Made it up to my cabin for our annual spring outing and this was another banner year not only for numbers of 5+ lb smallies but for big pike, eyes, and splake. Man I love the U.P. it truley is gods country!
We fished shallow flats and points with cranks, jigs and gulp. But by far the best method for our big smallies was the same as last year, 3/8 ounce rock stalker jigs dragging across rock.
I will be heading back up here for 2 weeks this summer with the family in July. My grandparents and dad are from the U.P. and I’ve fished up here for 30 years and someday I hope to retire up there!
Our biggest smallie we weighed was 6 1/2 lbs with several other just over 6 lbs which was incredible fishing.
WOW THOSE ARE NICE!!!!!
thanks Corey- sure is nice to take a break and fun fish a bit!
here’s a few more fish from the trip.
EH:
Were those ‘eyes taken on the big lake??? I pushed a friend up there this past weekend. He just loves to troll. They managed just one laker for the weekend. Beautiful fish every one of them!!!
Mark
Every fish is a Great looking fish, thanks Eric.
Jack
We fished new water up there this year both smaller inland lakes and the big water, the big water is what i really like simply because in the past 5 years I’ve never seen another sole out there fishing smallies it’s totally untapped and the fish are the biggest I’ve ever seen in weight.
here’s a few more fish
great pics eric those are some giant smallies
what kind of length do those smallies have to them? 20, 21,22,23?
Most of the fish I’ve posted are 19-22 inchers but the one thing you have to look at is the girth of some of these fish, These fish are the fattest fish I’ve ever seen, which is the reason so many of them weigh over 5 lbs. We actually caught and weighed a 19 1/2 incher that was 5.4 ounces on a digital scale. Not all of the fish are extremely fat but most of these fish are, they even look like a different genetic strain, either that or they are just 15+ year old fish that have lived a long time One reason is they do not get fished by other anglers and many of our biggest are lake Superior fish that eat whatever they want, smelt alewives etc…. Green Bay is the only other place where I know guys have legit shots of landing a 6lb+ fish.
Several fish in this last bunch are over 6 lbs as well.
Big smallies are one of Gods greatest creations!!!!! I truely feel blessed to have found such a place!
Good fishing
This fish is just SICK!! Thanks for sharing once again!
Thanks Kooty best of luck fishing!
Eric
I second that thought, Kooty,
Just an AWESOME fish….
Jack
Thanks Jack! Good fishing guys stick some pigs!
Eric
How does that area compare to chequamegon bay? assuming you have fished that… I’m up in ashland fishing cheq for smallies right now. Wind is kicking our [censored] though…
Red I’ve never fished Chem Bay I was suppose to fish it this spring but bad weather so we fished inland instead, so I would not know??