07-06-2017, 06:35 PM
After the successful trip with Ben a few weeks ago, he asked if I could take his family out for a cat fishing trip. We decided to try early on July 4th. Early meant different things to the two of us so I decided I would fish from daylight until 8 AM and try to get some whites for bait. I would meet Ben and his family at the Lincoln dock at 8.
When l got to the launch at about 5:15, I was greeted by calm winds and an empty parking lot conditions. I thought it was going to be a perfect day, then reality hit. I backed the boat and trailer into the water and turned the key to start the engine and nothing, not even a click. I switched to the trolling batteries and nothing! I had just charged all 3 batteries so I knew that wasn’t the issue. Had I lost another starter switch?
Since the winds we calm and the forecast called for more of the same, I decided to just use the electric and troll around until I had some bait. I could look at the motor later. Water temp was 75 when I got to the maim lake. I trolled from the jaws to about the 3rd spring pulling a spinner on one rod and a bottom bouncer crawler rig on the other. I zig zagged from 4’ to 8’ on mostly rocky bottom. On the way I picked up one white on a blue and silver spinner but no got takers on the crawler. I turned around and headed back for toward the jaws.
The sun had peeked over the mountain so I changed the crawler rig for a chrome and black crank and put a bright yellow spinner on the other rod. I had one tap on the crank and a few minutes later the crank rod doubled over, certainly not a white. After a few catlike maneuvers I gave up hope that it was a walleye. I few minutes later a 23 inch channel came aboard. My first ever on a crank bait.
I turned around and headed back toward where the first white and come but got no takers on that pass. It was almost 7:30 so I started back toward the jaws so I could be there for my 8 AM appointment. Just after turning around I switched the yellow spinner for an all silver one. Good choice. I barely set it in the holder when a white hammered it and then another one hit while I was putting the first in the basket. 3 whites would be plenty of bait!
Shortly after putting the second white in the basket the spinner rod doubled over. Again I could tell it was not a white or an eye. It turned out to be a 21 inch channel, a lot of fun on the light rod and my first one on a spinner.
While I had been trolling around the world seemed to be waking up. A pair of yaks had come in and set up SW of the first spring, 3 boats had headed toward the island and two groups had worked out along the bank.
As I was fighting the spinner kitty, one of the kayak guys landed a nice one and I heard him lamenting that he had lost his stringer. I remembered I had a couple of extras left over from the urban fishing program so I told him I had one he could have as soon as I got my fish in the boat. I eased over close and tossed him a heavy cord stringer. I forgot that I had accidentally bought 25 footers. He probably could have used it for an anchor rope, but he seemed glad to have it.
When I got halfway up the channel toward the dock, Ben and his family were waving and ready to go. I handed out life jackets and told everyone I needed a minute to see if I could get the big motor started. I wanted to test the starter switch by shorting across it with a big screwdriver. I took the cover off, tilted it all the way down and then remembered the key was off. When I went to the dash and turned they key it fired right up! Best I can guess the tilt limit switch must not have reset until I tilted the motor all the way down.
So out we went with Ben, his wife, and his kids 11, 7, and 5 years old. I had planned to go anchor in the area where I had trolled up the crank and spinner kitties but by the time we got back two more boats had set up in the area. Not wanting to crowd I started around toward the third spring then just as I slowed down to pick a spot one of the boats picked up and left. We eased over to the spot I wanted and set up shop.
About 8:30 we anchored in 5 ½ half feet and cast 4 bobber rods in all directions. It only took five minutes and we had a kitty on for the 7 year old boy! We got it in the boat and then the 11 year old girl got one. For the next 2 hours if was a constant stream of teaching, netting, unhooking, picture taking and lots of smiling faces. I was too busy to get pictures first timers, but Ben’s wife sent me a few.
We stopped at about 10:30 with 10 cats in the basket. We had released the ones that were really dark, really pot-bellied, or covered with scrapes and sores. The kids had caught 13 total and with the 2 I got we ended the morning with a count of 15 channels and 3 whites. No mudders, no eyes, no carp, and no injuries. All in all a great morning!
From the looks of the cats, the spawn is winding down. Many were still dark but most were clearly post spawn. As for Algae, there were no scummy areas anywhere we went. We did see algae collecting against the windward side of the boat a few times, but it looked more yellow green than blue green so my guess is it was the “normal” stuff.
By the time we left about 11, the parking lot was almost full and there were 6 or more boats waiting to launch. The water temp had gotten above 77 degrees. All the fish came on fresh cut WB except the ones I got on spinners and the crank bait. We caught fish anywhere from 3’ to 7’ deep. There where huge dark clouds of midges above both jetties, but out on the water we saw very few. The transition to summer seems complete.
[signature]
When l got to the launch at about 5:15, I was greeted by calm winds and an empty parking lot conditions. I thought it was going to be a perfect day, then reality hit. I backed the boat and trailer into the water and turned the key to start the engine and nothing, not even a click. I switched to the trolling batteries and nothing! I had just charged all 3 batteries so I knew that wasn’t the issue. Had I lost another starter switch?
Since the winds we calm and the forecast called for more of the same, I decided to just use the electric and troll around until I had some bait. I could look at the motor later. Water temp was 75 when I got to the maim lake. I trolled from the jaws to about the 3rd spring pulling a spinner on one rod and a bottom bouncer crawler rig on the other. I zig zagged from 4’ to 8’ on mostly rocky bottom. On the way I picked up one white on a blue and silver spinner but no got takers on the crawler. I turned around and headed back for toward the jaws.
The sun had peeked over the mountain so I changed the crawler rig for a chrome and black crank and put a bright yellow spinner on the other rod. I had one tap on the crank and a few minutes later the crank rod doubled over, certainly not a white. After a few catlike maneuvers I gave up hope that it was a walleye. I few minutes later a 23 inch channel came aboard. My first ever on a crank bait.
I turned around and headed back toward where the first white and come but got no takers on that pass. It was almost 7:30 so I started back toward the jaws so I could be there for my 8 AM appointment. Just after turning around I switched the yellow spinner for an all silver one. Good choice. I barely set it in the holder when a white hammered it and then another one hit while I was putting the first in the basket. 3 whites would be plenty of bait!
Shortly after putting the second white in the basket the spinner rod doubled over. Again I could tell it was not a white or an eye. It turned out to be a 21 inch channel, a lot of fun on the light rod and my first one on a spinner.
While I had been trolling around the world seemed to be waking up. A pair of yaks had come in and set up SW of the first spring, 3 boats had headed toward the island and two groups had worked out along the bank.
As I was fighting the spinner kitty, one of the kayak guys landed a nice one and I heard him lamenting that he had lost his stringer. I remembered I had a couple of extras left over from the urban fishing program so I told him I had one he could have as soon as I got my fish in the boat. I eased over close and tossed him a heavy cord stringer. I forgot that I had accidentally bought 25 footers. He probably could have used it for an anchor rope, but he seemed glad to have it.
When I got halfway up the channel toward the dock, Ben and his family were waving and ready to go. I handed out life jackets and told everyone I needed a minute to see if I could get the big motor started. I wanted to test the starter switch by shorting across it with a big screwdriver. I took the cover off, tilted it all the way down and then remembered the key was off. When I went to the dash and turned they key it fired right up! Best I can guess the tilt limit switch must not have reset until I tilted the motor all the way down.
So out we went with Ben, his wife, and his kids 11, 7, and 5 years old. I had planned to go anchor in the area where I had trolled up the crank and spinner kitties but by the time we got back two more boats had set up in the area. Not wanting to crowd I started around toward the third spring then just as I slowed down to pick a spot one of the boats picked up and left. We eased over to the spot I wanted and set up shop.
About 8:30 we anchored in 5 ½ half feet and cast 4 bobber rods in all directions. It only took five minutes and we had a kitty on for the 7 year old boy! We got it in the boat and then the 11 year old girl got one. For the next 2 hours if was a constant stream of teaching, netting, unhooking, picture taking and lots of smiling faces. I was too busy to get pictures first timers, but Ben’s wife sent me a few.
We stopped at about 10:30 with 10 cats in the basket. We had released the ones that were really dark, really pot-bellied, or covered with scrapes and sores. The kids had caught 13 total and with the 2 I got we ended the morning with a count of 15 channels and 3 whites. No mudders, no eyes, no carp, and no injuries. All in all a great morning!
From the looks of the cats, the spawn is winding down. Many were still dark but most were clearly post spawn. As for Algae, there were no scummy areas anywhere we went. We did see algae collecting against the windward side of the boat a few times, but it looked more yellow green than blue green so my guess is it was the “normal” stuff.
By the time we left about 11, the parking lot was almost full and there were 6 or more boats waiting to launch. The water temp had gotten above 77 degrees. All the fish came on fresh cut WB except the ones I got on spinners and the crank bait. We caught fish anywhere from 3’ to 7’ deep. There where huge dark clouds of midges above both jetties, but out on the water we saw very few. The transition to summer seems complete.
[signature]
]