Canadian Fishing / Hunting Chat Forum Heartland Fishing Report, Heartland Hunting Report - Vermilion Bay North/Eagle Lake Area Fishing Report

packpro
Fisherman
Rank: 3

UID 2782
excellent posts 0
Total Baits 5
Posts 5
Minnows 5
Crawlers 0
Leeches 0
Reading Access 30
Registered 5-13-2009
Location Mt. Prospect, Ill
Status Offline

Big Canon June 12-19

Myt just group had a great trip at Big Canon.  It had been cold before our arrival and it has been cold since.  We hit the weather just right, but the fishing was different.  We caught just as many fish as we had during previous trips, but we caught them in different spots on different bait.  The Lake trout guys in our group had a ball trolling for them right in front of the camp in 8-14 ft of water.  They caught a mixed bag bass, walleye, and the hard fighting lakers.  Mostly lakers though. Most of them in the mid 20" range, but when caught trolling they put up a furious fight and the guys had a blast.
Later in the week they caught them in deeper (40') more traditional areas, and they caught them jigging silver hammer spoons.

The walleyes were more shallow in the warmer waters and the just starting to emerge weed lines.  We caught very few on rock structure, b ut that changed at the end of the week after 4 days in the 80"s.  One portage found two of us out of (6 dozen) minnows in 2 hours.  We were nailing 16"-19"  fish every cast in a small defined area.  Once out of minnows we switched to 5" Gulp.  I have to admit I was a doubter, but the bigger fish turned on.  Still caught them on every cast but the size moved up to 19"-23" with no small fish.  Caught them all in the small spot.  The initial hit on the artificial was ferocious.  Saw a seagull family fight off an eagle on three passes for a gut hooked eye, but the eagle prevailed on the third attempt.  It was a true to life "Planet Earth" scene.

The Pike were fun, we had caught so many of the eyes we actually starting targeting the pike with swim baits and bait casting rigs.  What a combo.  The sun was high and the winds so calm the water was still.  We actually could see these preditiors stalk and attack the baits.  All from 30' away from the boat.  We caught a number in the 36"+ range but didn't get the monster this trip.  We caught walleye on the same rig but the real fun started while fishing for small mouth. The bronzebacks hit the swim baits near the shore.  They pounded crack baits off the deeper rocks piles, but the real fun came on top water poppers pulling them over shallow ledges to deeper drop offs.

In short we caught different species (had a few whitefish while trolling) in different spots, at different depths, using differnet bait.  One thing for sure we caught as many fish if not more this year.  Plenty of eater and few braggers.

As always the camp was first rate.  They were great about putting us on the fish, meals were fantastic and the equipment first rate.  Thats how to run a camp.  Can't wait until next year.

7-1-2009 16:28