Two Follows

NumenOn the Water

Date:  11-1-15

Body of Water:  C Lake

Boat:  Numenon

With:  Dr. L and SB

Target:  Muskellunge

Time:  1 PM - 6 PM

Conditions:  51-52 F water; about 3-foot visibility; about 55 F, clear and windy (20+ from the west until sunset)

Muskies, wind and fly fishing: I knew the odds for landing a fish today weren’t great.

The title says it all.  Another muskie trip; another skunk; but this time with the silver lining of having two fish visibly follow our baits to the boat.  This is a relatively low bar for success, but such a better result than not seeing these fish.  These sightings keep you focused at the time, keep you motivated for the next trip, and provide an opportunity to drop another couple of waypoints which may lead to future success.   And I should admit,  one of these fish was big!

It’s always nice to have somebody new on the boat (I haven’t really had anybody too unpleasant on board, yet), and this was Charity Fishing Event in support of local school excellence.  Everybody maintained a good, positive attitude all afternoon.  For the first time, Numenon’s focus was on fly fishing, and SB took advantage of the stern’s open deck to lay out a long, heavy line all afternoon.

C Lake’s submerged  musk grass is still very green.  It seems to be holding bait, and so we were still working this pattern (which has produced every muskie on this lake for me.  The basin seems devoid of ‘skies.)   The wind was keeping folks off the lake and our chosen spots were not pressured.  The biggest change in strategy to accommodate the fly fishing was simply to keep SB in a position to cast over these weeds over the starboard side (for everybody’s safety), and preferably down-wind (for ease of achieving casting distance.)  It was their paid-for trip, so at first I controlled the boat using the electric motor via remote  from the console, while Dr. L casted from the bow.  But at the second or third spot I took over the bow and Dr. L casted from the center deck.  This provided for a bit better control of the boat, generally more efficient fishing for all, and also got a third bait in the water.

While SB utilized a variety of streamers in various sizes and colors, Dr. L generally threw bucktails.  He started on spinning gear and a size 5 or so Blue Fox, but graduated smoothly to casting gear and Harassers. I generally countered with twitchbaits or a Walleye Medussa, but I threw my fair share of bucktails, too. 

While we’d discussed the possibility of following fish and boat-side encounters (like I’m an expert!) while driving to the lake, I’d forgotten to share Eminem’s “One Shot” to get us all focused.  It was queued in the truck’s sound system and ready to go, but we all so geeked to be together with the possibility of encountering a giant that I forgot!  My mistake, and we paid for it!  While both of my anglers were disadvantaged, Dr. L from his lower deck position and SB from his long wand and lots of extra slack from the wind and such, each missed their single chance.  Dr. L’s smallish fish looked disinterested, but SB’s near giant hung out for an extended time.  It had some motivation, but he just couldn’t get it to commit.  This fish failed to respond to a couple of our bucktails whizzing by, too.  We re-visited these spots over the course of the afternoon, but nothing else showed.

What do I have to say about this?

Meanwhile, I’m aware of a Halloween Giant captured from the point splitting M Lake, as well as  a bit of other successful activity on local lakes  while I was on C Lake.  The local addicts are keeping at it as the season winds down.  Between this trip and my writing this, the probable World Record Fly Fishing Muskie was caught (57 inches or so from Mille Lac, Minnesota), so it's possible that we could have succeeded.  This was my first ever Charity Skunk, but I’ll be back; and I suspect today’s partners will be back, too.  This is addictive stuff, and now they’ve been exposed.

SB, working hard for one early...

... and late!

Fall Perfection

NumenOn the Water

Date:  10-25-15

Body of Water:  C Lake
Boat:  Numenon

With:  Alone

Target:  Muskellunge

Time:  11:30 AM - 4 PM

Conditions:  55-56 F and pretty clear water for this lake (2-feet + visibility); sunny and brisk, about 50-60 F and post cold-front; generally NW winds at about 15 mph; Full Moon -2 Days

I was greeted at the ramp with news of a 37-incher and a follow; both were reportedly on "spinnerbaits", and this was about the extent of my exposure to muskies this day.  
I focused on buck tails, but utilized everything but topwaters, and I even thought of them towards the end of the day when it was about as warm as it was going to get.  There were another three boats, at least, at all times fishing for muskies; these fish are pressured.

This lake reminds me of a miniature Lake St. Clair.  It's a shallow bowl ringed with weeds.  There is little to concentrate fish, and it seems like they are as apt to be anywhere on this ring as anywhere else.  I know this isn't exactly correct, but empirically, in the amount of time available in a given session or season, making good presentations might trump an exact location.  And so, unless a fish has shown itself, I might simply circle the lake while casting.  This day, with no fish sighted, after a couple of cycles around the lake, I ventured over to adjacent K Lake.  This lake is much deeper and has some structure to possibly concentrate fish.  In all honesty, those I trust most on such things don't spend their time on this lake, even though it is connected to oft-productive C Lake.  While K Lake just doesn't seem to reliably produce fish, on this day, it offered something different than what was not working; and so why not give it a shot?  I  focused on one area with the steepest  drop adjacent to the most expansive flat.  There were no weeds on top, and so I worked the edge and the suspended bait nearby. This all looked pretty enticing to me, but still nothing showed.  I simultaneously kept an eye on another boat trolling the basin to no apparent avail, and as they passed by, they provided a report of three follows on small spinners, but no bites.

But what is "small" in the world of local muskie fishing?  My Windell's Harasser is a smallish muskie bucktail, especially compared to the double-10s that are so prevalent.   But perhaps a Mepps 4 or 5 is worth a toss when it is tough.  (One is rigged and ready to go as I type this.)

A good partner in the boat is probably worth at least 4-times the info I can generate by myself.  Between covering different water and using different baits and presentations, a partner can help solve this puzzle faster.  And without a doubt, time on the water is the most important factor in this game.

My buddy and mentor JVK launched his boat as I retrieved Numenon,  but I have received no word from him since, so he probably encountered no fish.  This is probably the case for his guided trip on T Lake on Tuesday, too.  There is no shame in a muskie skunk; the worst scenario is simply not trying.

What do I have to say about this?

Perfection?  Well, it certainly didn't spring from the fishing excitement, but rather from the exhilarating fall weather and colors.  Even if hadn't yet caught my muskie, I was smart to amend my plans, go home, and grill and share a dinner with the girls.  I may have missed moonrise and sunset, but I’d hedged my bets with the sun directly overhead and the moon direct underfoot while I was on the water.  I'll continue to try, when I can.

I'll be trying again this Sunday, and we'll be predominantly fly fishing per the request of my guests.  Why we would choose to make a hard task more difficult, I cannot say.  But perhaps the flies will constitute "small" presentations.  Maybe we'll slay 'em.  Maybe we will learn something.  I know we'll have an experience!

Fall Perfection

Window of Opportunity

NumenOn the Water

Date:  10-8-15

Body of Water:  C Lake

Boat:  Numenon

With:  JVK

Target: Muskellunge

Time:  3:30 - 8:15 PM

Conditions:  Pretty mild but with an approaching cold front; 70 degrees F dropping to 55 or so; mild winds; 61 degrees F +/- water and pretty murky.  We stayed into full dark and got caught by some heavy rain at the dock as the South wind quickly swung to the North.

My latest report for this lake indicated Big Rubber along the deepest weed edges, but the water has cooled dramatically since that information was procured.   We’re also rapidly approaching the conditions in which I had enjoyed my C Lake Baptism last year; so I hedged my bets by alternating bucktails and topwaters over the weeds, too.  I tried to be on my “best” spot during the 5:15 PM moonset, but as far as I could tell, I'd not encountered a fish.  

At 6:30 PM I was joined by muskie friend JVK.  Given the observed water temp (60 is bucktail time!), he agreed to work over the weeds in our remaining Window of Opportunity. He threw a custom orange and black 2x10 bucktail while I covered water with top-waters * and smaller bucktails.  JVK announced a follower right at the 7:15 PM sunset.  It was a pretty hot follow, too,  a 40-incher that disappeared after a turn in the Eight.  But JVK kept his Eight going, and the fish came back in, swiped and missed, and disengaged again.  That was it for the night; I'll just have to wait until next time. 

What do I have to say about this?

I will probably forever remember this day for Ollie’s disgusting roll in some apparent bear crap and subsequent bath.  While I'd taken some time off work to be on the water a bit early instead of dealing with such things, this turned out to be nothing more than a slight delay with no real cost.  It should also be noted that I strangely didn’t mind switching the boat back over to muskies.  Is that because I am motivated by them, or because the switch was simply on my own terms?  

I also enjoyed picking JVK's brain on strategies, styles and execution.  He knows a lot more about muskie fishing than I do, and this night we were literally in the same boat.  He's a Master of Big Rubber, but he can't necessarily explain why; nothing beats experience and personal qualia.  He was fresh off a good experience on Lake St. Clair,  and he concluded that we’re generally doing it right; but that focusing on concentrations of bait was key.

It was awesome having a knowledgeable boat mate aboard. Our presentations complemented each other's, we were learning from each other, and we were focusing our efforts with synergy; and that's just not possible when fishing alone.

His C Lake hotspots generally correspond to mine and his fish appeared right on an existing waypoint from a previous encounter of mine.  I know I should spend more time with my sonar and figure why these spots are singling themselves out; and then use it to find more!

* I love the look of the Poe's Jackpot walking bait, especially now that I’ve minimized my leader hardware.  It's a slow bait, but I suspect a deadly one when presented to The Spot.  If I'm covering water or simply searching for fish, then I will stick with the prop-baits.   

10-4

NumenOn the Water

Date:  10-4-15

Body of Water:  Reeds Lake

Boat:   Numenon
With: KS
Target:  Pike
Time:  2 PM - 4:30 PM
Conditions:  Post-wind and rain; but still breezy and water at 62 degrees F; generally overcast and still an Easterly wind after a truly miserable day the previous

This was a simple, local, convenient pike attempt.   I didn’t like the “look” of the water (turbid and brown) as we left the ramp and that feeling proved to be warranted.  At first we wandered around the basin (lots of suspended fish were noted) with a 6-rod presentation of boards and riggers with cranks.  Despite all the marks and our collective experience, nothing happened.  Well, we did catch a perch on  the rigger; that was first for me.  Since this wasn't working, we switched to slowly trolling the weed line with handheld rods and cranks, with a third rod with a board over the basin.  This resulted in a few bumps and another perch on the crank over the basin.  Why were this day's perch suspended?  Pre-turnover?  I think we're one more cold-front away from this year's turnover.  

What do I have to say about this?

Other than re-uniting with KS in the boat (it's been almost two seasons since we've fished together in Numenon),  I have to admit that I didn’t necessarily enjoy this trip.  I don’t like the skunk; this fishing is about catching!  But there's always a fall transition that I haven’t quite figured out, and combined with the wind, these were tough conditions.  Otherwise, I've got an additional list of temporary grievances:  I didn’t like being on the hook for K's decision making and schedule; I didn’t like transitioning the boat from muskie to pike on his whim; I didn’t like the east wind; I didn’t like losing a couple of lures (I am, after all, somewhat responsible for keeping Rapala in business!); I didn’t like the idiots at the ramp; I don’t like  the increased shoreline development; I didn’t like the last remaining ski boat using me as a navigation marker; I didn't like the motor coughing on acceleration; I didn’t like the idea of going back to work with no worthwhile memories; and I didn't like the prospect of writing this up.  

Well, at least I know I’m the problem here.  I’ve dealt with all this stuff successfully in the past, and I will in the future, too.  This daily crap just helps you to really appreciate the good stuff when it comes along.

Another Skunk

NumenOn the Water

Date:  9-27-15

Body of Water:  Lake C

Boat:  Numenon

With:  Alone

Target:  Muskies

Time: 6 - 11:15 AM

Conditions:  Overcast but clearing; building S winds; murky water at 70 F; day of the Full Moon; a rare "Super Blood Moon" coinciding with a total eclipse later that night

In which I experience a Super Blood Moon Letdown

I knew I probably couldn't be on the water during the evening of the Full Moon, so I hit it in the morning.  I was, once again, the first one there.  In the dark, I had confidence in my black top-raider; and as dawn progressed and I could see my bait approaching the boat, I worked my way through a black  double-10 bucktail,  and then an orange/black Harasser.  Still with no evidence of any muskie activity, I continued the GRIND in 6-11 fow  with good weed  growth.  I threw bucktails, jerks, topwaters and Big Rubber; even my aggressive Pacemaker top-water got some time later in the morning's  sunshine as the winds and waves increased.  Still,nothing moved for me, and the other boat chasing muskies also indicated nothing.

But the next day I found that my friend and muskie mentor JVK is doing well with medussas on and just off the deep weedline.  I've done a bit of this during each trip, but with nothing to show for it; he's been scoring consistently.  This pattern only makes sense and of course ensures my future presence on the lake.   

What do I have to say about this?

Big Rubber has not been great to me, but perhaps I can consider using a Bondy Bait or a big slab spoon as a more comfortable alternative.  That is, if I can beat the changing seasonal weather conditions, because here in Michigan we changed from Summer to Fall just a few hours after the Super Blood Moon set.  Maybe I'll do best with the bucktails and jerk baits that worked so well for me last fall.

Meanwhile, I just found out that the Michigan DNR is using Survey Monkey to learn about muskellunge fishing efforts and catch rates; I'll be sure to participate!

Night Bite

NumenOn the Water

Date:  9-25-15

Body of Water: Big Whitefish Lake

Boat:  DC's Lund

With:  DC

Target:  LMB

Time: 6 - 9:15 PM

Conditions:  Clear; water temps 72 F; NNE wind to 10 mph; Full Moon-2 days; staying well into dark

DC had enjoyed a fabulously productive and easy night of bass fishing earlier in the week (including a couple of big walleyes), and so we tried it again on this comfortable Friday night.  His pattern had been working the weeds and edges with a Bluegill Rapala DT10 and chartreuse and white spinnerbaits; and then switching over at full dark to night-time, dark thumping spinnerbaits.

Of course, it had been a warm, muggy week with southerly winds, and as I approached the lake, skies cleared and a stronger NNE wind took hold.  We again worked as a team, and I chose to throw rattle baits and swimbaits over the tops of weeds while DC threw the DT10 over the basin.  There were tons of obvious, small suspended bluegills (although not as obvious as earlier in the week), and many of the bass were targeting these fish before it got too dark.  It seemed as though these baits evaporated as darkness approached; at which time combing through the weeds would become more productive.

We worked a bit more than usual on the lake's east side (with its varied topography and lots of 'gills), but finished the evening with a couple of passes around and over the sunken hump that dominates this lake's structure.  Before dark, DC way out-fished me (especially with the DT10; recall that this lure was so hot for him a year ago, too.)  He caught a beautiful 18.5-incher almost right away, and a 25-inch pike as well as many smaller bass.  Meanwhile, I caught just a scratch keeper on a Bill Dance walking bait.  I did miss a big fish (bowfin? pike?  giant bass?) on a flashy white spinnerbait racing over some clumpy weeds, but things were generally slow for me and I looked forward to slow-rolling spinnerbaits along deep weed edges in the dark.  

DC caught a few more bass and a really nice, 6.5-pound-or-so walleye before I got into my rhythm, but when I finally gave up on slow-rolling and picked up my retrieve speed, and further focused on the bass that seemed to be settling in on top of the hump in just a few feet of water, I started to contribute to our catch with some regularity.  My biggest was 16.25-inches and probably 2.5 pounds. 

With "virtual culling" we ended with a "virtual limit" of about 12 pounds, a bit  better than we'd done in our last few outings.  We'd probably caught 20 or 25 bass, and while most were right around the 14-inch legal limit (+/-; with more – than usual tonight), we'd caught our share of "nice" fish, too.  Perhaps the fall feeding has begun!

My choice of baits for night-time bassing.

What do I have to say about this?

Largemouth bass are just about always there for me!  They are my childhood friend and my comfort fish.  When I want to catch a bunch, I generally choose to go bass fishing.  They are a nice complement to the salmon and muskie fishing I've been doing, where just getting a bite lately is considered an accomplishment.

We are entering perhaps the best time of the year for trophy fishing.  The biggest barriers I'll face will be the wind and weather.  It's a super-windy time of year here in Michigan  and I have many super-memorable experiences that I can go years without being able to repeat because of the wind (offshore steelies, deepwater smallies, and Crystal Lake lakers come to mind).  But I always have smaller waters and their largemouth bass to fall back upon.  Thank goodness!