With the holidays and all I haven’t posted a report lately but I’ve a few good trips to relate while I was away from the PC for a while.
Tom Huber and his nephew Micky joined me last week for some fishing action away fom the "crowds". Tom lives in Diamond Bluff and traveled close to 300 miles to fish the sparsely populated U.P. with me. I couldn’t guarantee 20" Smallies but I could promise miles of pristine, unpopulated shoreline. Tom and Mickey really appreciated that.
We had several T-storms go through the area and the Mayfly hatch was starting but with the water on the rise we rigged up topwater lures and Tom scored on the first cast!(that really takes some pressure off the guide). We decide on CPR(Catch-Photo-Release) for the day and thats what Tom did. The action slowed down so I headed for the Dam outflow area, hoping they were releasing some water, which usually stimulates some action. I guessed right and as we twitched Heddon Torpedos and Pop Rs along the current breaks they literally "blew up" the surface with vicious strikes.
Mickey was next to set the hooks into a nice Bronzeback and bring it in for a quick photo. The action was fast and furious for a while, including the all too prevalent Pike which managed to gobble up a few more top water baits…time to rig up some heavier mono shock tippets to avoid that problem. I like to splice about a foot of 17# Supertough to the end of my running line using a double surgeons knot…works very slick.
The midday sun shone bright and the topwater action slowed down, time to probe a little deeper. I went to some steep sloping rock and gravel shorelines and we switched over to Jigs, plastics, and tubes. It didn’t long for the boys to master(and really love) fishing them tubes! The first nice one Micky brought in coughed up a big old crawdad and we knew why the tubes were hot, especially Pumpkin/red fleck.
A majestic Eagle soared overhead as the afternoon wound down and we savored the natural beauty around us. What a blessing to be out in this beautiful country. I think the smile on young Mickeys face expresses best my feelings after a great time on the water.
Thanks Tom and Mickey……
Get out there and take a kid fishing, its probably the best way to give back to this wonderful sport we love!
Gota love throwing those torpedo’s for smallies. Great report from the north country Tom. Nice uncluttered river or lake shoreline is getting harder and harder to find. When you do find those spots and the fish are biting or the eagles flying take a moment or two to take it in. Like Tom say’s take a kid fishing and then they can share in that moment also. Whats that hat say that the slim guy is wearing?
Steve
Nice report Tom,, I think lots of us havn’t done a report since the holiday. I went fishing on Lake Mendota in Madison, WI this weekend to donate my services to take handicap anglers fishing in the event Fishing Has No Boundaries we caught lots of fish both days with Saturday the toughest. Should have a report mid week to break out of my shell.
Ya make me proud boys!
Tom and Mickey fished the next AM out of their own boat and simply hammered Bass and Pike on topwater. I hope Tom posts that outing also.