Spring Has Sprung,,, And The Bite Is On

[Capt.Bob]

The word is out and the fisherman are showing up in full force.

 

The Walleye have been in the river now for about 2 weeks, and the freezer is starting to look good again. It takes a while as you can only keep 4 a day, but by the first of May I will be able to fun fish and have plenty of the finest eatin freshwater species to hold me till next year. This was Thurs, Fri, and Saturday's catch, I finally had to come home and package.,,,,and let the swelling go down in my ankles and knees!!

 

I got this jack Saturday, I think the largest male walleye I ever caught! 29", that is not out of the ordinary for females, but very rare to see a male this large. I prefer 20 to 23 inch jacks but you gotta keep a few slabs for the grill!!

Right now after 8 days in row, I have to take a break, my ankles and knees are so swelled up I have to recoup. I have done this for 40 years and use to be there every day wading and fishing 8 to 10 hours a day. But it is hard to leave when catching 2 to 10 pound Walleye all day long, even when you can barely stand anymore. I am having trouble realizing I aint 30 years old anymore!!

[Darren.]

That's like the Chesapeake Bay during striper season, only all the dudes would be in boats.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Nice fish!  I don't even want to think about fishing around that many other people.  9 out of 10 times I go out, I'm the only one at the lake and I wouldn't want it any other way.

[Capt.Bob]

If I could catch this many quality fish anywhere else I would be there, but believe me once you know the area and how to avoid most, I wouldn't be anywhere else. 

[jhoffman]

I assume this is a tributary? I never heard of a run on the PA side of walleyes. Smolts should be in pa streams now and maybe some jack steelhead.

[Capt.Bob]

Yes it is a tributary, and not just any tributary, the Maumee River is the largest tributary in all the Great Lakes, and this is the largest river Walleye run in the world, and with up to 3" of rain predicted over a large area the next 48 hours, it should pop well out of it's banks, this will really pull the fish and test your equipment, until now it has been pretty easy for the novice fishermen on the river but when levels rise and flow increases like it is about to, those who know the river will be the only ones smiling and the numbers of fisherman will decrease, till it drops to lower levels. During this time it is the best time of the run for big fish and big numbers of fish. I keep my limit daily but only in the 20 to 23" range, they eat the best and are by far my favorite for the table, but the 8 to 10 pounders are fun on the end of the line and will test any equipment with the ability to clean your reel of as heavy as 20 Lbs. test if they get in the right curent and decide to go, plus all the rocks and boulders make it more than interesting, about 3 to 4 more weeks of fun, then it's over for another year. why I always come back, year after year!!  

[jhoffman]

Sounds like fun. Steelie fishing is the same way, best when high and muddy because most people have no clue where to find fish. If they cant see em, they cant snag em and then you can actually catch fish that havent seen everything in the book.

[Capt.Bob]

The river has changed and for the better. This is the same veiw today as the first picture I posted in my first post. Water is are friend, it pulls more fish.

When you learn the river, you find the fish, even if it is a little tough gettin to them.  Only had 3 here but will go back after a short break and a visit to the little boys room, the only hassle getting there and back out when you need to take a break.

then there are days like yesterday when they come quick, we were done in 1 hour, time for a cigar and a trip to DEET"S!!! Best Southern Style barbeque in the world,,,,,,,Low and Slow, a full belly before the cleaning starts.

This Raging River will test your equipment and it is no lightweight tackle on this trip, 6 to 12 lbs. fish average and as you can see the current you have to get them in will show real quick what is built to take it and what won't, raging fish in calm water is no real test other than what kind of drag you have. This boiling river is full of rocks boulders stumps and much tougher on equipment when your hangin 10 pounders than the open water with no current hangin 30 to 50 pounders.

[alexczarn]

What do you use to target them in that murky water?

[Capt.Bob]

What do you use to target them in that murky water?

I use hand made and tied floating jigs, you are limited to one single hook, on one single line, and the hook can be no larger than 1/2" from point to shank. Walleyes have incredible sight, and when rigged properly they just roll down the bottom, excellent feel is required to keep them from hanging up and on the move. Many use plastic grub type tails, I prefer the Bucktail. They do work, as I just got back home tonight with limit #11 this year. That freezer is starting to look quite good!!