An Outdoorsman’s Journal – 6-5-2013

An Outdoorsman’s Journal – 6-5-2013
by Mark Walters

Top Notch Fishing on Green Bay

Hello friends,

This weeks adventure was an interesting one and it took place on Green Bay, near Oconto and it was once again an example of how sticking to the plan and being persistent often pays off.

Sunday, May 26th – High 72, low 54

Lake Links, which is an excellent way to learn about where the fish are, or are not biting, was loaded the last few days with information on an awesome bite-taking place on Green Bay for walleye. That info was all it took for me to decide where this weeks trip would be taking place.

My plan was simple, pull my 16-foot boat to a public launch near Oconto and have it rigged for trolling with crankbaits and night crawler harnesses. If the action was good I would fish after dark. I would also fish the next day and hopefully experience some quality walleye fishing.

The first death nail in the reality of life came, when I was getting ready to launch my boat and I listened to a fish census worker speaking with some fishermen that were just finishing with a day on the water. Their conversation had to deal with a non-bite taking place and folks let me tell you when the walleye are not feeding on Green Bay, catching them seems to be impossible. I heard this same type of conversation several times and did not let it get me down, as I know that you have to believe, and you have to put in your time when adversity strikes!

I started trolling with two crawler harnesses and Flicker Shad and was using a right and left planer board with one line straight back. For the next three hours I did this with nary a hit and while riding out high seas only saw one walleye caught by what was maybe 8-10 other boats on the water.

An hour before dark I tried drifting, instead of trolling, and ended up catching a 21-inch walleye that really put a smile on my face. Long after dark, I headed to the landing and spent a night sleeping in the New and Improved ‘Chevy Hotel!

Monday, May 27th – High 70, low 45

I was trolling on the bay by 5:30, and it was close to 7 before I saw another boat. By 9:30, I had not had a hit and I was thinking that there was not a whole lot that I could do turn this trip around.

Good luck came my way when one of my lines became snagged and I shut my motor down, reeled in the other two and then unsnagged my rig as I drifted at a rapid pace in a stiff wind.

I decided to try drifting with planer boards and just like that everything became perfect in my world. First, a good fish hit my crawler harness that had a float on it. Fighting a large fish in a stiff wind and netting alone it can be a challenge. You can well imagine the smile that came to my face when I landed a 21-inch smallmouth bass (Pigasauras Rex) that I decided should and will live on my living room wall.

The Northland crawler harness was put on my line that did not have a board on it and as I was lowering it to the bottom of the bay it was hit and just like that I had a 22-inch walleye that joined my smallie in the livewell.

I was using 1.5-ounce bottom bouncers with an orange and yellow crawler harness and had no luck with the ones that did not have a float on them. Over the next three hours, I had the best walleye fishing that I have ever witnessed in the state of Wisconsin.

I limited out and probably could have several times over and am once again convinced that Green Bay is an incredible fishery.

Get out there, use the method I described, and keep on fishing if the fish are not biting, like everything else, there gonna eat sooner or later.

The smallie is going to look excellent on my wall! Sunset

THIS WEEK’S COLUMN IS SPONSORED BY: Ormson’s SuperValu.