What I did on my 2018 Vacation

♪ OH CANADA ♪.....
Well, I started my vacation in Canada again this year and once again I got tossed at the border. They ask the questions and I give all yes sirs and no sirs... yes sir I'll pull over there and have a seat inside...
Anyway once I made it through I headed for Ricks cabin, this year Rick and Cooper were up for the first couple days. We had a great time and even caught some fish. Not a whole lot of big fish this year but we did eat fish for brunch every day.

A new talent found: this is a video of my cousin Cooper's Loon call he did it all with his voice.
Really impressive.

 

He can catch fish too:

Cooper and his 21" walleye

Cooper and the first Walleye he caught on a plastic paddle tail jig

Captian cool and a really nice Smally caught on a whopper plopper

This is a pic of our guide, Cooper's grampa, my Uncle Rick with Cooper's 22" walleye caught on the same jig

Rick and I boated fish, mostly dinks and slotters, for the brunch we look forward to. Rick did catch a nice walleye in the 20" range but if it's not on the upper end he's not that impressed. 

OK so here are the fish I caught.... 

Oh, wait a minute do you remember my BDL?

Big Deployable Livewell

Well, the first time I used it I didn't have the bottom weighted down and when I put the biggest pike of the trip in it he just jumped out and I didn't even get the pic. So after that, I put 2 rocks on the bottom and that solved the problem. Once they couldn't feel the bottom of the livewell on their bellies they just hung out until I picked them up for the pic.

waiting for the pic

 Well, when I got to the cabin this year I found out Rick's boat was in the shop with motor issues. I certainly missed that boat this trip but Rick managed to wrangle me up a boat and motor to use. It was bare bones and "not what I have come accustom to" but it hauled my body wherever I needed to be to catch these fish. Thanks, Rick I really appreciate all you did to make this trip exceptional.

Some pics of my fish:

Canadian deer

 Two common denominators of most of these pics are: they were all taken selfie style and in most of them I had my hoodie or jacket on. This year was definitely a little cooler than last year, however, I would rather put on a hoodie than spend the whole week sweating balls.

 Anyway, let's see some more fish:

big lure small pike with a big attitude

Choked it !!!!

34-35" pike caught off Moose

 I was making drifts across the front of Moose Island for approximately 3-4 hours and catching some nice pike. When this big red Lund sped in and anchored right in my drift line. Needless to say, I had a couple choice words for him. It really just boiled down to courtesy and they had none. If I was going out and saw them working the point I would find another spot to fish, it's a really big lake. Anyway, I let them know in the nicest way I could that the walleyes weren't in on Moose yet and they should pack up and move on.  Well, after a heated exchange and 3 drifts later they finally moved on after catching nothing but dinks. The first cast I made back on my drift a little further out than where they were and I caught this slotter. 😈  On the same husky jerk, I was casting for pike.

😆😁😄😆

this is an adult bald eagle chasing a juvenal bald eagle off

I caught this pike while trying to catch my slotter. He tried to eat one of the walleye's I brought up.. they both went back unharmed.

This is a legit 6 that I caught on that same husky jerk

little bumpy

average size smallies for this trip

It takes alot of skill to catch a sauger this size

What

the heck

is this

Holy crap I found it: Freshwater nematomorphs are known as gordiids.  They are also known as Gordian worms, wire worms, horsehair worms, and water snakes.  In German, they are commonly referred to as "Saitenwurm" or violin string worm

3#'er on my husky jerk

                  

 I up-ed my game this year and bought a musky rod and some musky lures to go with it. I thought since I caught a musky last year that I would try and catch another this year. Well, I didn't catch one but I did get to fight one a couple times before my line went slack. The first time was when I was casting off Moose and I believe he hit my leader. He actually bent my pole in half and started stripping line before he just let go.
The second was when he grabbed this pike, if you look midway down on this fish there is a light spot, that's where the musky had a hold of him. He's a huge fish and I'll be back at him next year.

Gooses and family on the move

The loons Norman

 The only really big fish I caught was that smally but I made up for that in fish caught.

tired dragonfly

another year another huge spider

 So in closing, it was another great time in Canada this year, huge thanks to Cooper for coming out to fish with me, and to my Uncle Rick who makes the whole trip possible.
On the way back to the U.S. upon crossing the border for the first time ever, I got tossed on the American side. I even dropped Rick's name, which is the reason I think I got tossed in the first place. I was, of course, all yes sirs and no sirs, all I heard was,"can you please pull over there and have a seat inside". After they went through the car I was on my way South to Cloquet.

Well, once I got home and checked in with my Mom and Dad. I went over to see my Auntie Nae, then to my brother's for a fire and to enjoy a cool beverage.
 I texted my Uncle Dave and my cousin Corey to let them know I'm in town, and available to fish.
Corey invited me to fish the tourney again this year, and we did as good as we've done the past 2 years. I think if I don't start boating some quality fish in the next year or so he might invite a real fisherman. Just so he can stand in line and weigh one in.

Dave was able to get me out 2 times this trip which was awesome. He has a boat slipped on the lake and it handles the big water really well. The first time out Corey and I went with Dave and it was a little bumpy.

And these pics just don't do it justice, I mean these were some stand up 5 footers with some rogues thrown in just for fun. Corey manned the helm while Dave and I set the spread, needless to say, we didn't stay out that long.

Once the captain made it to the boat, the second trip was alot better. The fog on this trip was nothing like I or they have ever seen before.

The fog aside let's get to the fishing, we did pretty well on this trip. We boated 5 or 6 lake trout a coho and the best walleye of the trip.

John "Finlanders carry knives" Nousaine

26" Lake Superior Walleye

John and Dave on the ride in

 Well, once again I had a great time on vacation, thanks everyone for making this vacation great. Shout out to Mom and Dad for the food and board while I was in town.

Side note: I got home to find my house had been broken into....I had sugar ants all over my kitchen floor. So the next morning I went out and bought every bait trap I could find and I've been seeing fewer ants every day. I also found this guy in the basement

he's stuck to some aluminum tape

  unfortunately, he was dead when I found him. Knowing he was in my basement makes me a little leery going down there now, I'm just a little more observant.

tune up

I went out and did a little fishing today. Reggie couldn't make it, apparently, his family is more important than fishing....whatever.  I made the short trip to "my" lake and thought I would just go for some bass and walleye again. Well, when I got there I noticed they really tore up that lake over the weekend. With no wind, the surface was just littered with seaweed. So after some carefully planned casts, I started to get into the bass. I was in the same spot I fished a couple weeks ago. I didn't catch as many fish this time out, however, I did catch a keeper walleye.

If you look to the left of the steering console that is the lure I caught the walleye on. Yep, it's a spinnerbait fished mainly for bass and pike, I think this walleye is one of them- I identify as a bass- kinda fish... you know confused.
Now since this is the week before I leave for vacation and I have decided to do more fishing for musky this year. And the last musky I caught hit the deck before the pics and the release. I thought I needed something to hold my catch safely until I can get stuff around for the pic. So I built a BDL- Big Deployable Livewell. When I rebuild my deck on the front of the boat I am not going to keep my livewell. I'll be able to use my BDL all summer.
 Here's the pic.

I'll tie it off to the boat with the red and white ropes the dimensions are 4'x1' and a little over a foot deep, that should hold the average big pike or musky comfortably until I'm ready for the pic.

The good luck just keeps rolling...

Went to L.Michigan out of St.Joe harbor yesterday for the first time. The landing and facilities were phenomenal, even the little fisherman's room was clean. REALLY IMPRESSED. The fishing was also good, they have been killing the kings up there for a week or 2 now.  I got to catch the very tail of it before they moved North. I trolled all day and only after I set out my dipsy rod with a meat rig on it did I get hit. I ended the day with a King and a Coho.

  I didn't lose anything or break anything that in itself is a great day. I did get some sun.....

Dues are paid

It was supposed to rain all week but today turned out to be an awesome day so I thought to myself.... self, I've got a lake 5 minutes away. So I packed the boat and headed to the launch on Crooked Lake. I had a little issue launching (it's only the 3rd time I've launched this boat) but with the help of a guy at the landing, I got 'er in the water. I thanked the guy and headed out to a spot I had fished before. I got to the spot and my mind was racing about which lure I should try first.... crap I left my tackle bag at home. So back to the launch, load up the boat, make the 5 min drive home grab my bag and head back to the lake.
Rewind:
It was supposed to rain all week but today turned out to be an awesome day so I thought to myself.... self, I've got a lake 5 minutes away. So I packed the boat and headed to the launch on Crooked Lake. I went out to a spot I have fished before and low and behold the fish were still there.

Yeah, he wasn't huge but it is a fish. I was able to catch a number of bass nothing of any size but they were all fun to catch.

 I swear that hat reminds me of the hat Tom Petty wore in the "don't come around here no more" video, but it's comfy.

 I only caught one walleye and he was a couple inches short so he went back. I'll catch him later this summer. I started fishing around 10 and fished for a couple hours. I think my bad luck on the last 2 outings stemmed from starting out the year by bringing a buddy from work with. It took a whole trip but I think I got the bad juju off the boat so it should be smooth fishing the rest of the year. Sorry, Reggie but I think your bad luck...😜

Payin' dues

Well since I've had my boat fishable, I've had it out twice. Once on an area lake and yesterday I went up to Lake Michigan. Well not only did I get to the lake late, when I got up there I noticed my cooler wasn't in the boat.😱  I was pretty certain I put it in the boat, however, it was not there when I arrived. Well after a quick brainstorm I decided that if I caught a fish I would put it in the live well and head in for ice. So, with that part of the problem solved, next was to launch and try out the reason for all the gear on the boat. I must admit it worked awesome, I was able to set the trolling motor on autopilot and let the kicker do all the work. I was out and trolled for 8 hours and the kicker only used 1 gallon of gas, and my trolling motor which runs off a 24v system still had plenty of charge to go the rest of the day. The big motor still continues to impress me and the boat doesn't leak a drop. The boat thoroughly impresses me, I am very happy with not only the boat but the gear that's on it.
Whenever I've been in the outdoors, and the buddy I have with me starts to question his sanity in whatever the current season is. I always tell them that they have to pay their dues to accomplish their goal-i.e. catch fish, shoot a duck, goose, turkey, deer ext.
 I also live by the fact that dues must be paid. If the fishings' slow- dues must be paid, if the hunting is slow- dues must be paid. I am here to say that I think I have paid the dues for this year. I've been out for literally 16 plus hours working hard the whole time trying to just get some slime on my hands. I have yet to land a fish this year. It's a sad state of affairs let me tell ya. So in closing let me just say that I didn't catch a fish yesterday- 4 hours on the road- 20$ for gas- 22$ in tolls- I lost a thumbscrew for my downrigger, which I need to replace and oh yeah, I gotta go and get a new cooler, cause mine blew out of the boat (leash it or lose it).

Man, I gotta say: I Love Fishing..........