Our hot lead core trolling bite is finally starting to cool down a bit. I was out from Wednesday (5-20-09) thru Sunday (5-24-09) last week and the bite went from an average of 20-plus decent size walleyes & saugers per day down to a dozen small to average size fish with an occasional good one in the mix.
Ron Nelson holds up a 28″ walleye. It was his personal best but he still released it after this photo.
We had been catching them on everything from stick baits like F-11’s, F13’s, Rapala Husky, Husky Jerks & Smithwick Rougues to crank baits, especially everything in the shad rap line up. Jointed in all sizes, deep diving in all sizes, suspending in all sizes. If something wasn’t working we took it off and put on a different bait or color and in no time at all we were catching fish again.
Thats changed! Even the baits that do still work are catching far fewer and much smaller walleyes & saugers than a few days ago.
Dave Brown shows off a 23″ monster sauger just prior to release.
Basically, it looks like the lead core trolling pattern which has paid off so well for us over the past month is finally coming to an end.
We knew it wasn’t going to last forever. Quike frankly, it lasted far longer than most of us ever thought it was going to.
Dave Brown caught & released this 35″ pike.
So this week coming up is going to be very interesting. I’m a little bit nervous as to which technique will end up producing for us next.
It might be dragging jigs tipped with crawlers or slow trolling crawler rigs & harnessess behind bottom bouncers.
We might have to put out flat lines and bang bottom with our lures along break lines.
All three of the techniques I just mentioned have produce pretty well for me in the past around this time of the year.
Hopefully, one of them will do so again this year.
A character know only as “Uncle Baldy” shows off a 24″ walleye.
1st picture – Kevin Lohmeir, 23.5 inches
2nd picture – Pat Doyle gets help from his dad (Sean) with his 32″ northern pike.
3rd picture – Art Green holds up his 32″ crank bait kitty cat before releasing it.
4th picture – Pat Doyle shows off his big white crappie caught on a crank bait.
5th picture – Jay Hall with a 32″ muskie just prior to release.
6th picture – Joel Hall holds up a 20″ plus walleye.
7th picture – Dave Brown with another 20″ plus walleye.
8th picture – Snickers the cat tackles a giant white tail buck….. hey, how did that get in there!
Nice fish Joel and excelllent report.
I’m looking forward to seeing what puts fish in the boat this week for ya. Man that would be one dead kitty if he was on one of my deer mounts like that.
Wow many species of big fish to boot!
Great Job! You have been getting in some seriously great fishing action the last month or so, Keep it up!
Also, where can I get a cat to blind fold the deer for me??? I might make stuff easier this fall if they can’t see me coming
Its an old mount that isn’t in very good shape anymore and
thats why its in the back room of the basement.
5/23 Decided to try our luck on beautiful Lake Wisconsin trolling for some Walleye. We’re still very new to the sport but we’ve been having some good luck on Lake Kegonsa in Stoughton, Wi. My brother and I along with our girlfriends were hoping for tight lines and full coolers with eyes but it didn’t work out the way we had planned. Within ten minutes before we could get all lines out we hooked a 50″ 28# Muskie on 20# test with no leader. My girlfriend was the lucky one who caught that trophy Muskie but it was a four man job to get it in the boat. It also broke our net and almost broke the pole. We did manage to catch one Walleye (a 4 incher) and a couple of crappie later in the day. We’ll try again with bottom bouncers soon! Keep up the great reports Joel!
Nice work Mad Taxsea crew! You guys are beginners?? What IS the Lake Wisconsin muskie RECORD anyway? Anyone know?
Hey Mad Taxea, that is an awesome muskie!
Thanks for sharing a picture with us and tell your girlfriend congratulations on a great catch.
Boog
Uncle Baldy… aka Baldwin Clasen
MadTaxsea: great fish and great photo. Stick with it and maybe next time you’ll get some eyes.
Grey Beard
Thanks Grey Beard. If I learned a single thing from you, I should be just fine:). I have to redeem myself and the bad netting I did last time out with you. I’ll call you sometime to talk fishing. BTW I hope you don’t mind me using your slogan? I forgot to mention the Muskie was on a planer board. Capt. Dad Pete