Tittabawassee River Mother Load.

[Walleye Express]

Heres the skinny.

Got to Caldwell ramp about 9:00am. To my surprise the parking lot was full. In years past seeing 6 other vehicles a week after the inland walleye opener was rare. Decided then and there to avoid the crowd and head way down river. Started trolling the Power line run about 1/2 mile below the Gamms Hardware launch in Freeland. Hit three nice fish in short order.

But like always on the Tittabawassee there was an obstacle to overcome and a technique to be refined for our success. The river was running high and debris filled. Combine that and all the buds from the trees falling in the river, and your line and lures would load up in 2 minutes trolling.

I was going to run 4 rods in the holders but that was impossible with the debris. I told the boys to hold their rods and give them short/sharp snaps as we trolled. This kept all but the worst debris off the lures. I also discovered that the fish were laying right in the middle of the river and not in the current side holes and slots. Laying between the the faster outside current and the solwer inside current. So I would swing/troll (zig zag if you will) the boat back and forth over this seam and the fish would hit as the lures swung in or out of this seam. And man did they unload for average sized walleyes. About 12:30 the crowd went home and we hit the spillway for bass.

Kinda lost track of how many fish we caught but I'll give it a good guess.

16 walleyes/14 keepers/one 24 incher.

65 smallies/three 20 inchers/don't know weight they all went back.

6 nice crappies.

1 catfish.

[GLF]

Kinda lost track of how many fish we caught but I'll give it a good guess.

16 walleyes/14 keepers/one 24 incher.

65 smallies/three 20 inchers/don't know weight they all went back.

6 nice crappies.

1 catfish.

WOW Nice catch Dan!

[Priority1]

WTG Dan. I caught my first Walleye on the Titt, and a quite a few after that. The river owes me two rods and reels, and a ton of jigs.

[Walleye Express]

Thank's guys.

And yes that river has taken a few things from me and others new to her shallow and pile-on filled dynamics. Seen many a lower unit on regular boats get cleanly and surgically removed over the years. Even seen a boat being towed back to the launch yesterday. But she don't owe me a thing and has given me more good memories then all three of my wives. :lol:

[Walleye Express]

Couldn't resist calling a dear friend who helped me get started in guiding 23 years ago. His help, guidance and generosity (IMV) can really never be re-paid, but I took a large chunk off the pay-back ledger today. I sent him home with a limit of nice eyes and wore him out on the smallies.