07/08/13 After eight days of a river wide slow no wake rule for boaters, the ban is off. Boaters are now able to hit the firewall again and get the motors humming. I found the no wake a bit slow a few times, but overall the relaxed pace was enjoyable. There was less in my hands and I had to more readily accept what God had in store for catches those days and accept whatever was meant to be was.
Trolling Shad Raps worked well for putting walleyes in the boat. I had mostly half day trips, where we got from 5 to 7 keepers, with many many more 14 to 14 ¾ inch walleyes. I did try very hard to turn fish in less than 10’ of water, but the depths from 23 to 25 were best. Best colors were blue, firetiger, and neutral.
I really must mention rigging, because rigging with crawlers accounted for half of the catches of short and legal keeper walleyes. I also know spinners are working as well. This time of year I like to use beads ahead of the hook to add some color and bulk up the bait. Large beads can also be used here versus the tiny ones you would use in the early season.
I will be out Wednesday looking for the great big toothy predator the mighty muskie. This is the time of year I start to hunt them.
Last outing the river was 75 degrees and the water is now 681.3 feet, which is still 6.5 feet higher than the normal pool level of 675.5.
Pic notes – Long time customer and all around great guy – Dan Young shows off his St. Croix walleye he caught on a jointed shad rap. This fish slammed the crank bait! I use 12 trolling rods on the outside poles to get a huge line spread.
Pic notes – Doug Rhode and Dan young lift their stringer of eyes. The guys and I got most of these keepers rigging crawlers. We found a very heavy grouping of eyes in the last hour of the trip to make the day all the better. With the mild summer heat and sunshine it was a grand time.
