STELLAR day at Haag today(Thurs.)

[trollin4trout]

Now- before I tell the story and show the pics- you HAVE to PROMISE to leave me parking spot on Saturday:D
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I don't hear anything.........:whistle:

Oh well- there's only a couple people reading this anyways........:pray:

I had big brooders on the brain- so took the day off and called my cousin to go back to Haag for the day. Well, he saw the last fish pic, so he only hesitated for about a microsecond!

We trolled towards the dam from Ramp A and just as we turned away from the dam to head back, my pole starts bouncing and I reeled in this 18 incher!

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w110/jnbradley3/18inch2Haag031209w.jpg

Nice way to start the day! Caught him on this AC Plug- I'm really beginning to LIKE this lure!

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w110/jnbradley3/ACplug1w.jpg

We trolled all around there for another hour and a half and finally left the scene- trolled to the other end- caught 2 stockers down there(well Mike did-on a Needlefish) Got tired of that and trolled back to the dam area- soon Mike's reel starts screaming that real cool sound- we had a fire drill for a couple minutes and then saw this coming at us!

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w110/jnbradley3/26inchHaagMike031209w.jpg

Soon after he was in the boat!

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w110/jnbradley3/26inch2HaagMike031209w.jpg

We didn't measure it but sure looked as big as the one I caught on Sat.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w110/jnbradley3/28nch3HaagMike031209w.jpg

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w110/jnbradley3/28nch4HaagMike031209w.jpg

He was just trolling a 2 inch orange /white Needlefish with a couple splitshots above it. I changed lures to this :

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w110/jnbradley3/plug2w.jpg



and a half hour later my rod goes down and I bring in this! Another 18 incher!

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w110/jnbradley3/18inch3Haag031209w.jpg

After another hour of nothing I go back to my AC Plug and not long after my rod torques over and a big fish jumps and this big fatty lands in the net!

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w110/jnbradley3/22inchHaag031209w.jpg

22+ inches and very plump!

All the fish were good fighters and are still in the lake. On the way back to the ramp my pole bouces again and when I pick it up, I know it's a small one. Look how small of a fish decided to grab that huge AC Plug! HaHa- a funny ending to a great day!

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w110/jnbradley3/tinytroutACplugw.jpg

Had a great time with cousin Mike(Captain Mike), the weather was superb after we survived the cool morning and there's a chance we might go back on Saturday (DUH- ya' think?)

Don't fret the cold water- put a big lure out there and KEEP trolling!
(edit-I was thinking about this comment this morning on the way to work-hmmmm- the biggest fish was actually caught on the SMALLEST lure! And the other three I saw caught by others on Sat. were caught on lake troll rigs. That probably means that anything you put out there could get swallowed, if you just keep it moving. We trolled for 10 1/2 hours- non-stop.)

Jim

P.S. - Parks dept- you better put another person at the toll booth on Sat. 'cause here we come!!!!!

[The Nothing]

WOW, thats some great action for one day. I've only seen one of those biggin's once!

[Willis]

Jim you are truly the man :bowdown::bowdown::bowdown: but I thought you had sworn off going back to hagg? I should have fished with you today we got skunked on the willy for gators.

[comeherefish]

Great report....I'd give you my parking spot if I could!!!

[Crainkbait]

VERY cool.

[Hooked up]

Very nice! :applause::applause:

[fish-on-bend]

Nice fish Jim, great report. Cool hat too by the way.:D

[Wild Chrome]

Nice fish again!:thisbig:

[tatered]

there are some real nice fish in that lake! good work guys!

[TroutBass]

Some great looking fish. I didnt know that there were such fattys in hagg. Glad to hear you let them go to fight another day.

[trollin4trout]

thought you had sworn off going back to hagg?

Well, maybe one more time :D

Some great looking fish. I didnt know that there were such fattys in hagg. Glad to hear you let them go to fight another day.

Seems like they must be dropping a few more of those brooders in there the last couple years OR........ these could be the stocker trout I've released there in the last 3-5 years who now recognize how many KARMA points I have stored up in there and are now paying me back!!!! Yeah - that's it!

[CWOregon]

A couple pigs you got there.

[Wild Chrome]

Seems like they must be dropping a few more of those brooders in there the last couple years OR........ these could be the stocker trout I've released there in the last 3-5 years

I'd be really curious to know how many brooders have been planted and how often the state believes the stockers get that big.

[trollin4trout]

Yeah- me too. If I were to guess by the looks of these fish- compared to holdovers in Devil's Lake (the only place I've caught known stockers that have grown up in the lake)- I would say that these fish are "dropped in just now brooders" and not "grown up holdovers". I think this mostly because of their condition- their fins and tails are all stunted and deformed. They have been in a concrete pond their whole life and have not had to swim to catch their food. In Devil's Lake the bigger fish are all perfectly formed, beautiful fins and tail and color- and very strong! These in Haag, while they do seem to have more fight than some of the "slug" brooders I've seen- they are definitely not THAT strong for their huge size.

Any other theories or direct knowledge of whuz up with these fish?

[Gillfish3]

Jim, you are my hero. You shure know how to find them. We hit it hard for about 7 hours on friday and only one drive by but the rod realy went down.

Keep up the good work.

George
Gillfish3

[Nw dukn]

WOW those are some nice fish..

[Gonzo]

Is the water still to cold for the smaller fish to become active and really hit fast and furious?

[trollin4trout]

yes- we caught two stockers - ALL day today.