Not only did the winds blow, they blew in a direction that was no help to fish the Adolphus Reach from Keith’s shoal out to the Gap.
On Friday we started by the tower on the north shore and trolled with the North west blow across to Pryner’s Cove. The North Shore had bait and fish, then nothing in the middle and then some on the South shore just before the point (west of) Pryner’s Cove. Then a clear screen until we were closer to the North shore again in front of the Power Generating station in Bath. That was where my dad picked up our first walleye of the trip around 7 lbs. 240 ft lead with Rapala TD11 in Purpledecent on the board using mono. Now we have our fish fry.
With the winds we decided to look for lee side water and ran back to Picton Bay and fished in front of the Cement Plant and trolled south. The Bay was packed with bait inside 35 FOW. Few hooks, but didn’t move a rod.
On Saturday I woke up with a major Migraine. Nope- not hung over- didn’t drink but a few brown pops the night before. Had a late start setting lines at 10:00 am. This was our SLA tournament and it was to weigh 4 fish two over and two under the 25” mark per team/boat.
My dad and I fished the south shore and set up west of Pryner’s Cove and well east of the Bat Cave where Dave Viles managed two walleye on Friday and where we marked plenty of fish. Our first fish of the day came one hour into the first troll. 200 ft lead Rapala TD11 in Purpledecent on the board using mono. 7 lbs.
Then there was a two hour weight and a few trolling passes before we got in line from the Bat Cave to troll with the wind and waves down the south shore. We were being pushed in by the other boats and soon we seen our depths creep up on us from 130 to 100 to 80-70 – 60 then Oh NO the Full cores will soon be on bottom. I start watching the boards behave as they ran up and down four and five ft waves. The inside board’s tail starts to twitch. There’s bottom I said to dad as I picked up the rod and started bringing the board to the boat and watching the other board for something the same. It didn’t and the board I pulled in I took off and held the rod for a second only to feel a mushy Thump- Thump rather then tick tick. How do you explain how it feels- work with me J. I said Dad – your up. “What?” Yah it’s a fish!
Dad brought in the fish after cranking a way at 500 feet of line (Leadcore 10 colours) and brought the fish to the net. “NICE fish dad!” On the scale it went 10.1 lbs. Perfect that’s our two over 25”.
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The winds were strong, the rod holders made the whistling sound like over top of a beer bottle, and it was always a show watching the boats ride back up hill against them to make another pass. You would be entertained, but at the same time knowing you to will undergo the agonizing ride over 5 and 6 ft waves and whitecaps on every wave across the Reach. Luckily, dad and I didn’t get wet in the Key Largo, but Dave Mergerison “Fish Tales” speared more waves then he wished for and worked the bilge pump in his 18 ft Lund. NOT FUN but he was on fish. His three man crew pulled 9 walleyes on 13 hook-ups. Variety of sets worked for them, but 8 of the 9 fish were on Leadcores from 3 colour down to Fullcore and even Fullcores with Manns Stretch 20 Wonderbread. Firetiger Renosky, TD11 Purpledecent were some of their successful lures. The other fish was off the downrigger down 60 and out 150’.
Dad and I tried right to 4:15 pm and didn’t move another rod and ran back in, with the waves starting to subside. We followed up with our weigh-in and Dave Mergerison’s boat pulled away with two fish over and two fish under 25” with 21 lbs to win the tournament. Wet- but smiling!
Dad and I managed second with just over 17 lbs and Dave Viles took third with 16 lbs and change. Biggest fish of the group over the weekend was from Brian Ludwig with one at 11.1 lbs.
On Sunday we looked at the wind forecast and decided to pull the boat out and head home with our tails between our legs.
Wind, Waves and Walleye were a battle this weekend, but it was fun to get out with the group on the Bay again.
Shane Thombs
www.FINtasticSportfishing.com
