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| Just got back from LOTW area- fishing trout water lake on 4 -day fly-in w/ my 15 yr old daughter (Felicia a.k.a. "Flea"). Cold front came in day before we flew out- Water temps started at 73 & dropped to 70 over next four days.
Day 1- Windy (SE) w/ intermittant sun & clouds- general recon of lake & teaching Flea how to fish Muskies w/ various baits & figure 8. She had the only follower ~ 40" fish on a "Little Ernie" (large reef complex).
Day 2- Windy (SE) Cloudy light sprinkles in morning- ~ 8:00Am she had a mid-40 fish follow a #14 Rapala (jointed -trout color) to the boat twice- - small bay w/ wood & cabbage out front- I actually saw same fish/same spot in 97- ~ 39-40" then. About mid-day warm front came throught- light rain & wind from south everything including smallies shut off.
evening-sunset- fished reef where Flea had follow on first day- casting away from reef w/ little Ernie, had mid-40" fish follow to boat & dance through first 8- Go trolling for couple of hours, i.e., around prime reefs & open water (where I'm marking stacks of Laker's- no luck.
Day 3- Windy (SE) Rain, Fished portage lake- Smallies & Muskies-
Flea was fishing smallies throwing crawfish colored crankbait to shore-trying to get one of the trophy smallies to hit something (we saw a lot of trophy smallies - but all had lock jaw) I was throwing Little Ernie to deep water- "Dad fish!" Turned around to see giant tail disappear into darkness under the boat. After about five minutes of trying we couldn't bring her back up. Me- "How big was it?" Daughter- "Huge! Me -How big? Daughter - "It made the fish yesterday look small!" My guess based on the tail I saw is that it was probably a 60" class fish. No doubt Flea was pumped. Yesterday's fish was a mid 40 & we're fishing in gin water, so she got a real first clear look at true trophy Muskie- I'm just sorry I was facing away and missed it!
Moved on down the shoreline w/ plans to come back before we left. Found nice cabbage bed- in wind protected area- flat calm water- like looking into a giant aquarium. First cast to back edge- "little Ernie" hit the water & first twitch a mid-30" comes up like a rocket & swipes the lure, hard twitch, he/she hits it again & vanishes. Flea throws in little Jake- no rise- continue to work our way down the cabbage bed- boat positioned over 24' deep water ~ 30' from deep weed edge. Flea- "Dad there's a fish splash behind us" (out in deep water) Me- Throw Jake out there & see if it'll hit." 30 seconds later "Dad fish!" me- where? Flea -"I don't know- Muskie followed to the boat" She's doing figure 8 w/ Jake just like I taught her. I throw "little Ernie" out ~ 10' from boat toward shore & start figure 8- A mid 30" Muskie darts from under boat & dance's twice around the 8, then glides back down. Flea - "Dad, fishing is supposed to relieve your frustrations. Muskies just make more!." Me- Ya, but you've forgotten about your other frustrations, have'nt you?
Go back to working the cabbage- jerking "little Ernie down/through deep weed edge when mid-40" comes from deep water & slams "little Ernie" Me- "fish on" . Beautiful sight-> mid -40" fish ~ 8' down- gills flared, mouth open, head shaking & 10 seconds later she's gone! I should have let her turn away and set the hook a second time- oh well that's Muskie fishing- hard to think clearly in the heat of the strike -
Speed change was the definite trigger all three fish in/around this cabbage bed- she hit little Ernie as it was accelerating on the twitch.
Later we go back to see if we can raise the "Big Girl"- no luck.
Evening- Let Flea crash at the cabin- I go deep water trolling-deepest spot I've marked is ~185'. no luck- tried lots of different presentations- deep - shallow, also hit two prime reef's no luck-
Day 4- cloudy - wind from SE. Seeing as the hitter's yesterday seemed to be in the cabbage- we start hitting the cabbage bed's on the main lake- Flea's tired- I've pushed her pretty hard last three days, so she's cat napping while I'm casting Muskie Harraser over tops of the cabbage. Wind is a "real bi&ch" today - drift across huge cabbage bed no hit's. Decide to try another drift- instead of running around the bed, I decide to troll back through it. I wake up Flea & hand her my rod w/ the Muskie Harasser & start motor get the harasser running about 50' behind the boat & throw out Super Buckertail on my other pole - I think to my self if speed trigers let's see what we can do, boat is probably going 6-7 MPH, this is a fast troll w/lots of prop wash- about 100' into the cabbage bed "Fish on" - Flea's had a hit - shutdown motor & get my line in- she's hauling back on the rod but it's going nowhere - fish is buried in the cabbage- start motor & instruct her to keep the line tight w/ bow in rod as I move us back to where fish is locked in the cabbage. Flea- "Dad I think it's a rock" Me- no, it's a fish & he's buried into the weeds, we'll get him." Get her back where the line is buried into the weeds- shutdown the motor get it up out of the way & get the Beckman ready- She's straining to lift whatever it is off the bottom in ~ 8' of water. finally up comes about 50 lbs of cabbage weeds w/ a Muskie nose sticking out. I tell her to keep the line tight (65lb Power Pro) while I reach out & start getting some of the weeds off - get the weeds off & find 30" Muskie attached to line- he does a little power surge away from the boat, but is soon swimming in the "Beckman". unhooked-barbless hooks. Flea gets a glove on _ I measure it, 30" on the mark. I hand her Muskie to her & tell her to hold it tight & keep it horizontal- two quick photo's & back into the Beckman. He's looking good & she's grinning [:bigsmile:] I tell her how to hold him by the tail and what we're doing & why(making sure he's revived from the fight.) I slide the Beckman away, she's doing great! Flea- "when should I let him go?" Me- " he'll let you know". About 60 sec later Flea- "Dad - he's doing that by himself" Me -then it's time" She opens her hand & he swims down into the cabbage. We hug- she's smiling ear to ear. [:bigsmile:] So am I [:bigsmile:]
We continue fishing & exploring - wind is getting worse 2' swells on main lake- Decide it's a trip & stop fishing about 4:30PM as it's our last day-
Ribeye's on the grill- real mashed potatoes & corn (her favorites) Beautiful Canadian sunset, bonfire- her first Muskie. Just can't get any better than that!![:)]
conclusion: misearable weather- cold front - lot's of wind w/ some spots of decent conditions. Tough fishing. But we had fun.
In the car on the way home (9 hr drive) Me- Well what do you think? Flea- "Canada's beautiful". Me- Do you want to do it again next year? Flea w/[:bigsmile:] - "Sure!" She's hooked!
She out fished me- both smallies & Muskies- We had a great time. Maybe next time the weather & Muskie god's will smile on us a little more.
It's your choice to Catch'em & Let'em Go!
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| Great report! Congrats to Flea. | |
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Report- Nestor Falls area trout water.