manitoubass2
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2012
- Messages
- 265
With the warming temps, the river had started to open up this week. Of course this had me waiting anxiously to get out for my first softwater shore fish of 2012. So I did some exploring this past week, looking for promising pike habitat that I figured would be fishable by the weekend.
I had to trek about 3/4km through the bush and snow, and it was quite the chore with all my gear, especially rods. But I made it to a creek mouth and set up shop by about 930am. Weather was already mild, almost zero wind and about plus6. Water temps are still hovering around 31 degrees farenheit.
My first few cast I felt pretty rusty, lol. But it didn't take but a few minutes to get re-acquainted with my tools. Started casting big husky jerks, retrieving them super slow, with just a small jerk in between long pauses. It didn't take long to feel a good hit! Woot woot! A small fish, but a fish noentheless. about 25"
For the next hour, I caught small pike on about 4-5 casts. Lots of action.
Then it slowed down and I decided to try some other baits. After about 4 other baits and no takers, I decided to switch to a X-rap, minnow pattern. Good call too, the action picked right back up. Basically fished it the same as the husky jerk, really slow, with an occasional twitch. Caught 4-or 5 more on the x-rap, but all around 20-25".
The fishing got tough, I had to wait a few minutes here and there as ice chunks floated by, seemingly taking forever.
A few more small fish came on jigs with live bait, then it was time to call it a day.
No size to any of the fish, so no pics, sorry... All fish were released, and the area I fished was 2-4 FOW with mud/sand bottom. No structure at all. Pike are just cruising the flats.
But I had a blast, and it felt soooo good to be back out fishing.
I think I'll head back out tomorrow, if possible
I had to trek about 3/4km through the bush and snow, and it was quite the chore with all my gear, especially rods. But I made it to a creek mouth and set up shop by about 930am. Weather was already mild, almost zero wind and about plus6. Water temps are still hovering around 31 degrees farenheit.
My first few cast I felt pretty rusty, lol. But it didn't take but a few minutes to get re-acquainted with my tools. Started casting big husky jerks, retrieving them super slow, with just a small jerk in between long pauses. It didn't take long to feel a good hit! Woot woot! A small fish, but a fish noentheless. about 25"
For the next hour, I caught small pike on about 4-5 casts. Lots of action.
Then it slowed down and I decided to try some other baits. After about 4 other baits and no takers, I decided to switch to a X-rap, minnow pattern. Good call too, the action picked right back up. Basically fished it the same as the husky jerk, really slow, with an occasional twitch. Caught 4-or 5 more on the x-rap, but all around 20-25".
The fishing got tough, I had to wait a few minutes here and there as ice chunks floated by, seemingly taking forever.
A few more small fish came on jigs with live bait, then it was time to call it a day.
No size to any of the fish, so no pics, sorry... All fish were released, and the area I fished was 2-4 FOW with mud/sand bottom. No structure at all. Pike are just cruising the flats.
But I had a blast, and it felt soooo good to be back out fishing.
I think I'll head back out tomorrow, if possible
