Chigger Report 2010

[Sid Chigger]

We headed out of Nash at 0600 day before yesterday.. The first 750mi were lovely... The last 30mi were anything but! That line of storms was like nothing I ever saw.. White knuckles, wipers going as fast as they could and traffic (that didn't just pull over) was scootin along at all of 35mph.. Was all I Got in to Wausau ok though but pretty beat, so grabbed some fast food and crashed.. Up and going at 7a yesterday..Got to the WEL about 845, our unit was ready - as a matter of fact, good ol Derek followed us to 101 from the office.. As we were unloading, in walks Pete (Stix Chigger) with our rods and reels.. Pretty sweet baitcasters, I must say.. By 11am we had the SS Chigger (great pontoon) set up and we were on the water.. Bouncin off the waves.. Twas WINDY yesterday.. We cruised around til 130p, came in scarfed down a PBJ sammie and back out - this time with Muskie Matt and the Muskie Nazi Fishing School commenced.. After 3 hours of learning the basics (and not seeing anything fish wise) we headed to Boondockers for dinner.. I will say that Big Daddy has far better control of his thumb than I do.. I spent more pickin backlashes than fishing - but I'll get it.. After dinner BD and I did the sundown show and some topwater fishing til we came in a little after 10p..

So runs our 1st days account of ER 2010..

I am proud to announce Matt (with some help from Bob the bartender) has written a song that you may soon here on the radio (rfrg) - Stay Tuned!!

Also - Matt is now a Chigger - He shall now be known as Gizmo Chigger as this man has every gizmo ever made I think!! LOL

[Jeremy Hopland]

Great report Sid! I'm glad to hear you guys are having fun. Hang in there with the ol' baitcaster, you'll get better in a hurry. Me thinks ol'' Fred is quaking in his boots.

[Sid Chigger]

12n.. Skunked so far.. Bluebird skies and 20+mph wind..

Headed to Trigs for supplies.. Then maybe a nap then some late afternoon/eve fishing..

[Mark Benson]

Sid:

Good stuff on the fishing updates!!! I managed to get out on Lake Tomahawk looking for my new Fred. Interesting that the water temp was 73*-74*, but with the recent rains perhaps that is reasonable. Managed one LGM Bass on a October 14" tube and think the bass was only 16-17" long and that may be giving it more credit than it deserves... Also got hit again after that, thought nothing of it after setting the hook and missing. But get the tube in the boat and just before I put it away, noticed some scuff marks on the tube, then while inspecting it noticed some slash marks in the upper portion of the tube, oops... so my hookset really did miss something.

Got honey do list things to take care of tonight, then hopefully back out on Tom for some more toothy chasing. Hoping to get over for the show on Sunday night after bartending at Fibbers, going to try to get the wife over for a sandwich to meet you all including Ocifer Kevin.

Mark

[Sid Chigger]

Tubes, eh, Mark? I got some of those!! I'll try 'em this eve.. Gonna fish Yellowbirch/Watersmeet this eve I think..

See ya Sunday before the show Mark!

Trigs Food = $167
Trigs Beer/Near Beer = $189
All the Flatland "Cougars" in the store = Priceless...

[Eagle 1]

Hi guys, great reports!! Try and tighten the spool brake alittle to help on the backlashes. Good Luck. Brad

[Sid Chigger]

Winds laid down now and a front's coming through tomorrow night.. Still skunked but that's ok.. Matt had a guide job yesterday afternoon where the lady got two musky.. Matt, BD & I enjoyed a nice sundown and got back here around 10p and did an hours worth of pickin then hit the sack..

I'm getting some crappie minnows and headed to my honey hole - I can't stand being skunked..

[Sid Chigger]

Unskunked! YAY!!

We got into some panfish - what a ball.. No keepin sizes but a few were "close".. Crappie, perch and rock bass..

[Mark Benson]

Get something to eat and get after them muskies before this storm comes through!!!

Mark

[dug1]

Yup tighten that brake abit,and avoid whippin it into the winfd.At least til yah get the hang fo it.maybe try some leaches for the pannies. see yah friday, enjoy bud!!

[Sid Chigger]

Rain delay at the moment but it looks like it'll be out of here in an hour or so..

Yep, getting a better handle on the baitcasters.. Still not got the feel for my thumb quite yet but getting there..

Mark & Kevin - See ya this evening... Doug - See you Friday!!

[Sid Chigger]

Mark - We missed ya!

Technical Difficulties prevented the show from going on last night as ya may well know.. Undauted, we all set out on the S.S. Chigger for some evening fishing.. Here we Chiggers were with 3 and a half fishing guides on the boat - I KNEW we'd catch some fish.. Matt, Mat, Pete and Pre Captian Occifer Kevin could put some fishies in the boat, surely.. Right?? Wrongola.. A few nibbles and one muskie rolled up on the surface next to the boat - wasn't following a lure though, just checking us out.. That was it.. We then came back to the lodge and picked and grinned til 1130 ish.. Twas fun boys!!!

[Mark Benson]

Sid:

I should have called... As it turned out, I decided to go fishing for Fred on Tomahawk and Fred is still missing. I decided to fish one of the inlet areas of the lake thinking with all the rain, maybe some extra current might move the fish into the area. Checked the shoreline out with the self-tied Cowgirl, then turned around and fished it deep with some plastic. No go on either route. Off to a proven spot, then another proven spot, then another untested spot. No fish seen, but a nice T-storm providing a little light show to the north. Fished until 11:15 and called it quits. My wife was on facebook and texted me that the show did not go on.

I was thinking about trailering my boat over, then seeing the show, but am having running light problems with the trailer so stayed close to home. Hoping to get a handle on that problem before weeks end and hopefully can do both next week sometime before you all head out. Got bartending duty at Fibber's the next three nights, then Rollie and Helen's Thursday, we'll see what happens with family in town next weekend.

I know you are here for two weeks, when you head out again???

Oh yea Tomahawk is running 73*-75* depending on main lake or bays...

Mark

[Jeremy Hopland]

Here we Chiggers were with 3 and a half fishing guides on the boat - Matt, Mat, Pete and Pre Captian Occifer Kevin...

Boy, I hope you had your hip-high rubber boots on with that motley crew on board. I bet it was getting pretty deep!!!

[Sid Chigger]

Mark - ya might not have caught any but ya had fun, eh?? That's what it's all about.. We're headed south on Tues - week from tomorrow.. Hopefully we'll hook up on the water..

Did with Occifer Kev this morn.. He got a 28" musky off the northwest shore of Eagle!! Congrats Buddy!!

I got a nice 1.5-2lb largemouth on a fly rod in the channel between Eagle & Otter.. What a show that fish put on!! Tail danced twice!!

Jeremy, You shoulda seen 'em tryin to be the first one to catch a fish - and all of us were skunked LOLOL.. Beautiful moon last night, too..

[dug1]

Sid,
I'll be in Links #5 rm 232.
alll those pro's in the boat and... bupkiss!!! bet it was fun thou.
see ya.

[Sid Chigger]

See ya Friday morn, Doug!!

Kevin - you get home ok?? Great to meet ya buddy!!

[dug1]

sid ,
what "units" are you in? I know its 101 but....

[Sid Chigger]

I dunno from units Doug.. The thing on the door says C101.. It's the "Canvasback" building or parking lot.. If you're on Duck Lake facing the lodge we're in the left most building - mostly hidden by the trees, ground floor outside or end condo.. As far away from the beach as you can get and still be on the property.. You're in 236 or something?? You'll be upstairs and on the Lynx Lake side of the property..

Have a safe ride up tonight and we'll see ya tomorrow morn.. :-)

Big Fish bite has continued to be s l o w.. Not heard of any being taken since Monday.. Panfishing has been slow as well.. Catch one good crappie out of a honey hole then nothing else.. Move to the next one, get a perch or bluegill then nothing.. Hopefully this front coming through today will turn the bite back on..

[dug1]

got it!!! 3 hours to lift off. see ya tomorrow morn.

[Pete Stoltman]

Here are a couple photos from Sunday evening. Missed the BBQ tonight due to a last minute babysitting gig. Timing stinks but the pay is priceless hugs and fun with the kiddies.

[Sid Chigger]

Missed ya Stix! Had a good one yesterday.. Weather got spitty rainy mid afternoon but that was alright as we were back at the lodge cookin... Still a slow bite.. I got a pretty nice Northern in the channel below the old Heckels.. Bout to hit my first official Friday Fish Fry @ the Honey Bear with Dug1, Matt, Big Daddy & Dylan Chigger.. Then to Eagle for sundown fishin.. :-)

[Sid Chigger]

So...

There we were, coming from Cranberry through the channel to Catfish.. Had just entered the channel.. Fishing the right side tossing spinners at downed trees and brush... Using my trusty Zebco 909 on a shakespear 2 piece rod..

Flip it in, reel it back kinda fast - so I can see it in the water.. We're maybe 15 feet from the bank..

Flipped it into a downed tree in the water... It's half way back to the boat..

All three of us are watching it..

WHAM! FISH ON!!

It's FRED!!!

And..

That danged ol musky BROKE MY FRIGGIN POLE!!

If I'm lyin I'm dyin!

As I got him to the boat, Dylan Chigger was ready with the net in the water...

Then...

Fred saw the boat and EXPLODED..

So did my rod unfortunately.. Right at the fiberglass/metal joint on the end piece..Broke my line too..

And to top it off he gave us a spash with his tail as he swam off with my spinner..

The Bastage..

[Jeremy Hopland]

Sid, Sid, Sid...

You're killing me! I know I saw in an earlier post that you'd gotten yourself equipped with the proper gear but now you're telling me you went back to what I'm sure you consider your "comfortable" gear. Shame on you!

You'd better get back out there in the morning with your "proper" gear and see if you can get your lure back. They're getting WAY to expensive to donate to the fishies...

Seriously though, I feel for you. That's going to be the fish that haunts your nightmares for the next year. You better practice with that baitcaster for the next 11 & 1/2 months so you're ready to do battle next year.

[Sid Chigger]

Butt.. butt... butt...

We were in the river channel flippin little spinners at brush from as far away as maybe 15' from the bank.. Fishing for bass more than anything else.. I tried the baitcaster - ever tried flippin an 8' rod? I looked like a complete 'tard doing it.. Hooked the boat once and Big Daddy twice.. LOLOL..

That all said - it's time to upgrade and modernize the smaller fish tackle.. Will do that before I'm back up here for sure... In the mean time I AM going back down there this morn.. :-)

I am - now - pretty comfy with the baitcaster.. Can't sling it as far as some of you guys, but I can get it out there farther than Big Daddy can and in our boat that's all that matters, right? Hahaha..

Doug - Great to have met you and Jeri!! Hope y'all have a safe drive home this morning..

Matt - See ya down that way before the show sometime today!!

[dug1]

Hey Sid,
got home safe although every "gifted' person was on the road
listening to Matt, Mat, pete, and Bucher
geri and I agreed we had a great time with you, Good people, ( guess were RFRG'ers)
Say hey to Big Daddy for us
talk soon!!!

[Sid Chigger]

Hey Doug - Glad you guys got home ok.. You're nightcrawlers yielded several perch this afternoon - one of which would have been a 'keeper'.. Biggest one I've seen up here anyway..

How's the flooding at your place?? Bad? Really bad?

Met a lot of *gifted* one's, did ya?? LOLOLOLOLOLOL

We're just back from Chigger Church (sundown show) waiting for the radio crew to do a little pickin.. I'm sure we'll do Thanks Rahm.. LOLOL

[Jeremy Hopland]

Butt.. butt... butt...

Alright, I'll give ya a pass if you weren't targeting them...

How many days you guys got left? It seems like you've been there forever at this point. You'd better hit the water hard, or Fred's gonna have to wait another year! Good luck!!!

[Sid Chigger]

Hey Jeremy,

Padre Chigger (derek) informed us this am that the folks that were scheduled to come in tomorrow (our original check out date) aren't coming til Thursday or something... Slim chance he can rent it so he's letting us stay til Thursday!! YAY!!

We gotta turn in the SS Chigger though, but our next door neighbor (pat coogan) is going with someone else tomorrow to fish another lake and he's graciously offered us use of his pontoon for the day.. We'll hang around in our skivies Wednesday and get packed up then head south Thursday am..

Been a great trip all around.. Weather has been fine, wind a little calmer than "usual" and fish bite a little slower.. Really enjoyed meeting all y'all that came up - Met Mark Benson & Anthony of Coulee Region Adventures last night..

Big thanks to Stix, Gizmo and Padre for EVERYTHING.. Big Daddy is giving Gizmo a banjo lesson as I type.. I think I'll go to bed.. LOLOL

Optimist = Banjo Player with a pager...

[Pete Stoltman]

Good deal. An extra day to chase Fred. Let 'em have it! Gizmo talking about a Nashville trip later this year sounds good to me. Have stix...will travel.

[Sid Chigger]

Last Day... Matt's putting us in his boat and we're off to the infamous Banana Lake for a few hours..

Stix - you and Gizmo have a place to stay by golly! Come on down.. We'll get ya in the studio and "officialize" things.. LOLOL

[WildEagleDerek]

Sid & Big Daddy...It's been an absolute blast having the Chiggers at Wild Eagle Lodge the past two weeks. Our guests have really enjoyed the evening
pickin' and grinnin' sessions. Chiggerfest was a great time too! Thank you for opening your condo door to the guests of Wild Eagle Lodge! I wish you guys could stay all summer!
And, remember...receipt ten "Hail Sunsets" prior to departing for Chigger Church each night.

Padre Chigger (Derek)

[Sid Chigger]

A big part of the allure of the northwoods is it's people! Y'all are perfect examples.. Thank ya Padre! You're a Saint - Truly!

A wonderful two weeks indeed.. Great day on Banana lake yesterday.. Matt had the same fish follow twice and the water is so clear you see her a good 5 feet down.. AWESOME!

Special thanks to Pat & Janet Coogan our neighbors for use of their boat last evening and being plain ol good people!

Til next time (which is looking like a fall musky trip...) :-)

[Mark Benson]

Sid:

Great to hear you were able to take advantage of the extra couple of days. Was great to finally get over there on Sunday night and the pickin, grinin', singin' & laughin' made it special. Seeing Matt in his element was fun, meeting Mat Hegy and Marty, Derek, Big Daddy, Anthony, Jim Edwards, Joe Bucher, seeing Bob the bartender, who I knew previously (just took some time to recognize) and of course Stix Chigger Stoltman made the night memorable. Was hoping to talk with the Iowa Chapter (Coogans, I lived in IA for a couple of section of my timeline), but was so loud when Matt introduced them I didn't hear their name, then they left shortly thereafter.

Also glad to hear you might be able to make a fall outing this year is kind of exciting!!! Will get the bear pics off to you and perhaps put some up here as long as I am not getting to fish so much. I am lucky to have my nephew in town and get to get in the boat for a couple of nights in a row now, but will be action fish and that is always more relaxing.

Travel safe!!!

Mark