July 1, 2009 -- At Leech Lake

This morning at 9:00 a.m. the temperature was 55 degrees, the sky was mostly cloudy and the wind was out of the north at 10-15 mph. It is not nearly as windy as it has been during the past four days, but still a bit more breezy than I expected today. I had heard the wind was going to be no more than 5-7 mph.

After taking care of some business around the house, I did go out fishing. I hit the water at 1:15 p.m. and stayed out until 3:00 p.m.

I started by fishing in front of our cabin in 13.5 feet of water; deeper than I typically fish, but I'd heard the walleye are biting in deeper water. Sure enough, I was marking a lot of fish on my Lowrance.

I used a 1/16 oz. Lindy Max Gap jig with a Northland grub on it. I got a few bites, but caught no fish. I switched to an in-line keel weight with a Mustad "Slow Death" hook, a Colorado spinner blade and a nightcrawler. Twice something bit off my nightcrawler, and both times I felt some weight on the line. I'm guessing it was a walleye, but I couldn't hook one.

I then switched lures again, this time opting for a Bass Pro Shops XPS Walleye Angler jig in lime green/black tipped with a nightcrawler. Again I got a few bites, but hooked no fish.

By this point I had made three drifts from in front of our cabin in 13.5 feet of water to past Newman's cabin in 10 feet of water. The north wind was pushing south, and closer to shore as I approached Second Duck Point.

Just before I decided to come in, I switched lures one more time, this time to a jointed Shad Rap in silver shad color. I trolled the Shad Rap in 12-13.5 feet of water and caught numerous perch, but no walleye. The water temperature throughout the areas I fished was between 66.7 and 67 degrees.

As the day progresses the wind is diminishing. I'm hoping that this evening the wind will be light enough so I can spend some quality time trolling The Alley.

This evening I got out on the water a little bit earlier than usual. I typically go out trolling shortly after 9:00 p.m. at this time of year because the sun sets at 9:15 p.m. But tonight I got on the water at 8:40 p.m. while the sun was still well above the horizon and shining brightly.

I think that because it was so light when I left the house, I forgot my flashlight. This meant that as soon as it got fairly dark I needed to go ashore, because if I did catch a walleye or northern and needed to extract treble hooks from its mouth, I wouldn't have enough light to do so quickly and easily. So I made up my mind to come in at 10:00 p.m.

I started trolling tonight in deeper water -- 14-16 feet -- from Malay's cabin to past Second Duck Point. And instead of trolling my usual #9 Minnow Rap in hot steel, I started by trolling a Radtke's double-jointed Pike Minnow, a larger lure designed specifically for large walleye, big pike and muskies. I was using the rainbow colored Pike Minnow.

Unfortunately, I didn't hook anything on the Pike Minnow. After several passes between Malay's and Second Duck Point, I switched lures and went back to the Rapala Jointed Shad Rap in a silver shad color. Again I made a couple of passes through The Alley, this time in 9.5 to 11 feet of water, and again nothing.

Finally, I went back to my old trusty #9 Minnow Rap in hot steel and started to troll The Alley. But the light was fading fast and I could only go from Malay's to Newman's before losing the faint light of the setting sun. It was time to go in.

I motored the boat back to the lift and was met with a plethora of flying insects, led by the beefy mayfly. I grabbed my cooler and the rod and reel I used for the Radtke Pike Minnow (which requires a heavier rod, reel and line) and made my way onto shore, through the path between the cabin and house and finally inside.

Tonight was a rare night where I was completely skunked. No rock bass, no perch, no pike, no walleye. I was not alone in my plight however. I spoke with Marty (over at Poage's) and he got skunked as well. I also heard that people at the resort were coming in with pike and some small perch, but no walleye.

I think the four straight days of heavy winds, and the massive cold front that rolled through the area, really knocked down the walleye fishing. I'm sure it will get better as the week progresses, but I'm driving down to St. Cloud on Friday so I'll miss fishing the nights of July 3 and 4.

On the plus side, I'll miss the craziness at the neighbor's next to Malays. I hear they've got 4 or 5 families coming up to celebrate Independence Day. I'm glad I'll be in St. Cloud.

I will be able to fish tomorrow night, and then again on Sunday, and I hope the walleye fishing picks up. I'll report again tomorrow on the fishing situation on Sucker Bay, Leech Lake.