In the past week “Borderland” has received July heat in the month of May. The unseasonable warm up has the Rainy Trophies on the move. Yesterday I was shooting a surface temperature of 72 degrees in 5-10 feet of water. Fishing guides are similiar to farmers in that we always like to tweek the weather just a bit to tilt the field in our favor. As of late we’ve had low 80’s and dead calm water. I’ve GENTLY sent a few PM’s to Mother Nature for a MODERATE wind to help concentrate the bigger walleyes on certain structures. We’ve had great success working isolated rocks in transition zones pitching Ringworms with a 1/8 oz H20 jigs or stickbaits for chubby females!! I’ll often start customers working one techinique while I experiment with another. Utilizing a couple completely different presentations allows you to pull fish with different mood sets while reading the fish for the day.
This time of year anglers will often need different spots for shorelunch fish vs. Picture fish. Combination trips tend to revolve around pulling pigs and then boxing 12-16’s for the fry pan. In a couple weeks if our water continues to warm the large females will reunite with the smaller males. With the warmer water we’ve had success on a fathead laced on a 3/16 H20 Orange/Chart Tiger patterned Jig. Slight lift and drags are putting great eaters in the boat heading to a “HOT OIL BATH”. Leave the aggressive snap jigging at home this time of year unless your on a sandwich break. Catching limits of eaters has been commonplace as of late, but methodical working has been critical. Many customers seem to enjoy the change of pace from working a vertical jigging presentation to the aggressive minnow bait casting in transition zones targeting large pike and walleyes!!
Smallmouth bass are getting a bit fiesty also, and the Brownfish fans had better cancel all plans. We’ve hooked up some freak bass as of late with Drag screaming power. Getting yourself positioned on the nests is key to anglers success this time of year. Various methods will trigger attacks. Surface baits have recently popped some big fish while stickbaits and plastics have boated the largest quantity of Tankers for us thus far.
Rainy Lake continues to amaze me with her beauty. Little question I enjoy the greatest office space in the world. Moving into the WX2100 from Skeeter has been a blessing to my back. This boat flat out leads the industry in this class of big water walleye boats. I now have the best “Office” with the greatest view!! Most everyone in Borderland welcomes the anxious fisherman looking to pull out some Rainy Lake Gold. The Walleyes are on the brink of a major breakout with this warm water influx. It is so nice to see the Rainy Lake Houseboats leaving the docks with happy fisherman while both Thunderbird lodge and Sha-Sha resort are providing great land based lodging on the lake. See you on the water team!! We’ll be the boat with the net out!!
Forecasts are calling for temps in the 90s next week down here in the metro. You’ll be reef fishing in no time!
PS – So many species, so little time. Chris only has so much time to write reports so I’ll throw this out there. If you’re a fan of crappies those big Black Bay crappies were biting earlier in the week in the evenings. I would imagine they’ll be done with their spawn shortly given how warm the temps have been but they’re back in there NOW and they’re big. Little rock humps in 2’ of water seemed to have the most active fish.
Nice fish
Great pic too, that’s one of those shots that you see in your head but somehow never get. I think I saw the new ride out in front of the house the other day. new color this year, is it bigger or the same rig as last year?
Great Report Chris, keep it up, Congrats,
James awesome Crappie,
Jack
Great Report Chris
Nice Fish
That’s a 2000T that I’ve been playing around in for the last couple weeks. I have a 2011 WX2100 on order that should arrive some time in July. Until then I’m hopping around a little getting to know the various Skeeter models a little better.
That was a nice boat in a tiller model. Very sharp looking!!
What HP was that boat rated for??
115 this year. I think they plan to bump it back out to 150 in the near future.
Great report once again Chris! Truly awesome fish!
Nice fish Chris, esp. that pair of smallies. The eyes/crappies get some press, but I’ve heard the smallmouth fishing is nothing short of fantastic. Always good to have them as a “backup” plan if you can say that, when other species aren’t cooperating!
Joel
We are fortunate enough to have world class smallmouth waters. When a lot of big fish are roaming shallow rocks anglers often will be pulling Eyes, Pike and Smallies off the same rockpile. Crappies don’t tend to play as well with others!! I guess that is because the pike will EAT THEM!! LOL!!