Who’s gonna get the first 30 lb’r of ’06?

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I thought you gave up on ice fishing a couple of months ago

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Well .. its 41 degrees now heading for a daytime high of 45 degrees. The wind is NNW at 16 mph with gust to 25 mph. Light-steady rain with no end in site. It appears we have alreay had 1/2″ of rain…

Why would a person assume the fish are not biting?

My question is.. do I really suffer and take the boat out and go hole jumping, or do I hit a hole that I can sit out of the elements and wait it out?

The fish havent been cooperating when all the conditions have been right.. maybe everything just has to be wrong!

That reminds me of a couple of weekends ago when I was complaining at work that I wouldn’t be able to get out that weekend and fish because of the rain. To a person, everyone said, “Don’t they bite better when it’s raining”? To which I responded, “I wouldn’t know, I don’t fish in the rain”.

As to attention to details. I was nevous the other day because when I tightened down the knot on the hook, there was no end of the line to clip off. I pulled as hard as I could without taking to much of a chance of sticking myself with the hook. Seemed tight enough and I was fortunate. I should have retied.

One of the very first things we should always check each trip is the drag. Nothing worse than getting a fish on and realizing it’s too tight. Then you fumble to loosen it or pop it out of gear in the middle of a run. No good. Especially if popping the gear results in a birds nest.

I’ll never forget the day I was casting a spinnerbait and a big pike followed it up to about 8′ from the boat before grabbing it, doing a 180 and heading back. Since the drag wasn’t set, the line snapped as quick as it all started. In hindsight I checked the drag and it was completely frozen from sitting over the winter.

Sorry guys but I feel I have this one in the bag. It will come either working jigs on the face of a wingdam or trolling plugs threw the rocks. Those cats just cant pass up a walleye lure.
Did I mention it will be high noon when she bites also.

This is not a catfish, Mike W!

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This is not a catfish, Mike W!

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Ah, the details.

I loosen my drags at the end of each trip. This does two things. 1) It relaxes the pressure on your drag washers and prevents them from deforming, and 2) It makes sure that I check how I have my drag set the next time I go out.

Also, on the topic of knots, it’s anal, but I like to keep a small vise-grips with me that I use to pull on the tag end and tighten knots. Is it necessary? Probably not, but I’d rather do that than lose the fish of my life to a lose knot.

This is a catfish caught on a jig.

That plywood is a full 48″ wide sheet just for refrence.

I guess it’s kind of big

We decided to let it go after we couldnt figure ouot how to fit it in our 5 gallon live well bucket that is sitting in the back ground.

See…pay attention to details!

Nothing better than a walleye guy getting the first 30 of the season! Westman!!!!!!! Serves BK right!!!

He never said that fish was caught this year.

Since I’ve been called out by the wallaby guys…I have to remind you that it was I…a lowly bottom feeding catfisher that landed a 29 inch wallaby this year…

Kooty…Mike W…how you doing….

That fish was caught a few years ago. Yes Brian you seem to be smoking me on walleyes this year. I figuring since there has been no decent walleyes for me yet this year a big cat must be in order.

Brian, Can you take me fishing so I can catch one of those nice fish you have been getting into.

And don’t forget BrianK….you are not even wearing a glove

THAT’S ALMOST IS GOOD AS THE BAT STORY?

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And don’t forget BrianK….you are not even wearing a glove

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…I haven’t been able to sleep in bed since…favorite wife keeps asking “what’s that smell?? Sleep on the couch!”

Sometimes gloves are a must…

Mike..we’ll have to get out this year sometime…

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Since I’ve been called out by the wallaby guys…I have to remind you that it was I…a lowly bottom feeding catfisher that landed a 29 inch wallaby this year…

Kooty…Mike W…how you doing….

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VERY nice fish Brian. [don’t anyone tell him its not a cat] I hear you are ”hooked” on catching those fish.
Thanks, Bill

It might have been a good time Bill…If I wouldn’t have caught her on a cat rod.

Hey Manny any luck yet?

For crying out loud. Will please just admit, yours skilz as a walleye fisherman stink. As a cat fisherman, they are awesome for rough fish.

You suck!!!!!

P.S. When we going fishing???

Koots? Are you saying that just because my boat landed 7 eyes this spring…non being under 27 inches and 2 being 29+ inches…I can’t call myself a walleye guy??

THANKS!

PS

Check out the June calendar link on my website…(July isn’t updated yet). Shoot me a pm with a date or two…

We’ll see if we can hook you into a carp, dogfish or somethun.

Nothing over 30 yet, but my buddy Tom finally broke the ice last night with a 22. Only hit of the night – he had to horse it out of a snag. Mosquitos are already pretty fierce out there too, but my boy was along and did well with that – and caught some bait, so that’s a good sign for the season to come.

Tom’s 22:

The golden cats of Flathead WI!

Nice cat Matt, I was perty close then with my prediction

PS: Time to start your 2006 pics

Tonight is the night folks. The water temp this morning was 72 degrees up from 60 about a week ago. The flow has dropped to a reasonable level.. and the fish are biting.

I finaly caught a couple flats last night which really boosted my confidence.. the word is everyone else out there had action too.

Ooops, did it have to be a flathead?

attach some whiskers and call it a day!

I’ll work on photoshopping it later

Question?

A: Would you rather have the first 30lb Flathead.

OR

B: While fishing with 8 Dudes on your first cast of the evening hooking into a 16lb Flatty before your bait hits the bottom and then a short time later a 23lb Flathead followed by a 5 pounder…all the while nobody else “8 dudes” does squat….