I have been meaning to write up how my trip went. I was there last Sunday. I put my kayak in at the bridge over Diggity Stream around 11am. THere were a number of people fishing there at the time and said that the bite was really good earlier, but that it had slowed down. That being said, if you looked down at the water from the bridge you could see the perch schooling there.
I started fishing just above the bridge and got a number of bites, but nothing I hooked. I then moved upstream a little to where there is a small rapids/falls. Just below that I got a few more nibbles. I figured I was setting the hook too hard for their soft mouths, so the next bite I got I just raised my rod and kept pressure on the fish. Problem solved. I immediately landed another 7 or 8.
I then went up above the falls and started fishing for more. Here I caught the largest fallfish I had ever seen. It was 18 1/2 inches. I didn't even know they grew that big! Unfortunately, just as I was taking it's picture it flopped itself right out of the kayak and into the water. Gah! I cast back to the same area and I landed another. This one was "only" 17 inches, but at least I got a good picture of it.
I then fished my way up to First Lake with nothing special happening. There I started getting a few pickerels as well, and saw a nested pair of eagles. That was a nice sight. I fished along the north shore, working my way over to the stream towards Wauklehegan Lake. Lots of big rocks, with the water getting 6-8' deep right up to the edge. I thought for sure I'd get some bass along here, but no a one. Once I was over to where the Wauklahegan water joined First lake I could see the perch stacking up again. I landed a number more of them, as well as a couple of pickerel. I also landed a small (8") smallmouth.
I didn't try to head up to Wauklehegan because it would require a long portage, and I was happily enjoying myself on First lake. A couple of guys arrived in a canoe and were getting good pickerel action on white flukes. I had some so I figured I'd give that a go for a while and man oh man the pickerel just went nuts for them. Suddenly it seemed that wherever I threw the line it was hit almost immediately. Most were in the 18-20" range.
I fished my way back along the south side of the lake. It was all lined with rocks, but a bit shallower, and the pickerel were agressively hitting the flukes (I had to switch to a wire leader because I was losing so many - normally I accept the occasional loss and avoid the leader but this time they were really cutting through the line frequently). The largest pickerel of the day for me was a little over 24". I would have taken a picture, but it not only had my fluke in it's mouth, it had another lure. They were tangled together, and by the time I got them out I wanted to get her back in the water.
Eventually I made my way back down Diggity Stream and just back below the little rapids/falls. A couple of locals were fly fishing on one side. THey were landing fish almost every cast. I was on the other side of the stream and also catching perch almost every cast. Most were small. The largest was 12". I kept enough for a good meal for me and my family. By this time it was starting to get dark and my goodness the bugs were out in full force. So I packed up and went home.
It was a really great day on the water. Warm and sunny with very little wind. The fishing was extremely good, even if I didn't get the smallmouth action I was hoping for. The pickerel were a lot of fun though, and the perch were plentiful! I've never been there before, but I would do it again in a heartbeat!
BTW, we had fish for supper Monday, and my youngest has been asking me when I can get some more!
