Sore forearms, screaming drag, and giant smallmouth is what comes to mind when I think about Chequamegon Bay. Although the ““bay”” has world class Northern Pike, Perch, Salmon, Trout, and Walleye fishing, I and many other bass fishermen make the trip to chase the monster smallies that also call the “bay” home.
I made my first trip last year with IDO staffer Jack Naylor, who was nice enough to introduce me to Chequamegon Bay. On this year’s trip I wanted to share this experience with someone who gave me my passion for the outdoors, my father. My father and I have shared some fantastic fishing trips throughout the years; Lake Tobin for walleyes, White River for trout, Florida for largemouth, just to name a few. I was hoping that this trip would cause create as many memories as those other trips did.
I had a good idea after last year’s trip that the smallies would be pre-spawn again, so I knew what to pack in the boat. Jerk baits, spinnerbaits, in-line spinnerbaits and crankbaits all will work for the reaction bite and Senko’s, tubes and creature baits will work for finesse presentations.
My first thought was to motor around the shallows looking for cruising fish and maybe, just maybe, find a few that have started guarding a freshly fanned bed. It did not take much time before I spotted my first cruiser, a thick 18 incher. I grabbed my Senko rod and fired off a quick cast leading the smallmouth by a few feet. The bait landed softly and slowly started to sink. The smallie reacted exactly how I pictured it would: a swift burst of speed, followed by a brief pause before flaring her gills as she sucked in the plastic worm. I set the hook and the fight was ON. The one thing that I love the most about fishing for smallmouth is their attitude after getting hooked. They never quit. Scrappy style smallies are known for this — it’s often the reason they are called, pound for pound, the best fighters in fresh water. That little bass sure thought she was a monster of the deep with the fight she had inside her. My father, John, was in awe of the way she fought as well as the thickness of its her body. A quick photo and she was back swimming in the “Bay”. I spotted a bunch more smallies cruising and it was a race between father and son as to who could get the next fish in the boat. I lost. Struggling with the 5 pound smallmouth, the words coming out of my dad’s mouth were something like “Holy $@#% these things can fight!”.
We caught most of those fish that I had seen, so we searched the areas known as the Sand cuts and Oak point searching for other smallmouth. We managed to catch fish all day long, fishing each area slowly. The late spring that we have had caused lower water temperatures than I had hoped for and it sure slowed the pre-spawn bite. We managed to catch some nice fish, just not the numbers or size that I was hoping for. The smallmouth bite should turn into a frenzy as the water warms and the bass finish spawning.
I would like to thank my dad for joining me on another great memory making trip.
Until next time,
Ron Bukovich
A few more Chequamegon Bay Smallmouth
Ron,
Nice trip Report.
I think It’s Great that you could get your Dad up to the Bay…
Congrats
Looked like a great trip.Nice report Ron!
Congrats Ron on a greeat trip and even better report
Glad you could share that trip with your ol’ man. I know how special those trips are to you.
slider,
just the report i’ve been waiting for, heading to the “bay” the weekend of the 14th. what kind of water temps did you see?
Good times with the old man, memories that will last the rest of your lives. Congrats on a what looks like a great trip
Slack,
Ron’s report mentions 59 degrees.
Jack.
Great report and pics!
And when are we going fishing? I’ve already caught 2 smallies over 19″ this year (by accident of course) on a lake I might have a cabin on…
oops,
i see it now jack but it’s sliders fault, if he wouldn’t have put up pictures i would have payed attention to what i was reading
great report and pics
Slider, I was hoping to see a fly rod pictured. I hope you didn’t make your dad leave it at home.
Temp were around 60, I did see 53 in a morning and 62 for a brief moment one afternoon. Sorry about the pics Slack BUT the IDO management makes me post them with a report
When you have a day off during the week
You might want to PM me about this so-called new cabins location
No, he brought them and used them a lot just never got bite on it. I sure was hoping that he would get hooked up on a sumo smallie using his fly rod.
I was hoping he would slap you in the back of the head again. Man do I like your dad.
Thems some nice fishes!
Great read and Pics Ron
I was able to spend the last few days sharing the boat with my Dad while here visiting from Florida. We had a blast also. Now that I’m older and can handle my own knots and taggles. I think dad is able to enjoy the fishing part more now
I thank him every time we get out for peaking my interest in the great outdoors
Ron,
Sounds like you had a great time. It’s always great to get out with Dad and to have an awesome experience like it sounds you had is the source of alot of great memories. After having fished with you on Mille Lacs last summer I would not have expected anything less.
Nice report Ron and congrats on a succesful trip!
Going to be in Park falls starting the 14th for a week with my parents , can anyone tell me how far my dad and I would be looking at to get up to the bay and any insight on boat ramps or where to put in ? I would love to get in a day on the bay with my dad and slam some of those sumo smallies ! Thank you in advance for any help !
Thanks !
Looks like a blast great post and some awesome fish pics.
I will find out some of that info for you and send you a PM.
Ron
spinrb81,
it would be maybe a little over an hour to ashland and theres a park just east of ashland (county park i think) that has a lounch and i know there are other lounches around there also but thats the one i’ve used.
Nice report, Ron! Looks like a blast!