Norm M

The current water temps are 55.6 degrees no where near cold water. I don't consider the cold water period to start until it's under 45 degrees.

I fished all day today, started with a knit hat and hooded sweatshirt, which I took off about 930 AM and finished the day in shirtsleeves. The action was fairly consistent throughout the day.

The original breakfast club was 4 guys, later joined by a 5th. We fished in coldwater and it got the breakfast club moniker account we meet at a local resturaunt cuz it was too cold to sit around the parking lot. We generally hit the water about 830 to 9 AM and generally got some fish.

There is some benefit to having the sun warm the water for a few hours when the temps are in the 30's but not absolutely necessary.

I caught 15 fish, 5 different species all by 1130 AM so the fish were active before 11AM.

How about doing outings with two start times 8AM and 11AM, that way the early birds and the sleep ins could both enjoy the camraderie of other ISA members.

Ron,

When you work at 3PM an 8 AM start is just fine. If you wait until 11 there will be guys on a lot of the spots already.

Start at 8 and fish for 4 or 5 hours still leaves time to do something with the family as well.

Where are all the reports, surely someone else got some fish.

Mixed bag, walleye, channel cat, rock bass, crappie and smallies. A pair of 19 inch smallies and a 31 inch channel cat were the highlights. Mostly crankbait, couple on sticks and rattlebaits.

Brendan,

I'm always willing to try to explain the things I do. Well, at least lures-techniques, some of what I do I'm not sure there is a good explanation for.

"The ancients wrote of the three ages of man,

I propose to write of the three ages of the fisherman.

 

When he wants to catch all the fish he can.

When he strives to catch the largest fish.

When he studies to catch the most difficult fish he can find,

requiring the greatest skill and most refined tackle,

caring more for the sport than the fish."

 

Edward R. Hewitt "A Trout And Salmon Fisherman For Seventy-Five Years"

 

Lotta fish, big fish, challenging fish-pick one.

After those comes trying different techniques and/or locations just to see what works or not just for the sake of learning. Kinda moving that way a little right now.

The Subwalk has a much more distinctive presence in the water than a fluke, it can push a lot more water very easily. It's heavier and can be cast further than the fluke [further than a Sammy] so you can stay farther away. It's designed to go 2 feet deep and stop.

I like to follow up a topwater bite with the Subwalk as you can get fish that are still looking up but not willing to go all the way to the surface. I also use it to follow up a rattlebait bite that stops, this time looking for fish that are looking up but not willing to take the faster moving rattlebait.

I will also start with the Subwalk when the water clarity is about 1.5 feet or so. In that case I'm looking to find active fish that are using the end of the effective light penetration as an ambush point.

I feel that I can consistently place something that says big fat dumb slow eat me right in the strike zone.

Lord willin and the crick don't rise.

I've got no complaints from the fish about the Sammy 85 I toss them, got in at a baitshop closing sale.

Spittin Image Shad works well in the same situations for me.

topwater, rattlebaits, cranks. watch for walleyes in the mix more now.

Ron

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

I've had excellent days in the kinds of upcoming conditions. Fishing topwaters when the wind is blowing so hard it's sending whitecaps upstream is something I look forward to.

Nice fish and adjustments btw.

Way to go Joe. It's definitely a thrill to see your name in In Fishermen.

Good to see another ISA member make it to those pages.

Kevin,

No the stuff I'm loking for fits in my pocket.

Rainy overcast day , not a thing on top. Sunny bluebird day, topwater bite and fish feeding up on other lures and nothing on the bottom. That's why it's so intriguing to me the total unpredictibility that keeps you on your toes.

Jeff,

I intend to get down there. Just remenber to tell your wife that you are dedicated and not crazy when fishing in the winter. They don't believe us but it sounds a lot better.

The fish are already cold and wet.

Sometimes it's good to get worked up.

 

Having emotion towards a problem is a lot better than most people not caring.

 

I have been know occasionally to get a little worked up myself.

 

Of course not any more in my waning years.

Those years showed up some time ago.

First , many thanks to all the guys who gave thier time to help out. All told we had 12 members out on the cleanup and all did a great job.

Mark, you and I have organized a cleanup or two in our time, no reason it can't be done again. I'll try to get my wife to make some cookies for us. I'm game for an organized spring cleanup, I have plenty of bags and gloves, so all we will need is the folks to come out. Maybe make it a potluck lunch of sorts, let the guys show off thier culinary skills or thier wife's skills. Trust me if I made the cookies they would have Official NHL stamped on them.

Maybe follow up lunch with a mini seminar if there was interest or just cut to the chase and fish.

Kevin,

Nice find in the lures and knife, just wondering if there was anything green that folds found. If so I lost it and please return with interest.

I'm built for comfort not for speed. It's not the speed you actually wade at but how you fish that matters. I start very aggressive and let the fish decide what the proper tempo is.

I prefer cherry picking to straining but can do either.

Generally when I fish with Phil, I expect to be challenged mentally as his type of water and experiences are different than mine. It makes for very interesting fishing and conversation.

Rapala Subwalk serves me well for a subsurface walk the dog as well as other subsurface retrieves. It's larger and heavier than the lure shown but I've never been shy about using bigger lures than the average bear.

Nose hook or wacky rig the plastic with a circle hook to elimanate gut hooking. It will also elimanate the need to set the hook on longer casts, just tighten up and don't allow slack.

Free fishing[no license needed] on the Kankakee that day only as well. Bring a friend and introduce them to fishing and conservation at the same time.

Bill,

Ran into Gary aka Bumhip this morning.

Kevin

Breakfast not planned but if any want to they can. Twixt the NIAA and my trunk we should have all the cleanup supplys, NIAA supposed to provide food.

You can get into water to cleanup if desired but most of the effort will be along the shorelines and parking lots. If you opt for shoreline you may get your feet wet.

I'm off that day so Zach and I will fish for a while afterward. We do plan to go to a star show at ONU that evening.

Stop by the flower shop , get some perfume and some fine chocolates. Plan B stop by the lumber yard and buy enough to build a comfortable dog house if the first part doesn't work.

Dinner, a show and a baby sitter may get you out of the dog house in a week or three.

Bump

my hone is always with me, gets used a lot.