Dick Moore's 2009 Fishing Reports

[Justin Gaudry]

"Fishing with Dick" has been moved to this forum so please return here for updates and summaries from Dick throughout the season. Mr Moore is one of the best multi-species fisherman I have met during my time around the lake and he has always been generous in helping people locate areas for people to try and fish for their target species.

I will post Dick's reports as I receive them and keep the thread locked to replies.

[Justin Gaudry]

Well we made it through May. Despite the lousy weather conditions (Snow, rain, cold and Wind) the fishing has been very good. The surprising thing was how deep we were catching walleyes this early in the season. 15-25' was the preferred depth. Usual presentations were catching the fish. We also caught lots of crappies in 35'. Places we fish in October.

The next big push will be the muskie opener. hard to predict what will happen with our changing weather conditions. We will start in and around the shallow spawning areas. Weedy sand bays and rocky points adjacent to these areas. Bucktails and spinner baits in the usual LOW colors. Down size a little.

Hopefully the walleyes will start moving to the sandy areas. Typically we start using more crawlers at this time of the year, but who knows. Jigs and minnows (White has been a good color so far); and spinners with minnows or crawlers. I like to use bottom bouncers with my spinners. Brass or copper blades are by far the best finish.

Anyway, who can predict fishing. Get out on the water and put in your time.

Remember to wear your flotation device and be safe.

See you on the water.

Dick (Baitmaker) Moore

[Justin Gaudry]

Well supposedly we are in the Summer fishing period. Sure doesn't appear like Summer. There has been no pattern whatsoever for fishing this year. Hopefully some warm temps and less wind will stabilize things.

Anyhow we will still be dragging bottom bouncers and spinners with either minnows or crawlers around sandy bays and rocky points. We will also be working the mid lake reefs. You have to try a little bit of everything this year.

Muskies: Large bucktails, spinnerbaits are producing most fish. Try the weedy bays first and then rocky points adjacent to these areas. Some large fish should be showing up on the reefs.

That's about it for now. You have to be on the water and try everything. Nothing magical this year.

Good luck and keep watching Justin's report.

Dick Moore (Baitmaker)

[Justin Gaudry]

This is the beginning of the Fall season although we never really had a Summer.

Walleyes should be near the sand bays and still along shoreline points. With the colder temps we might see some action in the deep water current areas. Minnows on jigs and bottom bouncers should be the lures of choice.

Hopefully muskie action will pick up. Big bucktails and spinnerbaits still will produce, and jerk baits should start being a lure of choice. We might get an earlier trolling start this year.

I look for a good crappie season. Thompson Creek area and Hay Island should be good. 25-35 FOW. We caught crappies all year in these places.

For us duck hunters we hope the puddle ducks will give us a good shoot. Rice beds and weedy bays.

See you on the water.

Dick Moore (Baitmaker)
Ch. 14.

Wear your Floatation Device.

[Justin Gaudry]

This will be the last of Dick's fishing prognostications for the 2009 season. His next summary will be a season wrap-up after his two weeks at the lake this month. Dick's report:

We are nearing the end of the 2009 season. It has been a strange year.

With falling water temps we should start seeing some more consistent muskie action. Water temps have to drop quite a bit before we get a good trolling bite. For now, big bucktails and jerk baits on off shore humps and weedy bays (if you can find some) should be the ticket. Don't hesitate to try different areas and tactics. There hasn't been any kind of pattern all year.

Same goes for walleyes. They have been scattered all over the lake. They should be moving to the deeper current areas (Rabbit Pt., Burrows, Stairwell, etc.). Jigs and minnows. We will still run Bottom Bouncers and spinners along shoreline points and sandy bays.

Crappies should be stacking in their usual spots (Hay Island, The Elbow, Thompson Creek). Crappie rigs and minnows are the usual choice. Two weeks ago we found crappies in 14 feet and the week before they were in 30 feet. You have to move and try different depths.

Duck hunting has been very slow. Least amount of birds in many years. Hopefully thus weather change will send some birds down.

Two weeks and we will be shutting our place down.

Good luck and wear your flotation device.

Dick "Baitmaker" Moore