Mille Lacs Long.....Long...Day

[aaron otto]

Thank God my kids weren't up to fishing today. Got up early to drive to Mille Lacs for a day of Perch Fishing. An hour into the drive I glanced at the clock in my truck... it was an hour earlier than the clock by my bed. My wife had adjusted the time back to account for daylight savings. The only bad part about that was our clocks are self adjusting. The sinking feeling of 230am felt 60 miles from house started to cave in. I was going to be 1.5 hours early to our 7am start time. This was a start to the longest day I've had on the ice this year. Should have taken it as a sign, turned around, and went home.

Not a lot going on at 530am on a Sunday after Walleye Season closes.

Pulled into the hotel lot and put my chair back. A couple minutes after I had fallen asleep a local knocked on my window. He asked me if I had a light. What I put together at the end of the day was he was distracting me while, I'm assuming, his buddy removed my tow-hitch from the back of the jeep. It could of happened sometime during the day too while out on the ice, but I don't remember stepping over it when I got dressed for fishing on the tailgate later that morning. Not much more to make a guy feel like a true dumbarse then have your hitch, receiver, and two inch ball removed from your truck while your in it. But then I wouldn't figure any of this out until I went to Buzz's to pick up my fifth wheel for the summer sans-tow hitch and wiring later that day.

So back to Perch Fishing, or the lack there of. My poor guide busted his butt all day. I know he drilled a ton of holes, he had to refill gas at least once. We ran all over looking for Perch larger than 3 inches. We did manage to catch my first Tulebee though it ran a staggering 2 inches. Didn't take a photo.

After sitting on top of a pile of tiny Perch and Whitefish we got our one bright spot in the day.

What was great about this fish is we had him on the Vex - Cam. Came in and didn't even blink just inhaled. Was pretty impressed with the Meatstick. First time I had ever fished one of these rigs, it stood up to a 3 lbs Smallie no issues.

At the end of the day I learned about transition areas in lakes and how they offer fish highways to go between lake structures. Laughed a lot as we sat around telling stories and jokes to fill the empty space.

Something about Smallies. Never thought I would see one through the ice. Can't tell you the number of years I've chased them with the fly during cold season. I had always thought they just didn't eat during the winter months. That their metabolism slowed down so much they pseudo-hibernated.

Right after the realization of no tow hitch really hit me, so did 5pm in a small fishing town. Nothing was open. Three gas stations later I had set the compass North to the adjacent slightly less small town. 18 miles later Napa, hardware store, garage, and local Fleet all closed.

Around this time I called the Buzz's and shared my plight. Karen was gracious enough to let me leave the trailer up there a week in their lot until I could get back up with new wiring and hitch.

Was a really long day, but in the end, I could have been working. Besides now I have another excuse to go back up to Mille Lacs before ice-out. Maybe we can find those Perch after Ice-Team-School?

What a day....

[TruthWalleyes]

Lol. That's terrible. Some people...

Glad you had a good day. Nice bass.

[Stick in Mud]

Smallies definitely bite during the winter...or at least some winters. This year we didn't get one, but last year we must've got 20 or so, including some real pigs. They are an absolute blast to catch through the ice, though I don't know how I'd go about actually trying to catch them.

[DTro]

That took some steel gonads to rip off your hitch while you were in the truck.

Why would someone do that. Are you sure it didn't happen while you were out on the ice fishing or somewhere else. Wouldn't that make a lot of noise and ruckus pulling the hitch out?

[aanderud]

At 5:30 a.m. there's plenty of vehicles without people in them if someone wanted to steal a hitch.

I think your hitch was stolen sometime when you were in the metro, likely a different day -- who knows, maybe while you were at work or something.

[GSP4ME]

5th wheel attachment varie quite . a bit fromB-)a trailer hitch

[leech~~]

Hey, maybe he keeps his hatch well maintained and lubed up. I know if you were trying to pull my rusty old hitch out of the receiver with all the built up mud and dirt in there. You would get whiplash if you were sitting in the truck by the time someone kicked that thing off! Can you get a 5th wheel hitch on a Jeep?

[aaron otto]

It was a brand new tow hitch for the ice trailer sorry if it's not the right terminology for '5th wheel'. The wiring didn't work out of the jeep to the Trailer. Team Lodge. So the guys who sold us the trailer put together a couple of harnesses to make it work. Thing was really expensive. So a little frustrated with the whole deal.

You guys are probably right that it was stolen sometime during the day, just don't believe much in coincidences.

The cynicism in the replies took me a bit by surprise. Guess my first reaction when I hear someone had his gear ripped off would be different.

Again forgive me if I didn't have the right wording. It's the first trailer we've owned and I'm sure I don't have the correct verbiage for the parts etc.

[GSP4ME]

no worries was just having a fun time thinking of somone trying to get a fifth wheel attachement out with out a lot of tools and making some noise, not to mention the weight

[Crappyfisherman]

Sorry to hear, sounds like a ruff trip buddy. Hopefully next weekend will go better. Anything I can do to help?

Dan

[Matt Breuer]

Sorry to hear you had a brutal day, Arron! Does NOT sound like fun!

Plus side? Smallies through the ice... not much better!

[Kevan Paul]

Well Arron. I put my ranger boat on a Wing dam Yesterday. That was just after I spun the hub on the prop and when I got home a sheet of ply wood fell on my sled and snapped the wind-shield. Not a good day

[MNCPRGUY]

Hey Aaron... If it makes you feel better, I had a good laugh at your expense! :-). I am sure it was beyond frustrating but your story brought back memories of many of my own misfortunes. In hindsight, I have a lot of darn good stories to tell but they weren't all enjoyable at the time! I guess that is what it's all about. Creating memories; hopefully more good ones than bad!

[aaron otto]

Thanks for the offer Dan. Let's just rip some lips this weekend. That is help enough. Food for the soul. Really looking forward to fishing with you and the rest of the crew. Going to bring my notebook and camera- try and learn as much as I can from all the fantastic anglers up there. Thinking just fishing next to that much talent should bring my game up a notch or two via osmosis.

Yep no worries guys. I can imagine how funny it would be to watch third party. Totally get it. You can tell me some of those stories this weekend MNCPR!

Sorry to hear Kev. That is rough.

ao

[Crappyfisherman]

See you up there Aaron,spent all day filling out forms for Matt Johnson.

[MNCPRGUY]

Spent all day filling out forms for Matt Johnson.

Filling out forms to go fishing just feels wrong! We might have to have Matt fill out some forms to sit in the lounge with us!

[Rod Woten]

Things can only get beeter from here, Aaron. That means Ice Team U should ROCK for you. See you there!

-Rod