Frustrating day on Breton Bay, 2/4

[ictalurus]

I headed out with my father in search of perch and pickerel. One of my TF buddies was able to catch some bass and pickerel in Breton Bay this summer since it was so fresh, so I thought I'd check it out. I had caught some nice yellow perch in a trib of Breton Bay back in 2006, so I thought we'd have a good chance to find them today.

We launched a bit after 11 and spent too much time fishing the top of the creek, but that's where I had caught most of the fish in the past. Dad and I were in super spaz mode and couldn't cast without ending up in a tree or snagging something on the bottom. To top it off, we didn't have any hits in the usual holes. We threw all kinds of different colored (and Gulp) grubs, spinners, and my trusty pickerel magnet Rapala. No hits. At all.

The surface water seemed pretty fresh down where the creek hits Breton Bay, so we should've blown past the beginning and fished that area more. I don't think it would've mattered, though, because nothing hit a small Gulp grub when I did spot checks looking for fish. Unfortunately, I didn't have a thermometer with me, so I don't know what the temperature was. I guess it's still too early for the yellows to spawn because I think we would've found them in the spots we hit, unless the action was farther downstream. Oh well, it beat sitting around the house.

[Aesiegel]

Sorry to hear about the skunk today. I looked at the google map of breton bay and it sure looks fishy.

[ronaultmtd]

Bill- sorry you and your Dad had a skunk today- I stayed home and did some work on my tackle today- the new Ultimate Bait Tank fits perfectly in the Outback...i had to check it out.

I rigged up my new Pfluegler Supreme 8225 UL spinning reel with 150 yards of 6# Berkely NanoFil Uni-filament line, and visited Dick's for some new lures, heads, terminal tackle so I could put together my travel fishing box for flying to Florida at the end of the month- I plan to take two spinning outfits with me- one medium 7 ft salt water spinning rod/reel and one UL spinning rod/reel. My new Albright travel rod should be delivered by UPS Monday, so I'll be ready well in advance of the trip.

I wanted to get out in my yak today and catch a mess of crappie and perch for the table but that didn't happen.

[ictalurus]

Aesiegel--Breton Bay is a nice spot for summer fishing. White perch are usually plentiful but on the small side. Croaker are there, too, and usually jumbo spot. Sometimes there's the occasional puppy drum. CCA stocked yellow perch fingerlings into a couple of its tribs in the late 1990s/early 2000s, I think. The big females I caught there back in 2006 or 2007 were probably the result of that stocking. I haven't caught any other yp there since, though, and I'm not sure why. Part of it probably is because I concentrate on areas that I know will be productive when the run is really on.

Ron--cleaning and gearing up were what Dad and I usually did this time of the year before we had kayaks. Having all your tackle clean and in order is pretty satisfying. Wheatley Lake should be getting stocked soon, so your UL should be get put to use.

[J.A. Veil]

We all have our skunk days from time to time (I had mine last Mon at the Hot Ditch). But you got on the water and had some time with Dad -- those things count for a lot.

[kevinfry]

Well, at least you had good company! A day with Dad has to be a success even without a fish.

[ictalurus]

Yeah, we always have a good time on our trips. As a bonus, we didn't end up walking and dragging the yaks behind us for miles, which is almost a staple of our float trips. I didn't get to go out much with him last year, so I hope to remedy that this year.

[surfdog]

sorry for that bill, i think the run is still a couple weeks away. i tied 1/2 doz. #4 yellow bucktail flies for moc to use next weekend at the M&G plus turned a few jig heads in to bucktails for me

[chex]

bummer on the skunk. thumbs up for getting out on the water with dad. wish i could say the same... i stayed indoors all weekend