Vacation planning tips

[beardown34]

Hey all, I do mostly bass fishing in small (1-3 acre) residential ponds. Next week we are headed up past the Wisconsin Dells to a rental home that backs up to Lake Petenwell (the second largest lake in Wisconsin apparently?).

 

The group consists of 3 families -- one set of grandparents, and my family and my sister-in-law's family. None of the adults fish except me. The kids are aged 8 (three of them), 6, 5, and 4. My 8 year olds have gotten on some fish with ned rigs and in-line spinners, and can cast spinning reels on their own. The other kids have not fished at all.

 

I have no idea if we're even going to do any significant fishing, so I'm just making what-if type arrangements. Meaning, I have extra spinning reels so that's what I'm going to bring. I'm not going to go out and get spincast reels because all the younger kids are going to need an adult helping them cast anyways so I am choosing not to spend money on more reels. Again, to be clear, this is not a fishing trip. This is a trip to the Dells-adjacent (water parks, pontoons, etc) where there might be fishing.

 

I'm not bringing my one-piece rods due to packing purposes so I'm probably going to go to BPS and get some Berkley Cherrywood 2 piece M and MH rods for $25 each. I already have a couple 2 piece L/ML rods I can setup.

 

Just curious on some of your tips regarding:

 

1) Lures to prepare

I'm thinking 1/32 to 1/10 oz ned rigs

In-line spinners

Mini/micro chatterbaits

Whopper plopper 75s for my kids (so they can fish topwater and just chuck/wind without having to set a hook like horny toading)

Wacky rig

 

2) Line

I'd like to buy one big spool of mono to supply all the reels, since after this week, the reels probably won't be used.

What weight would you think --- 8-10lb mono would be a reasonable compromise for all the presentations about?

Doesn't look like my local BPS has any Yozuri hybrid 6/8/10 # in stock

 

3) If bobber / nightcrawler fishing, what kind of hook do I use? Like a long shank #2? Targeting bass ideally. I have tiny #8-12 hooks for sunfish.

 

 

Thanks!

 

Any other tips appreciated. I'll probably make a run out to BPS tomorrow.

[slonezp]

Lake Petenwell is not in the Dells. It's about an hour and a half north. I fish both the Upper and Lower Dells for smallmouth and walleye. I have never fished Petenwell. Are you sure you will be in the Dells?

[beardown34]

We will be on Lake Petenwell. You're right. Looks like I'll be kind of near the Dells but not in them.

[beardown34]

Maybe I should just rig up a nightcrawler on a dropshot rig, grab some beers and call it a day 

[Oregon Native]

May you trip be blessed...sounds like you have it planned well in the fishing dept.

[TOXIC]

For it not being a "fishing" trip, you sure are planning a lot of fishing stuff. 

 

Don't overthink it.  With kids those ages, if it were me, I would just go out and buy a few of the cheap Zebco push button combos for the kids that are new to fishing.  A bunch of bobbers, pinch weights and bait hooks and then get some nightcrawlers when you get up there.  If you want to do something more extensive with your kids who are a bit more accomplished then that's fine but the bulk of the kids will be 10 times more excited just catching gills or whatever will bite.  Your kids can bass fish around them.  Sounds like you are not taking a boat?  I wouldn't even attempt that many kids on a boat anyway (and I have guided a LOT of families).  

[Cgolf]

I believe Petenwell is a pretty good walleye lake. Some Ned heads and plastics would be perfect, because the Ned heads could do double duty as a bass bait with the plastic and you could fish livebait for walleye too. Also suggest some 5" Kalins single tail grubs or something similar that could also be fished on the Ned head and give a more active presentation.

 

If you have access to something like a slider head with tubes or the grubs for weedless fishing that would be nice and easy and you wouldn't have to worry about dealing with worm weights and hooks.

[beardown34]

Thanks for your input TOXIC, cgolf, and Oregon Native!

 

TOXIC -- that's hilarious, you're right, in my mind this family trip is a fishing trip! I'm just the only person who thinks that!

 

I decided to bring two spinning reels + two spincast reels. In all honesty the non-fishing folk will probably not fish at all, but at least this gives them the option. I think presentation-wise I'll lean heavily on things that either allow the bass to hook themselves or will be relatively easy to set the hook -- ned rigs, drop shots, wacky rigs, and inline spinners. And my 8 year olds love them some whopper ploppers  

 

I hope I can find a bait shop nearby to buy a mess of nightcrawlers and set up the spincast rods for slip bobber fishing. Come to think of it, maybe I'll just go to Walmart and see if they have live bait. (Anyone know in the Chicago western suburb area?)

[FishinBuck07]

7 hours ago, beardown34 said:

Thanks for your input TOXIC, cgolf, and Oregon Native!

 

TOXIC -- that's hilarious, you're right, in my mind this family trip is a fishing trip! I'm just the only person who thinks that!

 

I decided to bring two spinning reels + two spincast reels. In all honesty the non-fishing folk will probably not fish at all, but at least this gives them the option. I think presentation-wise I'll lean heavily on things that either allow the bass to hook themselves or will be relatively easy to set the hook -- ned rigs, drop shots, wacky rigs, and inline spinners. And my 8 year olds love them some whopper ploppers  

 

I hope I can find a bait shop nearby to buy a mess of nightcrawlers and set up the spincast rods for slip bobber fishing. Come to think of it, maybe I'll just go to Walmart and see if they have live bait. (Anyone know in the Chicago western suburb area?)

You think like me, every trip should be a fishing trip.  I would leave the family at home, then it becomes a better vacation.  haha