Weekend Trout Report

Took another trip over to the Lake Michigan shoreline this weekend in search of Steelhead and Brown Trout in a new spot that I have always wanted to try through the ice.  As with every trip, this day would prove to be a learning experience that will hopefully lead to many future successful days on the water!

Fishing started out with a bang, as we set our Automatic Fishermen and Tip ups before I began jigging.  I wasn’t jigging for 5 minutes when a nice little Steelhead took my jig and found his way onto the ice.  This was a great start in a new spot, which gave me high hopes for the rest of the day.

As the sun came up, one of my Automatic Fishermen tripped, and I could see the fish bending the rod from 50 yards away.  It was a mad dash to the hole, where I grabbed the rod and began fighting the fish.  After a great 5 minute battle, we landed a nice 5 pound Brown Trout.  This fish had the hook deep in the back of its mouth, chalk another one up for the Automatic Fisherman!

An hour later one of my Beaver Dam tip ups tripped, but unfortunately the fish took 2’ of line, chewed the spawn sac, and spit it out before I could get to the tip up.  Catching these Trout on standard tip ups once again proved difficult, as this fish escaped!

After moving a few tip ups and changing the bait on them, another flag popped.  I sprinted over to the flag, hoping to get there in time.  The line was straight down in the hole, and I could see that the fish had taken about a foot of line again.  I check the spawn, and then dropped it back down the hole.  I set the tip up and began walking away from it, when it went up again!

This time I watched the spool on the tip up go around twice slowly and then stop.  This fish seemed to be just toying with the spawn sac!  I pulled the spawn sac up again and this time just watched the tip up without setting it.  The fish again grabbed the spawn and this time started taking more line.  I grabbed the line and set the hook, fish on!

The fish went nuts and took a good run before showing itself in the hole.  Despite toying with the spawn sac like a small fish, this was a 8-10 pound Brown Trout!  The fish took off on another run, and then once again came into the hole.  Once in the hole, the fish rolled in the hole which allowed the hook to pop out of its mouth!  The fish wasted no time getting out of the hole, as I knelt there in disbelief!

Unfortunately this was the last action of the morning, as we decided to pack it up at noon and get home for the Packers playoff game against the Vikings!