day 163, 9-28-09

9-28-2009 Mon
Day 163-202 to go
5:45PM - 6:30PM

Weather: NW24 G32, cloudy, rain, 57°, 29.72 rising

Water conditions: 3.37’ steady, .702 kcfs, ?°, clear

Fish caught

1. Channel cat 20", 6:10 PM, jig and crawler
2. perch 10", 6:14 PM, jig and crawler

Area fished

Lytles

Fishing Partners

None

Comments

Today a major cold front moved into the area. Yesterday we were in the 70's and today we will be lucky to break 60. This cold is being pushed in by winds roaring out of the northwest.
I honestly did not expect to catch anything tonight, but once again I was proven wrong on my prediction. Fishing was not fantastic, but I would have to say with the brutal conditions it was not too bad. I am always truly amazed at the awesome fishing we have locally.
I did notice that the wood ducks are starting to show up in good numbers. They are after the wild rice that has been produced from the numerous rice beds around the area.

day 162, 9-27-09

9-27-2009 Sun
Day 162-203 to go
7:30AM - 10:15AM

Weather: S21, partly cloudy, 61°, 29.52 falling

Water conditions: 639.44’ steady, 13.9 kcfs, 65°, clear

Fish caught

1. Perch(3) 11, 10, 9", spinner bait and jig and plastic
2. Crappie (3) 8, 8, 7", jig and plastic
3. Bluegill 7", jig and plastic
4. LMB 11", jig and plastic

Area fished

Pool 7, Back sloughs

Fishing Partners

None

Comments

A major weather change is in progress, and we shall have more seasonal temperatures shortly. Again, the bass and pike were non-existent. However when I caught a perch on a spinner bait that clued me in on what I should be fishing for.
The aquatic weeds area quickly dying off and the wild rice has ripened and falling from the plant. Geese, gulls, cormorants, pelicans and ducks are congregating on the lake.

day 161, 9-26-09

9-26-2009 Sat
Day 161-204 to go
2:30PM - 5:30PM

Weather: SSW10, cloudy, 70°, 29.83 falling

Water conditions: 639.29’ steady, .10.8 kcfs, 70°, clear

Fish caught

1. Northern 32", 2:45PM, Spinner Bait
2. LMB 14", 4:40PM, Senko

Area fished

Pool 7, Lake Onalaska and main channel area

Fishing Partners

Cade

Comments

I knew Cade was itching to go fishing, and when I asked his mom if he would want to go along she did not hesitate to answer with "he would love to go". Cade showed up with his new pole and a net and was exited to get on the water.
When I hooked into the northern, Cade grabbed his net and was ready. With a little direction from myself he netted the fish like a pro. We did have a little problem later on when Cade dropped his new pole overboard in about ten feet of water. After a few tense moments and a few shed tears I was able to get the pole back into the boat. He was very relieved to have his new pole back in hand.
Fishing was not great today, but we both had a good time.

day 160, 9-25-09

9-25-2009 Fri
Day 160-205 to go
6:45AM – 7:25AM

Weather: ESE6, cloudy, 65°, 30.11 rising

Water conditions: 3.21’ steady, .603 kcfs, ?°, clear

Fish caught

1. Crappies, (2) 7&8", Jig and Plastic
2. Bluegills (10) 7,7,7,7,6,7,7,6,6,7 " Jig and Worm

Area fished

Lytles

Fishing Partners

None

Comments

With a change of weather on the horizon the fish were very aggressive. The bluegills were relating to a sand drop with current.

day 159, 9-24-09

9-24-2009 Thr
Day 159-206 to go
6:00PM – 7:15PM

Weather: SSW3, partly cloudy, 71°, 30.12 steady

Water conditions: 639.32’ steady, 11.4 kcfs, 70°, clear

Fish caught

1. Northern, 27", 6:25PM, Spinner bait
2. LMB 15", 7:10PM, Chug Bug

Area fished

Pool 7, Lake Onalaska-man made islands area

Fishing Partners

None

Comments

I did catch a few fish, but fish activity was really non-existent!

day 158, 9-23-09

9-23-2009 Wed
Day 158-207 to go
5:30PM – 7:00PM

Weather: W5, overcast, 76°, 30.13 falling

Water conditions: 639.35’ steady, 12.0 kcfs, 74°, clear

Fish caught

1. Northern, 29", 6:15PM, Spinner bait
2. LMB 15", 6:19PM, Swim Jig
3. LMB 13", 6:47PM, Chug Bug

Area fished

Pool 7, Lake Onalaska-man made islands area

Fishing Partners

None

Comments

Well, I am still determined to catch pike. I did not do too well tonight on either pike or bass. I did learn that the fish are really relating to the eel grass. In fact, they are right in the stuff. Now, I just need to figure out the best way to fish them without getting a ball of weeds on the end of my line. I did have limited success with a Chug Bug, but it is a weed catcher. I also tried a fluke but the fish showed no interest in it.
.

day 157 9-22-09 Tue

9-22-2009 Tue
Day 157-208 to go
5:30PM – 7:00PM

Weather: Calm, Fog/Mist, 67°, 29.99 rising

Water conditions: 639.31’ steady, 9.19 kcfs, 69°, clear

Fish caught

1. LMB 13", 5:40PM, Spinner Bait
2. Northern, 27", 5:55PM, Swim Jig
3. LMB 11", 6:00PM, Swim Jig
4. LMB 12", 6:19PM, Swim Jig
5. Northern 25", 6:37PM, Spinner Bait

Area fished

Pool 7, Lake Onalaska-dredge holes

Fishing Partners

None

Comments

This evening was very dark and dreary. The area I fished tonight was the dredge holes on the lake. I really have not caught much here this year, but I thought tonight would be different. I also figured with the weather conditions as they were fishing might be good.
I did catch some fish, but the action and size was rather poor. One thing I did see was lots of pan fish along the drops. I just may have to target them in the future.

day 156 9-21-09 Mon

9-21-2009 Mon
Day 156-209 to go
5:40PM – 7:00PM

Weather: S5, overcast, 70°, 29.92 falling

Water conditions: 639.32’ steady, 9.37kcfs, 71°, clear

Fish caught

1. Northern, 31", 6:00PM, Spinner bait
2. LMB 11", 6:55PM, Swim Jig
3. LMB 16", 7:00PM, Swim Jig

Area fished

Pool 7, Lake Onalaska, Dakota

Fishing Partners

None

Comments

The game plan tonight was to see if I could catch some of the pike I had seen yesterday. Well, I did alright for myself. I did only catch one pike, but I missed several others. I still am having a hard time with my hook-up percentages.

day 155, 9-20-09 Sun

9-20-2009 Sun
Day 155-210 to go
7:15AM – 12:30PM

Weather: SW3, clear, 68°, 30.10 falling (11:00AM)

Water conditions: 639.34’ steady, 9.75kcfs, 68°, clear

Fish caught

1. LMB 12", 8:55AM, Swim Jig
2. Northern, 18", 9:15AM, Swim JIg
3. SMB 9", 9:55AM, Senko
4. Crappie 10", 11:10AM, Jig
5. Crappie 7", 11:13AM, Jig
6. LMB 11", 12:01 PM, Senko

Area fished

Pool 7, Lake Onalaska, back sloughs and Trempeleau Lakes area

Fishing Partners

Terry C

Comments

My fishing

My partner for the day was Terry Campbell and old co-worker and friend. To say fishing was a non-event would be putting it mildly; it down right sucked. We fished hard and tried many different spots and had very limited success. We did see several large pike follow our baits, but they were not active enough to want our offerings.

day 154, 9-19-09 Sat

9-19-2009 Sat
Day 154-211 to go
10:40AM – 11:40AM

Weather: S6, clear, 68°, 30.27 falling

Water conditions: 639.37’ steady, 10.4kcfs, 72°, clear

Fish caught

1. LMB 14", 10:20AM, Swim Jig
2.LMB 15", 10:30AM, Swim Jig

Area fished

Pool 7, Lake Onalaska

Fishing Partners

None

Comments

There was nothing spectacular this morning! I did manage to squeak a couple of fish out at during the last ten minutes of fishing. The wild rice is ripening and the blackbirds are flocking to it.

day 153 9-18-09 Fri

9-18-2009 Fri
Day 153-212 to go
6:40AM – 7:30AM

Weather: S5, fog, 56°, 30.17 steady

Water conditions: 3.13’ steady, .557 kcfs, ?°, clear

Fish caught

1. Bluegills (5) 5-7”, jig and crawler
2. Crappie 8”, jig and crawler

Area fished

Black River (Lytles)

Fishing Partners

None

Comments

I was able to catch a few fish this morning before work. I am constantly amazed at how I can go almost anywhere around here and catch fish. I guess as long as I live here and have a fishing pole I will never be able to starve!
I did notice some minnows being ambushed across from where I was fishing. I observed very few ducks, but the squirrels were busy stashing the bounty of this year’s acorn crop.

day 152 9-17-09 Thr

9-17-2009 Thr
Day 152-213 to go
6:30PM - 9:45PM

Weather: Calm, clear, 75°, 30.13 steady

Water conditions: 639.36’ steady, 9.9 kcfs, 75°, clear

Fish caught

1. Bluegills (11) 5-8”, jig and crawler
2. Perch 10”, jig and crawler

Area fished

Pool 7 Lake Onalaska man made islands area and Sommners Chute

Fishing Partners

None

Comments

Flat head fishing was on the agenda tonight. Bait gathering was slightly difficult this evening. I set up for flats in two different spots tonight, but I had no luck in either. I was fishing deep water that was anywhere between twenty and forty feet.

day 151 9-16-09 Wed

9-16-2009 Wed
Day 151-214 to go
6:25PM - 7:40PM

Weather: SE6, clear, 68°, 30.24 steady

Water conditions: 639.38', 10.6 kcfs, 74°, clear

Fish caught

1. LMB 7.5”, 7:05PM, Fluke
2. LMB 14”, 7:10PM, Fluke

Area fished

Pool 7 Lake Onalaska man made islands area

Fishing Partners

None

Comments

Ever since I have returned from bear hunting I have not been a successful bass fisherman. Tonight I managed to catch a couple of fish, but it has been tough.
The sunset tonight was absolutely gorgeous. The trees are starting to get some color and the aquatic vegetation is starting to die off.

day 150 9-15-09 Mon

9-15-2009 Tue
Day 150-215 to go
5:50PM - 7:45PM

Weather: NW7, partly cloudy, 82°, 30.09 rising

Water conditions: 639.33', 9.56kcfs, 76°, clear

Fish caught

1. Bluegills 15 (6-8”) - kept 9, jig and crawler
2. SMB 16”, 7:35PM, Chug Bug

Area fished

Pool 7 Lake Onalaska man made islands area

Fishing Partners

None

Comments

Tonight I had a goal of catching ten bluegills for the pan. I came close; I kept nine. I would have easily made my goal if the wind would not have come up the last half hour of the day. I did learn that the bluegills are still out in the main lake and they are good size.

day 149 9-14-09 Mon

9-14-2009 Mon
Day 149-216 to go
6:40PM - 7:15PM

Weather: SW5, Sunny, 71°, 30.04 steady

Water conditions: 3.13', .557kcfs, clear

Fish caught

1. Crappie 6", 6:53PM, jig and crawler
2. Crappie 6", 6:57PM, jig and crawler

Area fished

Lytles-Black River

Fishing Partners

None

Comments

I was feeling very under the weather tonight; therefore I made it easy on myself. The mosquitoes were almost unbearable.

day 148 9-13-09 Sun

9-13-2009 Sun
Day 148-217 to go
6:15PM - 7:15PM

Weather: W3, Sunny, 76°, 30.08 falling

Water conditions: 639.33', 9.56kcfs, 76°, clear

Fish caught

1. Bluegills (15) 6-7", jig and crawler

Area fished

Pool 7, Lake Onalaska-man made islands

Fishing Partners

Cade

Comments

It was a short fishing trip this evening with Cade. At first we caught a fish here and there but nothing consistent. Then about the last ten minutes we hit the jackpot! I believe Cade really enjoyed himself, he was definitely pumped.

day 147 9-12-09 Sat

9-12-2009 Sat
Day 147-218 to go
6:30pM - 9:15PM

Weather: Calm, Sunny, 77°, 30.13 steady

Water conditions: 639.31', 9.19kcfs, 74°, clear

Fish caught

1. Bluegills (14) 6-7", jig and worm
4. Crappie, 13", 7:15PM Jig and worm

Area fished

Pool 7, Lake Onalaska-man made islands

Fishing Partners

None

Comments

I had been approximately two weeks since I had tried for flatheads, so that was the plan tonight. The bluegills came readily, but I had no flat head activity.

day 146 9-11-09 Fri

9-11-2009 Fri
Day 146-219 to go
7:15AM - 8:15AM

Weather: ESE 6, Sunny, 62°, 30.20 rising

Water conditions: 639.3', 9kcfs, 70°, clear

Fish caught

1. Crappie, 12", 7:27AM Jig and Plastic
2. Perch, 8", 7:34AM Jig and Plastic
3. Perch, 8", 7:35AM Jig and Plastic
4. Crappie, 7", 7:45AM Jig and Plastic
5. Crappie, 9", 7:49AM Jig and Plastic
6. LMB, 7", 8:00AM Jig and Plastic

Area fished

Pool 7, back sloughs

Fishing Partners

None

Comments

Crappies before work was the name of the game today. I did catch a few, but it was nothing consistent.

day 145 9-10-09 Thr

9-10-2009 Thr
Day 145-220 to go
7:15AM - 8:20AM

Weather: SE 5, Fog, 61°, 30.23 rising

Water conditions: 639.48', 12.8kcfs, 69°, clear

Fish caught

1. LMB 15", 7:42AM, Senko
2. LMB 17", 7:56AM, Senko

Area fished

Pool 7, back sloughs

Fishing Partners

None

Comments

The stump slough produced a couple of bass, but it was nothing crazy.

day 144 9-9-09 Wed

9-9-2009 Wed
Day 144-221 to go
8:45AM - 9:15AM

Weather: SE 3, Sunny, 62°, 30.18 rising


Water conditions: not very clear

Fish caught

None

Area fished

Lake Neshonic

Fishing Partners

None

Comments

I tried a little crappie fishing on Lake Neshonic before work this morning. I did not catch nor did I see any fish caught.

day 143 9-8-09 Tue

9-8-2009 Tue
Day 143-222 to go
6:15PM - 7:40PM

Weather: SE 3, Sunny, 74°, 30.06 steady


Water conditions: 639.53, 14kcfs, clear 74°

Fish caught

1. LMB 18" 6:30PM, Swim Jig

Area fished

Pool 7, Lake Onalaska

Fishing Partners

None

Comments

Tried the sand flats on the lake this evening. The fishing here was dead, the bass were either uncooperative or gone.

day 142 9-7-09 Mon

9-7-2009 Mon
Day 142-223 to go
7:20PM - 7:50PM

Weather: SE 3, Sunny, 75°, 30.07 steady


Water conditions: Low

Fish caught

Nothing

Area fished

Lytles

Fishing Partners

None

Comments

Today was just a little quick fishing trip after my return from the bear hunt.

day 141 9-6-09 Sun

9-6-09 Sun
Day 141-224 to go
8:30AM - 5:00 PM

Weather: Calm, 76°, Sunny,

Bagged: Adult sow black bear 161.5 lbs

Partners: Tom Weber, Jeremy Pank

Location: Northeast Minnesota: State line Stand.

Comments: We started back on the track about eight-thirty this morning. Fritz was not the machine he was just a few hours earlier. He had a very hard time picking up the track from where we left off the night before. We split up and began our search looking for the whereabouts of my bear. Tom gave us our first break with the finding of a series of beds that had blood in them. Jeremy then got us going in the right direction with his great tracking skills. He was able to spot a little blood and some wet spots on saplings that the bear had rubbed up against during its escape. I did not take long and the clues again vanished. I decided to let Fritz loose and see what he could come up with. I was not long and he had disappeared and would not respond to my commands. Figuring something was up I remotely beeped him and headed his direction.
When I did find him he was acting hesitant and looking towards a thick clump of brush. Looking in the direction he was looking I saw my bear, elation took over. But, it soon disappeared for as I scrutinized the situation I noticed something was amiss. The bear was still alive and a mere ten feet from where I stood and staring back at me. I immediately called to Tom and told him to get over here with the only gun we had brought along. Too late, the bear again crashed off through the underbrush. We were dealing with one tough bruin; fifteen hours after being arrowed it was still alive! We decided to leave the area and give it some more time to expire...
We came back four hours later, and this time we were all armed. Disappointment overwhelmed me, we were unable to pick up any new blood and Fritzy was just too exhausted to be effective at tracking. In the next hour I had searched and given up several times, but each time I would give up I decided to look just a little more. As a last ditch effort I told Jeremy that we should go back to where we had last seen the bear and see if we could determine the direction it had fled. Doing so enabled us to follow the trail for approximately fifty yards and get a general sense of the direction the bear had taken.
With no more blood being found and Fritz not able to scent the track I was ready to admit defeat. As a last ditch effort I decided to circle a small swamp and Jeremy would walk through the center. Fritz and I got about half way around the swamp when his actions indicated he had some time of scent. Looking in the general direction he was sniffing I spotted my bear. Seeing the swarms of flies around the black animal I knew the chase had finally ended.
I called to Jeremy that I had the bear. His response was "you’re kidding". Tom had a similar response of "I cannot believe it".
So approximately twenty hours after I had made my poor hit, we had recovered the bruin. It took us approximately another four hours to get it out of the woods. All told it took twenty four hours from the time I arrowed the animal to the time I got it in a cooler.

day 140 9-5-09 Sat

9-5-09 Sat
Day 140-225 to go
5:00PM – 11:00PM

Weather: SSE5, 72°,Sunny, 30.18 falling

Bagged: Shot an adult bear with my bow, but have not yet recovered.

Partners: Tom Weber, Jeremy Pank- they saw no bears

Location: Northeast Minnesota: State line Stand.

Comments: Tonight I was hunting a bait station that had yet to be hunted. I had established this location just a few nights earlier and last night was the first time it had gotten any bear attention.
I hung my stand and settled in for what I thought would be a boring evening. This stand is pretty close to cabins and a major ATV route, which took away from the peace and solitude of the north woods setting. It did not take me too long to get annoyed with the ATV’s burning up and down the roads, or the nuisance barking of a dog and the voices of the north woods partiers. My expectations were not at an all time high.
After about an hour of listening to the human made noises I heard a branch snap about one-hundred yards to my left. This put me on alert; I thought to myself perhaps a bear is circling the bait. About a half hour passed with no more showing itself and no other clues that perhaps a bear was in the area. Then in the not to far off distance I heard a dead tree hit the ground. This got me really excited, for the other night I had heard the same thing and not to long afterwards a bear appeared at the bait. About twenty minutes passed and I started hearing brush cracking and snapping on the back side of the bait. Now I knew I was going to be in business. All of the sudden there it was: a mature bear standing beside the bait. Without much delay or thought I drew back, aimed and released my arrow. The bear bolted and crashed through the thick underbrush from the direction it had come. As I listened for the death moan and it did not come, I played the shot back in my mind. I was disappointed, the shot was high and far back, and I did not have much confidence in my shot.
I came back about two hours later with Jeremy, Tom and Fritz. I put Fritz on the track and he was immediately turned on. He literally dragged me through the underbrush in pursuit of the bear. This was slightly nerve wracking, as it was pitch dark, very thick and I was unarmed. Every once in awhile I would stop him to verify he was still on the track, and sure enough there, would be a speck of blood or a piece of fat. I was just hoping Fritz was not going to drag me into the lap of one angry hurting bear. We followed the trail for approximately three hundred yards when I thought I heard the bear run off. At that point it was decided to leave the bear expire overnight and pick up where we left off in the morning.

day 139 9-4-09 Fri

9-4-09 Fri
Day 139-226 to go
5:00PM – 8:10PM

Weather: Sunny, calm 67°, 30.14 steady

Bagged: Nothing (bear hunting with bow)

Partners: Tom Weber, Jeremy Pank

Location: Northeast Minnesota: Old Ladder Stand.

Comments: The bear gods were and were not smiling on me tonight! I did have a rather large bear come into the bait at 7:50 pm. This bear was as long as the bear estimator stick Tom had placed beside the bait. That is to say he measured four feet from the front of its shoulders to the end of its rump. The only obstacle to me harvesting this bear was its relative position in relation to me. You see, he came straight into the bait and laid down. I had a perfect going away laying down shot, but this should not even be considered when using a bow. I had made up my mind that the only shot I would take on this trip was a perfect broadside or slightly quartering away shot.
This bear was quite comfortable in its eating position and did not appear to be moving anytime soon. He was so close I could hear him eating the bait. With darkness fast approaching, I decided if it was not going to give me a shot I might just as well film it. Well this bruin was so close that it heard the motor of the camera turning the film! It then got nervous and walked off the bait. It quickly decided it wanted more food and came back. At this point I put down the camera and picked up the bow. It did make it back to the bait, but within seconds it knew something was amiss and it crashed off through the brush.
Tom and Jeremy did not see any bears tonight.

day 138 9-3-09 Thr

9-3-09 Thr
Day 138-227 to go
5:00PM – 8:11PM

Weather: Sunny, calm 72°, 30.15 steady

Bagged: Nothing (bear hunting with bow)

Partners: Tom Weber

Location: Northeast Minnesota: Antler Stand.

Comments: Tonight was a very quiet night, about all I saw was a very inquisitive flying squirrel at dark. A pack of coyotes gave away their location before darkness cloaked the landscape.
My nose had a sensory smorgasbord throughout the evening. The first scent I detected coming from the bait was the offensive odor of a rotting catfish head. Next I smelled the sweet aroma of the grape concentrate pellets we had mixed with water. And finally it was all topped off with the pungent smell of the old restaurant fryer grease intermingling with the liquid smoke concentrate. What bear in its right mind could pass on this feast!

All baits were hit tonight except the Old Pine Tree and Belden road. I abandoned the Old Pine Tree bait station today.

day 137 9-2-09 Wed

9-2-09 Wed
Day 137-228 to go
5:00PM – 8:13PM

Weather: Sunny, calm 75°, (estimated)

Bagged: Nothing (bear hunting with bow)

Partners: None

Location: Northeast Minnesota: Old Ladder Stand.

Comments: There was no bear and not much else for that matter this evening. I did have a north woods mirage: very late in the evening I imagined seeing a rather small bear standing under a pine studying the bait. It was getting quit dark and late and both my mind and eyes were playing tricks on me. When I got out of the stand I verified it was nothing with one quick swipe of the light.
All bait stations were hit last night, with the exception of the dead pine.

day 136 9-1-09 Tue

9-1-09 Tue
Day 136-229 to go
5:00PM – 8:15PM

Weather: Sunny, calm 75°, (estimated)

Bagged: Nothing (bear hunting with bow)

Partners: None

Location: Northeast Minnesota: Antler Stand.

Comments: Today was the first day of the Minnesota Bear Hunting season. I had a smallish bear come in at 7:30PM, and I passed on shooting at it. I did manage to film it for about thirty minutes though; that was way cool!
The weather was nice and comfortable, and the mosquitoes were not bothersome until about the last thirty minutes of daylight. All six baits had been hit today, with the exception of the dead pine tree.

day 135 8-31-09 Mon

8-31-2009 Mon
Day 135-230 to go
6:55 AM - 7:25 AM

Weather: Foggy

Water conditions: Clear

Fish caught

1. Bluegill 6" 7:00 AM, Jig and crawler
2. Bluegill 6" 7:01 AM, Jig and crawler
3. Bluegill 4" 7:12 AM, Jig and crawler
4. LMB 4” 7:14 AM, Jig and crawler
5. LMB 10” 7:33 AM, Jig and crawler

Area fished

Lytles

Fishing Partners

None

Comments

Not much time for fishing, I am getting ready for bear hunting tomorrow!