 11 hours we had only boated 1 walleye, and he was short and had to go back. 

The trash fish kept us busy, mostly gaspergoo's, a cat and a small white bass. But the walleye just eluded me, and it wasn't for lack of trying. Many lure changes, direction changes, and depth changes nothing worked unless we wanted to catch goo's. At one point we had 4 rods in the boat after boating 4 goo's it was a literal goo-fest.We trolled all the way around Kelly Island looking for a couple walleye, trolling to the landing I finally hooked up with a keeper walleye. After he went into the box Justin threw in the towel.... didn't really matter I could see the launch when he started pulling rods. So we cleared the boat, I loaded it up and strapped it down, while Justin cleaned  our 1 walleye.... Dammit

He said he had a good time and we did catch alot of fish... when we got back to the house I gave him a limit I had in the freezer. At least the family can get a meal out of the deal.

Why I had to fish 12 hours

 I got up and out on time again this week, I even remembered my fishing poles. I got to the launch all fueled up and ready to go out and concur some new areas. I started where I left off last week, after a 2 hour N to S pass with no luck I headed NE of Kelly to start prospecting. I started just N of Kelly and within an hour or so I had 2 16's in the box, with a 19 not far after that. I trolled a while hooked up a couple more times, but with less than stellar net work I lost 2 right at the back of the boat. It took me a couple hours and 3 or so gaspergoo's, but finally was able to boat 2 within a couple minutes of each other. 

What's a gaspergoo???

That's a gaspergoo- AKA freshwater drum

Then another lull when I looked at the clock it was 6pm and I started contemplating how long to stay, when my back rod fired. When I stared fighting the fish it felt like another gaspergoo, so I haphazardly started horsing him in. When he got close enough for me to see him I saw a really good walleye. So I cut the motor and gingerly coaxed him into the net, finished off a long day with the biggest fish of the day, and with that I started wrapping up and headed to the launch.

Couple firsts today.....

 Got up and out on time (3am) for the first time in... well, I can't even remember the last time that happened. As I was driving through town I started running down my checklist in my head and (first #1) remembered I forgot to throw my rods in the boat. So I turned around and headed back to the house to grab my rods. Stupid....

Freshstart... back on my way to Erie made it through town and to the landing by 6am. Got the boat prepped to launch and had to use the facilities, so I threw my tackle bag in the truck and took care of some needed business. Launched the boat and headed out to some of the same marks as 2 weeks ago. Got the kicker running and started setting rods. After I got the corner rod set I went after my long rod, put the inline sinker on it and looked for my leader which is in my bag and.... dammit (first #2) I left the tackle bag in the truck. 

I had to pull up my trolling gear and head the 4 miles back to the launch. 

Freshstart... so now I have rods and lures I think I'm ready to fish??

Run the 4 miles back out and start setting up again, this time I'm ready to fish.

I boxed 3-16's in a matter of minutes and felt confident that I was going to put a limit in the cooler so I decided to sort for some bigger fish. The next fish on was a 21" so he went in the box, troll on. After a couple run backs and the fiasco in the morning I started to wonder if I had enough gas to make it in. I turned the key and it looked like a quarter tank. I'm not exactly sure how far that would get me but it was lower than I felt comfortable with so I started trolling in. By this time I hadn't had a hit in a while and I was pouring through my tackle looking for the lure that will bring me home. I put an oldie but a goodie on, a rattling hot tot in UV blue and pink. It didn't take long before it got hit and came unbuttoned as soon as it hit the surface. So I put it back out again, and again it got hit this time he made it into the net and the box. One more time for one last fish, within minutes I had another fish on. He also made it to the net and the cooler. 3 of the biggest fish came on 2 of the smaller lures that I was running that day. 

Needless to say when I got home I ordered 7 more Hot tots.

Forgot about that

 With the influx of people on the water because of the holiday week I opted to head to a lake that has a slot for water-skiers. That lake was Skinner lake, which I like to hit at least once a year. They have been planting muskie in there for a number of years. This lake isn't the best muskie lake in Indiana but it is the best one with no wake until 1pm. I also have caught a couple really nice bass there. So after I get too tired to chuck muskie lures I can go froggin' for bass.

I got there and launched just as the sun was starting to come up. 

I knew I was going to use this as my home screen or I would've taken a better pic.

 Anyway I chucked muskie lures until the sun got up and it started to get warm. Then it was time to switch to bass, as soon as I grabbed my froggin' rod a wave of dread rushed over me. I didn't remember when I left the house but I did as soon as I went to cast... The reel that I've been using as my froggin' reel and have for as long as I can remember just stopped reeling last year. 

So there I was without the reel to fish for bass, I immediately started to think I was going home early.

 Then I thought... I've got 65# braid on my muskie reel, what the heck I'll just switch it out and use that for the day. Which is what I did, I stayed 'til 1:30 and switched back and forth from froggin' to muskie chuckin', only scoring in one category.

It wasn't a big fish nor was it a even close to what that lake has to offer, but at least I didn't get skunked.

As soon as I got home I looked online for a replacement froggin' reel.... it should be here next week.