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Saginaw Bay, Walleye & Slow Death
Last night I am out in my shop contemplating what I have to do work wise for today when I get a text from Kevin "What's your plans tomorrow?" We know what this is about right? He doesn't want to know if I have a kitchen countertop to install or a patio door.....he wants to know if I can get away to go fishing......so I called him on the phone and we discussed a Saginaw Bay Walleye trip early this morning. I first needed to clear it with my boss, and she was more than happy to see me go, with the prospect of some fresh walleye fillets.
Kevin told me to bring what ever baits I wanted, he had all the rest. I told him I would pick up crawlers on my way up, he called the store in Linwood that sells crawlers and they had plenty.....would be open at 6:00!
We met up at the Linwood Marina at 7:00, went over what we wanted to take out. I had just tied up some crawler harnesses and with that some "slow death" rigs. I simply snelled a red slow death hook to 3'of 12 pound flourocarbon and attached a barrel swivel......no beads, no blade. I wanted to at least try one with a bottom bouncer and see what would happen.
Kevin got us out to our first spot and we put in lines, one crawler harnes, one slow death each on a 2 ounce bottom bouncer and then some crankbaits. I chose flicker shad 7's, 65 feet back.
Kevin got the first walleye, and we were in business!
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That was the only fish we landed, so on to another spot, where we again put out our lines, and we got a volunteer!
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And so it went.....it wasn't fast or furious, but it was pretty steady! Captain Kevin kept boat speed 1.1 - 1.5 during the day, in about 14-16 FOW.
The walleye seemed to like the "slow death" rig pretty well, including one farm animal which was the only junk fish of the day. We had 2 12"s that lived to swim another day and a couple that got off not far from the boat. Last one went in the box around 1:30 and we were on the way back to the Marina.
During the course of the day you could hear the radio chatter.....guys were marking fish but were not catching many.....3-4 was about what we were hearing for fish these guys were putting in the livewells.......Kevin and I just smiled as we were catching fish after fish after fish.......
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It's been a long day, but sure was worth it!