Fishing Report Bluff Bar pike/Oct 6th

[Reel-ist]

Well I had a tough descision to make this morning. Lake, and chance that Environment Canada didn't know jack (as is often the case) or play it safe go to LPB and play with the pike and not get humbled by the wind. I kept checking the Port Stanley buoy right until I passed through Calton on my way o the bay and, as it turns out, it was a good decision this time.
The ride out to Bluff Bar wasn't exactly "glassy" but it wasn't too bad. There was just a bit of a chop - manged about 15 - 16 MPH on the way out. I wish I could same for the ride back in. Things were rocking pretty good by bay standards. It was definitely my best pike day ever /anywhere.

Vitals as follows:
-13 for 15 on pike - one lost at boat when entangled in the 2nd line and one broke the line about 100 feet back from the boat / 1 for 1 on silver bass,
-lines in 10:15 am and out at 6:30 pm,
Flat lining with 40 lb braid and a 2 foot wire leader - no additional weight, deep diving body baits,
-trolling 140 feet back at 3.25 to 3.75 mph (by GPS),
-3 Largest fish were between 36 and 37 inches,
- majority of fish 28" or better,
-all fish were caught on Berkeley "Hit Stick" body baits in 3 different colours "Rainbow Trout", Yellow Perch and Crazy Steel,
- silver bass - largest I have seen or caught to date @ 18",
-all fish released.

Too bad it wasn't "Derby" day today H

 

[Outdorman]

love to eat like, just like walleye (pickerel)

 

[Reel-ist]

I have occasionally eaten pike, usually from colder water and when I can get to shore and clean it right away. But, with a lake full of walleye, perch and bass to feast on, I like to put these back to scrap again. I can't wait to try a good musky scrap. The big fellows yesterday were pretty good. One of the 36+ ones actually cleared water twice.
I was whooping an hollering in the boat like a kid catching his first fish. It's probably a good thing no other boats were around or they might have thought me "special".

 

[Elmerfudd]

Are the fish out there in summer months as well or just fall? Always thought that would be a good fall back plan when its too rough to troll walleyes elsewhere. Nicely done.

 

[Bigdaver]

Nicely Done Reel-ist!!!!! Glad to see you got out and hammered them again. Great report!

 

[Reel-ist]

I'm not too sure Elmerfudd. I am usually in the west end fishing walleye until it starts slowing down in late September. There is a pretty good weed bed in the area protected by the bar, with water depths varying from nothing to about 23 feet, so I'm sure it's holding something all year round. I may start venturing there more often in the summer if there are strong southerly or westerly winds when the lake side of the point gets too ugly to be out trolling. What I am finding is it's nice to not have to use dipsies or added line weights to get the bait down deep enough to get fish...very liberating and easy to know you have a fish on.

 

[Reel-ist]

Thanks Bigdaver. Your advice was spot-on as to location and trolling speed was spot-on. This time I had enough of the hit-sticks to use them on both rods and it made a big difference being able to catch them on both rods - had a couple of double-headers that proved challenging, but that's a good "problem" to have! We'll have to try to get out together soon and mop a few more up.