Freshwater Grand Slam





I targeted walleyes on Lake Ronkonkoma last night. Although I caught walleyes, I also caught smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, and white perch. I totaled 8 fish - 4 walleyes, 2 smallmouths, 1 largemouth, and 1 white perch. 

I fished from 6 pm - 10:15 pm. Rick showed up later and caught some walleyes as well. The early part of the trip was extremely slow with only one hit before dark. 

At dusk, I hooked into a nice fish trolling a crankbait. I figured it was at least a 20" walleye by the fight, but then it jumped. It turned out to be a nice 16" smallmouth bass. My first bronzeback of the year, one of my favorite all-time fish. 

A few minutes later, I hooked into a heavy fish while turning a corner. It turned out to be an 18" walleye. A few minutes later, I hooked into another fish, but dropped it shortly thereafter. 

Soon, I caught a decent white perch, a fish that alluded me in my species quest last season in Kayak Wars. After passing a point, I picked up a 15" largemouth, which was a little brown, so I thought it was a smallmouth at first. 

For the next 40 minutes, the fishing slowed. From 9:00 pm until 9:30 pm, the walleyes started feeding intensely, and I picked up 3 more walleyes in a flurry, but they were all spread out across the lake. Last spring, the fish were much more congregated. I haven't found them schooled up at all this year. 

18" walleye.

Later, my main lure got snagged and the plug snapped off. Simultaneously, my other rod bent over and I thought I was stuck on the same structure, but then I heard a jump. After a spirited fight, I landed my second smallmouth of the night. It was slightly smaller than my first at 15". 

Overall, I was a little disappointed with the walleye fishing, but the other species made up for it, especially the smallmouths. The area that the walleyes had congregated last spring has been completely void of eyes this year. Although the walleyes have mostly been spread out, I have consistently caught them in one area this season on every trip. 

My fishfinder ran out of juice around dusk. If that was working, I may have caught more fish. I was mostly blind trolling with shallow plugs, and would change direction when the lip started smacking the bottom. The smallmouths were holding deeper than the walleyes. 

Overall, a great night. I expect to return to better fishing next week. 

Smallmouth bass.

White perch.

Largemouth bass.