Results from the last couple nights

[The Bait Shop Guy]

After a busy weekend at the shop, I'm able to get out a little bit, again. Still fishing off of Gladstone. Access is in great shape. The snow cut-off at the Wisconsin boarder, so there's no problem getting around, (left the truck in 2WD tonight.) Biggest problem is the glare ice, (time to break out the creepers again!)

Bite Sunday night was a little late to get going, but I had a flurry of activity at 6:30. Ended up landing 4 fish, with 3 being keepers. Nothing huge, just nice eaters in the 15 1/2 to 19 inch range. Met the the fisheries guy at the landing, and was able to give him some tissue samples from the fish for VHS testing.

Bite was much more spread out tonight. Got set up at 5pm, and while I was getting things organized, a fish showed on the graph. I had to scramble to get a bait hooked up and dropped down to the fish. Two hard pumps with a #9 Glow Hot Perch Rap and I had the first fish of the night - about A 20 incher. Caught 4 more fish in the next hour and a half. Kept 4 in the 15 1/2 to 21 inch range. Got three on the Rap, and two on a prototype Shiver Minnow color. The last one was at 6:30. It smacked that Shiver 4 times before it finally got hooked. Why can't the big ones hit like that? Guess that's how they get to be big!

We had mixed reports from over the weekend. Overall, the bite was better than expected, considering all the wind on Friday and Saturday. There were definitely more big fish caught this weekend, compared to the previous few weeks. Most of the bigger fish were taken on sucker minnows. Brandon Parchen stopped in the shop with a 28 3/4 inch, 9 1/2 pounder that he caught Sunday morning.

Anyway, here's a pic of Brandon's fish, and one of mine from tonight, choking on Rap.

[Oddball]

I fished sunday night off of gladstone too. Fished started coming through at around 6:30 and ended with a nice 18 incher but the current was so strong and i couldnt mark my lure. Was this a problem for you? Do you think the current effects the bite?

[behr10]

friday sucked for us saturday morning was good but saturday night from 530-10pm was really well fish were all over the graph. But yah when the current was heavy on friday i couldnt see my bait but thats what they put a gain on mine for

[The Bait Shop Guy]

One good thing about running #9's is that they stay in the cone angle of your graph much better when the current is ripping. I use the graph off my boat, and use the same transducer, not a dedicated ice transducer. I wrap a section of wire around the cable, with one end sticking out to hook on the ice. One advantage of that set-up is that it allows me to point the transducer in any direction I want. If the current is flowing, I point the transducer down current, and can still see my bait and fish. I've done just as well with the current moving as when it was calm.

[The Bait Shop Guy]

Another good trip off Gladstone last night, although I marked fewer fish than in previous nights. Ended up landing 3 walleyes. Two about 19 inches, and a nice 24 incher. Between myself and four other guys I knew fishing in the area last night, we landed 15 legal fish.

[rambler]

Hey Chris,
Jigging raps again? Any bait on them or do you usually fish them naked? Tipups?
Lloyd

[YooperTroll]

Another good trip off Gladstone last night, although I marked fewer fish than in previous nights. Ended up landing 3 walleyes. Two about 19 inches, and a nice 24 incher. Between myself and four other guys I knew fishing in the area last night, we landed 15 legal fish.

Tuesday night I didn't mark a fish out there and no one near me caught anything. Fished until 6:30. What time were you out?

Definitely seems the old adage of "10 percent of the fishermen catch 90 percent of the fish" is true :o

Do you hole hop out there? Stay on one spot? Spray some top secret formula on your bait? Or have you made some pact with the devil? ;)

[bottle_bass]

Went out tonight just to the south of the colony in 28fow. Didn't mark any fish till 630. No takers, unlucky lures were green glow tiger and hot glow perch. or maybe its me thats unlucky. Surprisingly only marked 2 fish also. Oh well hopefully next time.

[The Bait Shop Guy]

What can I say, it must be the jigger more than the jig:D All I know is that they've been working for me. Only marking two fish is unusually slow for that spot.

I'm fishing the baits naked. I only get out for an hour or two at a time, so I haven't bothered with tip-ups.

[BiG ARN]

I've got a buddy that believes the smell on your hands has alot to do with how many fish u will mark. He thinks a non smoker will catch more fish then a smoker for the fact of just touching the lure with your hands. Leaving a foreign scent on the lure/jig can't be good. I seen a fishing show where the guy was fishing salmon in alaska and he wiped his lines with fish scent towel wipes to eliminate scent and add a attractant. Im sure theres more then tobacco a fish wont like...anything that smells. Id say wash your hands but the soap will leave scent. Get a bottle of herring oil and cover/attract scent your lures. I smoked cigs for 20 years and recently quit in the last year. I don't notice any difference. Figured id throw it out there as another possible thing. The bait shop guy has a permanent smell of a buffet of bait on his hands. Maybe that's why he slays the fish all the time? LoL

[bottle_bass]

Im sure it is the jigger. Ive been pretty unlucky last few trips. I was surprised also by only marking two fish. Ive marked a ton all the previous trips in that vicinity. I am a cigarette smoker but it never seemed to affect me before. Hopefully next trip.

[UPWALLEYEMAN]

Do not wash your hands with soap and water before you go fishing. I learned a little trick from an oldtimer years ago, spray a light coat of WD-40 on your hands when you go out walleye fishing. If the fish are active, you'll eat good that night!

[BiG ARN]

WD40 used to be great.....the new formula this day and age is no good. They no longer use a fish oil anymore. So unless you stalked up and have cans that are atleast 8-10 years old your probally not helping. That's what my uncle says anyways he used to spray his lure with WD40 and I asked him a couple years ago why he doesn't anymore. Steelhead fishing for me I think the fish like my borax in my spawn more then they like the eggs. I've also seen a episode of river monsters or something where they we're using pieces of unscented bar soap on a hook for bait. Anything that gives off a strong different smell could trigger a fish

[weekend jimmy]

Thanks for all the info guys. I was going to go out last night but was in marquette too late. I am hoping to get out there tonight if the wind isn't too strong. I only have a portable shack and it doesn't like to stay put. ;) Hopefully this colder weather doesn't slow them down too much. Is driving still safe there south of gladstone?

[YooperTroll]

My Ouija Board says to try it tonight...you could also increase your odds by sacrificing a goat.

Anyone have a goat?

[YooperTroll]

Fished the east bank Friday night...marked lots of fish (perch, I'm pretty sure). Lost what I think was a big perch (3 inch minnow). Had a few follow my jig Rap up a few feet. For the most part, though, the fish didn't seem too interested. No walleye.

The group closest to me had 2 small perch when I left.

[Frank S]

"Remember Sonny, it's not the wand, it's the magician"