turtlshell
PMA Member
As always when the family fishing trip to Lake of the Woods comes up each fall I wonder if my time would be better spent in a treestand. We never have a problem finding fish, they're everywhere...but I want trophy fish, not just a bunch of eaters.
The slot limit is 19.5-28inches and we always catch a bunch of fish in the 17.5-19 inch range...which is great but I want fish over 25 inches.
This year started off rough as we left my place at 4am on 10/25...and finally arrived at Baudette around dusk. We weren't setting any land speed records as a few of the guys are nearing 60 and need more frequent bathroom breaks. I told them if they didn't drink so much damn coffee we could make better time...half joking/half serious. The traveling portion of the trip is always the worst part.
Sunday was a big wind storm, with gusts well above 50mph. We didn't even unload our boats. Being captive all day in the cabin, I decided to drink away the day. Monday was a nice day and the weather from Monday on out was almost perfect. I had two bites on Monday and missed them both. I set my pole down to pee, and while my idle jig rested on the bottom a large sturgeon decided to make him/her self a meal of my dead emerald shiner. 35 minutes later I pulled in the only fish to be boated in our boat that day. 59inches long and 52.3 pounds...by far the largest fish I've ever caught on rod and reel.
Tuesday the maylay started. My dad and I hit our favorite spot and it was on. We knocked the crap out of the fish and they just kept coming. we had non-stop action from 9am-noon. I finally caught a 24 inch walleye (besting my Iowa record of 23.5) when my dad and I doubled on two awesome fish. Dad's was 28 inches and went just over 8 and a half pounds. It was fat. He wouldn't listen to my directions so his pictures didn't do the fish its deserved justice, but both fish were released unharmed.
Wednesday morning was another good morning number wise, but the large fish weren't there so for the afternoon we made a wholesale change and went up river a couple miles. It paid off huge as we got into a mess of "slot" fish.
I ended the day by besting my previous days record with a 26.5 inch walleye that went just shy of 7lbs (6lb 12oz).
After tuesday and wednesday I had satisfied my fishing needs and started thinking about the Iowa Whitetail action I was missing out on. We caught plenty of fish thursday and Friday, but none over 25 and I had pretty much lost interest.
I was going to head east to hunt, but I adjusted my time off for this friday and all of next week. If I can kill a big buck this will go down as the best fall ever for me. Enjoy the picts.
The slot limit is 19.5-28inches and we always catch a bunch of fish in the 17.5-19 inch range...which is great but I want fish over 25 inches.
This year started off rough as we left my place at 4am on 10/25...and finally arrived at Baudette around dusk. We weren't setting any land speed records as a few of the guys are nearing 60 and need more frequent bathroom breaks. I told them if they didn't drink so much damn coffee we could make better time...half joking/half serious. The traveling portion of the trip is always the worst part.
Sunday was a big wind storm, with gusts well above 50mph. We didn't even unload our boats. Being captive all day in the cabin, I decided to drink away the day. Monday was a nice day and the weather from Monday on out was almost perfect. I had two bites on Monday and missed them both. I set my pole down to pee, and while my idle jig rested on the bottom a large sturgeon decided to make him/her self a meal of my dead emerald shiner. 35 minutes later I pulled in the only fish to be boated in our boat that day. 59inches long and 52.3 pounds...by far the largest fish I've ever caught on rod and reel.
Tuesday the maylay started. My dad and I hit our favorite spot and it was on. We knocked the crap out of the fish and they just kept coming. we had non-stop action from 9am-noon. I finally caught a 24 inch walleye (besting my Iowa record of 23.5) when my dad and I doubled on two awesome fish. Dad's was 28 inches and went just over 8 and a half pounds. It was fat. He wouldn't listen to my directions so his pictures didn't do the fish its deserved justice, but both fish were released unharmed.
Wednesday morning was another good morning number wise, but the large fish weren't there so for the afternoon we made a wholesale change and went up river a couple miles. It paid off huge as we got into a mess of "slot" fish.
I ended the day by besting my previous days record with a 26.5 inch walleye that went just shy of 7lbs (6lb 12oz).
After tuesday and wednesday I had satisfied my fishing needs and started thinking about the Iowa Whitetail action I was missing out on. We caught plenty of fish thursday and Friday, but none over 25 and I had pretty much lost interest.
I was going to head east to hunt, but I adjusted my time off for this friday and all of next week. If I can kill a big buck this will go down as the best fall ever for me. Enjoy the picts.
