An Opener Like None Other
Posted: Mon May 22, 2017 8:41 pm
About 10 days ago I was just about ready to write off guiding in May. The water levels at all local boat launches was unimaginably high, the river was covered in debris and the water looked like a Timmy's double double. Fast forward to last Thursday. City crews were cleaning up the boat launch in Rockland and with rubber boots and a little help I figured I could launch the boat...probably.
Friday
Opening day. A couple regulars, Marty and Greg, join me on what was a less than ideal day in my opinion. Windy and cool after two days of +35. We headed to a weedline that was generally a good starting point on opening weekend. As usual, the clients are using the tried and true stuff while I experiment a little. With a little probing we find the spot on the spot and Greg lands his PB crappie, soon followed by his new PB crappie, soon followed by my first fish since March, a 22'' walleye. Marty chips in a few fish and by the end of the day, we realize that we had steadily put a decent day together. Lots of pike, a few crappie, a few oversized walleye, and a limit of keeper walters. Fish fries all around!
Saturday
Saturday we're running 2 boats to accomodate a real mixed group of guys. A father and son from Pennsylvania, a guy who hadn't caught a fish in 30 years, a local business owner and a couple of his employees. They had all been to the Sens game the prior night and needless to say half the group was in a better mood than the other. The young lad had the hot stick on this day landing most of the good sized fish. Basically an identical day to Saturday. Same spot, same quantity and quality of fish coming in at the same pace.
His first fish in 30 years!
Sunday
Sunday started ominously. Same spot, same lures, much different results. After having nothing to show but a couple misses on good fish in the first hour of so, exploration is warranted. Evenutally I put Tim and John on a decent concentration of fish. The fish are moving and hotspots are changing with every pass, but once we narrow down the core area of fish activity, the action heats up and the net never has time to dry. Tim won the friendly walleye tournament with a 22.5'' beating John by 1''.
Crappie and pike were coming in steadily and the boys kept a few to keep them fed during a camping trip starting Monday.
Monday
I'm joined initially by Allan early Monday morning. Like Sunday, it takes a little bit of time to find the spot on the spot but once we do, hook sets on constant. Hammer handles, crappie and the occasional oversized walleye are biting all morning. At 10am we pick up one of my regulars, Ron. An hour of so of bottom bouncing follows and some small walleye and sauger serve well to teach Allan bottom bouncing 101. We head back to the shallow troll to find the fishing has only gotten better. Small to medium pike and crappie are again coming in consistently but the walleye are also showing up more often. By the end of the day, we've caught and released multiple walleye in the 20'' range and have another nice livewell of fish for Allan to enjoy.
The vast majority of our fish were caught trolling a variety of worm harnesses along emerging weedlines.
This was by far the quietest opener when it comes to boat traffic. I never saw more than 4 boat trailers at the Rockland boat launch all weekend. Launching was next to impossible alone without waders but the river was surprisingly debris free. The only real noticeable remnant of the flooding was a gazebo we found on the shoreline near Masson-Angers.
All things considered, a highly successful opener given these were my first times on the water this season. No mechanical issues, great guests, and a perfect proportion of fish quality and number. It has begun.
Tight lines to all.
Yannick
Friday
Opening day. A couple regulars, Marty and Greg, join me on what was a less than ideal day in my opinion. Windy and cool after two days of +35. We headed to a weedline that was generally a good starting point on opening weekend. As usual, the clients are using the tried and true stuff while I experiment a little. With a little probing we find the spot on the spot and Greg lands his PB crappie, soon followed by his new PB crappie, soon followed by my first fish since March, a 22'' walleye. Marty chips in a few fish and by the end of the day, we realize that we had steadily put a decent day together. Lots of pike, a few crappie, a few oversized walleye, and a limit of keeper walters. Fish fries all around!
Saturday
Saturday we're running 2 boats to accomodate a real mixed group of guys. A father and son from Pennsylvania, a guy who hadn't caught a fish in 30 years, a local business owner and a couple of his employees. They had all been to the Sens game the prior night and needless to say half the group was in a better mood than the other. The young lad had the hot stick on this day landing most of the good sized fish. Basically an identical day to Saturday. Same spot, same quantity and quality of fish coming in at the same pace.
His first fish in 30 years!
Sunday
Sunday started ominously. Same spot, same lures, much different results. After having nothing to show but a couple misses on good fish in the first hour of so, exploration is warranted. Evenutally I put Tim and John on a decent concentration of fish. The fish are moving and hotspots are changing with every pass, but once we narrow down the core area of fish activity, the action heats up and the net never has time to dry. Tim won the friendly walleye tournament with a 22.5'' beating John by 1''.
Crappie and pike were coming in steadily and the boys kept a few to keep them fed during a camping trip starting Monday.
Monday
I'm joined initially by Allan early Monday morning. Like Sunday, it takes a little bit of time to find the spot on the spot but once we do, hook sets on constant. Hammer handles, crappie and the occasional oversized walleye are biting all morning. At 10am we pick up one of my regulars, Ron. An hour of so of bottom bouncing follows and some small walleye and sauger serve well to teach Allan bottom bouncing 101. We head back to the shallow troll to find the fishing has only gotten better. Small to medium pike and crappie are again coming in consistently but the walleye are also showing up more often. By the end of the day, we've caught and released multiple walleye in the 20'' range and have another nice livewell of fish for Allan to enjoy.
The vast majority of our fish were caught trolling a variety of worm harnesses along emerging weedlines.
This was by far the quietest opener when it comes to boat traffic. I never saw more than 4 boat trailers at the Rockland boat launch all weekend. Launching was next to impossible alone without waders but the river was surprisingly debris free. The only real noticeable remnant of the flooding was a gazebo we found on the shoreline near Masson-Angers.
All things considered, a highly successful opener given these were my first times on the water this season. No mechanical issues, great guests, and a perfect proportion of fish quality and number. It has begun.
Tight lines to all.
Yannick
