6/28-7/4 trip

[hitthebricks]

A group of 10 were at Sunsets on the Ash river. We found fishing to be pretty tough, dang mayflys. we tried crawlers, fatheads, shinners, leeches, and cranks. Leeches were the only thing to produce and only in windy bays and shorelines. In the bays we found the fish shallower, 10-16', shoreline, 20-24'. Caught maybe 65 fish all totaled and only 14 fish in the slot. One heck of a lot of hours fishing to catch enough fish for one shore lunch. We still had a great time and it is a beautiful set of lakes. Can anyone tell me when the crappies start biting in the fall. Thanks HTB

[Kab Kid]

Start looking for crappies around the 2nd of Sept...possibly before if the water cools. Water temp is a better indicator than approx. date...

Once the water temps return in the low 60 degree phase the crappies and walleyes will school up, and a jig/minnow presentation will be deadly...

good luck! Glad you enjoyed the area. Where most of your fish BIG????

Kab Kid

[hitthebricks]

I'll have to keep a eye out for postings for the water temp. The fish wern't all that big, most were over but only 17.5-22" and very few cigar size. Mabe that was the problem, we tried to fish them more like they were in schools

[crestliner17]

I am coming up for the first time this year this weekend, will the bite be back to normal after the mayfly frenzy?

Thanks for any info,

Mg

[Kab Kid]

Hitthebricks...

I've been finding walleyes scattered, but all running about the same depth. One day this week they were between 20-24', but the next day 24-29'...one day leeches the next day night crawlers...

The fish are just scattered along the edges of open water reefs, I haven't caught a lot around specific islands in the past week. Be persistant! GO back and forth several times, and try various baits or spinners!

We are keeping about 40% of the fish we're catching with most over the slot (like you said 17.5 to 22")

I'll keep updating when I'm off the water!

Kab Kid

P.S as far as getting better??? We've been catching 15-20 walleyes a day, so it's been slower, but the Mayflies didn't hamper us like they've shut it down in the past...look for cloud cover and light winds to jump those walleye numbers up....

[hitthebricks]

Kab kid, What persentage of your fish do you catch before 10am. and after 6pm.? The group I went with just don't seem to get it when it comes to productive hours or is this lake like Lake of The Woods, on a 8-5 schedule. Also what resort do you own and guide out of? THB

[Kab Kid]

Hitthebricks...

The hours we've been catching them is weird...the seem to have several windows during the day. Sometimes 2-4 hrs in the morning and then slow for an hour or so and then again the bite will start again.

If your coming around the full moon phase I fish a lot more during the evening hrs...after 6pm seems to be better for me...currently it been more of catching 2-4 fish per spot and then they stop, move to another reef and you'll pick up 2-3 more walleyes...so we are marking fish, but finding only a few feeding fish!

THE walleyes we are catching are FULL of mayflies, packed so solid they look like "footballs".

We guide out of 6-10 resorts as a primary guide or guides, and several others if they need a second or if there guide is busy. I hate to drop names, so I'll just leave it at that! Our goal is to try to teach you areas up here on a guided trip with us, and not just go pound fish. We hope that way you will be just as successful fishing the rest of your vacation as you were on a day with us...

Good Luck

Kab Kid

[hitthebricks]

Thanks for tips Kab Kid, I actually did catch a few good tips from that I can apply to other trips at this time of year. It won't be until first part of Sept. before I make back up there again and I will be targeting crappies also at that time and will check back with you for more info. and help. So for now I'll hit the St. Croix hard and hope for the best. Thanks again, HTB