I took advantage of the beautiful weather today (9-3-05) and went fishing on Iowa’s Cedar River in Black Hawk County. Accompanying me were Big B and Little Fish Dude. The river was low due to time of year and lack of rain. However, we had few problems getting around. We were only stuck in the sand a couple of times and never had to get out of the boat.
As it usually is with crankbaiting on the Cedar, fishing was a mixed bag. Photo 1 shows LFD with a line-stretching drum. Throughout the day, we caught walleyes, smallmouth bass, drum, catfish, and even a red-horse sucker, which I have never seen caught on a crankbait before. Picture 2 shows LFD with the red horse.
LFD had on the biggest walleye of the day – approximately a 23-24 incher. He played it to the boat beautifully; however, landing it was a problem as his father (BFD) forgot the landing net. In trying to hand land the fish, I wound up with no fish and the treble hook buried in the ring finger of my right hand. The next 20 minutes was spent cutting the hook off the lure and getting the hook out of my hand. (No pictures!) However, picture 3 is of Big B with a nice walleye, which he landed by hand, and with no injuries!
The walleyes were caught trolling in about 5 FOW. We caught the smallmouth both trolling and casting at the rocks. Photo 4 shows LFD with a real nice Cedar River smallmouth. We had a lot of fun and took home a nice catfish for LFD’s grandfather, so everyone was happy. In our area, this type of fishing is just getting hot and should to continue to get better as the water cools. If you’ve got the time and an appropriate boat for these water conditions, now is the time to get started. If you don’t have a boat, many rocky areas are accessible by car and can be a great place to cast for bass and walleyes.
sure looks like a fun day. Looks as if i better get my jon boat ready to hit the river. On a side note on time while up north my grandpa caught a redhorse on a topwater muskie bait.
Looks like fun except for BFD due to the hook in the ring finger. Ouch! Anytime we can get kids out there its fishin fun.
Thanks for the pics and report.
Thanks, Bill
Good to see you guys got out. Nice seeing what’s going on in those little rivers back in IA
I want to thank BFD and LFD for taking me along Sat. I have spent most of my summer on the big river and needed a little schooling. I had certainly forgotten the hook burried in hand trick!!
These guys are the best on the Cedar in tough conditions and I was lucky they thought of me on this holiday”working” weekend!
Thanks again I had a great time………B
I think BFD may be a little conservitive on LFD’s walleye, it was a dandy.
He also didn’t mention that I broke my brand new cripple creek 6’9″ rod on the second cast
Oh well, good times are priceless
Steve, OUCH, hope you’re healing up
Glad to see you on fish. I gotta fish the Cedar one if these days, 35 minute drive and never fished it
Hang in there, ice is only a few months away
dave