Diamonds are the Rough

<p>While many of you were on the Root, I was on an excursion up to Leech to celebrate the end of the general closure. &nbsp;It&#39;s a yearly tradition of my father&#39;s that I&#39;ve been adopted into, and I can&#39;t bring myself to disrupt it, despite my increasing indifference to walleye fishing. &nbsp;This year, however, I decided to dedicate some of my time to pursuing under-appreciated species on the big water. &nbsp;I know much of the trip is not in the spirit of rough fishing, but I hope the love of &quot;rough&quot; fish shines through.</p> <p>On Friday I went on an extended field trip on the Boy River, attempting to locate my lifer Greater Redhorse. &nbsp;It&#39;s pretty marshy territory up there, and several of the places I thought would provide decent shoreline access turned out to be nearly un-walkable. &nbsp;I was confined to fishing under a few bridges and only found one pool of any depth. &nbsp;The river was running clear and swift, and yielding very few fish.</p> <p>I never located my Greater, but I did pick up a couple of out-of-season game fish, including some walleye and this real nice largemouth.</p> <p><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/XqkoEtemTS-gRk35-w3yVxUZ0GC2PRQv6IJ1aVSZr_EqJp3sOvWJRzbbNQl2myUT7vAbuYz2twfbCF4nF0i0hAvO1dGhjqyznLqIZ0fVIC5DbQ7lRdUP1tnC1EYmwHf0P8lnuRjU3vT-Gjwi0QE2H0Xq3WbmSWnYTKaQKW-39EMgLCc62IAQ2Aq93TyptXKieEBUq23vLpHNytPuK5g5RN6UT7V1UkC5PWzvOy9ur7b9Wqh5FmxeGuIu69CnUnSK-wJ0gQJ_Cfzvtn_PCqDI0prA_FK4EJuddpLkn1X9B8Xo1H4hWDD3YHROsJeQi6Gbkig3MecENqEUJM8YvRZS_wsvDO95IhNoK9SX7-eD4BH5l4mTi2M0T5jj9OY0kLM3mlTxIybU7kE9i9RzcUDyDPZuShC4t7gBR_LQeWUmV9af38BD3A-TdKPcA4O-2QTxEqFLsHFD4eCjAAHGnnmIX9994Ct7I6_KNqsLCWMbC_CzNRkbOKihnosxewCG4G9XCktBI67KlH5VvOPj0wuMTbxhql6tDBy1f1XBWT6AM7-foNLz9dT06AYetc-pUEhhw5Jn2WtgNFNXb4h7hbfOQaoLJczOxfPL8GkE6NslxViJx-7ogZkF=w531-h944-no" style="width: 281px; height: 500px;" /></p> <p>I also fished below Federal Dam, hoping there&#39;d be some fish schooled up under it. &nbsp;Had very little luck, so I broke out the fly rod and caught my first fish on the fly, a rock bass! &nbsp;Old red-eye never lets me down. &nbsp;Sadly, no pic. (so it didn&#39;t happen.)</p> <p>It was a really calm day on Leech when I got back, and the water was extremely clear. &nbsp;While I was standing on the shore admiring the view, I spotted a bunch of fish swimming around. &nbsp;Strong shouldered, golden, with dark black stripes. &nbsp;Hundreds of white suckers in mating colors! &nbsp;Every twenty yards down the shoreline there were another twenty to thirty fish chasing down a female.</p> <p>I broke out the fly rod, tied on a bug that looked sucker-friendly and went to work. &nbsp;The males relentlessly chasing the females. &nbsp;Across the shoreline there were occasional eruptions of activity. &nbsp;I spotted on several occasions the female start to spasm, and then the males reflexively have their own seizures, and then all parties swimming in different directions. For an hour and a half I tried to tempt a bite. &nbsp;I even broke out the spinning rod and crawlers. &nbsp;Not a single fish was interested in eating. I always imaged snacks were welcome and an orgy. &nbsp;Guess I was wrong.</p> <p>Went out at midnight for the walleyes. &nbsp;Ended up trolling a long reef (boring) and catching my limit in a couple hours. &nbsp;I like walleye. &nbsp;They&#39;re pretty, and taste good. &nbsp;But god help me, trolling is boring.</p> <p>Aside from dinner, the night troll got me a bit sleep deprived. &nbsp;I was up at 7am the next morning to meet up with my father-in-law and company to show them around the east side of the lake. &nbsp;I ended up in the boat with my brother-in-law, Ryan, with the others in pursuit. &nbsp;It was a bluebird day with a very light east wind. &nbsp;Far from ideal walleye conditions. &nbsp;We bounced around and caught several fish, but most of them were in the slot. &nbsp;Ryan didn&#39;t seem to mind, as long as we were on fish.</p> <p><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/GKgSKt6H7QxXha-T4OjD1r27-YnCFtxWOmiXXxfJt8AUyeFopIrBB1lcTvFt9syRWvl1kXyU3B24RpEU5TPdEr5H8x6yJlV2dpBdiTPOHe_CfWbkrnAznHGMGKEyL1RYlyhsaNZH26E-c8OrMyv7IcmitDN-p-KTI7s0m_2Xhz5Z86SvpSnElO_NQCnTm-yh63U3o4Rr6a70LV-M5De39NdVN5WOqDrrP3KGE9lgT1Lt4PcP_0cSF15IOFWQ9HQpB0ABj4jnshQ-sDnyvjzDocnEUzyZ2AaP4UiDginiPOTxQ6BO6FThzMI_iXIPYDvUM7e9NH6o5MGmHuTgw38Pdnl1wvW0EbSPR9Qf8QpJr1XQRn5ESV80Tf9zyOR_385klYVljPptmJFL9pAs4xeGb0J6dziughBCJiY9QQhE94H48Yi2OubEQPAQp7i_3-T4Vd1p71y3-5l_4shejoIWE3CdHTHGsC5LUjxqh9lC9yivsdfpU95FyghUyyQvuURo_Ud71V-U3ifT9ZRpandUqVLUTOaTDP5b5s1YCrawk--iDVYP9q7FjYzQxkJQ-nUwxv3dFCXroc39saouTUhxXO_o_3Vj6WqkXE73bjUKxPWTpOm8sv3p=w1679-h944-no" style="height: 281px; width: 500px;" /></p> <p>He picked up a nice accidental smallie, too.</p> <p><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5Xe2ZBoz0SXss-Qn-GSzRlk-pBBFaCjE-Ol_cRGvxhdWubZfk-FgMwBon5GmDWFuaZY_E06E1vkV_UvRk-LGOb42JFrUif8KWbrE4BVZx3X7A9UecFkN_tA57L9SEvRSb1UcAihs-eOu6NoujHW1qdHqDUPMk5XbUD_AKf_mmw-Zue7s5PREWVc-fT3SnZqCFAFzQMfcBVFuoOkUSyvCZ0Byu280GDuExMnc9TjoK02fYqeqiKwL9vFfyLux0rX8XWDla81ocDUfP5VgZ7LYL17Oi8fEQtXc27jTerQ2cW9pTOAHr6WPfLLVBTDEKljiGAflMDXnNbUoktbaPZFnqO6XpIup_qK0lYAZZqu9fP4bp5_g316lkLtscABudIvla-UlS335YU6cX4dlR0ygTN225SYujDOKUQ8EXD7NnZIr8NZvrFolQAFX_kQV3GhDkl7MLdDSzR9xTWoeONjxQiZI4XEpaWa2rC-Vi44HNybTSuMUZ6bOgwegZPfuKLpeZgdWNCDCUOprnjjeaRK2UmCUzFhTvwGgi5ZMXQlp5EPoYAnOQ37NBFtR-iJx4995Gw2VQ496Alf3rnmMjCXjXzTOFmiI3Uoc9LoxNnuOCA6gsnZcioV7=w531-h944-no" style="width: 281px; height: 500px;" /></p> <p>It was a beautiful day filled with jigs and lindy rigs. &nbsp;Much better than trolling, but still not what I was up there for.</p> <p>Sunday I was fishing with Butcher John. (We have three guys in our party named John. &nbsp;And he&#39;s a butcher.) &nbsp;The wind had picked up out of the east, gusting hard. &nbsp;All our usual spots bordered on un-fishable. &nbsp;About 10:30am the old man barks through the marine radio: &quot;Phil, there&#39;s a group of guys in the fish house cleaning up a dozen Eelpout.&quot;</p> <p>After collecting the relevant details, we were bouncing across the inclement lake toward a distant mid-lake reef, much to the chagrin of Butcher John.</p> <p>A 20 minute ride and 30 minutes of fishing later, I am hooked into what feels like a trophy Walleye, and then I feel a very usual set of tail-slaps. &nbsp;&quot;This is it.&quot; &nbsp;John laughs in bemused confusion, suspcious of my excitement. &nbsp;I pull up this 27&quot; burbot!</p> <p><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ANGN2IvFS_Wz0GlkKPGgk-qJGA6M5rxOOUQywyHMLplWdS0cQvxeoE2wwrzQv-rIXeXWCUk9xGhXzu7ssiKdhbZwaeo8ovjzCcG1Ss52-NNpOPVKu4xyQ5MkcQDW9WfUt8ARRVWrowq_9oD2cV7bjRrrJchY3U6ddK7hoZ-Aj_dq5oMbQ17a7O7mSb2tSfptoalLIpDcmUm__4-FRWAWTEogC9sGv06Gq0hEz9nqv7KprihondXrljSjuApMV1qVnf1ud5qlBrYbdnVMEwuMy9WwKdUX4fHMy8zd95C5_vv6MhKNR7L01GHtq3mxxHloBoR8bM5BVUIRcbJaFduqw-cLGgp796hfMfWYm3s662OcpvmQEV6Aw9coxtlOOj-kwdBIpZlpdR-bWbkl2Dtsmdp4eLKLieCXa1sByq58aATmB7yRaXWBWnDxS6mvviLkT0JBz2nryaPqDInkXSjHy7uNj8FgVQjx11C9BAS_Fd3cD930jcrl9wMz1jnw1kSFdBvRh4R8KuoXgbjoEYIBvnWQV9mK-NaWKfMwbsb5b6oyRR1cOummj8MI3k-dnJbsBFn9xNAWyUtrxRBD8TWW1rpwY9Sank9G97z3JIocYpWdBzqirE6Z=w1679-h944-no" style="height: 281px; width: 500px;" /></p> <p>Pleased as pie to get a lifer, I take the rest of the evening to imbibe in fishing fuel.</p> <p>Weather on Monday was mediocre, and the fishing was worse. &nbsp;As I am jumping from reef to reef trying to find something other than 22&quot; pike, the paternal radio barking resumes: &quot;We&#39;re in the crappie hole, catching big bluegill, Billy just caught a 28&quot; eelpout.&quot; &nbsp;Bullshit, I reply. &nbsp;&quot;No, seriously, come check it out.&quot; &nbsp;After a few more failed drifts of the reef I&#39;m on, I make my way to the crappie hole.</p> <p>&quot;You gotta see this fish, Phil, it&#39;s a monster. &nbsp;Billy caught it on his ultra-light, took us 10 minutes.&quot; &nbsp;He attempts to grab the fish. &quot;It&#39;s too damn strong&quot; &nbsp;I instruct my father to grab it by the mouth, like a catfish, as burbot don&#39;t have teeth. &nbsp;&quot;I can&#39;t get it. F*** it.&quot; &nbsp;He grabs a net and pulls it out that way.</p> <p>&quot;Dad, that&#39;s not an eelpout. &nbsp;It&#39;s got scales. &nbsp;That&#39;s a dogfish.&quot; &nbsp;A look of foggy realization washes over my father and Billy. &nbsp;&quot;Also, they&#39;ve got more teeth than they do scales, so it&#39;s a good thing you didn&#39;t get a hold of it&#39;s lip.&quot; &nbsp;After they finish laughing, my dad proceeds to inform everyone that Billy is no longer allowed to identify fish, as he &quot;can&#39;t tell a crappie from a catfish.&quot;</p> <p>I had already caught my lifer Bowfin earlier this spring, but I see this as an opportunity to upgrade on size. &nbsp;I rig up a small sucker under a slip float and follow it around in the boat while the other guys catch their bluegill. &nbsp;Soon enough (an hour later), I catch myself a 30&quot; inch Bowfin! &nbsp;What a tank!</p> <p><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5sBG_BQjV_Sxnfv-kJ_KKs2USl8TjIYm9v33Z-2n72rfOafFmEOiMPAyoVWvdDu3Fypt7yw_SiW-WTmGdWZ8HwJJ9WrLB2M1XOAQu-PP0vHWv9vQhavcz5Qf5XVVYfEN1mFsHuMg3PdRG-ciExadpoXVrXuYJCgdAtuwe6xCEHFw4kzSnFcliIK6Civ7Pn3VG1rCVuemtEIxvsdkk4xqzP8snTnU2cbgiWOsAul3WEDl-9pHW73FSXiyLC-t0wBTKCCTGg0BTTsF5vTbDJhCmaNxUQsmqnk2B2WO754sUvDat7gNhb5nSTjj1RjP2y97yT7kJTw47cEHAO0khTJCOMzauxMCuQccZjErrqyIVZIiZkcfD3oMyPA666nKfCOisQvVmWsytQ_dOo1G2oH7Qd3Ddp_snXmumG5bsqPm3zfr0xR384x5zZPZG5gmu1uCEM7r7SCdWUYpwdYdWQ1tilZxv-cjUO_LOjGYQiBK2yQYcVJc0251rnJHiHV_hXmQNoXNK-9bJjoX10EXUsJHA0Ahx1w2EoDojQMz5cfIZ6xICw-TpVnHfhA9cy14iOxvPELHMtquu3TlrwwwlWkc9pNWKF7XmiZHdpZMqoWYkbjGz1MvH_ov=w1679-h944-no" style="height: 281px; width: 500px;" /></p> <p>As pleased as I was with that fish, my father was doubly excited for the bluegills they caught. &nbsp;A real nice batch of fish between 8 and 9 inches.</p> <p><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/o04pyhOtTlBpWW1r7L2BVtYAriVRoWaO7ZoKMn-JrgApFbJCjpHznTb9sffxjGDV1W1-gkLwbq74co_Ejh1x9YZGrKFY-d2H5UXCyAJHIl_OybKE0Gv14rE-PXz1pTdSpKaCtF1cQ7zdsnqKjnHTylgNdbFABd7CQpzO8IrGqvvRlHdnlIEEYpCt8rvcl0WO-Z91XnXXG9omB2kCQmVrDyYL8aIEALvs51Q7QGc5GU3XOIaimxDK6Ww4n04ChzUNAaZcGAsL1G3QL4LjMBpZLWhDQ30oUWOep8RJj63aqsRaeoxLIKW1fwpCrq5Ju1UgXfoPFG6soqQvskx5im9_mJfBM_IQKb82RzrRLpeLoUicT5vXN2xfj-IaOA-d-Lr61vpQh58I6K1z5YIQe6cCiSUSgajjMUpbUa1WZw0QYuJR5_egRipTgI1gcbFJaIB7rvJ21W2R-5dnKBUjsz_XPrYJ7ruXxKjNJzhOeoXoUPyNxppmsuEJtGCM2XiluYtjBNVZEYInQVJypKLOg_A0s6-nf2C0TA8G5-gp80OOnDXQ8Zj4TTPpLi-eIDPPCP2bhIl-Aw-naFiTKeyK-VnvvlB3DmxMD76FFj5TWNCKvWO3-an0g8eM=w531-h944-no" style="width: 281px; height: 500px;" /></p> <p>They tasted great. &nbsp;I didn&#39;t have the courage to carve up the Bowfin, so she got let go.</p> <p>The rest of the trip was pretty textbook walleye fishing. &nbsp;Lots of slot fish let go, a good number of big perch, and a seemingly endless supply of 22&quot; pike. &nbsp;While I&#39;m upset I didn&#39;t find my lifer Greater, the burbot made the trip feel worth it.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>