What I learned today……

I learned……

1. I learned having one motor on your boat can be asking for trouble.
2. I learned that a water pump can go out in a hurry.
3. I learned that it is possible to ruin a 15hp motor in a matter of minutes.
4. I learned that there is basically NO current to float your boat downstream right now.
5. I learned how long it takes to walk about 2,000 steps dragging a boat in the water while you’re on shore….every 10 steps forward, 3 steps back to push boat back out off of riverbank.
6. I learned how hard it is to paddle a boat with a landing net from the vermillion river to Everts Resort…note to self…..put oars back in boat!!!!
7. I learned that if I ever get cold….paddle a boat with a landing net to warm up!
8. I learned that there is at least a 27 1/2 inch, 26 inch, couple 25 inch and a ton of 19-22 inch fish left…..that I threw back!

What I didn’t learn (I already knew) was that Walleyes are nuts over K-grubs (especially chartreuse pearl and firecracker…hint hint)

So how was my day??? Awesome…..then a little tedious…..and now that i’m home, Wonderful!!!!! Happy fishing.

Check out the attatched 27 1/2incher……Wish I could have had someone there to take a good pic for me!

Here is a pic of a nice 18 incher that fell to a Pearl/blue s&p K-Grub on a 3/32 oz jig.

Nice fish to highlight your day “in the classroom” Steve! Say, I really like lesson #7! Good grins! Sounds like I need to get some of those k-grubs!

wow, sorry to hear about all of the misfortunes. did you catch all of your fish shallow or were you vertical in the deeper water.

Shallow sand. 2-8 feet deep.

That’s an entertaining read. Thanks.

That 27+ fish sure is chubby. She’s ready for spring.

Through all of my “challenging” experiences similar to yours yesterday, you would think I would be stockpiling wisdom and smarts. Sadly, it seems I just get dumber and dumber (perhaps the Homer Simpson “dumbening gene”?) Oh well, those experiences make for good stories, and one can never get enough of those.

cool lessons Steve… hope I dont have to learn them the hard way…… but I DO have a kickaxe trolling moter in the bow…. wouldnt take long for that 65# minnkota to get me back… well.. not long as it took YOU anyway……

but the lessons I dont know and am going to have to learn is how you are getting these fish… I gotta a lot of learning to do….. Im going to have to dress up in an eagle suit and watch you guys….. so look out for the really big fat eagle that cant fly… and seems to be watching everything you do!!

so just HOW did you wreck the motor? a walleye bit off the lower unit or something?

Hey Steve – Great post. I see that you are enrolled in the School of Hard Knocks also. I must tell you that I look forward to your posts – your life’s journey has some amusing twists and turns. Keep up the good work!!

Lets just say I had a lot of time to think about what I did wrong on the way back. Rivereyes…..even a resort manager has to have some of his own fishing secrets doesn’t he???LOL. If I see any “exotic looking eagles” i’ll be sure to confiscate them to turn over to the authorities for complete testing……..hmm, wonder what they would find!!!

I will say this……the large female walleyes have certainly shown themselves at the dam. I think I have seen or heard of more big fish since the freeze your butt tourney than I did all winter! I hesitate to post that for obvious reasons, but I strongly urge people to release them fish. If I had kept the 6 biggest fish I had the last 2 outings I could have taken home 6 fish over 25 inches and 6 fish b/w 22-24 inches. There is an abundance of male walleye and sauger to be caught as well. These should be your frying pan fish. No, I don’t want to preach to anyone what they can and can’t take home, but I would hate to see a limit of 25 or 50 lbs (2 guys) taken home by anyone. I don’t want to start a mile long thread about what people consider a good size fish to keep, I just want to encourage people to let these large females go. This is stating the obvious for most, but for those of you that are saying “how do you tell a male from a female”…….this time of year, the females have a definite round/deep belly. The males will have a straight streamlined body shape. Ok Ok…enough preaachin! Good fishing.

PS…..at least 5 fish b/w 25-27 inches released today!

Oh ya, Rivereyes….the motor…..the water pump stopped (and I was looking at it when it stopped) In a matter of a minute it made terrible sound and then just died instantly. I don’t think it is good. When I pull it, it just has no compression in it. Time to upgrade I guess……another lesson……..upgrade rental boat motors sooner!!

Steve, so immediately after it died, was it “stuck” tight so you could not pull it over al all? Was the comression good when you started?

Cheer up Steve, when you get older you won’t remember everything you learned when younger!!! What were we talking about now?

Steve! At least, you were on the water ! Guess where I was ? “LUCKY YOU”

Richard (Smitty)

Just wondering…in order to have less clutter in the boat, which combination landing net & boat paddle do you recommend?

HI Steve., you’ve had a heck of a day. it isn’t even fri the 13th next week (but it’s close). Sorry to hear of your boat troubles, did you figure out why the motor quit. if it sounds like a great story, WE have nothing but time.
am glad the fish worked out for you. would sure hate to have a very tough fishing day, then do all that to get back home to boot. think I would have maybe let the boat coast down stream, you could walk at least that fast, then use another boat at home to go out and pull it in. Didn’t any other boats go by at all ?? should have been a few out there. more soon Jack..

Lundgeye, it had fine compression when I started it. The water pump was working fine. It still pulls fine. Just a little less compressin I would say. By the way it smelled and sounded and as hot as the lower unit was, my guess is that it isn’t good. It was smoking pretty good too. You in need of a “slightly used” motor??? I got a heck of a deal on one!!

Jack, I thought about walking back, but I didn’t think I wanted to cross the trimbelle at the resort here. That sand is like quicksand it is so fine. With my luck, I would have walked all the way back only to come up about 25 yards short of making it. I was worried that if the wind picked up, I would not be able to “paddle” my net into the wind. The wind was suppose to pick up too I noticed on the weather forecast before I went out, so when it picked up a little bit I figured i better get to work!

There were only 2 boats fishing today. The one left early and the other one left just before me…….”better luck next time” I guess!………Lesson #9, don’t be the last one to leave the water!