Fishing reports are written weekly throughout the open fishing season based on Fireside Lodge guests reports of their daily fishing experiences while fishing at Fireside Lodge
Fireside Lodge Fishing News Report 5/16 to 5/23 2009
Fireside Lodge Fishing News Report 5/16 to 5/23 2009
Opening week of 2009 was exciting, full of anticipation, and very
different from the last 19 opening days, which is no surprise. All have
been different in their own way, with our 20th opening day sure to be a
lasting memory for all who were here to experience the day. We woke up
to temperatures of 21 degrees Fahrenheit and blowing snow. The
accumulation was enough to cover the frozen ground and grass, and the
winds were very strong all day long. I had to clear downed trees off of
Fireside Road to get our guests in, and yes we had to shovel the boats.
No one fished that day, but we enjoyed viewing the blustery day from
the cozy Lodge in front of a wood burning stove.
Frank Hazzard, from Arlington, TX returned to Fireside Lodge for a
record nineteenth consecutive season. Frank is very knowledgeable of
the structure and fish movements during the early spring and his
results speak for themselves. With Smallmouth Bass being his main
pursuit some daily examples of his and a friends catches are 48
Smallmouth, 80 Smallmouth Bass, 155 Smallmouth Bass, 120 Smallmouth, 50
plus Smallmouth Bass. The majority of these Smallmouth were 14 to 17
inches and plenty were over 17 inches, with several being Master
Anglers Awards Smallmouth over 18 inches. Two other days while fishing
with another guest Bill Stayer they caught 16 Northern Pike and 23
Smallmouth Bass and 22 Smallmouth and 9 Pike, and Frank lost a Pike
well over 40 inches right at boat side. Third day fishing together was
fabulous catching 48 Smallmouth Bass, 15 Northern Pike with several
being 34 to 36 inches and Bill lost a bigger Pike as he was unhooking
it at boat side. A special part of this day was when a bald eagle came
close enough for Bill to take some fabulous pictures which we all
enjoyed in the lodge that same evening. We also were able to view some
of their fish photos on our viewer in the main lodge. Anyone who has
digital photos can have them viewed in the lodge on our digital
viewer. Fourth day fishing for Frank and Bill was GREAT as they caught
46 Smallmouth Bass, 10 Northern Pike and a Whitefish. Next day while
fishing with another friend he caught 50 Smallmouth Bass and 6 Northern
Pike. Frank’s second to the last day while fishing with Bill they
caught 27 Smallmouth Bass, many 14 to 16 inches with several in the 17
to 18-inch class, and they had a blast catching 26 Northern Pike up to
33-inches on Slug-O and Senko worms. On Franks last day Frank and Bill
had a fun day catching 20 nice Smallmouth Bass, 6 Northern Pike and
Bill came up with the BIG fish of the day landing a HUGE 40-inch
Muskie. Frank left the next morning being very sad but at the same time
fulfilled with happiness from the memories made during his stay at
Fireside Lodge.
Tim Stewart and Bryan Neel from Rochester, MN returned for their
seventh consecutive year. These two had a great fishing week as usual.
With their personality and good humor they can’t be anything but
successful. During their first four days they caught countless Northern
Pike in the 28 to 35 inch range, and while in pursuit of Pike
accidentally hooked and landed 12 Lake Trout measuring 30 to 34 inches.
Also Tim caught a 39-inch Northern Pike just missing a master anglers
award by one inch, and Bryan had a mid 40-inch Muskie up to the boat,
however the Muskie won this battle, and Bryan intends on returning
later this year to attempt a re-match. Tim and Bryan also caught some
BIG Smallmouth Bass applying a technique new to them. This was open
water jigging on structure where Smallmouth spend most of their time in
the cold-water periods. They caught many sizable Smallmouth Bass with
Bryan landing a 19.5-inch Master Anglers Award Smallie, and Tim caught
an absolute Monster measuring in at 21-inches. The last two days
brought similar results as they caught 22 Northern Pike 30 to 39
inches, 6 Lake Trout 30 to 35 inches and 14 BIG Smallmouth Bass. In all
they caught seven Master Anglers Award Smallies one measuring 21
inches, three at 19, and three at 18 inches. Another Great Week at
Fireside Lodge, and Tim and Bryan are hoping to return later this
summer for a second fishing trip at Fireside Lodge.
Good friends Joe Sisco, Cable, WI and Dennis Brogan from Carol Stream,
IL returned to Fireside Lodge for their eighth consecutive year in
search of Smallmouth Bass. Here for and extended 9 days of fishing Joe
started their first day by setting the pace landing a Master Anglers
Award Smallmouth Bass measuring 18.5 inches. The next five days,
despite cold windy weather most of the time, their daily catches ranged
between 14 to over 40 Smallmouth Bass, with Dennis catching a huge
19.5-inch Smallmouth Bass and Joe landing two mire BIG fish, one at 18
inches and the other was a MONSTER at 20.5-inches. Sixth day brought
them a cold windy day but they still managed 22 nice Smallmouth. As
weather improved on their seventh day the Smallmouth started to move,
and they had a great day catching 44 heavy Smallmouth with Joe catching
another 18-inch Master Anglers Award Smallie. Their eighth day had
these two catching over 40 Smallmouth Bass as the bite was hot until
about 1:00 pm and took until about 3:30 to pick up again. On their last
day they fished only until about 2:00 PM and caught 33 nice Smallmouth
Bass and Joe finished with another 18.5-inch Master Anglers Award
Smallmouth, and Dennis caught a huge Northern Pike that Joe release
before measuring. Joe ended up with 5 Master Anglers Award Smallmouth
Bass between 20.5 and 18 inches, and Dennis had two, one 18-incher and
a huge19.5-incher. Great finish to another great fishing trip at
Fireside Lodge
Another long time guest of Fireside Lodge since 1992, Tony Majcher from
Hawthorne, Woods, IL returned also in search of Smallmouth Bass. First
day on the water Tony managed to catch a few nice Smallmouth, one being
an 18-inch Master Anglers Award Smallie, despite a cold very windy day.
Second day Tony caught 8 and the third day he caught a bakers dozen of
big Smallmouth and landed another 18-inch Master Anglers Award Smallie.
Fourth day had Tony landing 16 nice size Smallmouth up to 17.5-inches,
and at the end of the day Tony asked me to send special thanks to Tim
and Bryan (above), who led him to a Smallmouth fishing hole. Fifth day
was cold and rainy which brought Tony in early for a fabulous afternoon
nap, but not before catching 9 good size Smallmouth. On Tony’s sixth
and final day it was still cold and rainy, but Tony caught 12 nice
Smallmouth, two being over 17-inches, caught several good size Northern
Pike, and a BIG 27-inch Lake Trout. In all Tony had a fun week catching
fish and visiting with his Fireside Lodge friends who come fishing at
this same time every year.
Neil MacKinnon, Perryville, OH, with son Greg, Bexley, OH, son-in-law
Michael Barton, Chicago, IL, brothers Tom and John Ferguson from
Rossford, OH and Naples, FL and Dennis Carstensen from Perrysburg, OH
were making their eighth trip to Fireside Lodge. First day on the water
was a great day as Dennis and Tom caught some bigger fish both Northern
Pike, a few over 30-inch Lake Trout and Dennis landed a HIGE 19-inch
Master Anglers Award Smallie. The others all caught heir share of
Northern Pike and Smallmouth Bass. The next two days of their three-day
fishing package had them catching everything, Smallmouth Bass, Northern
Pike, Muskie and Lake Trout. The hot hand switched back and forth but
all caught their fair share of fish. All were glad to be back at
Fireside Lodge and sad that their three days went by way too fast.
Make sure to go to our website listed below to see the 2009 Photos
Hot Lures of The Week: X-Rap, Hair Jig, Tube Jig, Twister Tail, Blue Fox Spinner, Husky Jerk
Catches of the Week: two 39-inch Northern Pike, 21-inch Smallmouth Bass, 20.5-inch Smallmouth Bass, 40-inch Lake Trout
Please note that we have a “NEW” email address below.
examples of his and a friends catches are 48
Smallmouth, 80 Smallmouth Bass, 155 Smallmouth Bass, 120 Smallmouth, 50
plus Smallmouth Bass. The majority of these Smallmouth were 14 to 17
inches and plenty were over 17 inches, with several being Master
Anglers Awards Smallmouth over 18 inches. Two other days while fishing
with another guest Bill Stayer they caught 16 Northern Pike and 23
Smallmouth Bass and 22 Smallmouth and 9 Pike, and Frank lost a Pike
well over 40 inches right at boat side. Third day fishing together was
fabulous catching 48 Smallmouth Bass, 15 Northern Pike with several
being 34 to 36 inches and Bill lost a bigger Pike as he was unhooking
it at boat side. A special part of this day was when a bald eagle came
close enough for Bill to take some fabulous pictures which we all
enjoyed in the lodge that same evening. We also were able to view some
of their fish photos on our viewer in the main lodge. Anyone who has
digital photos can have them viewed in the lodge on our digital
viewer. Fourth day fishing for Frank and Bill was GREAT as they caught
46 Smallmouth Bass, 10 Northern Pike and a Whitefish. Next day while
fishing with another friend he caught 50 Smallmouth Bass and 6 Northern
Pike. Frank’s second to the last day while fishing with Bill they
caught 27 Smallmouth Bass, many 14 to 16 inches with several in the 17
to 18-inch class, and they had a blast catching 26 Northern Pike up to
33-inches on Slug-O and Senko worms. On Franks last day Frank and Bill
had a fun day catching 20 nice Smallmouth Bass, 6 Northern Pike and
Bill came up with the BIG fish of the day landing a HUGE 40-inch
Muskie. Frank left the next morning being very sad but at the same time
fulfilled with happiness from the memories made during his stay at
Fireside Lodge.
measuring 30 to 34 inches.
Also Tim caught a 39-inch Northern Pike just missing a master anglers
award by one inch, and Bryan had a mid 40-inch Muskie up to the boat,
however the Muskie won this battle, and Bryan intends on returning
later this year to attempt a re-match. Tim and Bryan also caught some
BIG Smallmouth Bass applying a technique new to them. This was open
water jigging on structure where Smallmouth spend most of their time in
the cold-water periods. They caught many sizable Smallmouth Bass with
Bryan landing a 19.5-inch Master Anglers Award Smallie, and Tim caught
an absolute Monster measuring in at 21-inches. The last two days
brought similar results as they caught 22 Northern Pike 30 to 39
inches, 6 Lake Trout 30 to 35 inches and 14 BIG Smallmouth Bass. In all
they caught seven Master Anglers Award Smallies one measuring 21
inches, three at 19, and three at 18 inches. Another Great Week at
Fireside Lodge, and Tim and Bryan are hoping to return later this
summer for a second fishing trip at Fireside Lodge.
Smallmouth Bass measuring 18.5 inches. The next five days,
despite cold windy weather most of the time, their daily catches ranged
between 14 to over 40 Smallmouth Bass, with Dennis catching a huge
19.5-inch Smallmouth Bass and Joe landing two mire BIG fish, one at 18
inches and the other was a MONSTER at 20.5-inches. Sixth day brought
them a cold windy day but they still managed 22 nice Smallmouth. As
weather improved on their seventh day the Smallmouth started to move,
and they had a great day catching 44 heavy Smallmouth with Joe catching
another 18-inch Master Anglers Award Smallie. Their eighth day had
these two catching over 40 Smallmouth Bass as the bite was hot until
about 1:00 pm and took until about 3:30 to pick up again. On their last
day they fished only until about 2:00 PM and caught 33 nice Smallmouth
Bass and Joe finished with another 18.5-inch Master Anglers Award
Smallmouth, and Dennis caught a huge Northern Pike that Joe release
before measuring. Joe ended up with 5 Master Anglers Award Smallmouth
Bass between 20.5 and 18 inches, and Dennis had two, one 18-incher and
a huge19.5-incher. Great finish to another great fishing trip at
Fireside Lodge
