I hit the water with Musky Rob on Monday. Thanks very much Rob for taking me along. It was great fun!
It was a perfect day for chasing fall walleye. The weather was overcast and grey with a temperature of +3 degrees. The wind was low most of the day and from the East, it blew in at a whole 20 k/hr by late in the afternoon. The water was pretty calm in the morning with a slight chop developing in the afternoon and more significant by the time we packed up but nothing like it can be out there. It was quite comfortable for the fishermen. There was a little bit of precipitation very infrequently and it was more like a slight mist than spitting rain. The water temperature was 45 degrees Fahrenheit. We had the boat launch to ourselves in Picton which was a big surprise considering the favorable condition. We arrived and Picton just as it was getting light out, we rigged up and launched the boat and headed out past the ferry. An hour after our arrived in Picton we were just west of Keith's shoal and setting out our lines.
We fished along past Keith's shoal and along the south shore for a while with no action. We crossed over to the north shore and still nothing. We are using 4 lines towing planer boards and an array of divers, a couple with snap weights attached. We were running pretty long leads 100 to +150 feet. Heading east along the north shore in about 100 feet of water, past the light house about 1/2 way along where the bay narrows there and finally a board starts shaking and moving behind the boat. It was the port, inside planer board towing a Bleeding Tiger, Deep Tail Dancer 11, no snap weight and between 100 and 150 feet of line out past the planer board.
After a short fight, we landed this 24 inch walleye. We didn't weight it but my guess is it's 4 or 5 pounds.
Bleeding Tiger, Deep Tail Dancer 11
We headed a short ways further east towards the gap and circled around westbound and came back down throught the middle of the channel with no further action. Just west of the light house we circled back, heading east again along the north shore in 100 to 120 feet of water, very close to the place we picked up the first fish, we get another hit. This time on the outside port planer board. It starts shaking and heading towards the back of the boat. Rob reports it's pulling pretty hard and that it might be a decent fish. This rod was towing a Eriedescent Reef Runner 800 Series Deep Diver, with 100 - 150 feet of line out and a snap weight 50 feet behind the planer board. A nice battle and eventually Rob lands a beautiful 10 pound 29 inch walleye.
Eriedescent Reef Runner 800 Series Deep Diver
We head up towards a short bit towards the gap and circle back westbound and again along the north shore in 100 to 120 feet of water and once again very close to the same spot we pick up another fish. Once again on the outside port planer board. It's give one little shake and then another quick little bump and I say to Rob, I think we got a fish. I jump up and start reeling. Yes indeed, another fish although I'm sensing right away it's nothing huge but probably another small walleye. This rod was towing a Reef Runner Barbie 800 Series Deep Diver with 100 - 150 feet of line out past the board and a snap weight attached 50 feet past the board. A short while later I landed another 24 inch walleye. We didn't weight this one either but my last guess of 4 or 5 pounds remains the same.
Reef Runner Barbie 800 Series Deep Diver
We continue to troll west past the lighthouse, then we circle around and head east again. Heading once again along the north shore and in 100 to 120 feet of water. We get roughly the same area the other fish were caught, low and behold the outside port planer board fires off. It has 100 -150 feet of line out and is towing the same Eriedescent Reef Runner 800 Series Deep Diver that caught the earlier big fish. It also has a snap weight attached 50 feet out from the planer board. Rob gets on the rod and pretty quickely report that it feels like another decent fish. He fights towards the boat and after a nice battle, we land a beautiful 12 pound walleye. We break the end off the tape measure trying to measure it and the tape disappears into the tape measure so we lay it up against a paddle and notch the paddle with a knife so we can release the fish and still know how long it was. So, it was 12 pounds and 30 1/4 inches.
Eriedescent Reef Runner 800 Series Deep Diver
We circle around and make one last pass along the north shore with no hits during this pass. We fish until 4:30. It was starting to get dark so we pulled in the gear and headed back to Picton. Once again, we were the only boat at the launch and by 5:30 we are all buttoned up and heading back home.
The schools of fish move around out there so there report are time sensitive.
Good luck out there,
Kevin
Here's a short video of the live release of the big fish.
https://youtu.be/QL1mZn9UtQU
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
.