Finally on the board in 2016
Posted: Wed May 25, 2016 12:36 pm
Seems like 2016 started a little slow for me. We began the year targeting Lakers again, opener seems to always be a bust for us but we usually get into them before the long weekend. This year it took right up to the Friday before to finally break the ice.
Got to the Lac and after checking out the launch and deciding it was good enough we started fishing. Nothing like having the Lac all to yourself.
Driving around with the new Helix 9 Mike picked up was like playing a video game, no longer any doubt what you're seeing. Find the "tic tacs" and you're in business.
We drove around trying various spoons and depths for a couple hours until we came across a area just loaded with fish, after a couple times through with the spoons and nothing. We knew we had to change our approach, that's when Mike mentioned a buddy who swore by little rapala stickbaits at 2.5 - 3 miles an hour this time of year. At this point I was ready to change so I threw on the first rapala I found in my tackle box a 4" perch coloured one. First pass thru BAM, headshakes and serious weight, I knew I had a good one on but it wasn't meant to be. Longline released another one. Second pass thru, bam another hit, which instantly made me think, man that first one was big! Sadly this one too got off right at the net. Third time thru, yup another fish. At that point I'm 0-4 in 2016 and have zero confidence that I'm landing this one. But low and behold she makes it to the net, obviously the smallest of the three.
Mike gets a good pic of it.
Try again man....
So were on 'em, I'm dialed in. 68' - 78' deep, 5 colours of leadcore = Lakers.
So of course we decide to move and try for some land locked Salmon we've been told inhabit the Lac. You all know the rule, never leave fish to find fish, right? We do too but the draw of what might be calls to Mike in his sleep and he was dead set on giving the Salmon a go. Luckily my whining and complaining got to him pretty quick and it was only an hour and half before we were back in the zone for the rest of the day.
Captain Morgan pose.
Girly man pose. Lipping Lakers ain't easy.
Mike did manage to hook into one, that he thought was a monster right up until we saw it was hooked in the back. Fought it like a champ though right up until it shook itself loose 10' from the boat. Made his day getting to fight one that hard and long no matter the end result. It just made me think about that first one again and how big it might have been....
Got to the Lac and after checking out the launch and deciding it was good enough we started fishing. Nothing like having the Lac all to yourself.
Driving around with the new Helix 9 Mike picked up was like playing a video game, no longer any doubt what you're seeing. Find the "tic tacs" and you're in business.
We drove around trying various spoons and depths for a couple hours until we came across a area just loaded with fish, after a couple times through with the spoons and nothing. We knew we had to change our approach, that's when Mike mentioned a buddy who swore by little rapala stickbaits at 2.5 - 3 miles an hour this time of year. At this point I was ready to change so I threw on the first rapala I found in my tackle box a 4" perch coloured one. First pass thru BAM, headshakes and serious weight, I knew I had a good one on but it wasn't meant to be. Longline released another one. Second pass thru, bam another hit, which instantly made me think, man that first one was big! Sadly this one too got off right at the net. Third time thru, yup another fish. At that point I'm 0-4 in 2016 and have zero confidence that I'm landing this one. But low and behold she makes it to the net, obviously the smallest of the three.
Mike gets a good pic of it.
Try again man....
So were on 'em, I'm dialed in. 68' - 78' deep, 5 colours of leadcore = Lakers.
So of course we decide to move and try for some land locked Salmon we've been told inhabit the Lac. You all know the rule, never leave fish to find fish, right? We do too but the draw of what might be calls to Mike in his sleep and he was dead set on giving the Salmon a go. Luckily my whining and complaining got to him pretty quick and it was only an hour and half before we were back in the zone for the rest of the day.
Captain Morgan pose.
Girly man pose. Lipping Lakers ain't easy.
Mike did manage to hook into one, that he thought was a monster right up until we saw it was hooked in the back. Fought it like a champ though right up until it shook itself loose 10' from the boat. Made his day getting to fight one that hard and long no matter the end result. It just made me think about that first one again and how big it might have been....
