raywriter
01-03-2012, 06:50 PM
A friend and I started out before sunrise with a stop at Bay View for spikes,wigglers, and 2" minnows. We intended to fish off the Gladstone campground, but ended up going out of Kipling instead. We walked straight out from the launch ramp, crossed the island and out far enough to hit 12 feet of water. We pulled a portable shanty. Our target was openings in the weedbeds, and we worked lots of spots while searching. Places where we could see some sand patches on bottom were best. Ice was 8" thick. We landed fifteen keeper perch, with the biggest at 11".
The two best presentations were at opposite ends of the spectrum. A size 2 Swedish Pimple loaded with four to six spikes worked well on four pound test monofilament. It got down to the strike zone fast and was easy to work. I also took bonus fish by using some finesse with a weighted nymph style trout fly with two spikes on it and weighted with one small split shot six inches above it. This is worked on Northland Bionic 3 pound test monofilament.
The bite was mostly slow, but occasionally the fish would turn on for a few minutes. We used a camera, and watched some perch grab the slowly sinking nymph while ignoring other presentations.
The two best presentations were at opposite ends of the spectrum. A size 2 Swedish Pimple loaded with four to six spikes worked well on four pound test monofilament. It got down to the strike zone fast and was easy to work. I also took bonus fish by using some finesse with a weighted nymph style trout fly with two spikes on it and weighted with one small split shot six inches above it. This is worked on Northland Bionic 3 pound test monofilament.
The bite was mostly slow, but occasionally the fish would turn on for a few minutes. We used a camera, and watched some perch grab the slowly sinking nymph while ignoring other presentations.