An Outdoorsman’s Journal

By: Mark Walters

Long Day on Green Bay

Hello friends: I can honestly say I would rather fish out of a canoe than a boat. I enjoy the challenge which physical, danger and skill adds to the game, and there is no worries of a trailer or boat break down. Green Bay is probably my favorite place to paddle troll and I have had incredible success and some trips where I did not come close to catching a fish. This week I headed just north of Oconto to fish walleye and sleep wherever my canoe took me.

Sunday, May 21 High 74, low 43 I am at Oconto County Park and Campground which is north of Oconto about seven miles. My plan is to rig my canoe for fishing and pack it for traveling. I take my time at the landing and talk to about a dozen fishermen who do not have good reports as they trailer their boats.

My rig is ready, and I begin paddling north towards Peshtigo and after my Helix 7 tells me I am over 7-feet of water. I begin setting lines, which in this case is a couple of planer boards with crawler harnesses behind them and a crankbait straight back on a spinning rod. I am very excited for a rod to start bending and the crazy experience of catching big walleye while fighting it on my knees on the floor of my canoe. Long story short, after 4 hours I did not have a hit nor did any fishermen that I spoke with, and I headed to a hideout campsite near Peshtigo where I was immediately hit by a wave of mosquitoes that were very hungry.

I put up my tent as fast I possibly could, sprayed the door area with bug dope, opened the door and got in as fast I could. The tent I am using is about the size of a coffin and from inside I could watch and listen to thousands of mosquitoes, and they all had one common goal.

Monday, May 22 High 75, low 46 I was awake at first light and knew I had to get out of bed,“sleeping bag on the ground”get out of my tent and break camp as fast as I possibly could. I did this and it was not a pleasant way to start the day, bug dope and lots of clothes worked. So, I am paddling out to sea, there is a northeast wind and every report I have says it will switch to the south in mid to late morning. I say perfect, head south towards Oconto which is maybe 10 miles away and use the southern tailwind to push me back to my truck.

I know that I am going to catch a lot of walleyes and I am very excited. Two hours into my journey not a hit and the wind is still out of the northeast. At 12:30 I had been in the canoe for 6 hours; I am kneeling on a cooler and I have cooler butt and squashed knees. I am at the Oconto landing and the wind is still out of the northeast. I paddle west along the shoreline but about a mile out as anything less than 7-feet of water is guaranteed weeds, which is guaranteed no fish and a lot of work to reset lines.

At 1:42 my spinning rod starts bending, I have been fishing for over 11 hours counting the night before. I am in disbelief when I pull it out of the rod holder, and I actually have a fish on. Believe it or not I caught a 23-inch walleye. I’m not a zero, I’m a hero. I rerig. I am maybe 6-miles from my truck and the northeast wind is now a headwind and getting stronger, sometimes my hands go numb and often I get blown into the weeds.

My trophy is double hooked on my trusty stringer. I pick it up to look at it and my stringer has broken. I can honestly say I seldom get mad, and I didn’t, but I was bummed. I guess I am a zero. Just like that 2 rods start bending. I get a double on perch, and they are amazingly huge. I get blown into very shallow water. The wind is now very strong. I am well aware that I am in the land of H E double toothpicks.

I tried to fish to the last minute but was constantly losing ground instead of gaining. The last 500 yards to the landing was true 3-footers. I am played out. I make it to the Chevy Hotel. I have a hard time getting out of my canoe after exactly 12 hours of being in it. My trusty truck pulls into my driveway just before midnight. I have a coating of sunscreen, bug spray, worm goo and sweat covering my body. I fail to even use a washcloth to clean up. The sheets can be washed.

I must return to Green Bay! Sunset

After 10 hours of paddle trolling Mark Walters had a hit and it was this walleye.

This is basically my cockpit/view/office when paddle trolling.

A very simple camp on Green Bay.