Michael Kerwin and I got out for the day yesterday on a lake we had last fished late-ice a month and a half ago. The morning temperature was 6C or 7C, overcast with a cold northern wind. As the day progressed, the sun eventually broke through making conditions out on the canoe much more comfortable. I didn't get a reading on the lake temperature but it felt warmer to the touch than expected.
We paddled the length of the lake casting towards trees that had recently fallen along shore as well as trolling our lines between locations.
I had a decent sized splake follow my spoon with a dropper fly rig right up to the canoe. Later, at a spot Michael has had success in the past, I caught consecutive splake (they looked to be 2024 stockers) both were released. Along a point with submerged mixed rock/boulders, probably in about 5', maybe less. Both took a 1/2oz perch patterned EGB spoon.
Michael landed a very nice largemouth bass that we both were hoping was a splake but it became clear soon after he hooked into it that it was likely a bass. It put a serious bend in his new rod, a great first fish to break it in.
It was a great day to be out on the water, although, we did notice a few black flies as we were loading up the canoe at the end of the day.
In Search of Spring Splake
