Southern AB Fishing trip

nicemustang · #1 06-24-2009, 03:02 PM

Well the time is finally here. I'm off to do my 10 day tour of the southern reservoirs. I will be leaving tomorrow as soon as I can get away from work and I am not returning until July 5th.

I will be staying at the MD campground in Taber on river. Not sure which stall yet as it's first come first served. Will be driving my 08 F150 supercrew (black) and red older lund boat, will post pic before I leave.

I will be mostly by myself until next Thursday. Any locals in area are welcome to stop by the campsite for some stories and beer (I can't feed everyone beer LOL). And if you want to join me with some fishing, no problem at all.

Will be hitting Chin Friday, The Ridge Saturday, Sherburne Sunday, and then go from there. Likely hit some other spots including the forks and Forty Mile as well. Taking my laptop so maybe I can post updates while I'm down.

If anyone wants to share any spots to try on the Ridge, Sherburne or 40 mile, that'd be cool. I've never been to any of these lakes so I'm pretty excited about this trip. Also if you wanted to meet at the lake and fish together, that's cool too.

Shoot me a PM if you can make it down, I'll send you my cell and/or email on my blackberry and how to find me. I get my PM's to my blackberry and can respond that way.

Hoping to have some good pike, walleye, perch and white fishing while I'm down. Will post results when I can.

Cheers,

Chris

allenford · #2 06-24-2009, 03:22 PM

sounds will be a great trip!

jts1 · #3 06-24-2009, 03:58 PM

Sounds like a hell of a time. Good luck.

nicemustang · #4 06-24-2009, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jts1

Sounds like a hell of a time. Good luck.

If you're bored, come on down.

jts1 · #5 06-24-2009, 04:08 PM

Pm me your cell I cant work with the arm all messed got nutn betr to do. But I sure as hell can fish

Fish Feathers Game · #6 06-24-2009, 06:58 PM

Good luck on the trip! I hope you catch a bunch. Just a word to the wise. Chin will be really busy with pre-fishing for the tournament there on Saturday and Sunday! You will however see where all of us will be fishing for the tourney! Better than a fish finder! I'll be there Thurs night in a white 19' Sea Nymph boat / white GMC truck.

nicemustang · #7 06-24-2009, 08:02 PM

Right, the SAWT. Never thought about that. Hope I can get a campsite...I'll likely be out at Chin Thursday night too checking things out.

nicemustang · #8 07-06-2009, 12:30 PM

Well I'm back from fishing in southern reservoirs. Overall it was a good trip despite some challenges.

First of all, campground at MD Taber was excellent. Had a nice site, well treed, free firewood and showers. Very close to taber too so if you needed anything, a short trip into town.

First issue....the wind. I already knew old "Thelma" wasn't the best boat in wind. But the wind was ridiculous a few days. Really not the show stopper as can always fish from shore at chin. Fishing was decent from shore with hundreds caught. Fishing the Forks as well, caught a big grass carp. Sherburne was nice especially when it was calm the one night, was very good. Fishing was decent but not great, had some trouble finding them. Realized my fish finder is a piece of garbage....found fish and had bites on sharp drop offs from 20 - 40 FOW. Caught a couple perch for a fish fry.

Was cut short early and had to return to work for emergency purposes. I packed up and went home Tuesday. Left the boat in Champion at my friends house, fished Travers Wednesday afternoon. Nice weather and lots of fish caught as well at the spillway. Had to work again Thursday but had the friday off. We packed up early and went to Montana for July 4th. Fished on Chin Sunday afternoon on the way home from shore. The best part about fishing there and a great story...

The wife is no fisherman what so ever. She isn't that into it at all but she always comes along and keeps me company, sun tans and reads in the boat. Which is ok by me for sure. She doesn't touch fish or bait. She gets bored pretty fast. We arrived at Chin at 4 pm Sunday. I set her up with a pickerel rig. She was fishing away, we both caught a few small walleye. It's very rocky on the shore so you have to reel fast without getting snagged. She was reeling in after a missed bite and got caught on the rocks. I handed her my rod so I could unsnag it for her. It was stuck pretty good so let out lots of line and went up on the bridge to pull it from the other direction. Got it out and came back down to the shore. Could see immediately that the wife had a big fish on! She cried "HELP, I can't even reel this in". I could see her stuggling and could hear the drag going nuts. I got all excited...she gave me the rod. Immediately I was shocked. Everyone knows when you use a rod every day what size the fish feels like when it's on the end, and wow it was good. As soon as I started reeling the drag whizzed out, I thought it was a pike and expected it to breach the the top of the water. Much to my surprise it didn't and drove down to the bottom. Big walleye I said?? After much reeling and fighting, we finallying saw it in the shallow water. Wife screamed and said HOLY **** that is huge!! I got it the shore where my rig broke, the fish landed on the rocks in shallow water.....the longest seconds ever as I stubbled down to grab it. I thought for sure it would flop away and be lost. But I managed to grab it and bring on the rocks. Cheers of excitement and the wife ran for the camera.

It ended up with an estimated 10 LB walleye, 30 inches in length. A couple a quick pics and back the water this big mama went. Didn't have the scale to weigh for sure, but we figure about 17-18" of girth and I figure close to 10 lbs. After we got back to reality, the funniest thing was the wife after. She of course has no idea how big this really was, or why I was so excited. She had said that it bite there line, she pulled and it wasn't there, slack came in the line so she reeled it in, then it felt heavy. She never set the hook, just stared to reel. She said that she didn't know where I was and didn't want to touch the fish, so she reeled real slow hoping it would get off because she didn't know what to do....good thing I came around the corner. She wanted it to come off......unbelievable!

Anyway...a couple pics of the hog. She wouldn't hold it lol....and I didn't want to keep such a big one. So pics aren't great but you should get the picture.

PS: Thanks for Donavaszoo for he generous hospitality, fishing advise, company, and fishing partner. He and his family are top notch and made the trip that much better. Donavan...send me or post that pic of that grass carp.

nicemustang · #9 07-06-2009, 01:09 PM

If you want the women's perspective....read her blog....funny stuff: http://candicebauer.blogspot.com/

Chet · #10 07-06-2009, 01:27 PM

That's awesome... great story!

Donavonszoo · #11 07-06-2009, 01:29 PM

Hey man anytime you and the wife want to come down our way your more then welcome, It was good times had by all! I have a dozen or more holes I want to take you too..mainly back to the river to the one hole I know of (the one we couldn't get too due to the 80 km gusts of wind)
By the way what did you think of my wifes driving??
LOL
Donavon

ill try to catch up with ya sunday and
ill send ya that pic this afternoon.

fishing_flower · #12 07-06-2009, 02:34 PM

Looks like you had an awesome time. Nice fish.

npauls · #13 07-06-2009, 02:40 PM

Good to see dj could show you around. I wish I could have gotten out for some fishing with you one of the days. Nice eye from under the chin bridge. Wish I could have found that pig during the tourney.

Nate

nicemustang · #14 07-06-2009, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by npauls

Good to see dj could show you around. I wish I could have gotten out for some fishing with you one of the days. Nice eye from under the chin bridge. Wish I could have found that pig during the tourney.

Nate

I looked for you on Friday night, didn't see what you described. How did you do in the tourney?

BobLoblaw · #15 07-06-2009, 02:41 PM

'Stang, that is a hawg!!!
You'd have to catch 'em 10 at a time a PCR to get the same weight on your line.

That's awesome.
Later,
Steve

WayneChristie · #16 07-06-2009, 02:46 PM

Ive fished in that exact spot, and now I will be again for sure

nice fish! Wife has been doing the same to me all year, outfishing me every time

BobLoblaw · #17 07-06-2009, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nicemustang

If you want the women's perspective....read her blog....funny stuff: http://candicebauer.blogspot.com/

Great read; your wife can really write!
Candice, don't worry about 'not getting' fishing; I 'don't get' shoe shopping!

Kingfisher · #18 07-06-2009, 02:52 PM

Nice fish for sure and a hell of a great story to go with it. Maybe some of those guys who are fishing for the babies eye's at PCR should take note. (Hey I've been to PCR too). I might venture off somewhere else next time though. There are some nice walleye out there. You just have to find them.

Rob

nicemustang · #19 07-06-2009, 03:02 PM

Yeah we were talking about it this morning again...I think she appreciates it a little more now. Surprised the hell out of us. Good times and that's what it's all about for me....you never know what's on the other end of the line.

Mish · #20 07-06-2009, 03:09 PM

Great trip! Your wife is a riot

nicemustang · #21 07-06-2009, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mish

Great trip! Your wife is a riot

For sure, hopefully she'll come out for the gathering this time...

Mish · #22 07-16-2009, 11:23 AM

I hope I'm in town!! I'll get her hooked. There are even less fisherwomen up here than there are down south.