trollin, trollin, trollin,

I ended up at Clear lake yesterday, for the first time this year. I got there late- I forgot my camera and had to go back- but it was still early enough. I got the boat put in and ready to go, it's getting easier the more I do it. I started out just outside the launch with some topwater. Only after I got there did I realize I forgot my topwater pole but I made do with another rod I had with me. I caught a small largemouth on top and noticed there were fish chasing shad up, so I moved out to try and catch the chasers. I did catch a decent bass chasing shad with a Johnson thinfisher blade bait, but couldn't get another to hit no matter what I threw. So I made the decision to start trolling. I brought my trolling rods and rod holders because there are trout and walleye in this lake. Well, I didn't catch any of the target species but I did catch a variety of fish. I caught a...

  I even caught a sunfish that was bigger than this crappie but he got off at the boat when I tried to land him.

I didn't really catch a bunch of fish but I only fished for 5 hours or so, and for that amount of time I thought I did pretty good. The reason I didn't fish that long as I normally would've, they beat the heck out of this lake. At times I had 1-2 footers and it was a no wind day. Anyway, I got in, caught my fish and got out so it worked out ok. I think next week, weather permitting, I might try Lake Erie for some walleye.

Everything was stacked against me

I wasn't sure where I wanted to go fishing this week, it was between Big Turkey and Max. As you all know Max is a tried and true favorite so I packed my gear trailered the boat and made the 2-hour drive to Max. I pulled out my best lures to start.... once I started fishing I noticed the water was kinda dingy. Usually, you can see clearly to 15' down and I couldn't make out the bottom in 4'. Well, my usual favorites weren't producing so I brought out the secondary line up. After they didn't manage to snag a fish I got desperate and just started looking for stuff I've caught fish on....not here just at any lake that I've fished. A little after noon the breeze picked up to a full on blow I'm not sure what the gusts were hitting but it was becoming less fun. I was having to run the trolling motor on 5 and 6 just to move around. Then I noticed what had been floating in the water the whole time. Max just had a mayfly hatch, it was the perfect quadfecta of a nonfish catching outcome. The dingy, I thought was just bad weather stirred up sediment, was actually an algae bloom, that along with the mayfly hatch and the issues the wind was causing, and let's not forget the water temp which was in the middle 80's, it's no wonder I only managed to stick and land this one fish.

 I know it sounds like alot of excuses as to why I didn't do better, but there's actual scientific data that I can produce to back up what I am saying is the real reason for this weeks inability to load the boat down with fish. This guy got CPR because he didn't make the 16" limit by mere 32nds of an inch, otherwise, I would have released him in grease.
Anyway, there's always next week I think I'm going to try Clear or no wait I haven't been to LM in a while or no I should go to James ... but then again I think I should try ..........

Yippie Tippy

Took the plunge and paid the 10$ to fish one of my favorite lakes yesterday. You know the saying "You can't fish all day if you don't start in the morning"? Well, I had all the best intentions of starting in the morning however, I didn't launch until 7:30 ish. Since I moved all my drive times have changed and there will definitely be a learning curve. Thanks to my buddy Corey that curve is a little shorter, he's the one that turned me onto Garmin GPS. I used mine yesterday for the first time and it worked great. The only thing is the route I want to take and the route she wants me to take are different until she realizes which way I want to go.
Anyway, once I got to the launch and dropped the boat in it did take a while for me to get into some fish. I hit the usual spots with no luck in the am and it wasn't until the pm that I started rippin' some lips. The bass I caught weren't huge but they were alot of fun.

Objects in pictures are larger than they appear:

 I've gotta get a tripod for the boat......

Wow is it hot

Last week was my first week back to work after vacation. The first thing I did was mess up my forearm, it's called Intersection Syndrome near as I can tell. So I've been taking it easy and keeping my forearm iced. I didn't fish last week but did this week, and man was it hot. I went to the lake just down from me, I plan on hunting it this year so it was just a recon mission. I knew it was going to be a scorcher today so I chose a lake that was really close so I could leave anytime. The other good thing about this lake is it has a 10 mph speed limit on it-i.e.- no waterskiers, jet ski's or any other speed junky. Anyway, I fished 'til around noon and did catch a couple bass. Nothing big but I did get some fish slime on my hands.

a couple of fish on Kermy

 The water in this lake was almost as hot as the air, it was hitting 84 degrees. When I got done playing around I went home and moved my stuff in the garage around so I can maneuver a little better. I am still in the process of cleaning/putting everything away. Next will be more shelves I think, just not sure if I'll buy or build. Anywho hope to get a trip under my belt next week, maybe Max or Tippy.... haven't been to either lake yet this year.

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.