FINALLY!!!! I break my spring Detroit River walleye jinx!

[djkimmel]

Two big FINALLYs actually. I finally got out fishing this year for a few hours AND I finally broke my spring Detroit River walleye jinx. I catch walleye all over all the time, but in 4 or 5 previous spring trips to the Detroit River, I wasn't even sure I'd had a bite. The bet I did was the plastic bag with the tiny crayfish on it. That was the day we saw a total of 1 sucker and 1 walleye caught amongst about 1,000,000 boats.

All the stink is gone now though after I gave cameraguy one more chance to break my heart by going with him one more time to the mighty Detroit River last Sunday, April 22, 2007. Pretty nice weather day - probably the bet we'd seen together over there so far.

We started out slow. I may have had a bite. Starting to seem a lot like every other trip - again by the steel mill where at least cameraguy has caught some nice ones in the past where I've seen him catch a few. I believe cameraguy had one or two on, but lost them.

cameraguy said something about needing to find our own place without crowds so he jauntily ran us a little up river and stopped in an interesting looking, but new to us area with only a few boats nearby. cameraguy got one out pretty deep, but no more. I was drifting rapidly towards a pseudo-coma when he suggested we move in a little to see what the edge looked like - we seemed to be on a big deep 40' flat.

Turned out not to be much of an edge. There was 30 foot almost to shore - probably for big ships mooring. But we found our HOTSPOT. cameraguy got a couple I think - I remember he said one just slammed it - BIG SCHOOL, I'm thinking... and then IT HAPPENED...

A real honest for sure bite and I hooked the little squirt - the smallest one of the day, but all mine o' mine. And the stink was all gone just that fast. I may have cried...? I know I attracted some Ben Trodders (not the same really though in this kind of 'weird' fishing).

Here's my monster:


Caught the little eater on a home poured chartreuse football jig (5/8 I think) with one of the little brown Detroit River worms and a minner to spice things up (actually a number hit well without the minners).

We were a little slow (hey, it's early yet and the water was only 46) to figure out there was a big school in an area about the size of a living room. After that, we attracted our own small group of fellow anglers and ended up with 10 walleye in the livewells before heading to the 30+ boat line to get off the river. We were the only ones really getting them because the others didn't seem to realize how tight they were.

I felt like an angler again... finally!!! I completely evaporated the stink completely by landing 3 more walleye in that just right 2 to not quite 3 pound range. I actually knew for sure about a few other bites this time because I got scales on the hook point to prove it!

Some more pictures - I can't name names in this first one because of a certain hat, but this person may or may not have been in the boat with me - seen here right before we started whacking them:


Here's cameraguy with the last one of the day - and the biggest - rest were just eatin' size:


And a shot up the river from our little hot spot - the next even respectable wad of boats was up a few hundred yards:


We only fished about 3 and a half hours, but we saw a zillion anglers and even ran into dman, although my tired, blurry eyes didn't recognize him for sure until he hollered at me.

[motocross269]

Congrats, Won't be long and you will be getting a deep V.
Walleye fishing has been awesome on the DR this year.  I struggled my first time out just before the FLW pro Tx, But since then it has been off of the charts.  You just have to avoid the crazies on the weekends. 

[Revtro]

Glad to hear you don't stink anymore.  Of course a shower in the past 3 years would have helped with that too.     DOH! Seriously tho, how about someone take me out... I seem to have the stink too.  Grr.

[motocross269]

Revtro, I wish you would have said something a couple of weeks ago.  I probably will start concentrating on Bass Fishing now.  If I get a chance to go out walleye fishing I will PM you.  Can you go during the week in the AM?

[Revtro]

I usually can. That's the great thing about keeping my own schedule.    Anytime you want to go, let me know.  I can even provide the boat and save you the hassle and gas$ if you want.  Up to you.  Anytime.  THX!