I can’t think of a better way to bring in the new year than fishing with a couple of good friends. Last year, on this very same day, January 1st 2003 Rob Stevens, Jarrad Fluekiger and I hooked up for a day of walleye fishing on the big river and with all the fun we had kicking this last year off we decided to do it again for the second year in a row. Kicking off 2003 with those two was fun but bringing in 2004 was a blast. I’m looking forward to the 2005 trip as I write.
I’ve only had the chance to hit the river a couple of times for real short outings in the last 2 weeks with good results on numbers of walleye in the shallows. If the walleye aren’t on the banks taking my plastic offering the sauger in the 17’ plus depths have been willing to cooperate nicely for me. I won’t go in to great detail on the selection of baits since most all of you that read my reports on a consistent basis are well aware of my arsenal.
2004 was off to a great start for the 3 of us seeing instant action right away in the morning upon hitting the shallows with ringworms and 1/8oz jigs. It wasn’t long and Rob connected with the first big walleye of the day pictured here. The action was not fast and furious but the bite was consistent through out the am hrs until about 12:00 then we headed in to eat some lunch and warm up a bit, it was cold out there at the start of the day. After lunch, we headed back out and pitched our heads off for about 2 ½ hrs with out a walleye to show for our efforts, the sauger fever started to kick in and the deeper stuff was looking pretty good seeing other boats around us catching nice sauger every once in a while but the fever soon passed and we just kept on casting the shallower stuff. Good thing we did because those walleye went on a tear with 2 more big walleye making it to the boat. I am pictured here with my biggest walleye of the year……to date! Remember this report was from the 1st day of the year….LOL!
Jarrad was the “hot stick” in the boat and had big fish honors for the day getting the biggest walleye brought to the boat caught on a firecracker ringworm. Unfortunately, due to some unforeseen technical difficulties with the camera, this walleye never made it on film. My camera batteries went dead and Jarrad didn’t think we needed his since I had mine, just goes to show you should always take two cameras along I guess. Any way, it was a really nice fish and there is a pretty good possibility that Jarrad will get a few more big walleye this year for all of us to see. Our best color for the day was firecracker with oyster shell a close second, chartreuse pepper took some nice eyes as well. At days end we had a grand total of just over 60 legal walleye and a couple of 4lb saugers to show for our first day of the year trip. Most of our walleye were cookie cutter 18” to 20” fish with the exception of the 3 big fish. Looking forward to 2005 guys!
This morning Rob and I headed out and fished for about 3 hours until he had to go home, Rob had another walleye almost identical to the one he has pictured above, but as I mentioned earlier………no batteries for the digital camera. The action this am was a bit slower than the previous day, we had 9 nice eye’s in the 3 hours we were out. At about 12:15 I headed back out by my lonesome to try and jig up some sauger since the wind was blowing making my jig casting tough to accomplish the way it needed to be done. I wasn’t out for even 40 mins and it started to rain like crazy. High 30’s and rain isn’t my idea of a good time so home I went.
Looks to be pretty cold in the next few days, Reefrunner said it best in a post a few weeks ago on a cold day “you gotta be pretty mad at those fish to go out in that kind of weather”!
I’ll see ya on the river……………in February!
Thanks for the report Dustin, one thing I learned the hard way at the 2002 RCL Championship was to always carry an extra set of fresh batteries for the camera
Where to you launch your boat at in the winter. Never been fishing up there in the winter and was thinking about possilby trying it in a couple weeks.
Everts Fishing Resort The landings at Everts are ALWAYS open unless we’re in the middle of a long stretch of super-sub zero weather. Check them out. Ask for Steve Vick if you call.
Awesome day Rob and Dustin. It was defintely a blast. At least we didn’t have to pour the coffee out on the trolling motor this year so we could use it. The only thing is, I wish I had a nickel for every walleye we caught yesterday.
So I could buy Dustin a pair of extra batteries 
I am calling next years spot right now. I get to sit on the motor again. 
I think even Evert’s launches might freeze up for a while this week with the sub-zero temps that are on the way.
You’d have to be a darn dedicated fisherman to fish in those temps anyway.
Gator Hunter
It just might be tough given what we have headed our way. A predicted high of 7 degrees on Tuesday, if I remember right, is pretty darn cold.
Jarrad, you might want to wear your life jacket next year while sitting on that motor………Rob and I won’t be so nice, you might just accidently fall in and that water is darn cold
.
Good times!
GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN DUSTIN, I STUCK IT OUT ON SAT , I WAS NOT HAVEING A GOOD DAY TILL I GOT SOMETHING RIGHT. AFTER THE RAIN I FOUND A GOOD BUNCH OF SAUG., THANKS TO A RINGWORM AND 18′ OF WATER FOR 2 1/2 HRS. IT WAS NUTS ,I HAD 2 18″ SAUG. ON AT A TIME ,I WAS BY MY SELF, THAT WAS A TREAT.I HIT THE CASTING THING FOR ABOUT 1/2 HR.[DID NOT FEEL LIKE GETTIN THE LIGHTS OUT ] BUT GOT 3 EYES B-4 I LEFT. JUST TO COLD FOR ME TO DAY.
Good to see you found a few
. I high tailed my but out of there as fast as I could once it started to rain, didn’t want my rig to get frooze shut for the winter 
. My garage is not heated so once she gets frooze it’s all over with until we get some realy warm weather for a couple of days in a row.
What was your best ringie color on the sauger and eye’s?
YEP, NO HEAT IN MINE ALSO. THE FAN IS TILL RUNINGIN IT RIGHT NOW. I SAW YA GET OUT OF THERE JUST AS IT ALL STARTED, SO DID A LOT OF GUYS .IT GOT SO NICE AFTER IT RAINED, THE WIND WENT DOWN AND MADE IT A LOT NICER.I COULD NOT CATCH A COLD UNTILL I PUT THE DOOS DOWN? GOES TO SHOW THAT GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WONT NOT WHAT YOU WONT
YOU guys are kicking off the New Year right. looks like you are making it a habit, and good habits are hard to break, big Walleye habits that is. hope to try and get down there after this cold spell, IT WILL be cold this week. maybe even down to -8 some nights. keep it warm, Jack.
What a way to bring in the New year guys!
Sounded like a great day on the water.
As I type this reply, its 4 degrees above zero right now.
What a great year 2003 was for fishing. With all those released fish, they will all be waiting for us in 2004!!