Western UP

[canvsbk]

 Just returned from a combo duck hunt / smallie hunt to the western part of the upper. The weather really stunk - for both. Wind, rain and cold. Just flat miserable.
Went down into Wisconsin for some smallies with mixed results. The water temp everywhere was right at 58 degrees, not quite cold enough to get those brute smallies in on the rocks yet.
Went to Gile Flowage south of Hurley first. One look from the ramp and I knew no sane man would put a bass boat in there. HUGE pick up truck size boulders everywhere. The entire shore line is covered with bowling ball size rocks as far as you can see. And of course, they had the pier pulled out. Not for me.
Headed cross country over to Crab, south of Presque Isle. Quite a trip to say the least, the map was somewhat of a disapointment! The ramp there stunk too but I had a map of the lake, about 1,000 acres, so I put her in.
This place would drive Buck Perry to drink. Humps, sunken islands, saddles, long points - all the good stuff. I caught some decent smallies here on the really sharp breaks with tubes. Nothing really big, fish up to around 3# now and then, but I will for sure return here with some better weather I hope. Very nice piece of water. Water color would remind you of Smirnoff.
The next day I tried Presque Isle Lake, also gin clear and about the same size. Same weather. Cold, rain and wind. It kinda felt like a spinner bait day and there's tons of drowned wood. White on white - they liked it just fine. Again nothing big but some nice fat 2 - 3 lbers. I kinda had the feeling they were real close to doing it good there.
I will return here too.
My last smallie hunt took place back in Michigan. Those Wisconsin smallies are kinda yuppie-like. They're not mean like our fish. Our fish look at you as if to say "put me back NOW or I'll bite your thumb off!" and those Wisconsin fish just act all pretty. Don't get me wrong they're tough but not like our fish.
My lake of choice was Moon, south of Watersmeet. I've really whacked 'em here before but not this time. It's a small lake, maybe a couple hundred acres, scary clear of course with very steep breaks. I caught quite a few fish on tubes in the deep wood, of which there's plenty of. No brutes this trip but the population is well represented by fish of all sizes. A great little lake if you're ever in the area.

[Duke]

I feel so bad you only caught 2-3# smallies . I guess you'll have to come back home and chase those elusive 14-15" fish  .

I'm glad you had a good time and had some luck. Did you get any ducks?

[canvsbk]

 Shot some teal (still around up there!), gadwalls, ring necks and mallards. Was about normal.
Expected the smallmouth to be in on the rocks - but NO! Guess I better head for the tip of the mitt and look around some...

[djkimmel]

I think you'll find some there... (I sure hope I do...)