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PatrickJr

Tips on fishing Upper Lake Mary?

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My father and I will be headed up to do a fishing trip with a side of prairie dog and coyote hunting. We plan to mainly fish lake Mary. We have never fished it before. We are looking to catch a bunch of firsts, first pike, walleye, catfish(me), small and largemouth bass. I am by no means an experienced fisherman, mostly ever catching stocked trout. I honestly can say I know how to fish in Alaska more than I do here. We will be renting a boat. Maybe some tips on what we should be throwing? Thanks for any help! I know it is the weekend of the fourth, it was the only weekend my dad and I had days off that worked out. Maybe it won't be too busy? We should be up there from mid Friday to the morning of Tuesday.

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If you don't mind I will leach on this one, I'm heading there in a week or so

. good luck. I caught 1 pike many years ago near the west end with a black curly tail jig plastic.

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+1 on the swim baits. If you want to catch your first clam, just let your lure drag the bottom a bit and you can catch one of those also.

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Red/ white red devil spoons and 3" fish shaped plastics on a jig head work best for me for the pike/ walleye. I use chicken liver at night for the catfish

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Cool, I definitely will be running some swimbaits, and might pick up that red and white spoon as I have heard elsewhere that they are great.

 

Has anyone had any success using a top water frog?

 

I picked up some perch swimbaits and and eppinger red and white dardevle

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Most fish you will catch will be within 10 ft of the bank so if your shore fishing dont forget to parallel right up against the shore. The walleye should still be on fire. and +1 on 2 to 3 inch swimbaits, usually black and white (Crappie color) or Fire Tiger (Perch Color) they will catch the larger crappies too. Also If you can find a good patch of Mullen that's submerged on the shoreline Pick it apart real good, there's always fish in those stick ups. I tend to go passed the narrows and fish the rd side for best luck it gets hit by the wind the hardest, the windier it is the better theyre biting just sucks trying to cast smaller lures. For pike cant go wrong with a Rapala Jerkbait, or Lazereye, Red is always good to have colorwise for the pike.Goodluck!

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red and black buzz-baits and spinners with steel leaders..... buzz-bait liked to do a weightless trailer about 6 inches behind.... heck on one trip after losing a half dozen rigs (fishing bait on bobber) because they kept attacking the the Hunter Orange Bobbers cutting my Mono above the leader ... I fashioned my own Mcgyver top water bait running a steel leader just through the bobber connected to a big treble hook... That thing out fished everything that weekend landing 23 pike before a big one stole it. That was my last trip up there about 6 years ago ... If I ever go back I will be making up a few variations similar to what I made on the bank that day B)

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red and black buzz-baits and spinners with steel leaders..... buzz-bait liked to do a weightless trailer about 6 inches behind.... heck on one trip after losing a half dozen rigs (fishing bait on bobber) because they kept attacking the the Hunter Orange Bobbers cutting my Mono above the leader ... I fashioned my own Mcgyver top water bait running a steel leader just through the bobber connected to a big treble hook... That thing out fished everything that weekend landing 23 pike before a big one stole it. That was my last trip up there about 6 years ago ... If I ever go back I will be making up a few variations similar to what I made on the bank that day B)

I have thought about doing that exact same thing haha! Iv seen em absolutely destroy those Styrofoam bobbers ...I mean pieces everywhere.

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red and black buzz-baits and spinners with steel leaders..... buzz-bait liked to do a weightless trailer about 6 inches behind.... heck on one trip after losing a half dozen rigs (fishing bait on bobber) because they kept attacking the the Hunter Orange Bobbers cutting my Mono above the leader ... I fashioned my own Mcgyver top water bait running a steel leader just through the bobber connected to a big treble hook... That thing out fished everything that weekend landing 23 pike before a big one stole it. That was my last trip up there about 6 years ago ... If I ever go back I will be making up a few variations similar to what I made on the bank that day B)

I have thought about doing that exact same thing haha! Iv seen em absolutely destroy those Styrofoam bobbers ...I mean pieces everywhere.

 

Yeah!!! I was getting pissed off, seeing how often they were shredding those cheap Bright Orange Styrofoam Cigar Bobbers cutting my line in the process leaving my to re-rig .... And I always try to be prepared ... Gutted the yellow plastic clip from center ran about 18 inches of steel leader through it with a few different size beads between a 3/0 treble hook and bobber and bobber and top of leader where I had a stopper allowing for about an 1 - 1/12 inches of gap to allow it to slide back and fourth, little cracking the beads , on the 18 inch leader .... I was not surprised that it worked but was surprised how well .... plus beat the heck out of losing $4-$7 spinners for every few fish like my buddies were doing ...

I do not get up fishing pike that often , but I dang sure will make up some more variations and one just like I made on shore that day ...

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Are there any parts of the lake in particular that are better than others?

I prefer the narrows to the south, haven't been by there in a while so not sure how much water is in there. When I fished Lake Mary if there were weeds in that part of the lake I would go until my trolling motor was kicking up mud and cast a spinnerbait as far as I could up shallower. And watch when you get back to the boat, a lot of hits at the boat. If they are in that area you can't fish a spinnerbait too fast.

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Iv Been catching most fish (Walleye) From the narrows to the south end like elkaddict says. I like to fish the rd side cause it gets more wind blown and stirs up craws and baitfish for em.

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