Reports

Got out here for the first time since 1/1.  I checked out the ramp a few days ago and the ice was all gone and the water level was very good for this time of year.  Jack was looking to shed his cabin fever and kick off the fishing season with some lake trout action.  He was out with me last March on St. Patrick’s day, which was a much colder day.

We were the only boat out targeting lake trout that I could see.  We started at around 10:15 am and the bite was slow going for a little bit.  I marked decent numbers of fish but they were hitting short and not chasing a whole lot.  After maybe two hours Jack was around 1 for 8 on fish landed versus hits.  (I don’t typically keep track of hits to fish-landed but Jack was noting it.) We moved around a little and the bite picked up.  Jack wound up nabbing his limit of lakers and catching and releasing an additional fish.  Jack doesn’t care to do much catch and release after getting what he wants, so we knocked off an hour early.

Fish ran 23″ to 27.5″ long and were very clean.  They were in average to slightly below average (thin) condition which is normal for this time of year.  Jack filleted his fish once he got home so I didn’t get to check stomach contents.

My schedule is wide open for spring fishing.  This deep bite typically goes right through April and into May.

We saw some loons out in their winter plumage.  There were also huge rafts of snow geese out on the lake.  Spring-time is here!