With the weather forecasted for this weekend, and after looking at an area on the maps I have been wanting too chase pannies at for sometime now, it was time for a day off work so everything for fishing gear was loaded into the truck and wheeling for pool 8. Things looked good on arrival, there was some foot traffic but not much 
The area is consider a small river lake fed from a near by slough, There are some nice mud/sand flats with some weed growth in 4fow dropping off into a basin of 17fow.
I started fishing in 14fow near a downed tree and the area was loaded with shad. After catching one watch fob after another off the bottom another walk was made. This time the set up was in 4 – 5fow on a flat with a slight current over the top. The gills were of a nicer size and they were hungry. The jigs of choice were an orange moxy, clown gill pill, and an orange shrimpo all tipped with a waxie. Pulling a mark off bottom with a slow rise produced a thud from the gills.
Wanting to play with some bigger fish and with the time going on noon things were back in the truck and a run closer to the main channel was in the making.
15fow and a blue/silver #5 Jig N Rap tipped with a minnow had me playing a 28inch Northern in no time 
After a quick pic the chunky little girl was released and the Jig N Rap was dropped back in and pulled a mark immediately 9 feet below the ice. With a twitch then a pause the fight was on with another big girl only to come unbuttoned after a lot of thrashing around 
Just as it started to get darker outside the bottom lit up with life and the walleye bite started to pick up. Nothing fast and furious, 4 just short of 15 inches and some real dinks kept things interesting for a while. About a half hour into dark a nice mark finally jetted up from bottom and put a smack down on the Jig. This 18 inch walleye was a great way to put an ending to the day 
The weather was perfect to be playing outside. Catching a little of everything just to take pictures was way better than a day at work 
Oh well….back to the job tomorrow. Hope the storm misses us!
Good Luck Fishing People 
Can anyone identify this critter that kept me company this morning? He hung onto my transducer until I puller it out and left. He was not a small dude in the bug world by any means
nice report! here is a link to another post about this odd looking bug
giant waterbug
Looks like you had a heck of a nice day for fishin’… there’s nothing like pulling some eyes off the bottom and watching them smack a rap on the Vex
The critter that kept you company is a Giant Water Bug…
Thanks…very cool
Note to self…start reading more
Could be this beetle called ( eastern toe-bitter ) they grow east of the mississippi. Size around 1 3/4 to 2 3/8 pretty big beetle. Second it could be ( giant water bug ) pretty much the same size and characteristics different colors. Another name for these two beetles are ” electric light bug “. I hope this is helpful for you.
Great report Bret, nothing better than catching a nice mixed bag. Those gills are impressive
That looks like the giant water beetle, I get them all the time while scooping bait. They seem to like current and mud. Some of the ones I get are 3-4 inches long, but usually pretty friendly
thanks for a great report Bret!
Looks like you had a great day away from work…….like that wouldn’t be hard to do
Good work!
nice catch.
We fished up and down that pool last weekend with good luck too.
Arn’t going to name the spot, ey?
Nice job Brett, always fun to have a mixed bag.
good report bret!!!!!!!
nice fish and the pike would have been a blast!!!!!
You slacker, and if ya talk back I’ll make ya go sit in the truck
Are you sure you were in Wisconsin,cuz that looks like a Tijuana bed bug
Great that you got some time to go out and have yourself a good outing.
Mixed bag is right,good quality fish and report Bret
Great report Bret! River ice is still not safe here…
Luke you’ll be jumping for joy pretty soon down there, at least if you are getting the same snap we are. Its supposed to be -17 on Sunday night!
Great report Bret!
Bugs and fish beats work everytime.Nice sunnies!
Great report buddy.
And here I was slavin’ away at work 
Sounds like a great day in my mind!!!
Glad to hear you had some good luck!!
Ted
That things crazy looking!
Would like to get down that way sometime. Without the bug!!!
Nice report Bret!
Several different species plus a dandy insect, sounds like a great day on the ice!
Boog
Great report! Sounds like a fun day on the ice!
Nice monster sunnies. theres nothing better than seeing that the fish you pull out of a small hole are almost if not bigger than it!!!!!
