SCORE! Trophy river walleye!
At least for me! We have the Allegheny River close by, in turn it feeds the Allegheny Reservoir/Kinzua inpoundment. Probably the second best walleye fishery in western PA, next to Lake Erie. It produced the state record of 17 pounds 9 oz. Well, I was fishing a smaller trib of the Allegheny. The water has been high for the past few weeks but finally came down. I was fishing a 4" tube jig in dark green w/ Gamkatsu hook 1/4 ounce jighead, Shimano reel with PowerPro 10 pound test line, Fenwick HMG rod, 6'6" medium action.
I had just gotten to a good spot. The river made a sharp bend into a long, slow section littered with downed trees and lined with steep banks. I began casting into the slower water of the inside bend of the stream right up where it entered the stretch. My second cast, I hit the opposite bank and bounced it into the water. Gave it about a 6-8 second count-down and began my retrieve. Jigging/bouncing it back to me, all of a sudden my rod loads up, way up! I gave it a good pull hookset and the fight was on! At first I wasn't sure it was even a fish, it was just heavy weight and this river is know for snags and junk in the water. I thought I had pulled a branch up off the bottom. Soon it was apparent it was a walleye. The biggest I'd seen caught there. Thank God for my fishing partner! Joel, this shout-out is for you! I could not have gotten the fish in without him. It was something out of combat training. Joel, on his stomach, arms reaching way down, holding my hand. Me, down on the near-vertical bank, one arm stretched sky-high and one reaching towards the water. Grabbed the fish, hand him off the Joel and I scramble back up the bank.
Score! Trophy walleye in my hands. The season is closed right now so I did release him. Tell the truth, I would released him anyways, I usually only keep a few fish a year. Its not a record breaker but it is my personal best.
PICS to follow.
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picture sharing
I had just gotten to a good spot. The river made a sharp bend into a long, slow section littered with downed trees and lined with steep banks. I began casting into the slower water of the inside bend of the stream right up where it entered the stretch. My second cast, I hit the opposite bank and bounced it into the water. Gave it about a 6-8 second count-down and began my retrieve. Jigging/bouncing it back to me, all of a sudden my rod loads up, way up! I gave it a good pull hookset and the fight was on! At first I wasn't sure it was even a fish, it was just heavy weight and this river is know for snags and junk in the water. I thought I had pulled a branch up off the bottom. Soon it was apparent it was a walleye. The biggest I'd seen caught there. Thank God for my fishing partner! Joel, this shout-out is for you! I could not have gotten the fish in without him. It was something out of combat training. Joel, on his stomach, arms reaching way down, holding my hand. Me, down on the near-vertical bank, one arm stretched sky-high and one reaching towards the water. Grabbed the fish, hand him off the Joel and I scramble back up the bank.
Score! Trophy walleye in my hands. The season is closed right now so I did release him. Tell the truth, I would released him anyways, I usually only keep a few fish a year. Its not a record breaker but it is my personal best.
PICS to follow.
[img][/img]
picture sharing
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Nice fish!!! 0 -
My buddies and I used to go to Kinzua (grew up in Pittsburgh) These are from circa 1984
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weneverCa ughtmuchjust ,t he occasional smallmouth, catfish, and really big carp once.0
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