Red Bridge Fishing

I talked to my buddy, Jack, and his son was visiting and wanted to fish.  I always like to fish with someone.  We made arrangements to fish down river from the Red Bridge launch on the Manistee River.  I used my 14' fishing boat for this trip.  I do not like to fish this area without someone else in the boat to spot stumps and low water areas.

This is one of the first areas that is good to fish but we decided to concentrate on the narrows.  We were out for Walleyes and wanted faster moving water.  In fact, we were going to fish right where we fished last year.  Guy had night crawlers and crawler harnesses and I was going to use plastics and jigs.                                  

This is my new 15 hp fishing motor.  I traded my brother, Gary, my old 9.9 motor for his leaf blower and we both are happy with that trade. The new motor works great and I don't have to mix oil with my gas any       more.  The new motor is quieter and runs well when I remember to open the air intake or turn on the gas      shut-off!                                                                                                                                                     

This is the end of the narrows and we move up and float down or sometimes we anchor and pound the water.                                                                                                                                                

We caught the first walleye right here and then we noticed the turtles on the logs.  They were out sunning on the logs.                                                                                                                                                    

Just legal but right tasty!

More turtles.

Guy was hot today!  He caught a second walleye and I was getting nothing on my twisters/minnow and jig.

I get to net the fish and add it to the stringer.  Gee, isn't this fun?

We saw a mink along the bank of the island.  If he likes this spot it should be good for us.

The mink is right on the corner and it was neat to watch his antics.  That is a great part of fishing, watching the scenery and sights around you.  Guy has another bite.  I get the net ready and he gets a nice river        smallmouth bass.  It isn't bass season so back into the water he goes.                                                      

    

We watch two jets pass overhead, we must be on the flight path of several airports, maybe Greenbay to Toronto or Milwaukee to Mackinaw City??                                                                                     

I switch baits and keep trying but it is Guy -3 and Donald - 1 hit, no cigar!  This is where I start  talking about the beautiful scenery and all the animals we see.  "My, how pretty the green trees are.  I wonder when I'll get a bite?"                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Guy suggests we move back up to the end of the island by the bend.  Who am I to argue with the 3 to 1 guy named Guy!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

This looks great but has two sunken trees.   I get a bite!  No wait, it is the tree.  Let's move!    

             

When you are motoring around, this is what we call "deadheads"!  These large cut off tree trunks are just below the water line and right in line with your fishing motor prop!  You need someone to spot!!            

We stop and Guy proceeds to kick my butt one more time.  He is into a bigger fish.  I try not to club him with the net!  At last there is a bigger fish in the net.  I am sorry I didn't get a picture.  It was a beautiful Red Horse Sucker.                                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                           

Gee, another picture of turles.  I seem to really be into nature photography today!!!

This is a picture of my home-made lure retriever.  Guys got stuck and I retrieved his lure!

                             

This is a picture of the fish finder.  It had lots of fish on the screen.  But I couldn't buy a bite!

I really don't care, I've decide to devote my life to nature photography........unless I starting get more bites!