First week on Lake Nipissing, 5 minutes of fishing

First week on the lake managed to fish for maybe 5 minutes, but had a ball with the grandkids. Next two weeks - pure fishing

kids driving the boat

Grandson

Good times for sure.

Quality time

I remember many years ago when my grandfather let me drive the boat as a kid. It was a really cool experience.
Looks like you just created some memories for your grandchildren and yourself!

Looks like a ton of fun already! Good luck find the smallies, I will looking for them next week as well. tight lines

Cheers

We had a great week on the South Shore! Big Spoons were doing it for big pike! A new personal best in the photo, and the flying bald eagle is a nice touch. Hooked 2 big boys, landed 1, lost one trying to get it in a net that wasn't big enough, and had 3 or more give a splash as they took a closer look at my offering.

Great smallies, a few sheepshead and undersized walleye too. It has been 10 years since I hauled in a keeper walleye... I tried more trolling this year with bottom bouncers, and only ended up with a smallmouth on a spoon, and no walleye on the troll. Zero perch too. Have seen so many fewer perch in recent years too. They used to be what kept us fishing after the walleye bite started getting hard to find.

Tried leeches, minnows, and worms for still fishing. Leeches and worms worked the best for bites.

oh, tried the shallower shelf to the east of Gull rock too, at sunset. No bites out there. Was the first time venturing out to big open water chasing structure, and came up empty.

Beautiful fish

Get a length/girth on the pike? That one is a chunk.

What a tank!

I did not. The fish was awfully stressed and began to get really flush with blood. I need a bigger net to help land them more effectively next time! I wanted to get it back in the water quick, and it swam away pretty easily, though I regret not getting a better weight estimate or length now...

Beauty Jack! Was thinking of popping over on Tuesday or Wednesday but weather was not compatible with my little boat. Sitting in the climber the rest of this week trying to connect with yogi.

No you did the right thing for sure. Thanks for being a good outdoorsmen and getting it back in the water healthy.