It is that time of the year again, GAME TIME!!!!! I was fortunate enough to spend 3 quality days on the river last week and this past weekend. I couldn’t tell you what was better, the weather, the fishing, or the company. The weather for this time of the year has been nothing short of amazing. The fishing this past week has lead me to believe we are very close to the spawn which has lead to some pretty good fishing. The company over the weekend was great. It was great to see a number of people that I havent seen for a while. Also to see Evert’s back to the popular place and the general mood of everyone around was great!
With the warm weather we have been having, the spawning process has began much sooner than in years past. It went from winter time resting, to prespwan staging in a very short amount of time. A process that usually takes about 4 weeks has happened in less than 2. This past weekend I noticed a few things that tell me the spawn is getting very near. Both walleye and sauger males were milking, perch males were milking and females were starting to drop their eggs, female saugers are very close to dropping and female walleyes are just starting to get soft bellies. If our current weather pattern stays the same I could forsee the actual spawn taking place within 2 weeks. So now is the time to take advantage of the great prespawn bite.
My game plan going into the weekend was once again to focus on big fish. This time of year you really have to make a decision on wether you want to target big fish or to just catch some fish. Generaly speaking big fish will be in a different location, either a whole different spot or a different spot on the spot, usually being shallower. While targeting bigger fish you have to prepare yourself to “usually” not catch a lot of fish but the fish you do catch will be larger.
After fishing 3 days days this past week I noticed one pattern. That pattern would be that the fish wanted BLADES. After watching numerous other people trying plastics, minnows, hair and trolling it was quite clear to me that the fish wanted the extra action of the blades. Our 2 best colors would have to be black and gold. We did catch some fish on firetiger, white, and red also.
If you are looking to catch a trophy of a lifetime or simpily looking to catch numbers of fish, NOW is the time. With the weather that we are having now I dont forsee this bite lasting much more than 2 weeks, so get out there and catch some fish!!!!
Until next time….
A few other pics from the weekend!!
Very Nice !
Keep up the great job
Blades…the mystery bait.
I still think it’s amazing that fish like that will fall for a piece of stamped out metal.
Nice job Eric and John!
Nice fish Eric! It was nice of you to let Jon hold at least one of the fish!
nice report eric.
we found the exact same to be true. we struggled with the plastics and minnow jigging. Then paid attention and hammered fish for 2+ days on blades as well as 3-ways (Hot Steel and Firetiger F-7 and f-9’s) but for us the hottest blades were firetiger patterns and Parrot. In the sand and caught many species of fish as well. great time!
Nice fish
How do you go about pulling blades? I’ve never used them…
When I fish blades I am pitching them. Either pitching to a shoreline or structure or just a simple current seam. Most all times I will cast at a 45 degree angle up stream and work it with the current until it is straight behind the boat. After the blade sinks to the bottom on the cast I will reel up my slack and lift the rod tip with my wrist about 12″ just enough to feel the blade viberate. Then drop it back to the bottom on a semi slack line and repeat. Repeat that process until the current has washed the blade to directly down current from the boat. Reel up and repeat.
It is a good way to cover a fair amount of water and locate any active fish that may be around.
Great report Eric and some darn nice fish! You using 1/4 oz. blades mainly, right now?
80% of the time I have been. Unless wind and location tells me differently!!
Don’t limit yourself to just blades. Couple friends caught alot of sheephead and stripers on blades friday afternoon/evening but as soon as the one went to plastics it was a giant walleye bonanza for him with the biggest 2 going right at 28.5″ a piece. The one friend stuck with blades and caught a few in that 22″ range. All the fish still prespawn as well.
Great Report Eric