justtracytrolling

Thanks guys. Im hoping to fish with my son tomorrow. Drop shot some smallies I found last week if they are still there. We have fished/camped together on his b'day for most of his life, but it keeps getting tougher as he gets older. Its been a while and he goes to Lake St Clair to fish in the BASS Open in a week and a half.

I dont see myself doing much of it old man just thought it might be a fun thing once in a while or when its really on. I too have heard ONCE IN A WHILE fish will take a fly when nothing works though im skeptical. I plan to test this next time the walleyes are on top water and I cant get em to go. Just another tool, and based on its effectiveness it may not get used much. I will say it was awesome to watch the fish track a fly and take.

Welcome back Nick! Gotta feel real good to get back out there....congrats on the good trip!

Mine is a ranger rubber coated. Not an expensive net but I like it and it's definitely big enough. I have another just like it that isnt coated that I plan on getting a new "net" for.

Here is a pic of the tiger I picked up solo and a few other pics from the weekend.

Otters will tow most anything and will troll 5-6 no prob and never flip or dive.....pricey tho....they also can be brought in at speed. Anyone going that route should add the half keels and fender washers on the tow ropes and keel bolts.

I still remember being stuck on shore dreaming of fishing from a boat....I remember begging to go fishing and hunting with the men....I remember the age old reply of you arent old enough which was code for we arent taking kids...Ive NEVER told my son he couldnt go and I really love taking other kids now that he is grown and prefers those trashy bass...lol! I am surprised and pleased how much these kids want to learn to clean and cook their fish....there is hope!

Ive always been more of a big board deep water troller, but lately Ive been having fun just running 1 hand held rod right on the weedline or over weeds. The hits are tremendous and with only 20-40 feet of line we can really put the screws to the fish and land them quickly making them super easy to release. Ive caught plenty with 300 feet of line out along with other rods out so fights are very long and fish tougher to revive. The fly rod fish Joe locked right down on and he didnt give up 1 inch of line breaking the fish fast. Joe's flies have no barbs so the release is a breeze compared to plugs. I did tell him the walleye flies he is making better have barbs!!!!!!!!!! The quick fights are much more vicious too.

Great report Ed! The fish that get away are definitely the ones that keep you going.

Thanks guys! Hope you get a real pig Kevin!

I met a fly fisherman last weekend and offered to take him out to a few of my spots sunday. Conditions were tough but Joe worked thru it and landed a nice 35 incher and had a 40ish follow. Details and few others from the weekend are in my walleye post. BTW water clarity is excellent and tiger fishing is ON as of this weekend thru today. Surface temps 69-71 and we took fish in shallow all the way out to 50 fow.

Depends on the water and the situation. On Otisco a 9-10 pounder is fairly rare but we get a few every year. Id need one about 12 I think. I will say a 10 casting on light tackle is far more special than 1 trolled. I hope to get a good fish on a fly rod this fall and I think an 8-9 off a big top water fly would put me at the taxidermist. Frank it really doesnt matter what anyone thinks but you! If its a trophy to you then mount it.

Thurs Got up to camp at dusk with every intention of a night solo run, but it was cold, rainy, and the boat wasnt loaded n ready so I bagged it. Friday I decided to spend the day working on gear and the boat. Left the dock at 830pm solo with ready for a quick limit. Dropped in my watered down 3 rod shallow night program consisting of a gsr 7 in blue, and 2 deep little rippers in purple. Instantly picked up a nice pounder, and then hit a lull till dark. After dark I went 1-2 for on eyes with a 4 pounder and 2 smallies. Back to the dock by 11pm. Saturday AM Got a late start with Wayne about 630am. Fishing was beyond slow! We didnt move a rod for over 2 hours. Eventually we stumbled on an amazing school of smallmouths and landed 3 beauties. In the midst of the smallies the right rigger fires and I think Im on a big eye till about halfway in I realize it must be a catfish...8 pound cat with a severe overbite! Back at the dock at noon...VERY slow disappointing morning, but at least we each had 2 good fights. Afternoon We had a nice young couple and their kids camping in the site in front of our rv from ontario. Dwayne and his son Mitch were planning on trolling for tiger muskies in their canoe (they are learning to fish together as both JUST picked it up) and after I helped them spool up a couple rods Mitch informed me that they were gonna have to cast from the dock because it was too windy. I started to go in for lunch, turned around, and went back and told him Id take him out and we'd troll him up a musky. After lunch we left the dock about 2 and went out to a weedline I worked last monday and we trolled a pass with a mepps he just got on his rod. Then I gave him my musky rod set up with 65 pound braid and 50 pound flouro and a rapala bx swimmer 11. I told him to hold on with 2 hands tight and told his dad to hold mitch. They both though I was crazy till 50 yards after I got up to speed, 5 mph, Mitch was nearly ripped out of the boat by a nice fat 30 incher. I probably shoulda eased the drag...it was set for me. The fish cleared the water 4 feet and 1 the second jump. After a safe release and pics I ask him if up for another...he says yes and I get him out and the boat up to speed. Dont you know it we only go 100 yards and lucky Mitch is on AGAIN! This time its just a 25 incher but great fight for Mitch. Now after pics and a safe release Im getting into this. So I work my tail off running around for 3 more hours and cant move another tiger. Needless to say Mitch is ecstatic and I have a new best friend and fishing buddy. Evening/Night My buddy Stan and his friend Chris got in about 7 and they were looking for a mixed bag of fillets. So we started with jigging up a bunch of crappie on gulp and fatheads. We ended up with 8 eaters from 10 to 13 inchers...mitch got a few too! Then we headed out for eyes and a smallie or 2 about 830. The rain continued to fall harder and harder untill it was an outright downpour! We continued to fish through the rain for hours and netted 3 eyes and kept 1 nice smb out of several. 1 eye came early before it got bad and the other 2 after. fish were 22-24. Back to the dock at 2...Id never have fished in that but Stan cant fish often and he drove an hour...as long as he wanted to tough it out I did. Sunday I slept in then unloaded the boat to take a new aquaintance Joe flyfishing for tigers. We left the dock at 1 with Tacy aboard to take pics. Conditions were very rough and windy and I was surprised Tracy stuck it out. Boat control in the wind is always tough, but when you are fly fishing its tougher yet by far because the fisherman needs to have the wind just right to throw huge flies. Joe was fun to watch and he is very adept and agile making it possible. He absolutely fished his tail off and after several spots he hooked up and landed a nice 35 incher. It was a great follow and take. After a safe release we worked several more spots and Joe managed 1 40ish follow. Joe ties and designs all his own flies, designs and builds his own rods. I have a few flies now and he is working on a few more we will be trying on walleye soon. Evening I took Mitch and family out for a sunset troll for eyes, but the weeds made it tough to run more than 6 rods and I wasnt willing to troll into dark up on shore with my in experienced crew that other than Mitch really didnt want a stressful FISHING trip. We ended up not moving a rod , but the cruise was great and everyone enjoyed the glasslike conditions we had all to ourselves...not 1 other boat out. Monday I wasnt in any hurry to get up and chase eyes solo with the spotty action so I slept in and went out at 12 after lunch for a tiger. Took me all of 10 minutes to land a nice mid thirties tiger trolling that bx swimmer. I noticed 2 young teens watching the whole thing while fishing from the causeway next to their bikes. I said what the heck and went and picked them up and took them out for a tiger, We end up with a 30 incher on a dt10, a 5 pound eye and several bass. 2 more happy kids...back to the dock at 530. All in all it was slow fishing , but I really had a ton of fun taking some time to fish a variety of techniques and species. And Mitch's face when his first tiger hit was priceless along with all the smiles. Im truly spoiled when I think the fishing was poor and those kids caught the fish of their lives to date. Puts things in perspective. I encourage everyone to take a kid out and not just yours.

Nice work Greg! I know you're always working that walleye magic! Spotty summer for me after a stellar spring...Im still a month out from my best fishing.

Correct...they dive to about 32 feet with 200 feet of 10 lb dia line Sent from my LG-L38C using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Nice work kevin as usual! I had a monster this morning that turned into a 8 lb catfish, but i had the ole heartbeat seeing that rod pump and feeling the weight. Was solo last night and wanted to go for just a hr or so and didnt try my bb but tonight Im gonna catch an eye on it. 65 lb braid and 50 lb flouro to 20pound leader...we'll see. Did manage a couple 21s last night solo. At dock before 11. Tonight is an all nighter. Sent from my LG-L38C using Lake Ontario United mobile app