RIVERBEND JAN 15 & 16

[bturck]

Another fine time in the great north country as my wife and I went chasin' the fishes for a couple of days. Fished out of Riverbend as usual and had what I would consider a good trip considering the yo yo weather. Got up Tuesday morning to below zero and wild winds. Headed out to the house following Big Al and a trailer load of folks from the resort. We ended up with 10 keeper walley and sauger mixed and must have thrown back 20 plus fish. Most of these were small 6-8 inch sauger and two large pout. Hot lures turned out to be 1/8 oz silver/blue Buckshot and a plain red hook and fathead under the bobber. My wife gave me a pretty good lesson on catching while I just watched. I did manage the largest eye which was 16", other than than nothing big. Interesting ride in that night across country dodging drifts that had piled up during the day.

Wednesday morning, 19 degrees above zero, light snow and light wind. Richard from Riverbend, felt we could drive out again so he led the way with the resort F250 and I followed in the track and cross country we went. Got the first fish a 16" eye at 800am 10' below the ice on a Gold Buckshot. througout the day several fish were caught suspended. Blue/silver....perch colored....White Lindy frosties under bobbers produced the best results. We managed to ice another 10 keeper fish and several small throw backs again. The action was definitley slower than Tuesday, but the quality of the fish was better. Pounding the Buckshot into the mud could provoke some action and watching the Vexi for the high flyers kept things interesting. By noon the temps were dropping the barometer was up to 30.02 and the wind was blowing again. Richard changed vehicles during the day and paved a trail with a bomber on the way home that night, it was fun busting our way back to the main road that night. We had a good time, wife caught fish, we had a great fish fry and brought fish home as well. The forecast looks cold for the next several days now, 23 below when we left this morning. Making ice is certainly not a problem. Good luck to all of you headed up hope you have a good trip. Bill

[bturck]

Should have mentioned we were fishing about 8 miles out in 33' of water. We followed Adrians Road for a long ways and then headed east across country to Riverbend houses. Darren Snobe from Snobe's rentals had a road plowed part way out to our destination to his houses and that certainly helped the travel as well. Bill

[New Yankee]

Always good to read your reports Bill! Glad you got out again, sound like a good solid trip to me. We alternate Christmas here then South so I couldn't get up earlier. May try for March - when will you and the boys be up then?

[bturck]

Hey Bob, good to hear from you. Sent out a feeler on the site awhile ago and didn't get a response so I thought maybe you had transferred back down south.

Hopefully I can make the trip in March 20,21, and 22. Feb is out for sure this year. I sold my agency to my secretary and she has to be in Chicago for 6 weeks of orientation (she's been here for 22 years, don't you love corporate America). Hopefully that March trip is going to work out. I'll know closer to the 1st of March. Are you headed up that way? Bill

[New Yankee]

Thanks for the reply Bill. Still here in SFs, but haven't been as good at checking the forum lately, my kids seem to be on the 'puter more than me during the evenings. Seems the older I get the busier it gets as well - I thought it should be the other way around

I'm trying to put together a March trip - those dates sound great, I'll have to check w/Charlie and Judy.

As I've said before, I think we both work for the same Company, the letterhead is just different.....

[Tripleplay]

Bill,

I'm disappointed you won't be up in February as I've booked our trip for the weekend of the 15th this year. Was kind of hoping we could partake of a beverage or two and shoot the breeze at Riverbend after so many FM posts. Sounds like the fishing was slower but you still managed all that you needed.

Did you have any conversations with Charlie or the guides as to when they are moving out to Knights & Bridges? Last year I think we were out there in late January but your comments that you were still over Pine makes me wonder if the move out is delayed or maybe not yet worth it since there are still fish around Pine.

I've got a rookie along this year (brother-in-law) along with his son who fished last year but I would really benefit from some decent fishing or the b-i-l may drive me nuts in the fish house! If I keep my son focused he is very capable of outfishing me at 15 years of age (and my old vex) but I just don't see this gentleman watching a bobber the entire day--which means I may pay the price if he is bored. I'm a very patient guy but this may be my greatest test to date and my wife and I have made it this far with 15 year old triplets if that tells you how concerned I am!! Was in definite need of somebody to talk fishing with at least at night. We'll meet in person sometime soon I'm sure.

Irv

[bturck]

New Yankee: Ditto on the letterhead. Never ceases to amaze me that those who profess to know the most, supposedly the most educactin don't have a clue.

Tripleplay: Yes they are looking to head to Knight and Bridges but felt that they went to early last year so by mid to late February is what they are planning on. It can get iffy too depending on what the ice does up that way. If you recall last year the big pressure ridge just short of Knight Island made day to day travel pretty interesting. Last year they did head up that way early as the bite over Pine really got slow. They felt that because of all the activity up on the reefs that the fish scattered and really never was as good as the years when they went up later, so thats the plan relayed to me by Charlie as of this week. My youngest son Brad (26 yrs old) is coming up for my Feb dates ( 21,22, and 23) with a couple of buddies, two of whom have never been there before.

It can be tough to stay entertained and focused out there all day, and if you have a newbie with you who may have been under the impression that fish just come up the hole and jump in the bucket. You'll just have to keep conducting those fishing seminars in the house, and show the newbie how to handle the Buckshot, the Swedish Pimple, etc. LOL You'll have a good time for sure. Bill