"Fishin' with Dick" - 2011 Reports/Tips from Dick Moore

It is almost Opening Day on The Woods and come Saturday we will be chasing walleyes.

The water is high again this year and ice out was about normal. Fish are done spawning and it should be a good opener, weather permitting.
We will concentrate on South and West facing shorelines. The two common methods are jigging with a minnow or dragging spinner rigs. We use 1-1/2 oz. bottom bouncers with a hammered brass or copper blade (# 3 Colorado). We tip it with a minnow and work the shorelines. Try different depths. Last year we got fish quite deep. I would expect to find them this year in shallower water. Move around until you find fish. You can then work them with jigs. We don't stay in one place too long if we don't have action. In the evening we like to cast jigs into sandy bays.

Northerns should be active along weedy areas. Throw spoons or spinnerbaits.

Lake Trout also should be active. If the portage is working.

Crappies as usual will be hit or miss. We keep trying though.

Good luck and be safe.

"Baitmaker"

We had the best fishing opener since we have been coming to Mylies. Didn't even fish opening day due to the weather. Lots of wind again, North and Northeast. The first couple of days. We lost count after 40 plus walleyes on Monday. Smallest 14" up to 25". Later during the week the fish were deeper. We never fished more than 3 hours any day. Bottom Bouncers with spinners (Hammered Brass and Copper) with minnows produced for us. Dragging jigs and minnows worked for others. Ad concentrations of crappies.

Muskie season starts on June 18. We will start with smaller lures near spawning bays. Walleyes should start moving a little deeper. We will stick with our usual bottom bouncing tactics. Don't forget Smallies. You can have a great time fishing for them. Throwing crank baits toward rocky shorelines In the evening is a great method. I like throwing small surface baits. This is an underfished species.

Now a word on Turtle Portage. You can get a boat across if you have enough help and want to work hard. My buddy and I tried to cross twice and gave up. When the trolley is on the Sabaskong side the right hand wheels are off the track and the pin that is supposed to keep the wheels in place will ride on the track. When you get the trolley up to the top the wheels will drop down on the track. The boat will then roll to the Whitefish side. It really is a pain.

Good luck and good fishing.

Dick Moore (Baitmaker).