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Hello All,

November 8

With the weather forecast looking more than favourable - and the wind non-existent - I made the decision to head out on a solo mission to my favourite Quebec lake.

Launched the boat at 10:30am and motored over to the productive spot that coughed up most of the fish the previous week. I decided to work in a bit shallower than before, hoping the largies would be relating to the cabbage and rocks that are prolific between 6- and 12-feet of water. Seeing a large school of bait fish in tight also helped with the decision.

A few casts in and the first largemouth was in the boat. A Fin-tech Football Jig teamed up with a YUM F2 Mighty Bug was the ticket.

Bites were extremely light. Lifting the jig would generate little attention from fish. Barely dragging the bait along bottom was the ticket. Here is the area that the fish were holding in. Notice the cabbage weeds on the screen. Down Imaging on this 798 Humminbird unit is phenomenal for detail.

The first hour coughed up ten largest...with the largest being this 3lb 9oz fish. All came from the edge of the cabbage with most out of 9-feet of water. One lone smallie came on a trimmed-down Booyah Pigskin Jig.

Headed over to the finger next and put a puny small and a decent largie in the boat. The smallmouth was right on the top of the 11-foot hump, while the largemouth was on the deep edge in 15-feet of water.

Wondering if the largies might be up shallow, I decided to work down a shoreline while tossing a crank. It was a waste of time....nobody home. Shortly after, at 1:30pm, Andy showed up at his cottage and in my boat he jumps. Back to the spot from this morning we go.

The fish were definitely a little on the finicky side this outing. They wanted the jig one way - and one way only. We slowly started putting fish in the boat. Working water a bit deeper (15- to 19-feet) had us in the smallmouth. We stuck with the football jigs and Mighty Bugs.

Working out in to deeper water, we came across long, thick lines just off the bottom on the Humminbird screen. We were in 21-feet of water. Tim and I had come across this the previous week and assumed they were smallmouth. Thinking the same, I dropped down my jig and watched it dance up and down on the screen. I had a few small "whacks" but failed to connect. Drifting away from the area, and as a means to soothe my sore back, I opted to sit down in the boat and drop a jigging spoon (Macho Minnow) over the side. A few minutes in and a solid "thunk." This fish came from 19-feet of water and hit 12-inches off bottom.

Then this guy hit.

Three smallest came in the boat in less than 15 minutes. Compared to the ultra light hits of earlier, these fish hit like freight trains!

It was then we finally discovered what the "mysterious" lines were. Bluegills!!!

They were hitting the large Macho Minnow with gusto. Most weren't getting hooked, but I did bring four in the boat. Although I did have smaller spoons in my bag, I didn't have an ultralight rod - or even a spinning rod for that matter - on deck. Boy I wished I did! The last fish of the day was this 9 1/2-inch bull 'gill. Gotta love when you can lip them...

 As we slowly motored to the cottage in near-dark, this is what the Hummingbird showed. Hmmm. Suspended 'gills? Smallies?

Next week will see a full assault on the resident 'gills...and the bass. The bluegill fishery is untapped on this lake and I'm really curious to see how big these boys go.

Andy and I finished off the day with 26 bass and 4 'gills. Not a bad day on the water in superb conditions. But if anything, I learned a lot on the water this outing...and that can often be far more valuable than catching.

Until next time.

Good Fishing,

Justin

Story submitted by Outdoor Wild Producer Justin Hoffman  posted by Producer Dean Romano