CoachsCharters

Al had a very good combo day of fishing.  The first three hours were spent on bedding smallies.  The deeper bedders were very cooperative as our photos will indicate.  The afternoon was spent on a windy shoreline where the prespawners were definitely on the feed.  We are anxious for day two of the excursion.

As we enter the warm water phase of our fishing season, it is a great time to bring someone who needs lots of action.  Most children and some adults need lots of action to enjoy the day of fishing.  Now is the time to get them on the boat with us.

During cold water fishing we might catch really big fish but maybe only 20-25 a day.  During our current phase we can expect 50-60 fish a day.  The next phase (in about a month) our expectations grow to 100-150 a day.

Much of our success has been due to our ability to gauge our client’s likes and dislikes.  We do our best to match our client to the appropriate style of fishing.

Have a youngster in mind that needs to get an outdoor activity (as opposed to sitting and button pushing)?  Our many years of working with youngsters makes us a good choice to ACTIVATE them.  Our ANGLE is to get them HOOKED on something positive.

Call us for a half day, full day, or multiple day experience.  It might be more than just a day of fun.  We could initiate a lifetime of fun.  Good fun.

Although there are many setups that work on bedding smallmouth, it is safe to say that the Large Hellgrammite and the Mad Tom took top prize for aggravating the very vulnerable brown fish.

It seems the fish not only picked up these baits but crushed them with violent impact.  Thanks to the fine folks at Fishing Complete Inc. for putting these baits in my boat.  I have just placed a reorder.  This week’s clients are really going to enjoy this.

The early lakes in our area had many smallmouth beds the week prior to Memorial Day.  The three-day holiday weekend was a good time for me to avoid the busier lakes.  However, come Tuesday, I decided to check out the status of two of our early lakes.

In three hours 30 smallies off beds; 8 more prespawners on jerkbaits; and a half-dozen 12″ perch for tonight’s dinner.  A couple new rigs for the bedders worked wonderfully.

4.83 and 4.72 were the biggest.

These fish are so easy to catch that we owe a duty to get them back in the water quickly and as healthy as possible.

Things are a little behind this year because of the bad winter.  However, like every other year, we are in the period where you can find water that suits your style of fishing.

You can blade fish in very cold water (30s).  You can jerkbait in prespawn waters (40s-50s). And you can bed fish.  All within five miles!

Since I have no clients for a couple of days, I am laying low and avoiding anything that resembles a crowd.  A great time to experiment on new areas and new methods.

Some experiments work and some do not.  This one did with 27 smallies caught with biggest a 22 incher.

After yesterday’s rains and high winds, the heat and calm winds felt good.  However, it really made us work for our fish.  My guest from Indiana was able to catch a 4 lb 8 oz and a whopping 5 lb 13 oz smallmouth.  Low numbers but quality fish.

Blustery southeast winds kept us from areas of choice early.  As winds subsided more areas were fishable and the fish cooperated.  Our best count was 49 smallies landed with several lost fish.  The bonus fish of the day was a 15 lb catfish and a small musky and 7 lb northern.

Big smallie was 4.56 lbs.  with many fish over 3.5 lbs.

Chasing wolfpacks of smallmouth that are definitely following bait fish movements.  Taking breaks by relaxing on a school of post spawn jumbo perch.  It has been great as long as the wind has blown. 

But of course we had a thirty minute shower and four different wind changes.

Bad trip?  No way.  It was a great trip.  4.92 and 4.54 were the two biggest with several others in the four lb. class that we didn’t take time to weigh.

The fish were in the wolfpack mode and we caught them in bundles with several dead areas in between.

It was Jim’s first outing of the spring and what a start.

A special thanks to Mike Rivers for the wonderful package of baits he had mailed to me.  They were the meal of choice this afternoon.

I have been asked why I avoid naming lakes and exact lures.  Simple answer is to protects future success of my clients.  I owe them the best possible.

For the second day in a row foul weather greeted us.  Yesterday 30 mph winds and today, although less windy, cold and snow.

From 8:30 am til 11:30 am 26 healthy perch (11-12″) were sorted out.  After lunch from noon til 4:30 it was 24 smallmouth and two pike.  Big fish landed was about 5 lbs but two near misses of best-of-the-year candidates occurred early when fish were hitting a little short.

Both near misses came within 100 yards of where yesterday’s 6 lber. was caught.  WE WILL REVISIT THAT AREA.