Here I go again! It is the 14th year coming to the lake and 10th straight while keeping track of the results. As I mention every year, I keep a fishing journal where all fish caught from the boat or keeper size fish caught from the resort docks are kept track of. The numerous tiny ones my boys catch from the resort docks are not counted. Here is a summary of the last 10 years.

2000 = 18 walleye, 6 northern, 8 perch, 1 rock bass
2001 = 15 walleye, 12 northern, 11 perch
2002 = 9 walleye, 11 northern, 10 perch, 21 rock bass
2003 = 2 walleye, 53 northern, 6 perch, 2 rock bass
2004 = missed this year when my second son was born
2005 = 0 walleye, 18 northern, 17 perch, 4 rock bass, 1 largemouth
2006 = 1 walleye, 17 northern, 33 perch, 7 rock bass, 1 largemouth
2007 = 12 walleye, 39 northern, 37 perch, 21 rock bass, 3 largemouth, 2 crappie, 1 bullhead, 17 sunfish
2008 = 19 walleye, 38 northern, 3 largemouth, 7 rock bass, 14 sunfish, 13 crappie, 1 perch, 2 bowfin
2009 = 31 walleye, 34 northern, 17 perch, 47 rock bass, 6 largemouth, 7 sunfish, and 15 crappie.


The results show a decline in walleye from 2000 - 2005 with then an increase from 2005 - 2009. The walleye fishing has improved big time. Crappie and largemouth are showing up more now due to me targeting them more. Knowing the lake better and better overall quantities of fish has improved my results dramatically. The wide variety of species is due to targeting many species with a variety of patterns. We tend to fish only during nice weather and during the morning and evening for an average of 7 hours per day for 7 days if there is good weather. Northern, largemouth, and crappie are targeted in the morning and walleye in the evening.

Due to the phenominal reports from other fishermen of walleye success, I plan to jig for walleye a bit more in late morning and mid day hours instead of only fishing for them from 8:00 to 10:00 like most years. I love crappie and will find time for them on at least 2 fishing trips. I will try for largemouth once or twice like most years. I seem to always get a few when I try and they tend to be big and fun to catch. Rock bass are just so easy to catch that it's hard to resist filling up the live well with them on a few occasions. I will fish for northern less but plan to try Boy Bay for them. I have never fished that bay before, but I hear that the average size is larger there. We'll see. I'll be there from the 5th to 12th next week. I'll give a full report when I get back.

Steve K.