Heidecke Lake - June 15, 2009

Heidecke Lake - June 15, 2009

Today's Photos:

http://www.catchphotorelease.com/06152009.htm

Expect some wind today.

When I got to the lake about 5 minutes past 7:00, Jim was already on the water and waiting for me. We headed out to our first spot as I've done the last few trips and let the wind try to take us along the bank. This saves gas and wear and tear on the trolling motor. Despite the wind wanting to push us into the bank, Jim did a great job controlling the boat and keeping us in the right zone to target the fish. After a while though it seemed we were throwing at the wrong target because fishing was very slow.

Off we go.

The forecast was for light east winds and mostly sunny conditions but we were blessed with a nice blanket of clouds and a little more wind than was predicted. The fish didn't see it that way because they were few and far between. Eventually I hooked up and brought one to the boat.

A small Striper.

A short time later, Jim hooked up and had a real nice Walleye in front of us but if came unhooked and got away. The birds along the shoreline were busy looking for fish and crayfish and every now and then I'd notice a blackbird with a crayfish he'd managed to pull out of the rocks.

Somebody who caught more fish than us.

We brought a few more fish to the boat and every now and then we'd make a second pass on an area where we had caught or hooked something. Each time it seemed like it was for nothing but at least we tried. We switched lures and caught fish on a few different ones but nothing seemed to really get them going today.

Me with another one.

Jim finally hooked another Walleye and was able to put it in the boat.

Jim with a nice Walleye.

A couple more fish and it was time to go.

As we headed in, I threw a cast towards a point and hooked a good fish. It fought hard but when I got it to the boat it was able to shake the lure. The fish was one of the better Walleye I'd seen at the lake and it would have been great to put it in the boat but it didn't happen. We spent another hour hammering that area trying for another one but struck out.

We did manage to find an interesting looking snake resting in some of the rocks along the cove. He had the right idea.

The water temp was as high as 74 in a couple spots and the level was still up from the previous weeks rains. The air temp hit the upper 70s before we left. We put maybe a dozen fish in the boat including Walleye, Stripers, White Bass, Drum, and a Crappie. No monster fish today (except maybe the one I lost on the way in) but it was still a great day on the water.

Heidecke Lake - May 29, 2009

Photos from today:
http://www.catchphotorelease.com/05292009.htm

Not a cloud in the sky

We started the day by witnessing another guy damage his truck and trailer at the ramps. He backed the trailer in at such an angle that one of the tires went off the side and the trailer got wedged under the dock. when he tried to pull forward, his truck slid sideways and hit the metal railing, then when it moved forward, it tore some of the body off. Hopefully his day got better because that was not a good start.

We put a few fish in the boat, but nothing really worth bragging about. Mike caught the only Smallmouth of the day too. We caught a couple Crappie, a Striper, and a few Drum before we decided to go. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and that usually makes for very tough conditions on this lake.

Crappie

As I was waiting for Mike to bring the truck, I saw another group with their boat tied off to one of the piers where they keep the rental boats. They were catching some nice Walleye right under their boat on minnows. As I was driving my boat onto the trailer at the last ramp, a couple kids walked past and they both cast towards the shallower part of the cove. Both kids hooked up with big fish but only one of them managed to land theirs. It was a real nice Striper. Mike and I decided we had obviously been fishing the wrong part of the lake.

Freshwater Drum