[FishinMatt]

Mark (Mops7) and I hit the road early this morning to do some fishing in our favorite SE Wisconsin Lakes. I left from Aurora and Mark from Carol Stream around 430A. About half way there I notice that the wind is almost dead so I call Mark and tell him Geneva will be the starting place. Mark got caught in some lap traffic and I had the boat idling at the dock when he arrived. Having been out with a John Trossen a few weeks prior, I was confident we would get on some fish. About 3 hours later and no fish, we decided to come in for a pit stop. After getting 2 right side tires only, we accelerated down Highway 50 and it was green flag time for Delavan. We started in the channel and Mark lost an unknown fish on a spinnerbait. The caution is out, so we slowly head to the next spot and guess who we see??? Eric Hatadja and John Gillespie shooting an episode of WI Water & Woods. We keep a distance and watch for awhile. Eventually they cruise by and shoot the breeze. I seem to run into Eric quite a bit, but I won't complain. If I am in areas that he likes to fish, I could be doing much worse. Even more impressive, the camera man knew my name and had read some of my Delavan reports. Maybe one day he will film for me. Yeah, right Anyways, I raised a mid 30's pike in the general area but that was it. We decide to jump out deeper but we can still hear John screaming and hollering every time someone gets a fish. It was actually starting to get to us. Gillespie seemed to mocking us with every hawg. Get the Frabil!!!! Taking that lead we decide to mimic what they are doing in a similar spot farther down the lake. If you can't beat them, join em. I definity learned something new today.

Yum Dinger and senkos wacky rigged did the trick. Think Shallow, very shallow!!!!

We ended the day throwing for pike with minimal results. We decide to troll in and Mark took this pike on a KO Wobbler. I tried to tell him there were no Kings or Cohos in Delavan, but fortunately for him, he ignored my taunts and caught a hawg. No worries with the blood. A treble nicked a gill raker, but was carefully extracted by yours truly.

Around 5P the wife called and black flagged me, so it was time to take it to the garage and get ready for next week. Final tally was 20 bass and 2 pike. I wish we would of started the day at the Big D. Thanks for coming out Mark. It was a pleasure as always. Good luck with the new gig

BTW, if you don't watch Nascar you may be confused with the racing lingo. That is probably a good thing

 

[Culprit]

Nice footballs there guys ! :shock:

 

[Topwater]

Matt, any thoughts on northern pike and treble type lures? I had terrible trouble with hooking fish deep and drawing blood from gill damage. One snake I just couldn't get unhooked without gutting him so I ended up tossing him back with the treble hook clamping his mouth almost shut. Feel terible about it but just couldn't seem to do any good to remove it. After a few more that weren't nearly as bad I figured out how to remove the line, and go in through the gills to draw it out through them, which worked much better despite the (hopefully minimal) damage to the gills. Any other tricks you could pass on to help minimize this kind of situation?

Also tossed bionic bucktail spinners with zero results, have white, black and radiation yellow :shock: What depth do you work those? Along the weeds or down the drop and in from shore? I'm thinking I should at least get some results as long as I'm on a spot holding pike.

Finally, would it be worth it to go to Delevan with a 5hp motor? Stop laughing! My boat is plenty big and deep for safety, but am wondering if I would even get to decent spots without wasting the day. Or, do you know of any other half way decent northern pike lakes around that area or the nw burbs that aren't quite so large?

 

[coyote]

Topwater i have owned a 5 horse for as long as i have fished Delavan and i get around fine just takes a little longer to get places . You realy dont have to go far. Big pike hang just outside the inlet. Just fish the bowl shaped area outside of it. Pike should be getting really active through the next 4-5 weeks. Bucktail could be thrown any where from 6-15 feet right now. If you get out really early throw a buzzbait anywhere near shore and hold on. As you leave launch decent chance you will get a pike or maybe even a muskie if you troll out of inlet. As far as other Illinois lakes 2 come to mind that do have decent pike ... Bangslake and Lake Defiance in Moraine hills PARK, AND iguess LAKE ZURICH wich im not sure about there boat rental.

 

[FishinMatt]

I have been out in Mike's boat several times and the ride is fine. Yesterday I barely used my big motor. The Lakelawn area outside the inlet always holds good fish. As long as the wind is not too bad, you will be fine in your boat.

For the trebles, I do what you do and come in from behind the gills to remove hooks if necessary. I mostly use larger baits for them and for the most part, they will take the cranks sideways and not get hooked deep. Smaller baits like X-Raps can be a problem though

 

[twoglasseyes]

Nice fishing dude! Thats cool that they were filming that thing on delevan.

 

[Topwater]

thanks a lot guys. the 5hp thing has been holding me back but no longer! definately will be getting up there for some midweek pike outings. thanks again!

 

[toothdoc]

Thanks for the great report Matt! You are the man that Gillespie is gonna be filming when he does his next show there!

 

[FishinMatt]

I wish Doc Hatadja is the one guy out there that normally has our number. We were able to do well opening weekend when he struggled, which was a first. Normally I get back after a tough day and see him posting a 50 bass day on Lake-Link. Besides being a downright awesome fishermen, he is also on the water almost every day. If any of you want to shorten the learning curve, a day out with Eric will teach you how to consistently catch big bass there all Spring. Yesterday, we were able to piggyback a little on what he was doing. I rarely fish the type of areas he was working, so I gotta once again throw props his way. Check out the show Saturday, maybe you will see the old red/black Astro or Coyote and his buddy Len's rig in the background.

 

[twoglasseyes]

And Topwater, I have been going out on geneva in a 12' 5hp forever, so i would say you will be fine on delevan. It seems like it takes forever to get around, but delevans not that huge. I actually just got a trailer two weeks ago and last weekend I put lights and bunks on it. I just might be getting over to delevan this weekend!

 

[Islandfisher]

Hey 2GE lets give delevan a shot on Sat if the wind isn't too bad. Coyote wrote some good pike tips in his last few posts: Lets go get 'em.

 

[Augy]

wow! thems some piggys!

 

[Topwater]

thanks 2GE! Can you give me directions to the boat launch? The DNR map says there are 3 public launches but seems you guys only go to the one on the northeast endof the lake(?) I would be coming up 12 or across 50. I'm gettin jazzed about delevan!!!!

 

[Yami Master]

Great post Matt. You and Mark did the right thing by leaving the dead sea and trying the Big D. I love that lake you can always count on her to build you confidence back up. Can't wait to get back out there. Also don't sell your self short ,Hatadja and Gillespie know their stuff but I would put my money on you any day. Hell we smoked him on opening day. Don't forget it's his job to get 50 fish days. In a tournament pound for pound we could take'em any day.

 

[twoglasseyes]

Topwater, the delevan launch is the only public one I know of. (The channel the launch is at the end of, and the area by lakelawnlodge over by that end of the lake get good reports, so you wouldnt have to go to far to get some good fish.) Its on 50 when you get to the stop light as you come into delevan. Youll see it. Right across the street from the mobil station. Take a left(south) a couple hundred feet to the entrance through the fence. Theres a little guard house at the entrance, that you pay the guy at. Good luck out there. I hope the weather cooperates this weekend. Island and I will most likely be out there!

 

[FishinMatt]

Great post Matt. You and Mark did the right thing by leaving the dead sea and trying the Big D. I love that lake you can always count on her to build you confidence back up. Can't wait to get back out there. Also don't sell your self short ,Hatadja and Gillespie know their stuff but I would put my money on you any day. Hell we smoked him on opening day. Don't forget it's his job to get 50 fish days. In a tournament pound for pound we could take'em any day.

HaHa, thats why your my partner Yami. I love the confidence.

Good luck out their this weekend boys. If you get out there before the front pushes them back deeper, you should do well. If you get tired of those pike, throw a senko type bait wacky rigged with a small circle hook up shallow and under the docks. Make some long casts and you will get into fish. From what I have been reading after our trip, the bass are up shallow all over the main lake and are easy pickings. Hopefully the wind lays down and you can get into some numbers and size. Post some hawgs for us when you get back