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This is normally the best, most active site around.....not much being posted lately?
What is your best fish this season and what you catch it on??? No secret spots, locations any of that.
Not on my turn but best fish of the year in the boat is 51.5" on a perchbait
My best fish, 45" on a believer.
I have not had much material to post cuz it has been a difficult few months putting numbers of fish in the boat. This time last year, we were seeing multiple fish and catching multiple muskies on almost every trip. It sure ain't been that easy lately. Clear skies has meant little action this Fall. Lower water levels and tons of baitfish have been the problem, IMO. Lazy follows with most fish eating at boatside........very few fish hammering the bait after the first crank or two.
Maybe today's weather system will get something going for us today.
Good Luck!
Most of my musky fishing happens during the summer as too many other species get my attention at other times. This year was terrible as every trip I could do occurred under bright skies. I caught more big largemouth fishing for musky than musky (one topped 6 pounds). Even my 10 year old had little success and he out-fished me last year. We caught some small musky but nothing over 30 inches. The hot weather in June put a stop to river trout trips earlier than usual. Like Red, had a day with lots of follows from musky on the river but only hook ups from small pike. This fall has been good for river trout but they have been hitting in small windows of time during the day. Best trout this year is a 24 inch brown. Haven't had a day with consistent action yet. Caught all my fish in two 30 minute windows on a trip yesterday. Not a lot of smaller trout either which seems like a bad omen for future years. Then the issue with fish leaving the refinery dredge by the buggy full. Most of my next few fishing opportunities will be for walleye and musky on the lower allegheny. Seems as if the weather has had a big influence on results this year.
I have moved more fish this year than either of my first two whole years, but mostly lazy, deep follows. Recently, I've had several come in nose-to-tail only to bolt away right as I go into the 8. Damn clear water.
Only one muskie hammered the bait within the first few cranks and that was on a 2.5" X-rap while fishing for smallies back in October. Have not cracked 40" all year... best is only a 39 so far. This sucks... need some rain & stain!
With limited available fishing time I did manage three a 43, 35 Susky fish and a 27 from Chatauqua, Some nice large Susky Smallmouths (4) 5lb.+ fish. Wish I had more available time to fish, retirement looking better n better all the time ! :)
Bob
Extremely tough year for me in terms of being able to get on the water. Pretty much took the Summer off since it was so damn hot!
This was my first year that I went entirely with the flyrod setup. Even though I had limited time out, my hooking percentage on Pike and Musky was absolutely phenomenal. I can only think of one or two fish that took a good swipe at the fly that I didn't get hooks into. Now granted, this was not an incredible number of fish overall, but for me to be able to say that after years past is quite a difference. Also got my first topwater Musky on the fly too. That was fantastic. Theres a lot to be said about Poledancers!!! LOL
Considering the few times I was able to make it out and that most of those were under post frontal conditions, I'm VERY glad that I was able to close the deal on the fish that I had chances for. Nothin too big this year, but no complaints. Trying to pretend that I don't have months and months of cold weather ahead.
Landed 31 musky on the year. Largest was 42" on the Juniata River, only fish I caught there. Out "numbered" my younger brother for the first time in a long time.
Have one more vacation day left that I will be using up tomorrow to try and add to the total, need a December musky. January is the only month that has found me musky-less this year. Hope to keep December off that list.
Since I ignored toothy's actual question...
Biggest musky 30 inches...spinner bait
The 6+ lb largemouths were caught on a large jointed X-rap, perch pattern
24+ brown caught on a homemade spinner
I also ignored Toothy's question.........
Largest musky we hit (Phantom soft tail) was back in May and in the 48-50" inch class and recently spawned out. Largest walleye was 32.5" and 12-14 pounds (rapala). Largest trout (rapala) was in the 29-30" class and probably weighed 9-10 pounds.
What’s going on Mr. Childress? No four musky, one pike, and one walleye landed day like last December. One heck of a day you guided us into Red! Hope it turns around for you soon!
I’ve been itching for a river trip but the laker’s and deer have been keeping me busy.
Anyone: PM me is you are able to fish off North East Marina for lake trout. I’ll give you the scoop. This weather has been perfect for lake fishing and the laker’s release super easy in the cold water. Soon to change I’m sure!
Largest so far was just under 27 (2lb off state record) with most being 8-10lbs. Some 30 bites day in tight … 15-25 fow. They are spawning.
Ralph
http://i920.photobucket.com/albums/a.../danslaker.jpg
Hey Ralph,
Glad to hear you guys are making the drag sing out there. Damn nice fish! Fishing has been stingy this Fall. We are moving fish pretty regularly but getting them to commit has been another story. Dynamite will be the last resort. :)
Please tell Mark I said hello and that I hope things are going better for him these days.
Good Luck!
All I can say here is holy Sh$t.......that fish is awesome!!
Kind of a tough year for me this one. First time i went out for a few hours i managed to get a fish, after that it was slow. The summer on the river was real slow, i fished maybe a dozen times from june til sept, mostly because i'm not a fan of the insane heat we had during the daylight hours. Mid september til now has been a different story, put hooks into alot of fish, just didn't keep em hooked up. Since the week before thanksgiving i put hooks into 10 in 20hrs on the water, nothing big but great action. 21 landed for the season for me, biggest was only 41", lost one monster casting at chautauqua this summer but other then that only one other monster spotted for the season.
Joel
Hi Red, Finally got to do a trip to the river. Moved one at the head of the hole on a tube but it did not stay buttoned all the way to the boat.
Thought you should know that we snagged a Lamprey trolling a Perch bait. Very distrubing to see those fish killers are in the allegheny as well as Lake Erie. Little blood sucker wiggled off the hook before I could b'head.
Got another 45" last saturday.
#151 for the season......thank you Lake St. Clair for most of those numbers.
Unbuttoned fish has been the storyline for us since late-June!
year started strong with my largest musky 47" and 2 others in a half hour and 7 fish total in january. 12 muskies by May when I lost what might have been my largest in Red's boat. I hooked it on an 8 after it followed Big G's lure, on Big G's birthday, on a trip Big G paid for (I was unemployeed at the time). If that fish didn't get away I'd have had some major bragging rights as well as some major pennance at confession.
I might have paid my pennance as I didnt have another fish on till Dec 16 when I got 2 (41+44) in a half hour on dec 16 with my winter pattern again.
my personal best was achieved with toothyfishman this past year by a 1/2". 51" To bad it was my turn.. lol... We will have to change it up this year... it was a perchbait...
Had a guy take me to lake ontario, King Salmon fishing. Think the biggest King was 27 pounds. That was a total blast.. Those fish don't give up !!!! I think it was a spoon.. ???
My Dad got a nice 16" slab crappie from pymie on our " father knows best " trip where we do 1/2 day muskie, then crappies.... pink tube on white 64 oz. jighead....
28" walleye on a 5" tuff was pleasing. Wife likes walleye... So that is an easy " gone all weekend so I can bring you a big walleye home" outing....
I have not been on the site in a little while, maybe this will give someone, something to read for a minute...