Well I thought I had found the magic bait the old fashioned Hot Dog. Slipped out really early today before I had to help with the derby. Well "The Dogs' were working as I got two beauty Pike Minnows, 10 inches long.
These boys did not wait for lunch as thet chowed down on them for an attempt at an enjoyable breakfast, sans the Tims Double Double. I also lost two more before I saw my own double double, being delivered by derby organizer Greg.
I rowed as fast as I could seeing the seaming java from afar.
I left my trophies in the boat as I was sure I would be in the running later for the best of seven award, when I got out later.
I strutted around the beach telling anyone that would listen I had found magic and when I got out again I would fill a wash tub of Northern Pike Minnows.
Buckeye's daughter Stef even fell for my boasting and asked to hop aboard the Leaf Craft #2, great we can fill two washtubs.
At 10:30 with the rain pelting down we shove off, heading to the Hot Spot with the Hot Dogs at the ready. The wind has picked up and trying to troll was difficult, blowing us this way and that with only milfoil snapping at the bait. We try to tie up to a dock, the one we had some success couple of weeks ago. We just get settled in and a Dragon Boat asks us to move so they can retrieve a boat. We oblige.
I phone Rodney who is out with a guide boat, with me looking for a tip as Stef is losing patience with this so called guide. Rod says they are pulling them in but he does not offer us the spot, what a beak and after we had taken him fishing with "The Master".
With no tip coming I see Dean's Great River Fishing Adventure's guides on the other side of the lake, they must be there, the Pike Minnows that is. I dip the oars quicker than the Dragon Boat paddlers as the Leaf Craft #2 skims smoothly to the new spot. On arrival I see Buck moving into position as well. Great this is the spot. Buck says he has over 2 dozen so far.
I quietly say I have two, nice ones too.
Right away I have 3 bites which I think are PM's but maybe it was more milfoil that seems to be everywhere in Cultus Lake these days. I tell Stef and Buck I was into fish but maybe it was just the milfoil taking the piece of Hot Dog from the hook. I wanted to give Stef hope we would get the fish that I had told her we would catch.
Stef has a bite shortly after mine but after 30 minutes of nothing else I can see Stef would like to go to shore, anyway we were both getting hungry. On second thought I think she had lost confidence in this so called guide. For the record she had caught 4 suckers and a pike minnow fishing from the dock before she fell hook line and sinker to this so called guide's fishing skill.
I sulk back to the weight station and take ribbing from many inluding "The Master" when they see the two washtubs empty, except for the two earlier caught PM's slidding about in the container.
I see some face painting going on so I ask for a Maple Leaf to be painted on my face, for some luck maybe.
Now let me tell you I have never had a tattoo on my body or even a face painting, well maybe at halloween many years ago but I am getting desperate and I am sure the TML logo will do it.
With my makeup on I push off, once again, confident of success, back to where Buck is fishing, he tells me he has 5 since I left, all on worms,
I stubbornly stick to the Dogs. The spot again provies fishless so I decide to move to my early morning spot, an hour to fish. I just get there, I have a good bite but it falls off, hope is renewed. Just then Buckeye phones and says Barry Penner has arrived and has asked if I could go out with him and his group, with a guide boat.
I agree, going from guide to being guided, worth a try.
Barry, his girlfriend, 3 of Barry's brother's children, a Star FM reporter, her daughter, and Rodney jump aboard Greg's boat and head for the hot spot Rodney would not tell me about earlier.
we have been given a hour to fish by derby chairman Greg
When we arrive Dean's boat is also there, pulling in a few, our 6 rods stay motionless, is it the ML jinx. Dean leaves and finally we have some action landing 3 or 4 PM and a sculpin. Minister Penner reels one in as the camera rolls.
Our time runs out as the derby deadline extension has ended, Greg turn his jet boat towards the launch, to derby head quarters. A crowd has gathered as we weight in the kid's fish.
Many prizes are then awarded, including two hidden weights that give the lucky children a bike each, very nice prizes. I win nothing for my measly catch. O I forgot we caught the fish on the Greg's guide boat by using worm, maybe the Hot Dogs have gone to the Dogs, time to use the old fashion bait that goes back generations, the worm.
This has now turned into The Journal, maybe Rodney will move it to a derby thread. If so a special Father's Day wish to all Fathers and welcome to The Journal on FWR your top fishing site on the web in the North West definitely Your
"Top Dog" in fishing information and tall tails.
Darn that Dog word again.
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Topic: Best baits for Pikeminnow/2007 Cultus Lake Derby Journal (Read 9318 times)