July 31st, 2013 - Turtle Flambeau Flowage - Mercer Wisconsin 54547

[Jeff Robl]

SUMMER COLD FRONTS/SCOUTING NEW SPOTS Left the dock Friday. afternoon to pick up customers for afternoon guide trip left the dock wearing a t-shirt an hour later sweatshirt and jacket. Dave and I took turns wearing the only jacket I had in the boat. After 4 hours of fishing Dave and Kevin decided to pull the plug, on the way in we could see our breath in the cold damp air. We fished two 10-12' spots and two 7-8' caught some smallmouths, perch and 8 walleyes one 21" released the others on the smaller side. I think if we could have put the hunt on for a little longer we would have run into more bigger fish. The cold NW wind and big chop wasn't compatible with summer clothes. In May a sharp drop in temp and a N wind almost completely shuts the bite down. In the summer with the water warm and the fishes metabolism high the bite goes on. Saturday same cold weather 46* in morning, cold rain off and on got to fish with son Jack in afternoon we were dressed for the weather. Jack hadn't fished the TFF in a while so I struggled with going out to see how many fish we could catch or going scouting, Jack generously said lets go find some new spots! The criteria was then to fish areas we hadn't fished before. We spent 7 hours in a 1/4 x 1/2 mile area and caught walleyes in 5 spots and a 6th I know will hold fish but not that day. 1) 30ft. out from a steep shoreline we saw a cluster of down logs over hard bottom in 8',quickly caught and released 4 walleyes and a bass, don't like to take fish off a spot like that, save them for guiding. Bounced the window weight on the bottom, nice stuff. 2)A point with two visible vertical trees poking out of the water, figured there must be more below 8-9' a walleye and a bass. 3)Two small sheltered coves with small log jambs and laid down logs in 5-7'(15-20 years ago fishing these log jambs with the wind blowing in was about all you had to know, not many left)perch, walleyes, pike. 4)Anchored in front of a downed tree near a point, put a couple bobbers out near the boat while we cast to the tree. The bobbers started to go down also caught a fish out of the tree, drove back and forth to see what was holding the fish by the boat, heavy stumps in 5-6' perch, walleyes. 5)Submerged bog 7-12' very small % of TFF bottom composition holds all species of fish from May-Oct. Pretty hard to describe this structure found by chance watching the electronics, walleye. It was a dark day with a good chop so we fished shallow. Working areas with live bait and jigs is a slow but methodical approach. It helps to have a partner, Jack is a fine jig fisherman, our time spent together in the boat is cherished.