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ON THE WATER
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| By Rick Lundstedt
So the winter that wouldn’t end has ended…in a big way! With
ice-out setting "late-date" records throughout New England,
Mother Nature evened things out by dealing us record heat and dry
conditions in April/early May. Conditions at our lake have almost caught
up, shifting from about 3 weeks behind schedule to 1 week. Also, water
levels dropped a foot between April 21-May 5.
The Smallmouths are active but not bedding yet. They’re staging and
feeding in 4-12 feet of water. By the time you read this, most Smallie
spawning should be in full swing with the Largemouths on deck.
Went to Upper Range Saturday and Sunday, (5/5and 5/6) and found
Smallmouths in water between 10 and 18 feet deep. The shallows were
empty and casting to banks yielded little to those who stubbornly beat
the bushes. Didn’t get any salmon or trout after trolling multiple
lures and drifting smelt, but a dozen bass saved the weekend.
Though the winter was long, it did afford an opportunity to get in
more ice-fishing than in years past. Fished Tripp 3 times and had pretty
good luck with bass and pickerel. However, salmon and trout eluded us.
The State had stocked fifteen 28" brown trout (ex-breeders) as well
as an unspecified quantity of "normal size" Browns and
14" Landlocked salmon in November. Please report any catches of
these species to IF&W in Gray (207) 657-2345, Ext. 110. The Fish and
Game Dept. is interested in sportsmen feedback. Basically, they will
continue such stockings if we experience some level of success in
actually catching them.
| The long winter also
made my yearly week in Florida especially enjoyable (and the
return especially…NOT!!) I was joined on my trip to Islamorada
Keys by 3 fishing buddies (guys only…someone had to stay home
and shovel!) Our first day there was spent on a deep water
charter aboard the 52 foot "Hang ‘em High." This
very successful trip was headlined by King Mackerel and Blackfin
Tuna up to 30 pounds. |
| We ran across schools of tuna
crashing into schools of flying fish…quite a sight! The tuna
would sprint under an airborne flying fish for upwards of 40
yards until gravity won out and the flying fish started skimming
across the water, much like skipping a stone. As the skips
became closer together, the tuna would boil up, engulfing the
flying fish ( in actuality, a misnomer by now.) |
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| Winter on Tripp Lake Rick Lundstedt Ice
Fishing |
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| We caught tuna by trolling a variety of
lures and teasers, including black plastic eels similar to black plastic
worms used for bass. They also hit live Pilchards, but the slickest
method was "kite fishing." The line from the rod was attached
to the outrigger up to a kite and down to a hook baited with a frozen
flying fish. The kite was sent flying with the bait suspended about 40
feet below, just skipping off the water. With a boat speed of 6-8 knots,
this simulated the real Flying fish and accounted for several tuna, some
actually jumping into the air to catch the slapping bait! While I
generally practice catch and release, fresh Blackfin was too good to
pass up.
The second part of our fishing adventure centered around trying to
catch the elusive (read…all but impossible) Bonefish off the flats.
Yes…just like on ESPN! We took a guided charter 1 day and rented a
boat for the next 4 days. While the bones remained tight lipped, we did
have some "shots" (guide jargon for casts to actual sighted
fish.)
We caught some sharks and small barracuda, but the most excitement
came when we spotted a rolling tarpon in a channel not 50’ away. Pete
G. (perennial Tripp visitor) cast a live pinfish to the boil. After 30
long seconds, the tarpon took the bait, Pete struck and the fight was
on! After 30 short seconds, the ‘pon jumped…all 100 pounds of him…clear
out of the water and the line snapped! Geez. While we don’t have a
physical picture to share with anyone, no one on the boat will forget
the silvery sides spraying water as the sun set in the background. That
memory, etched particularly in Pete’s mind, will last forever. The
fish is still in the Keys, and with any kind of luck, we’ll be seeing
it again, next year!
OK, shift gears. Time to bass fish. See you on the water!
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Winter in Islamorada Keys - Rick L. and King
Mackeral |
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Rick & King Mackeral - Florida Keys |
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