4-13-2011

4-13-2011 Wed
6:00 AM- 12:00PM and 2:30PM - 6:00PM

Weather: SW 10, mostly cloudy, 50 degrees

H2O: 13.59', rising, 172 kcfs, dirty, 52 degrees

Location: La Crosse Experimental Forest (turkey hunting), and the Mississippi R. Pool 7 (upper stump fields)

Caught: No turkeys and one 26" northern

Partners: None

Comments

The first half of the day was dedicated to turkey hunting. I had scouted out this location the evening before and had heard some turkeys gobbling and had a pretty good idea of where to set up in the morning. I was at the parking lot before first light along with some if competing hunter. That hunter was already in the woods, so I had no idea if we would cross path chasing the same gobbler. I headed to the south hills and got into the woods at first light. I could hear at least two toms revealing their location about three hundred yards up and to the south of my location. I cut the distance in half, set up and began to sound like a lonely hen looking for a little action.
The toms immediately responded with rapid fire gobbles; man I was thinking this is going to be easy. But then I heard another turkey about one hundred yards from me fly down and immediately begin pleading with the toms for some company. I definitely had competition and she was being a very aggressive competitor. I did not have a chance. The toms quickly closed the distance to her and once the redevouz took place the courtship then took place quietly. I did some further scouting and moving, and heard some somewhat active gobblers, but was unable to draw any to my location. I am a pretty active turkey hunter, so sitting in one place and calling for me. I like to move make a few calls and move on if I get no response. It is pretty much the same philosophy I carry into my fishing.
Once home from the woods it was time to hit the water. It is pretty much a tradition with me to turkey hunt in the morning and then hit the river in the afternoon. This time of year I like to target northers and bass in the shallows. My preferred method is to cast spinner baits dressed with a white skirt and a twin tail grub and of course I almost always use a trailer hook. I prefer to use terminator titanium spinner baits as they are much more durable when catching tackle breaking northern. I also usually use a leader. I like to tie my own using a swivel tied to the main line and then about a twelve to eighteen inch section of fluorocarbon tied to my bait. A little longer leader is nice, because if the end towards the bait gets nicked up by a fish, I simply cut that piece out and re-tie.
The conditions on the water were one of the least favorites for me, high fast water with everything pretty much flooded. I went to some of my old spring time spots, but the water depth is five feet deeper then normal and the fish just do not want to be there. I did catch one northern close to where I fish in the spring time, but I was basically fishing along the edge of the flooded trees. I did manage one fish and had one other hit, but it felt like I was musky fishing (a thousand casts for one fish). I did see one other fisherman catch one other nice pike along the same wood line I was fishing.