Another weekly update from Jim at Wabaskang Camp. We have seen week number seven come and go so let’s get started on what the fishing has been like. The bass fishing has been solid all season and this week was no exception. Our guests had plenty of action throwing small stick baits and of course tube jigs. The best action occurred in the early morning and late evening around rock piles and weedy points. Marty Neihouser drove into camp with a beautiful Lund boat and hopefully he can justify what he spent on his fancy rig with the chunky 18 1/2” bass he released, only third place this week and not even a hat winner. Casey Christensen managed to fish all week without making a single trip to Red Lake to get his motor worked on, he landed and released a beautiful 19” bass that almost, yes almost won him a hat, too bad so sad! The big bass of the week goes to Roger Cummings, he released a gigantic 19 1/2” brute to take home a free hat and bragging rights for this year’s trip, not what his fishing buddy Tim Wuethrich was expecting! Walleye fishing was tough this week but our guests did manage to catch quality fish just not the quantity of “eaters” we are used to seeing. Most of the walleyes are in transition now moving from the shallow soft bottoms where the May Flies have been hatching to deeper weed edges where the minnows and small perch are hanging out. A yellow spinner rig tipped with a crawler or minnow worked well for some of our guests especially Kevin and Jeannette Snyder. There was also a deep open water bite going on in the late evenings that saw walleyes over 27” being caught. The open water bite was best if you long-lined a shallow running crank bait or stick bait right over the schools of Cisco’s as they came to the surface just before and just after dark. Kevin Snyder started things off this week with a chunky 24” walleye he released while trolling his yellow spinner rig in Aerobus Bay, Roger Cummings released a 24 1/2” walleye he caught casting stick baits along rock piles and weed lines. Jeannette Snyder crushed husband Kevin’s walleye when she skillfully caught and released a 25” fish, also caught on a spinner rig. Deb Mardis was fishing the deep open water in front of camp when she landed and released a 25” walleye, seems she should teach Tom a few things about fishing. Donn Cummings sprang to the top spot on the walleye board when he released his 26” walleye, also caught while casting stick baits in shallow water. Kristy Lammers was stuck fishing with her husband “Big Mike” but she did accidently catch and release a 27” walleye that made Mike wonder if maybe he should just give up fishing and take up a few more “bad” habits instead, he has many! Gabe Christensen may be young in years but his 27” walleye he caught trolling the deep water was oh so close to being a hat winner but “fun Hater” Tim Wuethrich quickly snatched the hat away from Gabe when he caught and released a beautiful 28” brute, Tim usually is on or near the top of our leader board at the end of the week and probably could take “Big Mike” out for a refresher course on catching trophy walleyes! Tim is one of the few fellas that spends just as much as Mike does on fishing tackle and equipment but the difference is Tim always produces big fish and Mike just wishes he did. Our Northern fishing was decent this week with the biggest fish being caught on huge stick baits and giant spinner baits. The northern are roaming the deep weed edges now preying on unsuspecting walleye and perch that are gorging themselves on insects and minnows. Grace Stewart started things off this week when she released a chunky 28” northern, Kristy Lammers released a 36” brute in spite of fishing with her husband “Big Mike”, Donn Cummings impressed his gang with the 39” northern he released, Ryan Neihouser usually catches a big northern every year and this week his 35” was the biggest in the boat for his family, George Riggs isn’t known for northern fishing around here, actually he isn’t really known for any kind of fishing but his 36” northern he released did impress wife Linda. Matt Iverson and his family was in camp this week, he definitely brought in the smallest northern pike of the week, keep your chin up Matt there are northern out there over 22”! The big champ this week when it comes to northern fishing was Brandon Heuer, he was fishing with our daughter Annie and he did his best to impress her when he landed and released a monstrous 40 1/2” fish that won him the free hat of the week, he was fishing in “Big Mike’s” boat and poor Mike could only sit back and watch as Brandon is slowly becoming the “Fishing Fanatic” and leaving Mike behind in his dust. Kali Muller was in camp this week fishing with her dad Mike and her 12” crappie she caught in Keynote lake was good enough to win her a free hat, you better be wearing that hat on the golf course young lady! Next week looks warmer and dryer so our weeds should finally thicken up and the walleye fishing should improve. For now, this is Jim From Wabaskang.
