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good points made……why keep taking photos of 24-27 inch fish? when you’re catching them a multible of times! I switched to taking a group shot of the days catch rather than twenty pics of over fish……..get the hook out and release the fish back asap. Heck I will even lower the net back in the water and release the fish if I notice that the hook has come out on its own! why handle the fish at all.

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Perfect, why not say you fished, pretend you caught a bunch, and then pretend it was carefully released unharmed.

For us, the less boat pressure, the more active the fish were. I know we always say that but this week, it was very true ecspecially during the day. If you were in a pack of boats you were less likely to catch fish.

Our Sunday plan was to rig 7 mile for a few hours till the boats moved in (like Saturday – there was at one time at least 50 boats), then set up for some basing trolling. Because we established a working pattern and no other boats crowded our postion. We stayed an actually went through all of our live bait.
The crawler bite was super aggresive….and I only had about eight…
and I was down to the slim pickings in my leech tamer…

The story goes like this.

My Dad and I took my son Reid and his friend Trey out fishing on Mille Lacs on May 27th for some night bobber fishing. We got onto the lake just after 5:30 pm and set up on a small mud flat on the West side of the lake. We anchored and I began rigging the poles while carefully handing out instructions. I started with Trey’s pole and set his depth, had him put his leech on, and helped him cast it out into the water. This was Treys first time on Mille Lacs and he had never caught a walleye before. After his bobber reached its proper depth I looked to get the other poles set up. Two minutes passed and I looked out into the water and the bobber was gone. Trey wasnt watching too closely so I picked up the pole reeled in a few times, felt the fish, then set the hook. After the fish was set I gave the pole to Trey and said “its your pole and your fish”. Little did I know we would drag in this 30 1/8″ beauty. Not bad for his first fish. We high fived a few times, took a few pictures, released her back in the water to make memories for other fisherman.

I have had 3 sets of WaveWackers and have them on my Alumacraft now. I think both Whitecap and WaveWackers are good products.

I got a Stowaway net for my b-day last year. Works well on on fish and stows in the front storgae compartment when not in use. I liked it so much I sold my Beckman.

The weather was nice and we saw a lot of boats on the water. Being a short trip I was pleased with our overall numbers. Saturday we had 7 walleyes smallest being 19″ and largest being 25″. Sunday we only fished for 3-4 hours and got 2. All the fish were caught lindy rigging leeches with 6-7 ft snells, red hooks and red beed, and trolling firetiger/perch #5 shad raps. Most fish came from Ottertail and Two Points while we picked up a few others around Pelican Island. We opted to stay away from the big crowds if possible. We did pick up more action when we were alone or when there was less pressure. Here is to my next trip .

Derek-

Can anyone be a co-angler? Send me some details, as I may be interested….

Lets hope so James. I think folks are pretty tight lipped with the tournament this weekend. No one wants to share any spots or tactics. I too will be on Leech this weekend, not in the tourney, but fishing none the less. We will be rigging and jigging while staying away from the big tourney boats .

to the tourney fisherman and my group of 16.

I have had (2) custom tops made in the past two years by Erichsen Marine Canvas in Shakopee. He uses Top Gun and does great work and is more competitively priced than what has been outlined above. This is my old boat but the quality of the work and the tight fit is apparent. Pricing for this 17 foot boat was near $400. For yours it would be less. On my new boat the snaps are tucked under the gunnel and you dont see them. Even better looking than this one.

Forgot to add the photo!!

Same results for our group of 10. We ended up taking home over 50 fish. Our pattern was almost the same, we used turns and the speed change, in conjunction with snapping the rod to generate the hits. I felt the key to our success was using long shanked jigs with some sort of a green plastic (worm or skirt). Both fatheads and shiners were successful. We also fished in the same area as you (north end) fishing some rock and gravel transition areas near and around the dugout. We also fished Mallard, Tamarack-High Banks, and the Gap. Catching the most on the north end near the Dugout and Farleys Creek. Here is a nice 22″ fish caught on a 1/8th ounce lime jig, with green skirt, and a shiner, my first eye of the year.

http://www.msra.com/NonOxygenatedFuel/Non-OxyFuel.htm

You can link here and pull up sites that carry non-oxy fuel. All I use in my boat and lawn equipment.

Third vote for Lettertech. Only company I found with 04 Alumacraft Lettering.. They look sweet and match perfectly.

I’ll be on Cutfoot Sioux/Winnibigosh. First time in 5 years not on Mille Lacs.

Free, free, free. Everbody wants something for free.

AWESOME STORY!!!!!

I had a similiar experience over the last weekend except I was bobber fishing at dusk and a nice sized northern broke my line boatside. This is the second year ina row when I have had a northern on in 25+ feet caught on a bobber at night on the MUD. Hmmmmmmmm.

I cant agree more with Still A Kid, sometimes the smaller baits just work better for Muskies. On Leech this year while trolling a weed line for wallyes I caught a 46″ Muskie on a #5 Shad Rap. 6lb Fireline and 20 minutes and she was released to swim again.

Thanks Derek. Are you using your Vantage for troliing or you big motor? Either way what is the best speed?

It will be tough for me to get pops to use a board. Heck its hard enough to get him to long line with deep runners. He is such a live bait leech guy.

Too bad we cant connect for that launch. We still have it reserved if you are able to squeeze it in. See ya on the water.

Derek-

Why boards in the basin area? I always felt that the use of boards was used to get the lines away form the boat and not to spook fish. Are there other reasons you try this method?

Secondly. When using boards are you long lining or using leadcore?

Try a #8 Walleye Pattern Shad Rap. While trolling on Leech for pike and walleyes two weeks ago I caught a 46″ Muskie.

I will make sure I call Matt Ward, Jason Malkovich, Brad Worschack, and Brian Hile (with the hearing impaired phone) to let them know that you and former Peewee coach of the year Mark J. will be joinging our fishing party!!!!

I will connect with you a week before! I am on “vacation” all that week, so if we can sneak out in our own rigs, lets do it!

By the way you need to call Marlow and James Nunn to invite to the party!!!!!!!

D-man-

We will have the headquarters launch reserved for Thursday July 3rd. It has been a tradition for many of my family to go out and wet a line, including Gramps. Last year 70 fish in 4 hrs. Doubt the results will be the same, but who knows. Woudl that time woprk for you or your dad?

D-man,

You rule! Big Chew, Long Snell and Black Leeches, Staying away from other boats, catching fish with my old man, now thats priceless!!!!!

The other D-man

I have used it both on Mille Lacs and Leech and have found it to be VERY useful. I have the X-15! $50 a lake is a bit spendy but did help on both on my fishing trips thus far.

Walleyefinder-

So you are saying the spring bite should be in full swing? Thats great news cause I am coming to Leech for the first time in many years the weekend after opener. Cant wait….

Great to hear you had a great time and that you caught fish. I have fished the river MANY times with sucees but am making a point to refine some of my skills. That being said, I am “on” for my trip with James on April 1. I have peeked at the weather and hope it doesnt snow….