Saturday, July 5, 2003
As summer progresses the walleye have started to relate to structure. Most sunken islands will produce great results. Most people believe that as the weather gets warmer the tougher the fishing is. This is not necessarily true. By presenting your bait slowly over the structure, success is not far away.
Big walleye will often hit your worm very softly. If you are using a Lindy rig you must release your line as soon as you feel any tension. This past weekend we presented big fatboy worms from Manny's at 8-25 feet deep. We caught several walleye in the 25-26 inch range.
On Monday we went to Minaki and used the same technique and had excellent success on the reefs. The bite was soft and the presentation had to be relatively slow. We often waited for 30 seconds before we set the hook.
The key to fishing this weekend was blowing up the worm to keep it off the bottom. My partner even used a floating jig head with great results. Patience is the key. Once you establish where the fish are with your locator you stay on them. Present your offering slowly and stay in contact with the bottom. I usually let the weight hit the bottom then lift it up just off the bottom. The strikes can be soft and often you only feel a resistance on your line. Drop your line and let it spool freely for 15 seconds or more.
Marvin from Standard Aero found this very frustrating, as he wanted to set the hook right away. After some coaching he caught on and landed several quality fish. In fact he became so proficient that he started to gain confidence in this method.
No fishing report is complete without a muskie/pike update. The big boys have been relating to rock piles. Casting has been the chosen method. Even the best anglers have trouble being prepared. Cast after cast with big tackle is work.
While casting my own lure this weekend I lost a monster muskie. This was due to the fact that I was not prepared for the strike. The white crazy crippler was running just over the rock pile and cabbage when the beast appeared from nowhere. She struck the bait so hard I almost lost my rod. I reacted as quickly as I could with the hook set but missed her as she made the water boil.
When casting for muskie you must be mentally prepared. I was asleep at the reel and it cost me a 40-pound plus muskie. It wasn't equipment failure but a serious mental mistake. You must be ready every cast and not let your mind wander. The big girl will be around again and we may do battle once more.
UPDATE
Winnipeg River -- walleye and bass are hot. Spinners with minnows are the ticket.
Minaki -- the bite is on! Worms or leeches work best.
L.O.T.W. -- walleye everywhere; you have trouble catching any under 18-inches.
Cedar Lake -- excellent bite on walleye. Spinner rig with a bottom bouncer with a crawler.
Falcon Lake -- bass are on top water. Baits for walleye go deep.
Crow Duck -- this lake is on fire. Walleye, walleye, walleye -- great numbers and size.
Until next week, keep your line tight!
When casting for muskie you must be mentally prepared. You must be ready every cast and not let your mind wander.