Canada Pike Trip 2016

It just wouldn't be June without the annual pike fishing trip to Canada.  For the second consecutive year we stayed at the Redfish Cottages in Lyndhurst, Ontario. Mel Magalas hosted us (4) knuckleheads for (4) days of red-hot action on Red Horse, Singleton, Lyndhurst and Gananaque Lakes.  The trip was slightly shortened because of work obligations but we sure made the most of every single hour across the border.

First cast of the trip and I was rewarded with this 34 inch specimen!  What a start ... 

Coach Mo lands the ONLY dogfish (6 lbs.) of the trip!  These things are really UGLY looking.  Heard they are pretty good table fare, though.  CPR (Catch - Photo - Release) for me.

The most difficult part of this post will be adding all the pictures from the trip.  We easily landed approximately 400 fish in (4) days.  If a smile is worth a 1000 words, then I could share about 4,000,000 worth of words before this post is over. "Lipless" crankbaits are outstanding ....

Until this happens!  Coach Mo hooked the BIGGEST fish of the trip - himself!  Took a pair of pliers, the cutting of a few barbs, a towel to bite on and the trust of a fellow fishing comrade to remove.

The "annual" Moooooo picture!  This never gets old.  Nothing like catching fish and wishing you had some milk to go with it.

Steve getting in on the pike action!  This little chute is like fishing in a quarry with the steep walls.  

Some CHUNKY small jaws and large jaws in this water system! These guys were "average." 
I'm NOT sure if that picture on the right is accurate?  I think the rock bass was attempting to devour the smallmouth.  Where are the pike you ask?  It's late June and they are hiding in the choked weeds.

How about the LONE perch of the trip!  Looks like some good bait, right?

Nothing like catching a nice slab right in front of our cabin (red one on left). 

                                                            We have a PIKE sighting!

And sometimes the "photo bomb" is actually better than the smallmouth just caught on topwater!
Is that "Chunk" from the Goonies?

Wish we hit MORE of these toothy critters!  However, we will take em' as they come.  Just fun!

This 19' decided to show his face in 40 feet of water.  (1) cast later .... BOOM!  Fish on

A little blurry because of the sun but you get the idea!
 

This was the day Wayne had too much to drink and someone was forced to fish "solo."  More later  

                                               That's a nice "pike-bass" crossbreed!

Another chunk "bass-pike" cross-breed

Where are the pike? 

Here is the "rare" pike picture we've been looking for.  

Altogether, the trip was a complete success!  We easily boated over 400 fish total.  The pike were few and far between.  The bass were there to make us forget about this.  Wish we could have stayed a bit longer but work takes precedence.  The weather was cooperative and so were the fish! Until 2017 ....

steeler 

Weekend Warrior Update

I've been fishing plenty from April to June, 2016.  However, a busy work schedule, kids' baseball and basketball games, and my own softball games have kept me from "blogging" the past few months.  It will be kind of difficult to remember every water temperature, wind, water clarity and weather for every trip.  I will share some of the best photos from the past few months and try to tell a quick story.

Late April and early May means striper fishing at Beltzville!  As usual, water temperatures reached the mid 50's, the dogwoods slowly started to bloom, and the nighttime temperatures were extremely comfortable for catching this lined lunatics.  Our first trip netted 7 stripers.  Our second trip netted 14 stripers.  There's a reason we are hooked on striper fishing in spring.  It just doesn't get any better! 

The fishing continues as we are in awe by the oncoming sunrise!  

A picture is definitely worth a 1000 words! 

We even catch this rare species called a largemouth bass.  I may be somewhat sarcastic but for someone who is on Beltzville quite often you can "see the writing on the wall." You have certain guide services that take clients out on the lake, keep many fish, and are quite rude about respecting others' fishing "bubbles" so to speak.  It's amazing how many times these guys encroach upon others' fishing paths to satisfy their own needs.  

Beltzville still has some nice EYES that enjoy chasing our artificial baits!  

Nothing better than getting a good buddy onto his first-ever striper!  He's now hooked! 

Every now and then we have celebrity fishermen aboard the s.s. striper catcher!  Always a blast fishing with my buddy Wayne.  Never get tired of his gut-busting jokes and smart-alleck remarks! 

Memorial Day Weekend smallmouth!  

and some more of those "rare" Beltzville Bucket Mouths! 

It's been a great spring!  We've caught a couple hundred fish.  This doesn't include smallmouth from the Delware Water Gap, stripers from the Delaware (Philadelphia area), smallmouth and walleye from the North Branch of the Susquehanna, and smallmouth, largemouth, pickerel and stripers from our HOME lake of Beltzville.  

Heading NORTH to Canada Friday, June 10, 2016.  Hopefully, this will be the start of an outstanding summer of fishing.  Stay turned for more! 

steeler 

Jerking in March

Can someone pinch me?  I still can't believe the weather this past week.  Last week, we hit the Delaware and it was extremely slow.  A handful of fish was tough to accomplish.  Only the walleye guys were catching BIG eyes by jigging shiners.  The water temperature was a chilly 36 degrees.  Well, fast forward to Saturday, March 12, 2016 and the water temperature started out at 46 degrees.

First few casts I chucked a hair jig but learned quickly that it was not happening today.  I then whizzed my shadow rap to the shore, reeled and jerked once, sit, sit some more (about 5-10 seconds), and BAM!  Fish on!  It was as simple as that ... when packing up the boat to head home we talked about how it was a "Jackie Robinson" kind of day.  42 fish total!  Can't wait for April!  Most fish were between 14 and 16 inches.  There was an occasional 17 and my buddy Maurice landed his personal best 19", 3.5 lb. chunker!

1st fish of the day!  Whizzed a "shadow rap" to the bank, reel and jerk once, sit, sit some more, BANG!  Fish on!  5-10 seconds on the pause and they were smashing our lures.  

Maurice's Personal Best 19", 3.5 lb. bronzeback!  Congrats! 

Nice 17" smallmouth

Notice the color of that "shadow rap!"  Just saying ... water temps rose to 48 degrees today.  WOW!

Dark brown bronzeback ... only one that was this dark today.

Yes, it became windy in the afternoon.  See the "ick" or fungus on this guy's tail.  Damn shame!

 Thanks for viewing - steeler!

Beltzville (1) week before the "Blizzard of 2016"

I'm sitting here after spending (2) days shoveling out from the "Blizzard of 2016" when it hits me.  We were fishing for stripers and smallmouth bass (1) week ago!  Today, I finally completed shoveling the 31.9 inches of snow that this super storm "Jonas" dumped on us here in Whitehall, PA.
This is when the time machine from "Back to the Future" would be handy. Why not when we were catching fish like this in the middle of January:

P.S. Air temperatures dropped down to 26 degrees.  Water temperatures leveled out at 40 degrees. We would like to thank Beltzville Lake for being so generous to us on this day!

This "C" class smallie was just over 20".  Too bad you can't see the smile on my face!  Check out the belly on this beast below: 

This is a perfect example of why sometimes pictures don't do a fish "justice!"  These first two pictures are the same fish.  This gal had a BIG BELLY! 

We are always having fun!  Chad didn't want to "photo bomb" this picture!  

Another fine specimen!  The fish didn't fight like a 70 degree spring day on the Susquehanna.  However, it's a blast to practice CPR (Catch-Photo-Release) with these gorgeous bronzebacks. 

Chad got onto the "bass board" with this CHUNKY 18 inch winter smallmouth!              

We both found a GREEN "toothy critter!  Always a blast landing a few pickerel!  I'm a Steelers fan and Chad cheers for that team with a "star" from Texas.  There aren't many days we cheer for green.  Yes, that was a "shot" at the Philadelphia Eagles.  Mo is and Eagles fan!  Sorry Mo ..... 

Here was the second best bronzeback of the morning.  She was just shy of 20 inches.  Almost had (2) "C" class smallies on the same day.  Still ... what a morning on Beltzville Lake.  

We arrived to Beltzville around midnight and fished for a few hours with no luck!  Mo and Chad decided to kick the heater on and take a nap.  We were waiting for that sun to come up and chase those smallies above.  

You can see the heater blasting some warmth in their direction.  Heck, Mo even brought along his sleeping bag.  I'm up front fishing and playing paparazzi!  Haha! Did I mention we landed 3 stripers before the morning light? 

 Caught this one immediately upon throwing in my first cast.  Usually, that's bad luck.  NOT on this adventure .... 

Chad logging another "Liner" from Beltzville.  We continue to have a decent year up there.  Hoping for more of the same in the year to come.  

Every time I give them a kiss they look me right in the eyes! Haha ... It was another great night and early morning on Beltzville.  We landed (3) stripers, (2) pickerel, and (5) smallmouth!  Not too bad for a COLD winter day of fishing.  Now that the snow has begun to pound us here in Pennsylvania this may be our last trip until the spring.  BUT YOU NEVER KNOW WITH US ...... .

Thanks for stopping by to check out our adventures!  steeler

Just figured I would show the smallest fish of the trip.  It was this 15 inch smallmouth.  What was he thinking?  We were chasing his parents and grandparents!