It is the day after Christmas and what a year it has been! I have had the chance today to sit back, relax and reflect on the past year. There were highs and lows, as there is with any fishing season, but for the most part we were on cloud nine all year long. The fishing and catching was the best that I can remember in quite some time. We had several "Fish of A Lifetime" caught this year. I would like to say Thank You to the some of the sponsors that helped put these TROPHY fish into several peoples hands. They are Vicious Fishing, Castaway Rods, WaveSpin Reels & D and R Sports Center. Once again Thank You!
It all started the first week of May when I started putting the miles on after the season opener to find fish for some up coming trips. Fortunately, I found the little bronze buggers right away and they were hungry. It was on from there and I never looked back. We had our day's that were tough early, but the quality was out of this world!
The month of June was great as it always is. We caught fish almost every place that we went. The size was great and the numbers were great as well. Again, there were a couple of tough day's, but that's fishing. A highlight in June was the opportunity that I had to film a show with Shaw Grigsby. The show will air sometime between now and March. Keep your eyes open on the Sportsman's Channel for "One More Cast" with Shaw Grigsby. It was a great time and we even caught some fish.
July started with me being out in Richmond, VA fishing the first of three Northern Opens. What a learning experience that was. Take a person from Michigan that has fished clear water all of his life and go fish the James River. It was an awesome time, but I was not ready for fishing tidal chocolate milk. I learned alot and with any luck I'll be back this June to fish the Open again! Once back home though, I was extremely happy to get back on the smallies.
The end of July and beginning of August, I bounced back and forth between smallmouth and salmon fishing. We had really good fishing all the way around and before I knew it Northern Open number two was here. I found myself fishing good ole Lake Erie again and I really love this body of water. I didn't have the finish that I hoped for, but that is motivation to keep fishing until you get where you want to be.
When September arrived there was a definite slow down with the fishing. I started to get geared up for heading out to Kansas and preparing for the last Northern Open on Oneida Lake in New York. A quick trip out to Kansas to get set up for hunting season and then it was back on the road to Oneida Lake. I was really surprised with Oneida! This is an awesome fishery, but can be a little tough to figure out. After several day's of pre fishing, I had the walleye bite figured out, but wait, we're supposed to be fishing smallmouth!! I didn't have a bad finish compared to the start, but once again my motivation increases!
The month of October was very unique this year. The smallie fishing was good when you found them, but finding them proved to be difficult from time to time! We finished strong on the inland lakes, but Grand Traverse Bay threw a few curve balls to say the least. Lake Michigan however, had some of the best late season salmon fishing that I have ever had the opportunity to be a part of!! I hope it is that good again this coming year.
With the fishing all done for me, it was time to head to Kansas and begin chasing monster whitetails. I had the opportunity to help 180 Outdoors (www.hunt180.com) an outfitter in SE Kansas. What an awesome season it was. The quality of the deer killed was actually making dreams become reality! The biggest deer that hit the ground was a giant 177" deer that weighed in right at 300 pounds!!! I am really looking forward to next year!
Now that the year is almost up, I can't help but look forward to 2012. Be sure to keep up to date on all of the new happenings as I update Facebook and Twitter. Hope to see you on the water or in the woods. Good Luck and Happy Fishing.
Capt Chris
