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Post by Hoosier Hunter on May 30, 2011 14:24:35 GMT -5
Leaving in the morning.
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Post by schall53 on May 30, 2011 20:12:11 GMT -5
Good luck, will be waiting anxiously for the report.
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Post by Hoosier Hunter on Jun 1, 2011 20:43:56 GMT -5
What an awesome 1st day. Our thumbs are raw. Boated close to 150 smallies today between me and my son fishing from 7 to 6pm. The wind is the worst I've personally seen today. Small craft advisory issued with 20 to 30 mph winds with gusts to 40. These were from the west so the waves were just 2 to 3 feet. Water is very clear now. Crankbait bite was hot this morning then tubes in the afternoon. With it so windy all you could is just drag the tube. They didn't care though. If you didn't have a drift sock there would be no way you could fish. Things quite down a little tomorrow and the winds shift to WNW. Friday looks questionable. winds pick up and shift to the east meaning big rollers. I'll post some pics when I return. Fish came from the 10 mile area.
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Post by whitetail1 on Jun 2, 2011 7:44:56 GMT -5
Sounds like an amazing day HH! Glad you guys are into the fish. Keep us posted and looking forward to your pictures when you return.
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Post by gobblerstopper on Jun 9, 2011 13:05:10 GMT -5
I've decided to head to St. Clair June 27-30. Never been before. Have a guy I work with thats fishing the Stren series and he is going to be up there sometime that week, but I don't know how reliable he is.
We are going to be launching out of Selfrige (unless there are other suggestions). Any body want to share some good places to stay that are affordable. Don't need much more than a bed and a plug in for my boat, but would not like to bring home some bugs or anything like that home.
I'm working on gathering some tackle right now. I have a hundred or so bags of tubes so I should be good there, but anything else as far as colors and hardbaits would be useful.
I've fished a half dozed or so lakes in Canada and Wisconsin for smallies/musky, but nothing as open as St. Clair. I'll admit, I'm a little intimidated about just being able to find fish, but I hope it happends. What should I normally expect as far as water clarity, weed growth and so forth? The lake I fish in Canada we mainly sight fish down to about 15 ft. and the flowage in Wisconsin is mainly using the graph.
What about underwater hazards?
Thanks.
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Post by Hoosier Hunter on Jun 9, 2011 18:56:46 GMT -5
I usually stay in Roseville and launch out of Crocker which is south of Metro. Nice clean hotel with kitchen. Runs about $65 a night in the summer season. Been to Metro and Selfridge as well. By then fish will be scattered into their summer patterns. My personal experiences that time of year are slow. Water will be hot and gin clear. Average depth of the lake is only 13 feet. I guess I would concentrate on grass beds. The only hazards you'll come across is shallow water. Sand Island south of Goose bay is bay. However 99% of the lake is a beach sand bottom. You will rarely ever see a rock unless its put there by man. People with knowledge of the lake know where the shipwrecks are. This is about the only off shore stucture and will produce fish. Anchor Bay has tons of grass. You should be able to catch in the grass. Just be forewarned if you plan to use hardbaits you will lose a lot of them. The lake is also a good Pike and Musky fishery. St. Clair is really a different fishery with the lack of structure. It's basically a sand bowl. Here's a map www.marinecruiser.com/chart.htmlDepths shown are really at the low water datum. Right now they are probably closer to 24" above what they show on the map.
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Post by gobblerstopper on Jun 9, 2011 22:13:58 GMT -5
hh, thanks for the info. I looked up Roseville. Looks to be what turns into 11 mile rd maybe? Somewhere in that area at least. A friend of mine hit a rock going into the river last spring and tore his motor off. He was leading the tournament after the first day and had enough to win it in his boat when he done it. Ended up not even making it to the weigh in.
Do you see a lot of musky? I know there are some really big one's in there, but the pictures that I've seen so far have all been small fish. I have plenty of musky equipment, but haven't even looked into fishing for them up there since last spring and don't remember what I read then.
I just spooled some 8 & 12 lb flourocarbon up for KY lake, I assume that will work in there too?
Does the place you stayed have plug in's for boats? If so, I wouldn't mind giving it a try if you can let me know the name of the place.
Thanks again.
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Post by Hoosier Hunter on Jun 10, 2011 5:20:31 GMT -5
I stay at the Extended Stya Hotel on 13 mile road. Right of the interstate and 5 minutes from the ramp. If I had Musky equipment I'd take it. Seen some monsters there. Your line you have is fine. If your friend was around the river then there are rocks placed around for erroison purposes.
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Post by Hoosier Hunter on Jun 10, 2011 6:29:16 GMT -5
The exit you take for Selfridge also takes you to the Metro Beach and Crocker ramps. For Crocker at the first Light turn right at Mc Donalds, then drive to the end and right at the light onto Jefferson. About 1 block the ramp is on the left across from the hospital. Ramp fees at Crocker and Selfridge DNR ramps are $8 a day or $29 for a season.
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Post by gobblerstopper on Jun 10, 2011 11:52:13 GMT -5
Thanks hh. I'll probably throw a musky rod in the truck. Only being there one full day and two half days, I'll probably just stick with the bass. Id hate to raise a big musky. That would probably be the end of the bass fishing. Most of what I've read says that the majority of guys troll for them anyway. I don't like that much. The summer pattern doesn't bother me much, that is the only pattern I have fished for them.
I'm going to see if I can find that extended stay hotel online. It sounds like as good as a place as any. There started out two of us, then it went to three and now I am waiting to hear back from another guy. Might end up with two boats. isfAHan few things are for sure though, it's a lot closer than LOTW and will probably be cooler than southern Indiana and I don't have to get a passport yet.
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Post by Hoosier Hunter on Jun 10, 2011 12:44:43 GMT -5
Bass season on the canadian side opens the 25th. You can fish the canadian side with no reporting to customs UNLESS you decide to anchor. If you get to the other side even close to the Canadian line tunr your cellphone off. It likes to go into international roaming and if you get a call or text be prepared on your bill.
Bring plenty of sun screen. You will get fried on that lake. Plenty of dasy already in the 90's there. That hotel is online.
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Post by Greenedog on Jun 10, 2011 15:40:56 GMT -5
Thanks for all the great info HH! I've been wanting to go up for a few years now. The only thing holding me back is gas prices and the 7 hour drive from down south here. Gobblerstopper - I know a couple guys that were catching musky pretty consistently up there last summer using red october tubes in white and gray.
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Post by moray on Jun 10, 2011 16:47:00 GMT -5
HH, sounds like you did alot better than I did! Did you get any big fish?It's good to hear the water cleared up. I just got back from NewHampshire fishing with my father and bros.We had a good 5 days,no big fish but good numbers.The weather was too good! High pressure made the fishing alittle harder. Can't remember the last time we didn't get rained on or blown off the lake on our trip. Good luck Gobblerstopper. Hope you get into the smallies,there are some big ones in that lake!
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Post by moray on Jun 10, 2011 16:56:26 GMT -5
HH,just saw your pics on the other post. You guys got some nice ones! Sounds like you had to go alot farther off shore than I did.Most of my fish were caught 2 to 300 yrds from the bank.I got some as close as 20 ft. from shore.
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Post by Hoosier Hunter on Jun 11, 2011 9:29:51 GMT -5
Sounds like you had to go alot farther off shore than I did.Most of my fish were caught 2 to 300 yrds from the bank.I got some as close as 20 ft. from shore. We were 1/4 to 1/2 mile off shore in the grass beds.
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Post by gobblerstopper on Jun 26, 2011 20:55:01 GMT -5
Clothes are packed and the boat is hooked up. Going to be leaving in an hour. Even threw a musky pole or two in. Thanks for the tips and the links. Been following them closely the last couple of weeks and I am ready to hit the water.
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Post by Woody Williams on Jun 26, 2011 20:58:28 GMT -5
Good luck...
Hoping to see a lot of pictures and hear a good story or two..
Have fun...
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Post by gobblerstopper on Jun 27, 2011 13:36:30 GMT -5
I feel like a knat on an elephants butt out here.
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Post by Hoosier Hunter on Jun 28, 2011 5:23:29 GMT -5
I feel like a knat on an elephants butt out here. Big water eh? I hear the mayflies are out. LOL
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Post by gobblerstopper on Jun 28, 2011 12:33:51 GMT -5
Mayflies? Only about a million of them.Lol. We caught a lot of small fish yesterday, but the wind was blowing 10-15 se. Today it is 15 sw. A lot better, but still not comfortable enough to get out in 15,16 fow. Was out there a little this morning and it wasn't worth the work. Did lose a 30" or so musky at the boat there.
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