Took the Old Town canoe out onto one of the smaller SMB lakes close to home last week.  It’s a fan favorite mostly because it gets little fishing pressure & there’s a healthy population of very decent & routinely cooperative fish there.   It was a cooler morning with air temps about 40 and water temps in the mid to high 50’s.  A partly cloudy sky was accompanied by a seasonable North wind.  The sun would pop in & out a few times which had me taking clothes off and then putting them back on when the clouds rolled back in.  You know the drill.

 The first few hours of the morning were very slow, uncharacteristically slow in fact.  And I was pretty surprised because I’d done well here in similar conditions.  But after too long, I figured out what my problem was and it was definitely My Problem. 

  With the air temps in the 40’s & the water temps in the high 50’s I was fishing “Wrong” and the bass were telling me so, and under no uncertain terms.  In fact they were screaming it at me – by NO Bites.  But I wasn’t listening.  For whatever reason, I had chosen to fish presentations for much colder water, because the air was cold.  DUH ~  I was throwing a blade bait and dragging a tube, and bouncing a lipless bait – out in deeper water.  Where the fish WILL BE when the WATER TEMPS are in the 40’s  - but they are not there now. 

  After a while I thought “Man, I am fishing totally wrong, too deep & Too slow”    I needed to fish the conditions not the Calendar.  And I knew better but that’s what happened. 

 Anyway, I tied on a mid-depth crawfish imitation crankbait and went to work focusing on the 8 – 12 ft zone of inside turns and the edges & tops of wind-blown drops – Boom.  Fish came early & often.  You’ll see the first one if you watch the video – I look disgusted & disappointed that I pretty much wasted the first half of the day fishing.  Ended up being a very nice afternoon that included many keeper sized smallies & one or two a bit bigger fish.  They were all fun and after my slow start I did appreciate each & every one. 

   So there it is, my first Canoe trip in a while.  It was nice to get out in the rig and tool around a little.  Don’t know when or even if I’ll have that opportunity again this season, but I certainly enjoyed this one.  After that, we’ll have wait & see what happens.

Here’s some video & a pic documenting the day.

A-Jay

 

 

 

 

Nice to see you still use the little boat  

Unfortunately, I don't see a wacky rig or drop shot,
perhaps my eyes deceive me? 

Regardless. Clearly a productive trip and I'm only
5 minutes in the vid. Nicely done. 

I hate when that happens.  When I finally catch on to what the fish want, I often think "why didn't I think of that sooner?".  The older I get, that light comes on a little slower.  Nice outing after all.  

Looks like you had a little more sun later on too.    Good job adapting! 

Get out the net and dro the anchor.  I love it.  "Good talkin to ya"

 

Jeff

10 hours ago, 00 mod said:

Get out the net and drop the anchor.  I love it.  "Good talkin to ya"

 

Jeff

Thank you my friend - that's the "Original" Talon

A-Jay

 

Makes me sad that I put my canoe in storage for the winter a bit too soon.

Great video and nice looking canoe setup.