Multispecies trip with portable.

[graf703]

We are driving up on the tenth. I love walleye just as much as the next guy. But I'd like to catch something each species available.

We're staying at the walleye inn. I have a lifted landcruiser with really big tires that should have no problem getting anywhere with strong ice.

What is the best gameplan? I have read the "things to do on the pond" thread. I've only been once before and had Sean Westman as a guide, but he was booked up for this time.

1)Northerns: I read about 4 mile bay being the place for gators. Is it too early though? Where exactly should we set up? Just someplace north of the Island in 10-12 ft with suckers or should we be in the river channel?

2) Walleye: Which road should we spend an entire day on? Cyrus resort seems new and I'm not sure what exactly we would access from there vs. adrians road? Should we go to Babbler's to see the reefs or is it too early for the reefs? Is there a map someplace online of the reefs? I have the navionics app on my phone and I see very little and nothing is labeled.

3) Whitefish: I have a smoker and would be thrilled with a limit of stinkers. I caught a couple on the first run, I spoke with a friend that fished in between the two depths I was on and he was catching them nonstop. Any specifics on seeking them out?

4)Sturgeon. We were in 17 ft above the island near the border last year and hooked one on accident. My girlfriend had a good 30 minute fight before she lost it. any hints on accidentally finding one of these?

5)Pout. I've never caught one. I want to check it off the list. I'm ok hanging out a while into the night for a good chance at a pout. If we tag this onto the walleye day where are the best areas for pout?

Thanks everyone. I absolutely love the banter in this forum. I would love to hear from NorthernDave or Boar. The technical questions thread is laugh your pants off humor. Hopefully we'll run into some of you!

[vman11]

You have a great chance of catching 2, 3 and 5 on the same day in 28-32' of water out from the island. I caught all 3 all of the days out last week. I know it wasn't on your list, but there is a chance a jumbo perch runs into your jig as well.

You probably won't catch any Whitefish on the South shore, but you will get close by catching their close relative the Tullibee. Populations of Whitefish are located in the deep water in Ontario.

Sturgeon will probably be your most challenging species. You could set up in one of the gaps or in the river channel of the bay, but that might not be any more productive than randomly fishing in the deep mud. People catch them in the winter but they're pretty elusive. I've never heard of anyone specifically targeting them.

You could try the Bostic Bay area for pike. This is located next to Morris Gap, just South of East end of Morris Point. Walleye Inn uses the same path where Cyrus plows the ice road. This will run you right past the pike houses in this bay. It's a pretty popular spot for early season spearing and tip up fishing.

[Boar]

Hey graf, lets see, my 2 cents, well with the economy my -2 cents would be:

Northerns, this time of year is not to early but id concentrate at Zipple bay, Ive caught them without trying in 17 fet of water in front of twin trees fishing for walleyes in the morning. Zipple bay is awsome for nordy's.

Walleys" thats a toughy cause its all good, ya cant go wrong on the east side with the road systems from both cyrus an adrians. Babblers is too much of crapshoot to think if you can get out even then with a truck, really rough ice over there too, kinda a mess i hear. dont know wat to tell ya, if ya have sledds or wheelers then you could get a round just fine, i know right now its sleds an atv's only out of babblers, but if you at zipple get out into 31 ft in front of twin trees, sssshhhh thats "the secrete spot" if not 31 hit 26-28. I love hiting zipple in 17 ft morning time for eyes an then just follow them deep for the afternoon then back in 17 ft for evening. put out a tip up 3-5 ft off the bottom in bothe depths, live suckers for bait.

Whitefish an stugeon: I got nuthon only caught them by accident an dont target them, but mudminnows ya got to hit the run at the right time of the year with gummy bears, you know that.

Pout: only target them at night in my sleeper, hanging a gob of chubs on a big glow spoons withone or 2 smushed for scent, 2 inches of the bottom on the rattle reel. But pout can be found sometimes regularily on the reefs jigging for eyeballs.

Well graf, thats all I got, all the super secret stuff cost money an gummy bears, Lol! good luck Im sure others will chime in, again this is just my ways that work for me with as little work as possible. Later boar

[NAMASafetyDirector]

Too bad Sean was busy...with a lifted landcruiser and big tires he would have taken you anywhere you wanted to go on the lake as long as he got to drive and you had stellar insurance!!

[Burb Slayer]

Key to catching burbot is when you start to see your bobber getting a bit, say over and over that you think is a really big fish... then if you rip at it and hook the thing, when you start reeling up, tell yourself and everyone in the house with you that you have a really big walleye on. The big kicker is you have to celebrate the trophy walleye before it comes up to the hole, then odds are you'll have a decent sized burbot that gave you a thrill and ended in mostly embarassment and talking about how it fought pretty good.

If that doesn't work try fishing past dusk.

[graf703]

So, Thursday around noon we will hit cyrus/adrian's road and hope for a nice limit of walleye/whitefish/eelpout.

Friday: start off in Zipple bay right next to Boar's shack catching gators and walleyes. Chase them deep in the afternoon and back shallow for the evening.

Saturday: Reef fishing off of babbler's if possible. It sounds like it's own site to see. Otherwise, back to the cyrus/adrian's area.

Look for us in this:

NAMA, Interesting you mention Sean in that light. We had a great time with him last year. He was taking us off the ice in his truck and got stuck in a ditch going back up onto the highway. A friend of his pulled by right then and yanked him out (a little aggressively I might add). But, I can imagine him having even more fun without clients in the truck.

[graf703]

Only 1 keeper walleye last night. Fished 30 ft off morris point and then moved to 27 ft for the evening. We should have stayed in 30. Hopefully zipple goes well today.