Winnebago 5-20-15

Ran to Bago after work for a few hours on a solo trip. Some people are just too busy to fish (Randy W) and couldn’t fill the open seat. How often does that happen huh? Launched out of Blackwolf and started my run to the reefs to see if I could crank up a walleye or two. Started west of long point on the smaller reefs and scanned some fish. Threw out some corks with leeches and cast a fire tiger flicker shad. Starting in 7-8 FOW. Kept getting short strikes on the cast rod to a frustrating end then finally connected on an 18 incher after a moment of chaos in the boat from missing at fish on the cork rod. Kept working this area drifting and anchoring but could not connect with the short bites especially at boat side.

After burning a couple hours I put those away and pulled out the board and cranks. Went over the same area I was working with corks and casting and the first board goes as soon as it hits the rod holder. 12 inch crappie. Humm… So I worked the area of the short strikes in the 8-10 range and crappie, crappie, crappie (so that what was pestering me with the short strikes). Had enough of that. Remembering the pattern from last year and the reports so far and moved to the 12-14 foot range. Bingo. 20 incher. Then 16 incher. Then the required monster sheephead that submarined the planer board, then white bass. Then 18 inch largemouth, then crappie, then short walleye and that is how it continued.

Decided I had enough for the day so started trolling back towards the launch and gave myself the 10 minute warning for heading in at 730 then a board goes. Landed at 17 incher. Just as was putting the net down the another flag is down. A 15 incher. Going to have to give the 10 minute warning earlier in the day:).

Probably caught 15 of so 8-12 inch walleye. The monster sheephead, white bass, a mess of crappie (very nice I must say), the largemouth. Small walleye and small sauger.

Not fast and furious but enough planer board action with the shorts to keep one busy cleaning lures. Trolled the 12-14 fow line off the reefs using flicker shads from 1.5 to 1.9 GPS. No dominant color (fire tiger, shad, purple backed shad with spot, dark green and orange belly perch). All cranks caught fish. Light chop and nice COLD breeze.

D

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Great to read this… I am working through the night in IL on Friday, and going to the same area as early as possible on Saturday. Hopefully, the lot will not be filled. I missed some of the earlier crappie fishing, and that will surely be part of my plan. Can’t wait to be on the water… couple days of warming, consistent weather. Good forecast, just hope the crowds aren’t too bad – first time here on a Saturday.

I was just happy to figure it out for me. Talked to many boaters at the launch who got a goose egg or a couple. I need to target crappie for fun one day. There are some really nice fish in this system.

I appreciate the invite, but the bank still won’t accept fish as a house payment…..

I was rewarded for a few hard days of work. Dialed in a cabbage weed bite on one of my favorite Northwoods lakes. With nothing more than tree frogs singing and the hum of thirsty skeeters I got to teach 2 newbies to ringworm how to swim them through the weeds for post spawn walleyes. Amazing how hard the shallow water eyes slam these things. One heck of a midnight fish fry for some colorado trout fisherman

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Looks like some perfect eaters there my friend.

D