As a previous post mentioned, it's getting cold up here. -2 to -4oC in the mornings when I wake up thinking I am going fishing. Thinking that the fishing is slowing down as the WF are getting into their spawning time (maybe already?), it gets harder to get going so early when it's still subzero so on Saturday, I sat and waited until the sun was out and the temps warmed up above freezing. Today, I just slept in and headed out with the family later in the day.
Saturday took alot longer before I marked fish in the area I decided to fish (which is very different than in October). I was "fishing" for about 2 hours but would say that I spent more than half the time pedaling the kayak around in that light but very biting NW wind looking for solid marks (still alot of dense baitfish balls around so it was not always clear to me if there were larger fish around or in the bait balls; fishing around any bait balls have so far resulted in no bites for me so I tend not to stop to try anymore). First solid mark resulted in a fish landed (no net issues in getting the fish in but still the trebles are getting tangled up in the mesh so I am still not doing something right or need a different net). After another 20min and a few chasers, I get a slightly smaller fish. No more marks, my time was up and had to go.
Today (Sunday), a later start and with the family. Again the same thing, it was hard to find solid marks and took a good 1+hrs moving around alot. First solid mark....a chase but that was it. More time searching and then a couple of good marks. Lure goes down, fish disappeared...uuugh. Then busy with doing something that was unrelated to fishing, I catch a barely visible streak coming "up" towards the two marks of our lures. I perked up and got ready for a hit and got it. No net issues for getting the fish into the net but the trebles caught a bit again with the fish thrashing but not so bad getting the lure out this time. I caught two more at that one small spot (the last one was very lightly hooked and the hook popped out as it got into the net, it looked healthy and energetic so we let that one go since we had the two fish from Saturday already; I saw it swim down quickly on the sonar so I think that one will likely make it). Kept one for ourselves since we already had the two from Saturday and the other one was given to a neighbour (we can access the lake from their property so... ). No fish for the wife this time but she's always very happy to just be out on the water. After the third fish, we fished for another 10-15min. trying to help her catch one but everyone was getting cold and it was going to be a slight head wind going home so we ended the day. Hopefully, we have a few more trips before we call it the season - lots of work still to do with winter prep. and as I wait for the ice.
Pic of Saturday's two...no pics of today's fish we kept (it looks the same as the pair but with only one fish).
Two of the fish we kept were female and they were still fill of eggs so not finished spawning yet; all three were full of smelt about 1.5-2" long.
Cold weekend - but at least there was some sun
