St Clair is on FIRE!

[TCook]

Myself and FooFighterJeff hooked up earlier this week for a 4 day trip to st clair. With the reports on water clarity and temps our expectations were low. Actually Jeff was contemplating calling it off but I was dead set on going.

5-3 We finally got to the lake from the west side around 10:30 launching out of crocker and was the only ones there. We were greeted with cold, wet, and windy conditions that lasted throughout the day. There was a muddy strip in the mid depths of the lake and a clear strip of water in the 8-9ft zone to shore water temps were 51-52 degrees. On Jeff's first stop along the mile roads we instantly got into fish my second cast and Jeff's first I believe on XR50s. We caught them nonstop for a couple hours until we decided to try other areas with similar results. Almost all our fish came on rattle baits and tubes. I think we saw a total of 6 boats all day along the mile roads and we fished till 8pm until we called it a day. We ended up with 111 smallies best five went 24 pounds and Jeff had big fish at 5-14. We thought no possible way it can get better than this in the coming days. WRONG!

5-4 We got on the water at about 7:30 with cloudy conditions which eventually became sunny water temps were slowly climbing up to 53 degrees. For the most part we did most of our damage in differend areas than the day before likely due to that clear strip of water now was stained and the fish moved on us. Although the stained water with about 3ft of visibility didn't hurt the bite in fact our catch rates doubled from the day before with better quality. We had a 20 pound sack in the first 20 minutes. Mid day the bite slowed but we kept moving until we found pods of fish and the whackfest would commence. Again 3/4s of our fish came on xr50s and the rest on tubes but the tube caught most our bigger fish.Totals for the day a whopping 219 smallies best five went 27 pounds and I got big fish at 6-1. Surprisingly we only Seen a handfull of boats along the roads again.

5-5 We are worn out and don't get on the water till 8 or so and are greeted with bluebird skies and high pressure. The water is getting close to 54 degrees but the bite has slowed around our areas along the mile roads so we move to a new area where we did well last year and found clear water. Got on the same hump and found a pod of 3-5 1/2 pound fish and caught them consistently for a couple hours. The baits that produced best this day were deep cranks and tubes. Totals ended up being 107 smallies best five at 24 pounds I got big bass with a 5-10.

5-6 Got out there about 7:30 with cloudy conditions and a front passing through, water is still stained but clearing up and temps are still slowly rising. All the areas that produced before was not anymore and we had to search again. Finally at about 1230 we got on em again and did the damage on jerkbaits, xr50s, and tubes. Had to take off at 3 so we couldn't hit that century mark for a 4th straight day and ended with 90.

This trip ended up being the best fishing we both have ever experienced and I cant imagine it ever being topped. Thats a total of 527 SM in 3 1/2 days most going 3-5 poundsI highly recommend the members of this site to fish the dk open next sat it should be a good one. My thumbs were so tore up I had to ware bandaids in the middle of the 2nd day. Ill post some pics when Jeff gets them to me.

[Firefighter Jeff]

   Very nice job on the fishing report Tim.  You should have the pics by now.  Hey you forgot to mention that I had big bass the last day.  Eventhough it only went 4.13.  I also had a smallie double on a X-rap the same day.  I had them to the side of the boat and was contemplating how to land them and the smaller one worked off.  The one I landed was close to 3lbs. Tim of course had to "remind" me that if I carried a net in the boat, I'd have gotten both of them. lolol

  Tim's right, I was considering calling off the trip.  I was worried it was going to be mud, similar to last years DK Open.  I figured I might be able to change things around and make it up there next week for three days.  Boy, I'm glad I didn't.  Thanks to reports from Bassfan586 and remembering that last year even in stained water, TCook got the 7.4 , I decided to give it a go.

  At times it was just stupid out there.  I was as giddy as a little kid when we were catching them left and right. I'm not sure if the number is exact, but I remember saying to Tim on the day we got 219, that we had like 70 fish and it wasn't even 10 am yet, and to just think about that statement !!!!  LOLOL

  Tim's a great fisherman.  We get along real well and had a blast fishing together.  He's a diehard and we put a lot of time on the water.  My back was reminding me most of Thursday and Friday of that.  lolol  Thank goodness for Advil.    Oh and Dan, I would like half credit for the fishing report.  lololol

  What a fishery !!!!  If it didn't take 4 hours and a bunch of money, I'd be up there all the time.  You members that live fairly close have me jealous with envy !!!!  I make it up once or twice a year, and am so thankful the planets were all in the right alignment and the weather and fish cooperated  !!!  It was truly the best fishing trip ever and one I'll never forget. 
 
                                   Jeff

   

[TCook]

Jeff, Im sure I forgot to add a bunch stuff I am extreemly tired from 7 days of getting up really early with little sleep. There was just so many great moments its hard to recall them all. I want to say I really have the best fishing trips with you, its a true pleasure and I am fortunate you invite me along. I cant wait to do it again...

T

[Firefighter Jeff]

   I teased Tim earlier about having to learn how to take better pictures.  I think he moves the camera a little when pressing the button.  It happens.  Some of the pics he posted are from a camera phone, since I forgot the camera the first day.  Here is another example of Tim's picture taking prowess. LMAOOOOOO




  Ok, Ok, sometimes things happen when I am the one taking the picture also.  lolol



  That's the rag hanging from the back butt seat blowing in the wind.  lol

[motocross269]

Great Report and nice pics....Your day on Thursday was definetly way better than mine...I will be back out next week to give it a go again...

From what I read on other reports it was a tad slow for alot of people this week(Including a guide that I know) so you guys did great finding those fish...Awesome job...

[billy8878]

Great looking fish, can't wait to get there in a couple weeks.

[Eric]

I'll be there Thrusday through Sunday.  That'll shut it down, guaranteed!!!!  Fire out.

[Mike S.]

WOW!!!  That is awesome.  I hope it is crazy like that Saturday.  Eric, stay home.  No fire out.  If I don't catch fish, the black cloud rides home with you!

[Firefighter Jeff]

Great Report and nice pics....Your day on Thursday was definetly way better than mine...I will be back out next week to give it a go again...

From what I read on other reports it was a tad slow for alot of people this week(Including a guide that I know) so you guys did great finding those fish...Awesome job...

  I am kinda surprised at the other reports.  I know for a fact a lot of other fish were being caught on Friday just south of 11 mile.  And I mean a lot.  Maybe they didn't post.  The places we found fish seemed to almost change each day until we found them.  Tuesday and Wednesday we found them early. 

[Cy]

I'll be there Thrusday through Sunday.  That'll shut it down, guaranteed!!!!  Fire out.

It better not!!!!  I NEED 3 good days of fishing Friday, Saturday and Sunday!  Eric if you screw it up I will have to kill you.


Hey, Cook and French Fry Jeff nice fish and nice report.

Cy

[Mike S.]

Yeah, Eric!   Nobody catches fish, you get swirlies in the bathroom!!!

[djkimmel]

Sounds like you both are the incoming leaders for the 2011 MadWags Memorial members tournament...

I received multiple texts from someone else who says they caught 87 yesterday with a 28+ pound best 5. They also rubbed it in with about 15 pictures. Why anyone would be vacillating at this point about Saturday is beyond me...??

[Revtro]

Great report guys.  Now I know who to follow at the MWMT...  LOL  Nice job.  See ya'll out there Saturday.