turtlshell
11-04-2008, 08:08 AM
As always when the family fishing trip to Lake of the Woods comes up each fall I wonder if my time would be better spent in a treestand. We never have a problem finding fish, they're everywhere...but I want trophy fish, not just a bunch of eaters.
The slot limit is 19.5-28inches and we always catch a bunch of fish in the 17.5-19 inch range...which is great but I want fish over 25 inches.
This year started off rough as we left my place at 4am on 10/25...and finally arrived at Baudette around dusk. We weren't setting any land speed records as a few of the guys are nearing 60 and need more frequent bathroom breaks. I told them if they didn't drink so much damn coffee we could make better time...half joking/half serious. The traveling portion of the trip is always the worst part.
Sunday was a big wind storm, with gusts well above 50mph. We didn't even unload our boats. Being captive all day in the cabin, I decided to drink away the day. Monday was a nice day and the weather from Monday on out was almost perfect. I had two bites on Monday and missed them both. I set my pole down to pee, and while my idle jig rested on the bottom a large sturgeon decided to make him/her self a meal of my dead emerald shiner. 35 minutes later I pulled in the only fish to be boated in our boat that day. 59inches long and 52.3 pounds...by far the largest fish I've ever caught on rod and reel.
http://www.iowawhitetail.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Picture_0161.jpg
Tuesday the maylay started. My dad and I hit our favorite spot and it was on. We knocked the crap out of the fish and they just kept coming. we had non-stop action from 9am-noon. I finally caught a 24 inch walleye (besting my Iowa record of 23.5) when my dad and I doubled on two awesome fish. Dad's was 28 inches and went just over 8 and a half pounds. It was fat. He wouldn't listen to my directions so his pictures didn't do the fish its deserved justice, but both fish were released unharmed.
http://www.iowawhitetail.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Picture_0201.jpg
http://www.iowawhitetail.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Picture_023.jpg
http://www.iowawhitetail.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Picture_026.jpg
Wednesday morning was another good morning number wise, but the large fish weren't there so for the afternoon we made a wholesale change and went up river a couple miles. It paid off huge as we got into a mess of "slot" fish.
http://www.iowawhitetail.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Picture_038.jpg
I ended the day by besting my previous days record with a 26.5 inch walleye that went just shy of 7lbs (6lb 12oz).
http://www.iowawhitetail.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Picture_0391.jpg
After tuesday and wednesday I had satisfied my fishing needs and started thinking about the Iowa Whitetail action I was missing out on. We caught plenty of fish thursday and Friday, but none over 25 and I had pretty much lost interest.
I was going to head east to hunt, but I adjusted my time off for this friday and all of next week. If I can kill a big buck this will go down as the best fall ever for me. Enjoy the picts.
The slot limit is 19.5-28inches and we always catch a bunch of fish in the 17.5-19 inch range...which is great but I want fish over 25 inches.
This year started off rough as we left my place at 4am on 10/25...and finally arrived at Baudette around dusk. We weren't setting any land speed records as a few of the guys are nearing 60 and need more frequent bathroom breaks. I told them if they didn't drink so much damn coffee we could make better time...half joking/half serious. The traveling portion of the trip is always the worst part.
Sunday was a big wind storm, with gusts well above 50mph. We didn't even unload our boats. Being captive all day in the cabin, I decided to drink away the day. Monday was a nice day and the weather from Monday on out was almost perfect. I had two bites on Monday and missed them both. I set my pole down to pee, and while my idle jig rested on the bottom a large sturgeon decided to make him/her self a meal of my dead emerald shiner. 35 minutes later I pulled in the only fish to be boated in our boat that day. 59inches long and 52.3 pounds...by far the largest fish I've ever caught on rod and reel.
http://www.iowawhitetail.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Picture_0161.jpg
Tuesday the maylay started. My dad and I hit our favorite spot and it was on. We knocked the crap out of the fish and they just kept coming. we had non-stop action from 9am-noon. I finally caught a 24 inch walleye (besting my Iowa record of 23.5) when my dad and I doubled on two awesome fish. Dad's was 28 inches and went just over 8 and a half pounds. It was fat. He wouldn't listen to my directions so his pictures didn't do the fish its deserved justice, but both fish were released unharmed.
http://www.iowawhitetail.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Picture_0201.jpg
http://www.iowawhitetail.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Picture_023.jpg
http://www.iowawhitetail.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Picture_026.jpg
Wednesday morning was another good morning number wise, but the large fish weren't there so for the afternoon we made a wholesale change and went up river a couple miles. It paid off huge as we got into a mess of "slot" fish.
http://www.iowawhitetail.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Picture_038.jpg
I ended the day by besting my previous days record with a 26.5 inch walleye that went just shy of 7lbs (6lb 12oz).
http://www.iowawhitetail.com/photopost/data/500/medium/Picture_0391.jpg
After tuesday and wednesday I had satisfied my fishing needs and started thinking about the Iowa Whitetail action I was missing out on. We caught plenty of fish thursday and Friday, but none over 25 and I had pretty much lost interest.
I was going to head east to hunt, but I adjusted my time off for this friday and all of next week. If I can kill a big buck this will go down as the best fall ever for me. Enjoy the picts.