After a couple so-so trips out to Scugog last week, I figured it was time I went back to old faithful and decided to take a vacation day today to get out on Cooks Bay before tomorrows snow got dumped on it. Weather report looked like it would be a nice day, but I foolishly underestimated the strength and chill of the forecast winds.
Hit the lake at around 9 and started heading out to my usual area which is in 16-20ft of water. The wind was a killer so I thought I would check the shallower areas and hopefully find some fish there (and not have to walk out the extra km or two to the deeper water). 7ft, bust. 11ft bust. Fine, sucked it up and headed out to the deep stuff. So far out in the bay, the winds were just crazy and I resolved to drill and setup once as I would have to fully pack in the hut to keep the wind under control. Finally started to fish at 10:30.
Water was crystal clear and I could see all the way to bottom and was happy to see a school of perch under me. Fished until just after 3 and never once did I not have a school under me. I eventually just shut the fishfinder and camera off as they weren't doing anything for me that looking down the hole or watching the rod couldn't do. Fish were really aggressive and on several occasions I played keep away to bring fish up the whole water column, too fun! To sort through the dinks I started loading up the trebles on my spoons with three minnows at a time and the fish were just going nuts for it. Some days they only want a little bit of head on the treble, and other days, they want a tables worth!
Had planned on a catch and release day, but my first drop had brought up a nice 13" that was bleeding heavily, so I decided to bring home enough for a single feed for the family. Ended up bringing home 11 between 10-13", released another 20+ in the same size range and even more smaller fish.
As well as the perch, had a nice pike swim by as well as a couple of suckers. Fortunately by the time I packed up to head home the wind wasn't nearly as bad and it was a pleasant (if slippery) walk back to the car.
Bay had 8-10" of ice in the shallow areas I drilled and about 6 out deep. nearest neighbours came out on their atv and as I was walking out I watched a snowmobile either come across the bay or had been really really far out and was heading back.
Guessing with the snow forecast tomorrow my next walk out won't be quite as snow free, but hopefully it will be less windy!
What it looked like down the hole for the whole day:
Monday Jan 9 - Cooks Bay, First day on the Lady, and she was kind!
