Flatlander Updates

[Sully]

I know you are busy Frank. Please post when you can. Thanks Sully
(good luck Boys - you too Dick!)

[Mike Kanaval]

Yeah, what Sully said...

[Esox51]

I don't know what to think of this silence emanating from The Bay Store.
Come on Boys, we're dying here for lack of feedback!

Hey Sully, what you talking about - "I know you are busy", those swinging Richards are fishing LOTW, we're the ones back here working!

[Mike Kanaval]

Looks like texting works all the way up in canada from Rockford. I asked Scottie Grabow for a report today & here is how he responded.

3 fish in camp, tough week so far but I got big fish 46.5"

[KScruggs]

Whats goin on up there. Its pretty quiet. We need an update Frank

[musky1969]

Carol & I are leaving Thursday afternoon, and there is no way we are going to have a trip like we did that first week of July last year they are going to start turning on big time!!!!!! By friday ___ they better or we are going to do a lot of bass & walleye fishing hope they are bitting?

Darren

[dpear]

Wish I was there but...
Although tomorrow ought to get interesting with a projected high of 58 degrees and wind.Darren you may be breaking ice and 'resorting' to your trolling tricks.

[dpear]

Well still no word I see.I did hear about another group and,no surprise,its tough going.I did hear though that a biggie or two has been caught.
I also just checked the weather.NOAA still says a high of 56 and windy today.Its turned into a 'Deadliest Catch' episode I'm afraid.A shame but Ma Nature can be brutal.
Just wish my situation was such I could be there and help around the place as planned.Life.
I hope today clicks for all!
Dick

[musky1969]

Leaving in an hour or two, go figure first week of November up there last year we had 68 for a few days now the 50's for the third week of July at least they are calling for better weather sat & sunday. This last week had the crappy weather we had that first week of July last year with all the rain and tornados. D what was the pattern after we left last with all that bad weather? I know you guys started catching fish when we left when the weather got nice.
Darren

[dpear]

Darren,
I honestly can't remember but suspect it started with a warm up.The good news then-and hopefully now-is that once it started it really got going and continued throughout August.
Now I think we need warmer water AND more stable water.Hopefully water levels have stabilized.Drastically dropping water levels are bad.Drop a foot or so in a week=trouble.Combine that with unbelievable cold weather(plummeting water temps)=real trouble.
Its only got one way to go now is the good news.

[dpear]

Also,almost forgot a near week long m fly hatch that gorged the entire food chain most likely=real serious trouble.

[Ed Spoerl]

Too funny Dick....I have some buds up this week and one of them made the remark that he thought they were looking for crab pots on the lake. I took the day and went to town for a hair cut and some shopping, when I drove back into the inlet and looked at white caps on top of white caps, I felt sorry for anyone that planned a trip this week. Couple big fish in camp this week so not hopeless anyway. A few warm days and it could be fun!

Ed

[1morecast]

On the bright side, no sunscreen is needed as the UV index is only at 1 out of 16. I have a friend up at Bay Store this week and I can only imagine what's going through his mind. I just hope his group comes across a few nice one's to salvage the week. It will be tough for anyone up there to leave on Saturday as the weather clears. I guess it's all part of musky fishing?

[jimmyb]

Geezz Dick, the only thing you forgot was the bloom and the turn over. Oh well it should all be cleared up by the time I get there on the 6th. See you guy's then.

[sling blade]

Any updates? I like to see pictures posted of the Flatlander Musky Board when they are up there.
Any 50's this week?

[Figure8Phil]

Heard from Jerry O. today with an update....The word "BRUTAL" seems to pop-up in everyones description. "RAIN!!"...."WINDY!!"...."COLD!!"
The Guys are up to *15* fish so far, so glad to see they're making it happen in such "BRUTAL" conditions!
Scotts 46 1/2" is still big dog in camp!
Chris R....44" & 42".
Richard E....41".
Stu A....43" - 39" & 38 1/4".
Jerry O....39" - 38 1/2" - 37" & 35".
Ted U....37".
Steve R....33".
Not sure who has the other 2 fish, or what size they are? We'll see who can pull a Musky out of their _ _ _ (hat) when all is said & done after VERY TOUGH weather conditions.
Keep after'em guys!!
OUT TO LUNGE!

[dpear]

Thanks for the update Phil.'Brutal' may not be adequate.Here's what NOAA says as of 5:40PM JULY(can you imagine???)16th.

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick...x=292&map.y=10

I could see this on October 16th but July? 54 with winds to 35mph?

[musky1969]

Just got up to Warroad and the rain was sideways and it said 52 out and as Dick said for July 16th ouch. At least the weather is looking god for this up coming week. Thank good because Carol is upset that for some reason in the last 3 years there have been 6 50" or better in our boat and none have been hers so she said she is do.
Darren

[Sully]

Wow-sorry to hear about the weather guys. Hang in there and good luck tomorrow. Carol sounds like you are due...go gettem! Thanks for the update Phil.

Sully

[Sully]

Whodathunk of packing their long handles....mid 40's tonight-burrr.

[Sully]

What a year to decide to make two trips Hareball....at least you know you will be back up in a couple weeks in better weather.

[Muskie Junkie]

Well we are all back home and it appears everyone is safe and sound. I first want to say thanks to Laura and Frank for a wonderful stay again at Baystore Camp. You folks ROCK !!! I regret not having a laptop to post updates but will look into getting something for next year. Well, what can be said about the weather that was not already mentioned. Tuesday brought 25 MPH winds out of the east and then Wednesday/Thursday 25 MPH winds out of the northwest. Then with temperatures for highs in the mid 50's to low 60's. We were wearing everything we had with rain gear just to keep warm. Did I mention the rain also? DP mentioned the mayfly hatch and the dropping water levels as other things to make fishing interesting. We could not find fish in there normal early July locations. So with the guidance of Frank and some input from DP, we started looking for fish in other locations. Well, after it was all said and done, we managed to catch 29 Lunge from 31.5 to 46.5. We had (13) fish 40 inches or bigger. Jerry O. caught the most with (9), (4) of them in one hour on the last night while Scottie "The almost seen quivering lip" got the biggest of 46.5 on Gene Seuring's Nuclear Muskrat.

Below are the stats per team:

Scott Grabow - 46.5, 37
Steve Ruhmann - 34.5, 41.5

Tim Scruggs - 40, 43
Richie Estes - 41

Ted Ustich - 37
Gene Seuring - 41

Stu Adrian - 38, 43, 39,
Jerry Oestreich - 35, 38, 39.5, 37, 40, 37, 40.5, 38, 43.5

Jack Pertz - 43, 38
Wally Haas -

Derek Ward - 39
Chris Riebe - 42, 44, 40.5, 41

Harvey Gustafson - 31.5
Dean Stoehr -

We all learned a new pattern when fish move off the structure so this was a good learning experience. And the good thing is we will be going back again next year.

Steve Ruhmann

[Ed Spoerl]

Sorry I was not able to make it over and say hello but with the bad weather I stayed away.

If it makes you feel any better the mid 70's they were calling for all week are now going to be 60's.

Ed

[Sully]

Great job everyone. Way to hang in there in those conditions.

Sully

[Frank Walsh]

Stevie.......

Sleeping until 10:00, fishing for an hour, then drinking beer the rest of the day does not constitute a pattern.

[dpear]

Great job guys.Steve's 'pattern' won't help him much next trip anyways.He'll spend 2 days getting his boat back in the water after the storm.The good thing?It will be cozy since one of the ice fishing houses is now sitting in it.

Tim,been to McDonalds twice.Not a bite-no hamburger,fries,anything.I'm the one that got bit-in the ass.Plenty of company though,last nite close enough to chat with.Some are Rockford guys-chatted with Duane Nichols there last nite.

The really good news?Had a great morning in the wind.On topwater to boot.How sweet it is.Especially since at 5 AM i alone owned the lake.

[Lumberjack]

Hey it was nice to meet all of the flatlanders and Frank and Laura. This was my first year at baystore and second on lake of the woods. After the wild weather last year too, I am starting to think that 62 degree water temperature is "normal" for mid July on Lake of the Woods.

We caught fish throughout the week, in random places and a lot of the fish we saw we got to bite. Most of our fish came boatside, and all came in short feeding windows. When we saw one fish, we were ready for another as we would often see two or three fish before it died back down. This meant many long hours of casting and seeing nothing too, just waiting for that 5 minute window of activity.

We caught our fish on twitch baits and bucktails, with many coming off of our homemade double ten bucktails. 44, 43,42, 40.5 were the biggest of our ten fish for the week in our boat. The three of us all had another shot at mid 40 inch fish some time in the week, and we did see one giant, but it wouldn't take.

Bonus Northern were also the norm all week, with a 41 and 38 incher, and multiple mid-30 inch fish boated throughout the week.

All in all, baystore is the real deal, an extremely clean fishing camp with some of the nicest hosts you could ask for. Hope the weather stabilizes for you guys as I know it will.

Thanks,

TJ Sportsman

[Frank Walsh]

Thanks for the update. You guys are a great fit here. Great fishermen, that can put up with my crap, and poor attitude.

[dpear]

Amen on 'the fit'.Actually,amen on the 'crap' and 'attitude' as well.

[Lumberjack]

We missed out on meeting you DP, hopefully if we are fotunate enough to make it up in future years we can have a chat with you. As Frank and some of the other guys found out I love talking to experienced fisherman and picking their brains, there is so much you can learn in just a week of musky fishing if you keep your ears and eyes open.

We are still just trying to figure out what Frank knows that keeps him in such a jolly mood all of the time. Whatever secret he has figured out about life I wish he would tell me because there is a man who enjoys his situation.

Seriously, it was a very rewarding trip, hope some big fish start cooperating for you guys up there.

TJ Sportsman