Swamp Girl

Clayton fishes a BIG hot tub, aka a power plant lake.

To get 'em!

My brothers and I secured permission to fish a pond about 30 miles from our house. The big day came and we awoke to horizontal snow in the air. Still, we set out on our bikes pedaling heads down into the teeth of the storm. We made it about ten miles before turning back. The ride home was easy: We were blown home. One time a thundering storm hit a pal and I in northwestern Ontario. The thunder was in the rain. It was so intense. Big drops churning the water. We paddled as hard as we could and then we strangely stopped paddling at the same second to laugh at our absurd behavior. We couldn't possibly get any wetter, so there was no reason to scurry back to camp. We just sat in the middle of the lake and enjoyed the fury. I've been on water too big in boats too small to recount, but I remember being in the troughs and keeping an eye forward and an eye aft, lest the crest behind me break onto and into my boat. One time on the Mississippi River in mid-November, I got pinched between a tow pushing barges. It was longer than an aircraft carrier and turned into the current to negotiate a bend. So, the waves it was creating hit the shoreline and bounced back. It was chaos, with waves crashing everywhere. One fell on my kayak and I clenched my paddle. If I'd lost it, I might have died. The wave broke through my spray skirt, making my boat heavy, and snapped my hull, which I didn't realize until I reached the shore. Even though the shore was only about 50 yards away, it took about 15 minutes to reach it. There were even whirlpools and vortexes: That's how agitated that water was. I literally crawled ashore and my situation worsened and worsened, but that's another story. Gosh, it's good to read a Northwoods adventure. Thanks for sharing it!

I had no idea, but I watched a couple videos about burping a drysuit thanks to you.

Launching at 28 degrees. Tough man, but so cool you caught bass when it was so cold!

"It was 38 degrees with 20+ mph winds out of the north." YIKES! I bet!

Yeah, I just don't have enough patience and money to pursue a DD. I used to fish only for muskies, but tired of the long stretches between fish.

I bought a net holder, trolling rod holders, and a rod holder that has the rods laying off to the side of the kayak. I didn't want vertical rods behind me.

We were skunking in Little Bay de Noc and as a joke, I tied on a Heddon Tiger lure and cast. The water erupted!

I am worried about overheating. I want to wear just enough to be comfortable. I can't imagine shedding layers on the water. Cool that you did that test. I might too!

I can't forget this. I can feel the cold of the water creeping through the thin hull of my canoe. Easy to do the above since your list is my standard fishing clothes. I only different with socks. I wear wetsuit boots or water shoes, so I don't wear socks.

I finally bought a drysuit. I bought a cheap wetsuit last fall, but I was cold in it and it was a trial to remove it. This past year, I felt less stable in my canoe and a couple times, I felt unsafe and afraid. Going forward, with the drysuit, I can fish sooner in the spring and later in the fall and come home at the end of each trip. Any tips from those of you who wear drysuits?

I'm with Gim. My dad and I were fishing a fly-in cabin in Ontario once for Lakers. I used a three-way swivel and caught one to eat, but I couldn't catch another because of the fear of killing it. However, we found Lakers in 10' of water on that lake while trolling for pike, which was weird because it was mid-summer, and we caught about twenty of them for fun. When I told the manager of the fly-in service, he looked at me like I was lying, but it surprised us too.

You have range. That's cool. I've fly-fished a couple times for smallies and bluegills, but this spring, my neighbor is going to give me lessons. He fishes for Atlantic salmon and specks in Newfoundland, so he's hardcore.

I don't think your Saskatchewan suggestion will get much traction. Whenever I recall the thrills of northwestern Ontario, I hear crickets. I'm familiar with Reindeer Lake Lodge and its enormous pike. Perhaps the "first class accommodations might appeal," if I'm right in guessing that sleeping in a tent on a wilderness lake might be off-putting for many. However, I have fished from various Ontario lodges and fly-in cabins and fishing-wise, none compare to what lies at the ends of portage trails. When I'd reach a new lake, the first fish on my first cast was the norm. Ah, my suggestion did get some traction. Your post popped up while I was writing mine.

Why go to Mexico to average 50 fish per day when there are plenty of places in the U.S. where this can be done? Of course, Mexico has its charms, but unless you live in the southwest, it's a long way away.

Yikes! Those are pricey. I look at used G. Loomis rods on Ebay from time to time, but even those are too pricey. They really retain their value. A good approach...up to a point. I remember you sharing that you don't travel much and I wish you would. Montana is breathtaking. So is Banff. NYC is jaw-dropping. And on and on and on. Do you stick with the foods you've always eaten too?

"Fast-moving baits can still be very effective even in frigid conditions, and their quick movements can help trigger bites from fish that are not even looking to feed." @Pat Brown has also advocated for quick retrieves in cold water to trigger bites.

She was definitely NOT a keeper: She owned a Jeep and worried about its smell. A Jeep should be smelly if you're using it like they're built to be used. Wow, what a story!

Sounds exciting. It's a beautiful river and fishing current is a lot of fun.

You whisper to bass. You and @N Florida Mike Mike catch such big bass FROM SHORE. You'll find some local hot spots. I rotate between the Mayor, Keitechs, and Zakos. However, I'm tossing the four-inchish models.

I love your story, Al! So, you graduated from catching bullheads in a cornfield to giant bass in a cornfield. Life is good, huh? Thanks, @Glenn! When I've read all the current threads, I like going back, back, back in time.

Aaron, it's so good to see your happy face again and your fine bass!

If you're open to Lake of the Woods, consider a fly-in north of there, with or without a cabin. If you can sleep in a tent, you can pay to land on a lake that nearly no one fishes. You can also drive to lakes beyond counting where it'll be just you, the loons, and the fish. Ontario's website, Fish ON-Line lists the species found in hundreds of lakes. I've done some pretty cool things in my life, but fishing a wilderness lake is the best.

Sounds fun. I used to have six and seven day species on the Mississippi and I loved them. I'd catch half a dozen of these: walleye, Sauger, white bass, smallmouth, largemouth, pike, mooneye, crappie, bluegill, mirror carp, perch, and drum. However, I never kept changing my setup. It's cool that you do!