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October 2002Vol. 7, No. 3 Another good one! It's been another good year on the bay. Walleye were good thru June, generally running a couple weeks late all season long. Bass fishermen report a good fall season, with some 18 to 19 inchers landed earlier in October, on crank baits and jigging with walleye chubs. The usual fall walleye season got a slow start because of inconsistent weather. Many reports from fishermen say the walleye are shorter in length but heavier in weight this year. They're still talking around the store about the 11 pound walleye caught by a guest at the Resort in early October. Perch are more active this fall, with good numbers of eating size caught on minnows. And the nuisance fish, the goby, has been seen in the area. If you catch one of these, don't catch-and-release... kill it! The goby competes with game fish and is called an Aquatic Nuisance Species by the DNR. Lake Michigan is up about 10 inches from a year ago, and that helped make it a less stressful year for boat owners. The greater water depth has caused some fishing spots to change... but the old fishermen around the Resort just say you've got to keep checking. Hot spots change... fish move around and what was a good spot a while ago may be no good today... but next week it may be the best place on the bay. Success has been reported by fishermen on the east bank of the bay, and along the reefs. If you're looking for eating size walleye, try the north end of the bay. Trophy size are found south of Escanaba in the Portage Point area. Along with the new reservation form for 2003 included with this newsletter, comes a reminder. Reservations sent in without the $100 deposit will not be accepted! Walleye Stew 2 pounds walleye fillets cut into 1-inch pieces 1 16-ounce can peeled, diced tomatoes 4 fresh tomatoes, chopped 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 small onion -- finely chopped 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1 fresh jalapeno chili -- thinly sliced 3 cups de-fatted chicken broth 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels 1/2 cup chopped parsley 1/2 cup (slightly sweet) white wine 1 teaspoon honey 4 Servings Heat oil in a 4 to 5-quart pan over medium-high heat. Add fresh tomatoes, the jalapeno chili, onion, and corn. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to brown (about 10 minutes). Add broth, wine and the canned tomatoes. Cover and bring to a boil, then turn off the heat before stirring in the fish. Keep on the burner for 2 minutes, then remove from burner and let stand until fish is just cooked. Stir in fresh lime juice, honey, and sprinkle with parsley before serving. Serve with garlic toast. Ice fishing season coming soon... We're nearly at the end of the soft-water season, and lots of guys are stopping in the store to check out the tip-ups, and other special ice-fishing gear for the hard-water season. Another mild winter is expected locally, so no one is making predictions when we'll be able to get started. The cabins will be closed again this winter, so further improvements can be made. Stop in at the store for bait and say hi to Connie and Naomi when you come up for winter fishing fun. Have you checked out the bay-shore-resort.com web site lately? Improvements are made regularly, and the latest fishing report from the DNR is always available. Naomi says you can save a long-distance call to the resort to check on fishing conditions, by reading the DNR's weekly report on the species sought in the local area. A link will take you to a report on conditions all over the Upper Peninsula and Lower Michigan as well. While you're at the resort's web site, be sure to look at the pictures of the successful fishermen and their catches. The web site includes pictures of some to the special items that are found in the store... like the Marbles knives, safety-axes, and compasses, Wolverine knives, and fishing lures. Naomi notes the Reef-Runners are popular with fishermen shopping in the store as well as on-line. Different colors are coming soon, Naomi added. Another hot lure in the shop is The Producers "Double Downer", a lot like Storm's old Hot-&-Tots with the metal lip. Matzuo's Prizm lures work as well or better than the old Storm Prizm lures, Naomi said, as they're basically the same style. New colors are expected soon on these as well. Another group of products moving fast in the shop are replacement parts from Off Shore Tackle. Snap weight clips and pads are hard-to-find in some parts of the country, but there's a good supply here at the store. Coming up for ice fishing season? Be sure to look over the lures on display in the shop, and stock up on your favorites so you'll be ready for next year. The Corner Connie & Naomi have been busy naming the squirrels living just outside their backdoor. Mr. Grey and Blackie are regulars, coming up to beg for handouts. Another neighbor is the "Boogie Coon", who has learned to hang down from a tree branch to get at a feeder filled with birdseed. A family of minks has been spotted in the neighborhood too. The search for a new dog continues...
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