Shelbyville Report

Normally I don't start muskie fishing until after the first of Sept., but I got a good feeling about this Fall so I wanted to get going and I was especially excited with this last burst of cool weather. I don't like fishing weekends with boaters and bass fishing tourneys and I remembered why this morning, but it was worth it this Sat. morning. Fished 6-11, hit flooded timber, what flooded willows I could find that had water, and rock. At 9:30 had a fish hit boat side and he went nuts. Set the hook and he came shooting out of the water on to the casting deck of the boat and then back it to the water. But he wasn't done yet. He went deep but then decide to come back and pay my boat another visit, this time he was full speed and hit the side of the boat head first, basically knocking himself cold. Decided to unhook him quickly at boatside and get him going after that battle with no pics. A wild 35" for the start of the Fall. Water temps this morning 76-78F, water clear, to cloudy with clay. Lots of bare banks showing.
I got the muskie but now:)

Oh..........baby its on. Hit the water this evening from 5-8:30. Took along a first timer (bought a muskie rod and everything) to shelbyville. Was going to launch at lithia but some dumbass while trailering his boat for some reason did not have his safety chains on or the trailer itself on the ball right and the whole freaking trailer went for a trip to the bottom of the lake. Needless to say went to 9th street then, and I am sorry if he is reading this report, but that was stupied.
On to the fishing report. First 15 minutes of busting some shoreline and a fish nip the end of my bucktail and left a nice size boil. Thirty yards down, a lazy follow from a mid thirty. Nothing until 7:30 when I put a 37" in the boat.
Water temp 78-79F, water clear to clay stained. If anyone can find fish in the flooded timber let me know, because I can't!!

Well seen more muskie fishermen than fish this morning (one boat). Buddy and i hit it hard from 6-9:30 and only got a 17" largemouth. Weather man was wrong once again, was supposedly going to be mostly cloudy with a E-SE wind at 10, but it was sunny and calm. Fished lots of main lake points, laydowns, and points with flooded timber, and nothing. Water was super clear, but had warmed up since the last outing, up to 78-80F by the time off the water. Roadrunner I need your help. Got skunked and looking for some insight.

give me a call 815 405 6315
Nick N.

Glad to hear that someone is making it out on the water. I've been looking for a chance to get down there, but haven't found the time yet.

Haven't been out muskie fishing lately, but was wondering if anyone else has and or if they have heard of anything going on. Hoping Nick has been out wacking some bass possibly some lunges. We were out on shelbyville today doing some sampling, but not shocking, seen some bass fishermen and crappie fishermen. Water clarity is great. Oh did see roadrunner down on the spillway, do any good roadrunner? Looks like they have dropped the flow?
Mounce put another 6000 10-12in muskie in the other day and he asked for any extras, don't know the final tally.

Is Mike putting in these extra fish to "replenish stocks" after the "fish kill" a couple years ago? Are they officially recognizing it as a fish kill?

Sean,
Every year shelby gets their annual 6000 ten to twelve inchers no matter what. In recent years Jake Wolf has had an over abundance in muskie that Mike has been gracious enough to take extras if available. There was no report of a fish kill on shelbyville. If there was one, one would of thought there would of been bloated white submarines floating on the lake. Not the case. But the spillway yes. Large number of fish, small area, you get the picture, there is cause for a spread of a disease. As soon as fish go through the spillway its not Mikes domain, its the streams biologist.

Thanks for clearing that up. Spillway = over-sized raceway. Over-sized raceway + disease = QUICK transmission between individuals... Hence no surprise in the fish kill down there; (IMO) it was only a matter of time. Is Trent still managing the Kaskaskia? If so, the Kaskaskia is in good hands!

Say "hi" to Vandy for me :)

Finally was able to get out Friday evening after doing some electrofishing on Woods lake by Howies. Fall sampling is in full swing and hard to find time lately to fish. Had a nice fish come shooting out of the water missing my bait and I could never raise him again. Messed around some new water I have never fished before and ended up with a 33in muskie. Felt good to get one in the boat.

Wednesday and Thursday was the fall survey for Shelbyville. Lots of white bass, crappie, bass, and walleye. Ended up with 6 muskies and the netters missed 3 more. Largest was a 41. Four had empty stomachs so there should be some hungry fish out there.

Hit the water from 7:30-1200. Water temp 68-69F. Seen two other boats out muskie fishing, prefishing I assume. Had a fish follow into a figure-eight boatside and he took a swipe at my bait and hit it short. No hooks. Probably the biggest fish I've seen this Fall, 46-48". Oh well got to keep on trying.

Speaking of trying, I'am thinking of going to Kincaid for the first time on Saturday since the tournment is going on this weekend on Shelby. Any information would be helpful. Haven't ventured from Shelby since moving her 3year ago.

WISH