Some Esky harbor bounty

[The Bait Shop Guy]

Started off this afternoons trip looking for bass near the mouth of the harbor. After a couple hours, I only landed 3 fish in the 12 to 15 inch range. Only thing I had any action on was a Zoom Trick Worm, rigged Wacky (hooked through the middle,) on a drop-shot rig.

I decided to switch gears and try something else. I had gear with me to chase panfish and pike. My dad showed up after work and was casting big baits for pike, so I decided to go after some gills, and we could compare notes later. I started in shallower water (6 to 8 feet,) where Diane and I had been doing well in the last month, but had no action. I figured the cooler water pushed them out a little deeper. Set-up on the deep edge of a weedbed in 10 to 12 FOW, and was on fish instantly! I was just dropping a small ice jig with a piece of worm straight over the side of the boat and worked it about a foot off of bottom. Mostly small gills and perch at first. As it got closer to dark, the bigger panfish started to bite. Ended the evening landing 22 gills, 8 perch, 5 rockbass, 5 largemouth bass (small,) and 3 smallmouth bass. Kept 19 assorted panfish, including several gills in the 8 to 9 inch range and a huge rockbass that was 11 to 12 inches.

While I was doing that, my dad motored over to show me a nice pike he caught. It was longer than the 36 inch ruler he had in the boat, (guessing 37-38 inches.) He caught it on a large Storm swimbait. After a couple quick pics, she was released.

Another guy I know was throwing for pike tonight, and he landed one about 35 inches on a black and silver bucktail spinner. He also had a slightly bigger one miss the bait at the boat. With water temps in the low 60's, now is the prime time for big pike!

Just goes to show LBDN has so much more to offer than just walleye fishing! Get out and enjoy it if you can.

[tomjohn]

Now that's the kind of reporting we all enjoy. Thanks Chris.

[YooperTroll]

I was pondering taking the boy somewhere close this weekend. This sounds good. Thanks for the report.

[The Bait Shop Guy]

I brought Diane down there last night after work. In the hour and a half or so that we fished, we landed about 40 fish, (a mixture of sunnies, small bass, perch, shiners, and even a small crappie.) Ended the trip with 15 nice sunfish in the livewell.

We just tucked the boat out of the wind, off the harbor master shack, in about 9 feet of water and cast towards the dock. Really, no boat would be needed to fish there. Anyone dropping a line right over the side of the dock could catch the same fish we were. Just basic panfish fishing - hooks, worms, and a bobber is all that is needed to catch fish down there.

Good luck.

[Hoosier]

coming up in a couple of weeks is anyone getting any eyes out of the bay or black bottom? any info would be appriciated.

[The Bait Shop Guy]

Very few fishing reports lately. All the lousy weather and people switching over to "hunting mode," really limits the number of people on the water right now.

My dad and I fished the harbor last night to get out of the strong south wind. Bite was kind of off. Managed one small largemouth and a small pike at the harbor mouth. We ran into several more small pike inside the harbor. All they would hit for us was weedless bass jigs, tipped with a redtail chub. My dad had to leave early, but I stayed until dark and tried for some more sunfish. The hot spot from from Mondays trip was dead this time, so I moved out into the middle of the harbor where the sailboats are moored. Set up on a deep weed edge in 12 FOW and instantly started catching fish. Only fished for 30 to 45 minutes, but caught close to 30 bluegills and perch, keeping 7.

Not a mind blowing trip by any means, but it was better than sitting around the house watching TV.

[Hoosier]

we'll be stopping by the store before we get settled in . hoping to be able to post while were up there. matters what kind of signal i get on my wireless!