Chippewa Flowage Report from lg3

ill be back on the water this eve...with a new toy, by the way.

in the meantime, I just noticed that in the spring newsletter of the Chippewa Flowage POA, they seem to be promoting the release of walleye over 20", citing that 3/4 of these are females.  We've discussed this a couple times here - and while I'm not one to 'advocate' too much on the site, I do think that this is especially important out there during spring  - which at this rate will go until about Labor Day.

more later.

lar

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Chippewa Flowage Report from DancesWithWalleyes

Well I just returned home from my annual spring fishing trip to the Chip.  We spent this past Saturday and Sunday on the water. Saturday was the better of the two days fishing and weather wise. We spent 13 hours in the boat on Sunday and it is was downright cold and nasty.

We primarily fished the lower east end of the flowage and were able to pick up a couple of nice walleyes during the late morning on Saturday casting husky jerks and Mr.Twisters. We were concentrating on the shallow weedy bars in the 4'-8' depths. We also landed a few pike that were between 26"-30" in these areas. Next we tried some shorelins areas that have produced walleye for us in the past but we were only able to get pike and some smallies. Since the shallow water bite was not really happening we decided to go to some deeper areas and try live bait. We used jig and minnows and caught several walleyes in 12'-18' of water near Wagon Wheel Island, but most of these walleyes were only 8"-12"ers. We waited till the the last hour of sunlight and started casting rocky shorelines and we caught a few nicer walleyes in the 15"-19" range. In my opinion the last hour of sunlight is the best time to fish the flowage, lots of active walleyes in the shallows.

Sunday was very cold and windy. I think we had a steady 15-20 mph N-NE wind all day. It definately turned the fish off a little. We were still able to get some smaller walleyes to cooperate in the deeper water on minnows but once again these fish were running on the small side.  it was not until that "magical" last hour of sunlight that we found some nicer walleyes in the shallows.

We fished for a few hours Monday morning, it was 33 degrees when we went out at 7am. We were only able to get a couple small pike and one small walleye.

All in all a pretty good trip, just wish it had been a little warmer. We caught are fish in these areas. A8 - A9 - O8- 09 - M8 (you sunk my battleship) lol.

[Read report from this day in 2007: 10:27 PM]

lg3, 2008-05-12 23:32:31:
dammit, i was waiting for the perfect moment to use that joke! DWW, you certainly made the most of "less than optimal" conditions. thanks for the all the great info. will be even better soon!

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Chippewa Flowage Report from lg3

not QUITE as easy tonite, and again, it was not quite as comfortable out on the water.

out alone, got these 13-16's in about two hours from 6:30-8:30. moved out a bit tonite and was fishing in 8-10 FOW, trying to catch em earlier since we have plans tonite. i guess that worked.

walleye were certainly more finicky.  i lost a few more than i usually would on a crankbait, and several fish caught were "last minute" bites right at the boat. 

hope everyone else is having a good nite.  lookin forward to DWW's report tomorrow.

lar

p.s. yes, a new "fish stick".  we pick one up each fall and I didnt get around to "hookin it" til yesterday.  thats the excitement in our lives.  haha

[Chippewa Flowage Map Coords: f8]

[Read report from this day in 2007: 01:56 PM]
[Read report from this day in 2007: 09:34 PM]

Cold Front, 2008-05-11 22:42:45:
The sun came out here this afternoon and it was very nice to see. It didn't get very warm but the sun is always an improvement. Nice to see you're still getting fish even in the adverse weather. It was opening weekend here, didn't talk to many people that were very successful. I didn't fish I went and hung out with my mom for mother's day weekend. Cold Front

DannyMAC, 2008-05-12 11:37:34:
Lar, BURRR! My crew will be up there this weekend. I will not be with them but I will catch up with you on the fall trip. I will be at "Iowa's Ocean" this weekend provided that I dont get swept away by a tornado first! Your Superdelegate friend in Illinois DannyMAC

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Chippewa Flowage Report from lg3

May 11:  39 degrees. 

This whole 'global warming' thing sets the mind wandering:

"LRGRAF Lake Okeechobee Fishing Report" could work, right?  I know Luke would join me anyway.

Naaa...if the lake isn't frozen back up by this afternoon, I'll be out there, earmuffs and all.

Lar

[Read report from this day in 2007: 01:56 PM]
[Read report from this day in 2007: 09:34 PM]

Luke, 2008-05-11 23:06:31:
This weather is ridiculous. Heck, I don't even have my tarp off my rig yet. Getting over a bad cold right now...slept most of the weekend away.

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Chippewa Flowage Report from lg3

Jeff and Ellie, have a safe trip up tomorrow.  There's fish in the lake, beer in the fridge - oh and the mystery fish bottle opener is ready for some Lazy Mutt action.  All in all, I'd say you are clear for landing.

dh, 2008-05-10 23:55:05:
Lar! Good job on John Prine!!! A WOJB classic! I usually have WOJB on at home on Saturdays in the backround waiting for "Inspite of Ourselves". I guess I just miss being up north way too much. Can tell you are tuned in to WOJB on occasion. :) Keep up the good luck on the fishing. - Dave

Jeff & Ellie, 2008-05-11 11:25:22:
Thank you thank you thank you, just got home, repacking, hope to leave by noon with some Mutt and morels, see you this evening.

lg3, 2008-05-11 13:23:41:
DH, you only left a few days ago...how much can you miss it? :) Comin back soon?

dh, 2008-05-11 17:06:53:
It's been since Wednesday! :-) Probably not back up fishing till June (hopefully).

lg3, 2008-05-11 17:36:33:
hope it warms up by THEN at least!

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Chippewa Flowage Report from lg3

so far, not too bad.  back for a bite to eat and to pick up MC.  just pulled one walleye off of Flat in about an hour - a 21 (released).  We'll see if we can get some edibles here in the next hour or two.

update:  on second thought, good thing our freezers full!  yeah....this would be a good night to take off.  have to head to hayward for a couple things anyway.  with some weather cooperation, we'll be out tomorrow. 

update 2:  aaaaaaahhhhh....first walleye fish fry of the year!  makes all those "hard hours fishing" SO worth it.

p.s. who's Tinman?  Thats one heck of a fish in the album...and from TMR, too.

lar

[Chippewa Flowage Map Coords: g7]

Shane Follmer, 2008-05-12 21:57:20:
Lar, Tinman is my cousin. We meet you Friday night(opening weekend) in the bar at TMR. We talked about our oppisite fishing tactics as I fish in deep water and drift 90% of the time. Raps after dinner in the shallows! I'm on the point in front of Freds two trailers in 42A. Tinman started off the year with a 23" off the dock at 1:30am(Fri). He wanted the 28 1/2 on the wall butt we told him it wasnt 30" so let it go! He did after about 15 min. WE got video of the release off the dock, the look on his face was painfull! Shane

lg3, 2008-05-13 12:50:17:
oh man, you guys are mean! lets get that vid up here....(and meet back at the lodge this weekend). Hopefully I won't be whisked away into another drinking game that I'm starting to realize too old to play - or at least keep up with.

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Chippewa Flowage Report from lg3

we were out from 7 to 10.  increased the size of our limit a bit tonite - all 13-17 walleye. 

got all walleye between 8:30 and 9:00 tonite...then they were done.  lots of snakes before and after.  anyway, same spot, same drill.  just be sure you're there on time  -  unless you can cast into the reeds.  the deal is pretty clear when yer out there.  the first ones come from as far out as you can cast.  as the night went on tho, we had to switch to a floating rapala to get them off the shoreline/reedline.  cleaned these fish, tons of baitfish inside...no eggs/etc.

now, since 2 days officially makes a "pattern", im gonna mix it up a bit tomorrow and see where we can duplicate this.  flat island spot here I come.  thatll also give me a good opportunity to try a bit earlier, a lil deeper cuz that goes from 7 to 16 pretty quick.

hope everyone else is doing well.  DWW, have a safe trip up.

lar

p.s. today, i got a few emails about the exact location within F8.  We created some computer generated imagery to go along with last nite's post.   its in the album.

[Chippewa Flowage Map Coords: f8]

[Read report from this day in 2007: 09:58 PM]

willydoit, 2008-05-10 08:04:58:
Glad to see you have the legal pad,,,I mean the super duper computer graphics fired up again this year!! Looks like you're having a blast,,,save a few eaters for me when I get up in July.

lg3, 2008-05-10 21:07:32:
will do, willydoit!

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