I haven't posted a report in a long time so I thought why not see something different here for a change. I'm currently a lazy-ass to reformat and restructure my writeup for this website so I will just copy & paste everything that I wrote on my site onto here - I hope nobody minds. Hope you all enjoy the collection of fish porn as well as all the words that go behind the captions. It was an extremely fun fishing trip with some good friends and we hope to make this event be a yearly tradition for many years to come.
Keep in mind that this is just for the first day of fishing we had.... My next post, coming tomorrow will be for the second and final day of fishing that we had.
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April 3, 2009
Click to View Image Gallery (77 photos) = http://fishing-headquarters.com/galleri ... p?album=74
A while back, there was an open invite to anyone on my website from friend Nate Tessler, to come out and fish in Ohio. It was for the world-famous Maumee River Walleye Run located in northwestern Ohio. Nate, formerly of Addison IL, is an ichthyologist at Bowling Green State University and independent fisheries manager who runs the tanks at the Toledo OH, Bass Pro Shops and does field studies and electroshock work with the OH and IL DNR's. It took me a while to make a decision on whether or not I should attend along with a few others and make the four-hour eastward trek down I-80 because I had many other things on my mind, but thankfully I made the right one and had a blast this entire weekend with some really good people!
I ditched classes Thursday and made the trip out with good buddy Mike and his speedy taxi service. He went to his morning class and we were on the road by sometime after 12pm. After a ride in which Mike was flying down the turnpike and toll-road at 95M.P.H. which resulted in a $214.00 ticket, we arrived at Bass Pro to meet with Nate and our other friend John Dyers and to get ourselves equipped with the Maumee River Walleye fishing necessities.
Because our licenses were not valid until the next morning, there would be no fishing for us on this day. The rest of the evening was dedicated to partying, responsible drinking, and good discussion at Nate's place.
The following morning, it was game-time!
We got out of bed sometime around 5:30 and arrived to our spot at the river at around 7am. First cast was not had until sometime around 7:15 am.
The weather at first was horrible but good enough for fishing. Light rain with some steady periods, along with overcast skies, 50-degree air temperatures, and wind with 20mph gusts. Water clarity was poor in the form of chocolate milk but the fish didn't care. It was around 51-52 degrees and it was spawning time.
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The area we focused our fishing on was a classic spawning area comprised of a shallow run of current with hard bottom and a gravel/small rock substrate. The fish were running, milting, and pretty thick in number as evidenced by the numbers of snagged fish we had encountered throughout this trip.
In order to catch these walleyes, and since large lures or anything with a set of trebles is disallowed due to OH-DNR regulations, a typical rig is a basic carolina/slip-sinker rig with 2-3 foot leader with a floating jig and piece of plastic attached. Sinker weight ranged anywhere from 3/8oz to as much as 1/2oz or more. We needed the heavier stuff just to get the right drift through the current and to avoid bottom snags. Ifyour rig was dragging lightly along the bottom, we were in business. As far as color combinations were concerned, they didn't seem to matter. Whites, Chartreuse, Orange, Green, Pink tails all worked on various-colored jig heads. Based on observation and success, I would have to say that anything with orange did best.
Video from Walleye Run:
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Nate was the first to hook-up and it came quickly within his first 5 drifts.
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Nate hooks up yet again.
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A typical Maumee River Walleye - referred to as a jack (the spawning males).
During this morning session we fished from 7am until 12pm. John and Nate limited out within the first 3 hours while Mike and I had struggled catching and let alone snagging at least something. We had nothing on our stringer and it was most likely attributed to using too light of a line as well as a rod that didn't have the best backbone in the world for horsing in fish through current. I was at first using a 7-foot medium-fast action rod and later on switched to my heavier 7-foot medium-heavy and that made a HUGE difference in solving the problem.
If there was any particular highlight during this morning wade, it had to have been while I was on shore re-tying my rig. A few feet away into the woods were two younger guys sitting on a fallen tree. They acknowledged me and said with a southern country accent, "Hey, are you guys done catching fish yet?" I shook my head and LOL'ed when I went back into the water to rejoin the crew.
More fish photos from the morning session below:
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Dyers gets his first.
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As evidenced by this 18-inch male's belly, this one was jizzing all over the place.
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A typical Friday crowd. Not too overly crowded and not too bad. It was very tolerable and weather probably was a factor in the number of anglers out.
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Nate already catches his limit for the day.
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John lands his own.
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Catch after the morning session. Now it was time to head off for a lunch break.
After an hour-long lunch, we returned again to the spot because our day of fishing was still incomplete. Mike and I had to get at least a few fish apiece on our stringer. In addition, Nate's and John's friend Tom from Chicago came out and joined us as well for the remainder of the weekend. During the afternoon we fished from 2pm until sometime before last cast at around 8pm.
On a random note, average Walleye size was about 18 to 22 inches. Largest fish of the day were a pair of 23-inchers by both Nate and John. According to Nate, the fish were more stacked and in number in this area than any other previous day during this run. About 90-percent of the fish we encountered were milting right on us. In addition to these spawning Walleyes, the Silver Redhorse were using the same habitat as they were on the verge of spawning as well. The redhorse were either caught in the mouth, or snagged as they were all over the place.
In the afternoon, and following a desperate equipment change, I was finally banging into a few fish. I snagged a couple such as this 20-incher Walleye, and then managed to catch two legals that were about the same size.
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One of the other areas in the general vicinity we tried fishing.
Personally for myself, the afternoon fishing was much better than the morning session as I was finally able to figure things out through some trial and error.
More photos from the afternoon session:
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A bunch of guys were giving Nate and Dyers ugly looks for not only already having a limit, but for still fishing out there and C&R'ing everything they were catching.
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Our catches from the afternoon session. If you are wondering about the redhorse that is on the stringer, the motive behind it was for food-consumption purposes. Little did I or Nate the fisheries expert or anyone know that it would be a very bony fish. It was a huge mistake. It was flaky and too bony for me to handle but it was edible. Meat was very good - just too bony for anyone to handle.
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The fish cleaning afterparty.
For the day, the final number of legally caught fish was about 21 Walleyes, with many snagged ones as well and some suckers. Based on the day's-worth of photo and video I took, the day was basically the Johnny Dyers Fishing Show.
![]()
Day-2 fishing will be posted tomorrow.
Keep in mind that this is just for the first day of fishing we had.... My next post, coming tomorrow will be for the second and final day of fishing that we had.
________________________________________________________________________________
April 3, 2009
Click to View Image Gallery (77 photos) = http://fishing-headquarters.com/galleri ... p?album=74
A while back, there was an open invite to anyone on my website from friend Nate Tessler, to come out and fish in Ohio. It was for the world-famous Maumee River Walleye Run located in northwestern Ohio. Nate, formerly of Addison IL, is an ichthyologist at Bowling Green State University and independent fisheries manager who runs the tanks at the Toledo OH, Bass Pro Shops and does field studies and electroshock work with the OH and IL DNR's. It took me a while to make a decision on whether or not I should attend along with a few others and make the four-hour eastward trek down I-80 because I had many other things on my mind, but thankfully I made the right one and had a blast this entire weekend with some really good people!
I ditched classes Thursday and made the trip out with good buddy Mike and his speedy taxi service. He went to his morning class and we were on the road by sometime after 12pm. After a ride in which Mike was flying down the turnpike and toll-road at 95M.P.H. which resulted in a $214.00 ticket, we arrived at Bass Pro to meet with Nate and our other friend John Dyers and to get ourselves equipped with the Maumee River Walleye fishing necessities.
Because our licenses were not valid until the next morning, there would be no fishing for us on this day. The rest of the evening was dedicated to partying, responsible drinking, and good discussion at Nate's place.
The following morning, it was game-time!
We got out of bed sometime around 5:30 and arrived to our spot at the river at around 7am. First cast was not had until sometime around 7:15 am.
The weather at first was horrible but good enough for fishing. Light rain with some steady periods, along with overcast skies, 50-degree air temperatures, and wind with 20mph gusts. Water clarity was poor in the form of chocolate milk but the fish didn't care. It was around 51-52 degrees and it was spawning time.
The area we focused our fishing on was a classic spawning area comprised of a shallow run of current with hard bottom and a gravel/small rock substrate. The fish were running, milting, and pretty thick in number as evidenced by the numbers of snagged fish we had encountered throughout this trip.
In order to catch these walleyes, and since large lures or anything with a set of trebles is disallowed due to OH-DNR regulations, a typical rig is a basic carolina/slip-sinker rig with 2-3 foot leader with a floating jig and piece of plastic attached. Sinker weight ranged anywhere from 3/8oz to as much as 1/2oz or more. We needed the heavier stuff just to get the right drift through the current and to avoid bottom snags. Ifyour rig was dragging lightly along the bottom, we were in business. As far as color combinations were concerned, they didn't seem to matter. Whites, Chartreuse, Orange, Green, Pink tails all worked on various-colored jig heads. Based on observation and success, I would have to say that anything with orange did best.
Video from Walleye Run:
Nate was the first to hook-up and it came quickly within his first 5 drifts.
Nate hooks up yet again.
A typical Maumee River Walleye - referred to as a jack (the spawning males).
During this morning session we fished from 7am until 12pm. John and Nate limited out within the first 3 hours while Mike and I had struggled catching and let alone snagging at least something. We had nothing on our stringer and it was most likely attributed to using too light of a line as well as a rod that didn't have the best backbone in the world for horsing in fish through current. I was at first using a 7-foot medium-fast action rod and later on switched to my heavier 7-foot medium-heavy and that made a HUGE difference in solving the problem.
If there was any particular highlight during this morning wade, it had to have been while I was on shore re-tying my rig. A few feet away into the woods were two younger guys sitting on a fallen tree. They acknowledged me and said with a southern country accent, "Hey, are you guys done catching fish yet?" I shook my head and LOL'ed when I went back into the water to rejoin the crew.
More fish photos from the morning session below:
Dyers gets his first.
As evidenced by this 18-inch male's belly, this one was jizzing all over the place.
A typical Friday crowd. Not too overly crowded and not too bad. It was very tolerable and weather probably was a factor in the number of anglers out.
Nate already catches his limit for the day.
John lands his own.
Catch after the morning session. Now it was time to head off for a lunch break.
After an hour-long lunch, we returned again to the spot because our day of fishing was still incomplete. Mike and I had to get at least a few fish apiece on our stringer. In addition, Nate's and John's friend Tom from Chicago came out and joined us as well for the remainder of the weekend. During the afternoon we fished from 2pm until sometime before last cast at around 8pm.
On a random note, average Walleye size was about 18 to 22 inches. Largest fish of the day were a pair of 23-inchers by both Nate and John. According to Nate, the fish were more stacked and in number in this area than any other previous day during this run. About 90-percent of the fish we encountered were milting right on us. In addition to these spawning Walleyes, the Silver Redhorse were using the same habitat as they were on the verge of spawning as well. The redhorse were either caught in the mouth, or snagged as they were all over the place.
In the afternoon, and following a desperate equipment change, I was finally banging into a few fish. I snagged a couple such as this 20-incher Walleye, and then managed to catch two legals that were about the same size.
One of the other areas in the general vicinity we tried fishing.
Personally for myself, the afternoon fishing was much better than the morning session as I was finally able to figure things out through some trial and error.
More photos from the afternoon session:
A bunch of guys were giving Nate and Dyers ugly looks for not only already having a limit, but for still fishing out there and C&R'ing everything they were catching.
Our catches from the afternoon session. If you are wondering about the redhorse that is on the stringer, the motive behind it was for food-consumption purposes. Little did I or Nate the fisheries expert or anyone know that it would be a very bony fish. It was a huge mistake. It was flaky and too bony for me to handle but it was edible. Meat was very good - just too bony for anyone to handle.
The fish cleaning afterparty.
For the day, the final number of legally caught fish was about 21 Walleyes, with many snagged ones as well and some suckers. Based on the day's-worth of photo and video I took, the day was basically the Johnny Dyers Fishing Show.
Day-2 fishing will be posted tomorrow.
