Big Boys Came To Play

  • sandmannd
    Posts: 928
    #1333033

    I got a text from my good friend River Dan last night asking if I was up for fishing early in the morning. I take care of my daughter Lizzy during the day so asked her what she thought about getting up at five and go fishing. She lit up pretty good and was really excited. My wife just shook her head at us.

    So we got to bed kinda early and and got up really early. We stopped at a gas station for some snacks and made our way down to the launch. On our way down 61 Dan called. He had an issue with his truck and had pulled of the highway. We met him and I asked if he wanted to call it, he said “nope, we’re going fishing”. LOL. So we hooked the boat to my truck and headed to Prescott.

    We were the first ones there and got out and on the water pretty fast. Lizzy grabbed her Limit Creek rod and was raring to go. She was actually fishing before I had a line in the water!

    Well, we got moving around a little and Dan nailed a nice big male. He and Lizzy wanted to share in the reward!

    He followed this up with another quick stick and an eater size in the boat. We maintain a strict slot on ourselves of not keeping any fish over 20″ and generally only keep 16-18″ fish. He then followed that up with a shorter male that went back in.

    Do you see a pattern forming here? Have you read anything yet about me catching a fish? No? Well that’s because I sucked today! I had a couple of hits but just couldn’t get the commitment or much to bite for that matter. You know it’s bad when your dang five year old yells at you “Dad, look at your rod” and when you glance over she says “just kidding” and then laughs at you!

    Picture taken by Lizzy after making fun of me!

    Well, Dan continued his clinic with two more 24″ eyes, one that was full of eggs.

    We did take a break to get Lizzy my extra pair of warm gloves and a blanket and saw the commercial fisherman getting ready to head out. You can also see how high the water is at this point.

    To say the water is high and fast would be an understatement. Though the fishing can be great this time of year, if you aren’t familiar (actually very familiar) with the river please don’t go down to “try it out”. River Dan has spent 200 days a year for the last 10 years or more on the river. I don’t have that much experience but put in around 100 days a year for the last six. I trust myself and I trust Dan handling a boat right now. There’s a few others I know that I would climb in a boat with. But I see some that shouldn’t be out there now and could run into some problems. If you do go down, wear some type of flotation.

    Silver sparkle jigs with blue oyster ring worms were the big ticket today. Dan did get one off a Walleye Assassin as well.

    riverwrat
    Hastings/ Northfeild,MN
    Posts: 179
    #956785

    Nice work

    mfreeman451
    Posts: 543
    #956813

    Please reply to this thread instead..

    [how many people actually “go down”? I’ve been on the river quite a bit in the past few years with numerous different boats, and been bank fishing all my life. I’ve been out in every condition I can think of so far and handled things pretty well, but I’d like to know of some situations where people did end up with something bad happening to them so I can better prepare for it if it ever happens to me. This post probably deserves a thread all of its own.

    Please post your horror stories or the ones you know of. Also if you have any thing that you think is essential to have in the boat, besides the basic normal things like a marine radio, throw cushion, fire extinguisher, etc etc. Anything that might be overlooked?]

    millerman
    Red Wing, MN
    Posts: 627
    #956880

    Always great to see people with the kids out! Looks like a great day!

    riverdan
    Posts: 295
    #956907

    Well the truck may not of made it all the way to the river this morning but the boat did, couldn’t let a broken U-joint keep me from fishing! truck is all fixed a 18.00 part and elbow grease and its good to go, at least the fish were bitting!

    troy-starch
    stoddard wi
    Posts: 141
    #956938

    awsome report great to see your little girl out with you.my 6 year old girl went out ice fishing with me this year and she cant wait to get out in the boat with me.

    taz
    Frederic wi
    Posts: 395
    #956956

    I sure hope that the walleye in the third pic from the bottom isn’t dropping her eggs all over your boat while you are posing for a pic with it.

    Palerider77
    Posts: 630
    #956966

    Quote:


    I sure hope that the walleye in the third pic from the bottom isn’t dropping her eggs all over your boat while you are posing for a pic with it.


    Lighten up Francis.

    riverdan
    Posts: 295
    #956979

    Quote:


    I sure hope that the walleye in the third pic from the bottom isn’t dropping her eggs all over your boat while you are posing for a pic with it.




    As a matter of fact yes it was,

    fast1
    hastings mn
    Posts: 13
    #957010

    nice fish I will be there tomarow!

    sandmannd
    Posts: 928
    #957031

    Quote:


    I sure hope that the walleye in the third pic from the bottom isn’t dropping her eggs all over your boat while you are posing for a pic with it.


    Not that we need to explain but if it will make you warm and fuzzy I will.

    I have a waterproof case for my phone that you wear around your neck. It floats and you can still use your phone. It’s set on camera at all times on the boat. Whenever a fish is hooked I grab the net and hit the power on my phone so its ready. The fish was netted, hoisted into the boat, Dan lifted it out of the net, put his other hand under it, I snapped the pick, he removed the hook and it was set free. This was under 30 seconds of time out of water. I’ve seen folks take five minutes or more digging for a camera to take a pic of big fish. I would challenge anyone that says they care more about the fish than either of us do. We have nothing but respect for the fishery. We could have, in fact, kept all three of those fish but, as I said, we don’t keep anything over 20″ and generally nothing over 28″. So I don’t think we need to be preached to.

    Besides, the wives wanted fresh Walleye Caviar!

    Life’s really to short to get your panties in a wad over someone taking a picture of a fish, don’t you think?

    taz
    Frederic wi
    Posts: 395
    #957045

    Quote:


    Quote:


    I sure hope that the walleye in the third pic from the bottom isn’t dropping her eggs all over your boat while you are posing for a pic with it.


    Not that we need to explain but if it will make you warm and fuzzy I will. I have a waterproof case for my phone that you wear around your neck. It floats and you can still use your phone. It’s set on camera at all times on the boat. Whenever a fish is hooked I grab the net and hit the power on my phone so its ready. The fish was netted, hoisted into the boat, Dan lifted it out of the net, put his other hand under it, I snapped the pick, he removed the hook and it was set free. This was under 30 seconds of time out of water. I’ve seen folks take five minutes or more digging for a camera to take a pic of big fish. I would challenge anyone that says they care more about the fish than either of us do. We have nothing but respect for the fishery. We could have, in fact, kept all three of those fish but, as I said, we don’t keep anything over 20″ and generally nothing over 28″. So I don’t think we need to be preached to.

    Besides, the wives wanted fresh Walleye Caviar!

    Life’s really to short to get your panties in a wad over someone taking a picture of a fish, don’t you think?


    It’s a 24″ female full of eggs during the spawn, that im sure RD has put 100’s of 20 to 25″ fish in the boat over the years do you really need a pic with every one? Great job in getting your little girl out there fishing

    wade
    Cottage Grove, MN
    Posts: 1737
    #957137

    Quote:


    Quote:


    Quote:


    I sure hope that the walleye in the third pic from the bottom isn’t dropping her eggs all over your boat while you are posing for a pic with it.


    Not that we need to explain but if it will make you warm and fuzzy I will. I have a waterproof case for my phone that you wear around your neck. It floats and you can still use your phone. It’s set on camera at all times on the boat. Whenever a fish is hooked I grab the net and hit the power on my phone so its ready. The fish was netted, hoisted into the boat, Dan lifted it out of the net, put his other hand under it, I snapped the pick, he removed the hook and it was set free. This was under 30 seconds of time out of water. I’ve seen folks take five minutes or more digging for a camera to take a pic of big fish. I would challenge anyone that says they care more about the fish than either of us do. We have nothing but respect for the fishery. We could have, in fact, kept all three of those fish but, as I said, we don’t keep anything over 20″ and generally nothing over 28″. So I don’t think we need to be preached to.

    Besides, the wives wanted fresh Walleye Caviar!

    Life’s really to short to get your panties in a wad over someone taking a picture of a fish, don’t you think?


    It’s a 24″ female full of eggs during the spawn, that im sure RD has put 100’s of 20 to 25″ fish in the boat over the years do you really need a pic with every one? Great job in getting your little girl out there fishing


    …wow really, what’s wrong with taking pictures of fish you catch for memories? I suppose you are the first one to unhook your fish while they are still in the water and no pictures at all…..

    taz
    Frederic wi
    Posts: 395
    #957178

    No you can take all the pic of fish you want. But please don’t sit there a take pic of them when they are dropping eggs

    jags
    Posts: 92
    #957197

    I for one, am glad you took the pic to share with the rest of us. Thanks for the reminder of friends, family and fun on the water.
    I think the fishery will do just fine, regardless of your picture.

    sandmannd
    Posts: 928
    #957249

    Thanks Jag.

    To be honest, they are throwing eggs by the time you are lifting the net. I don’t know the real facts, so if someone does please chime in. I believe it has to do with a reflex of just dumping them. No one was squeezing her. I don’t think she would have stopped spewing eggs even if she had hit the water that 5 seconds it took to take the picture sooner. Do they stop spewing eggs as soon as you put them back? I personally don’t think so.

    Yea, Dan and I both have multiple pics with big fish like that. But you know what, it was a day out on the water together and we snap shots. I’m fine living with those that think they are better because they wouldn’t take the pic. I’ll still snap away next time out.

    docfrigo
    Wisconsin
    Posts: 1564
    #957262

    Thanks for the post! good to see least some guys are getting out on the river regardless of the flood.

    suzuki
    Woodbury, Mn
    Posts: 18621
    #957295

    Another way to think of it is we only have a handful of fisheries like P2-P4 that remain open all year and allow catching and harvesting of spawning females. Sometimes it sucks to some people, especially when its their home water but at least we have the opportunity to try it just a little. I’ve never been a huge fan and used to think it should all be shut down but now I think of it this way and I try it once in a while. The other 99.99999999999% of the female walleyes in the state are protected.

    sandmannd
    Posts: 928
    #957308

    They are open year around and some of the best fisheries in the state. They haven’t suffered at all by being fished all year.

    riverdan
    Posts: 295
    #957310

    This morning was slow but afternoon was great, caught 7 over 20+ and 5 decent ones for the box, a guy by me caught a 10.14 what a fat girl, today eater size were hard to come by, saw over twenty fish released today, Tip of the Limit Creek hat for those sportsmen eager to release 20+ inch fish

    Brian Klawitter
    Keymaster
    Minnesota/Wisconsin Mississippi River
    Posts: 59992
    #957402

    Sorry RD, a 10.14 is only a fish story without a picture.

    riverdan
    Posts: 295
    #957413

    Quote:


    Sorry RD, a 10.14 is only a fish story without a picture.



    now thats funny! hate to offend anyone by posting everyday photos

    Jesse Krook
    Y.M.H.
    Posts: 6403
    #957463

    Quote:


    Quote:


    Sorry RD, a 10.14 is only a fish story without a picture.




    now thats funny! hate to offend anyone by posting everyday photos


    I think you only make them jealous Dan, by the way you got a PM

    Brian Klawitter
    Keymaster
    Minnesota/Wisconsin Mississippi River
    Posts: 59992
    #957469

    Quote:


    now thats funny! hate to offend anyone by posting everyday photos


    As you well know we can’t please all the people all the time… or was that “we can’t fool all the people…” never mind.

    The river guys are spoiled silly. Coming from the middle of the State, the only time we could see fish like these was when someone came back for “Up North” and little girls didn’t go on those trips, because the guys “fished too hard”.

    It’s just fantastic that a person can go so close to home and catch fish like the above with his son or daughter.

    Thanks for sharing your experiences…even if they’re just stories.

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