My Crappie Long Weekend With Gar-J.
- Markus
- Diamond Participant
- Posts: 7362
- Joined: Tue Sep 30, 2003 8:05 am
- Location: Nova Scotia/St Catharines
My Crappie Long Weekend With Gar-J.
My annual spring highlight is always the long weekend visiit with RJ and Birdee. I missed it last year because RJ and I went to great slave lake instead, so this was the first time I got to enjoy fishing out of Rob's Lund. That in itself was a treat and I felt spoiled every time we dumped it into the water and climbed in for a day of fishing.
Our first mission was gar. Fatluke and our buddy Glen joined us for the morning. Conditions were mint for sight fishing and we headed out.
I've fished gar for a decade now, but this was the first time we had a fly fisherman in the boat....and RJ had his new fly rod with him as well. We had an absolutey stellar day with hookups. We were shaking high 40IN fish off at the boat and only brought out the net for the big girls. The fly rods swapped fish for fish with the spinning/baitcaster gear. RJ spooled up his new fly rod and it was made clear quickly that he was a natural....2nd cast he had a 50IN gar on. It was knocked off by the netter and before he could rant about that...he made 3 more casts and had another 50IN fish hooked up! lol 2 50IN fish in his first 5 casts.....I could only shake my head.
When it was my turn to being back-boated, I chose to cast to the deeper dark water and fish for randoms.
Another highlght of the morning was watching Glen land a hug sturgeon on the fly rod. Something I'll never forget. A little luck with a lot of skill. Quick pic and sent on it's way.
Next on the agenda was a local lake launch for a crappie fish with Birdee. It took a few moves to find them, but we finally located them and went to work. I love the spring crappie fishing. Lots of trash talk in the boat too. lol
Next we hooked up with our good buddy Phil and headed to Lake Ontario for lakers. We arrived to calm conitions and after we made the run out, we were soon over taken by a fly hatch. I've never seen anything like it.
We couldnt fish in it. The flies were in your mouth, up your nose and crawling into everything. We retreated back closer to shore where we found some relief from them and set up. No big fish landed....lots of small 2-5lb lakers.
RJ left the last outing up to Birdee and I to choose and it wasnt a tough call....we headed to new water and went looking for more crappie.
Everytime i'm in SE Ontario I get to fish a new lake. There seems like an endless choice of lakes. I really love that about the area. Heading home to NS, I was more then pleased to have my limit of crappie to bring home for a summer fish fry.
Rob and Kim are the best of people and its a friendship I place a lot of stock in. I've met a lot of people all over canada and they dont come any better. I cant wait until next spring when we can do it all again and explore some new water. SE Ontario is a gem...the locals there should never forget how special they have it.
Our first mission was gar. Fatluke and our buddy Glen joined us for the morning. Conditions were mint for sight fishing and we headed out.
I've fished gar for a decade now, but this was the first time we had a fly fisherman in the boat....and RJ had his new fly rod with him as well. We had an absolutey stellar day with hookups. We were shaking high 40IN fish off at the boat and only brought out the net for the big girls. The fly rods swapped fish for fish with the spinning/baitcaster gear. RJ spooled up his new fly rod and it was made clear quickly that he was a natural....2nd cast he had a 50IN gar on. It was knocked off by the netter and before he could rant about that...he made 3 more casts and had another 50IN fish hooked up! lol 2 50IN fish in his first 5 casts.....I could only shake my head.
When it was my turn to being back-boated, I chose to cast to the deeper dark water and fish for randoms.
Another highlght of the morning was watching Glen land a hug sturgeon on the fly rod. Something I'll never forget. A little luck with a lot of skill. Quick pic and sent on it's way.
Next on the agenda was a local lake launch for a crappie fish with Birdee. It took a few moves to find them, but we finally located them and went to work. I love the spring crappie fishing. Lots of trash talk in the boat too. lol
Next we hooked up with our good buddy Phil and headed to Lake Ontario for lakers. We arrived to calm conitions and after we made the run out, we were soon over taken by a fly hatch. I've never seen anything like it.
We couldnt fish in it. The flies were in your mouth, up your nose and crawling into everything. We retreated back closer to shore where we found some relief from them and set up. No big fish landed....lots of small 2-5lb lakers.
RJ left the last outing up to Birdee and I to choose and it wasnt a tough call....we headed to new water and went looking for more crappie.
Everytime i'm in SE Ontario I get to fish a new lake. There seems like an endless choice of lakes. I really love that about the area. Heading home to NS, I was more then pleased to have my limit of crappie to bring home for a summer fish fry.
Rob and Kim are the best of people and its a friendship I place a lot of stock in. I've met a lot of people all over canada and they dont come any better. I cant wait until next spring when we can do it all again and explore some new water. SE Ontario is a gem...the locals there should never forget how special they have it.
- BradGuenette
- Bronze Participant
- Posts: 282
- Joined: Tue May 14, 2013 7:26 pm
Re: My Crappie Long Weekend With Gar-J.
Great fishin' folks, sure helps that the weather setup perfectly for the long weekend!
Brad Guenette
Swimbait Canada
Swimbait Canada
Re: My Crappie Long Weekend With Gar-J.
Sweet! Funny, I was actually thinking about giving the gar a go on my fly rod. Care to share any info on patterns? I was thinking stereotypical minnow patterns and/or stuff with lots of flash and movement.
Re: My Crappie Long Weekend With Gar-J.
Absolutely freakin' outstanding, folks!!!.............'NUFF SAID!!
I'm a goin' fishin', mama's goin' fishin' and my baby's goin fishin' too.
.......Taj Mahal.... "Fishin' Blues"
.......Taj Mahal.... "Fishin' Blues"
- HotelTango
- Bronze Participant
- Posts: 192
- Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 8:27 am
- Location: Petawawa
Re: My Crappie Long Weekend With Gar-J.
Awesome report, thanks for sharing.
All fishermen are liars except for you and me, and to tell you the truth, I'm not sure about you.
Re: My Crappie Long Weekend With Gar-J.
I love reading the mixed bag reports. Those bugs are just ridiculous
Re: My Crappie Long Weekend With Gar-J.
Congrats on some great fish and to do it all with friends is what it is all about. Great write up and pics
Re: My Crappie Long Weekend With Gar-J.
It was great seeing you again Mark. It's been a while. Same to you RJ.
I will also be putting a report up on our day when I get a chance.
That sturgeon was just wild, and the walleye was a nice bonus also.
Glad the weekend continued to be successful for you, but I guess that is expected when you have RJ as a guide. Too bad the bugs put a damper on the laker fishin. I know you were looking forward to it.
I will also be putting a report up on our day when I get a chance.
That sturgeon was just wild, and the walleye was a nice bonus also.
Glad the weekend continued to be successful for you, but I guess that is expected when you have RJ as a guide. Too bad the bugs put a damper on the laker fishin. I know you were looking forward to it.
MEAT - Grind it, stuff it, smoke it.
- Markus
- Diamond Participant
- Posts: 7362
- Joined: Tue Sep 30, 2003 8:05 am
- Location: Nova Scotia/St Catharines
Re: My Crappie Long Weekend With Gar-J.
Too be honest....boat numbers went way up once Birdee was in the boat.fatluke wrote:
Glad the weekend continued to be successful for you, but I guess that is expected when you have RJ as a guide.
Re: My Crappie Long Weekend With Gar-J.
My lord...Markus wrote:Too be honest....boat numbers went way up once Birdee was in the boat.fatluke wrote:
Glad the weekend continued to be successful for you, but I guess that is expected when you have RJ as a guide.
Great to have ya in town as always brotha. That Gar day will be one to remember for awhile.
RJ
Re: My Crappie Long Weekend With Gar-J.
The boys are back in town!! Good friends, good fishing!!
Re: My Crappie Long Weekend With Gar-J.
Nice looking fishes guys those gars are huge
Congrats
Congrats
2014 Lund Impact 1775
Mercury 115Hp
Mercury 115Hp
Re: My Crappie Long Weekend With Gar-J.
Sounds like you guys had a ton of fun. Nice work.