Anyway - tonight finds us prowling the rip-rap to the right of the Claybanks launch. We've never really fished that area much - usually when we're there there's already a boat or two working it over. No tonight though. Casting an MT special (white/bronze blade spinner bait) produces a couple follows before a little tap and some slight resistance says - dink on.
I'm cranking it in wondering if its a dink smallie or rockie, telling Sk'ette not to bother with the net when an explosion of froth and spray - the drag is screaming Holy possum-playin' northern: Not a monster but a fiesty and fat 26.5"
Next was Saskette's turn, proving she is still queen of the smallies nailing a chunky 15", followed quickly by another 13" bronzeback.
I had a HARD hit while dragging a tube through +30' set the hook, one sharp pull and SNAP! Broke off. @#$%&^*(!!!!!
Got another northern on a buzzbait - (I'm really getting to love topwaters) and several hits but no hook ups on top. Things seem a little slow so we duck into a little cove where we've encountered a few LM in the past visits. It's only 3' deep max so we're working it over with frogs, buzzbaits and the like with not even a sign of life anywhere. So I tie on a weightless Tex-rigged senko: first cast heads to a clump of pads but I miss: start to reel in to try again and I feel the unmistakeable ratt-a-tap-tap of a "little frigger". I don't have time for this so I pull (not jerk) the bait away - only it doesn't move. For a split second I'm thinking snag then an explosion of froth announces another encounter with a substantial LM. Except unlike the others: this one makes it to the net and is definitely the heaviest (although not longest) LM I've ever caught. It was a hair over 17" but was easily a full lb heavier than my previous best, which incidentally also came from our smallie hole at the Head pond...go figure.
That was the end of our catching. As the light was fading we spot a school of nice (15-16") LM cruising the shallows (<2') but we couldn't get their interest and they spooked. Anyone have any tips for catching fish that shallow without spooking them?
Anyway - I guess that's quite a long post for relatively few fish, but it was a fun night all the same. The grand total:
3 SM (15/13/dink)
2 pike (26.5/23)
1 LM (17")
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Nice fish..you think pike or muskie on the tube bite off?
