Big Lakers on Big Green
By Randy Rothenbueler
After arriving on Big Green Lake Saturday, February 18 at about 8:00 am to target lake trout, Vic Hren and I set up about 400 yards off of Horner’s Landing where I have fished before. Using tip-ups with golden shiners and jig rods with heavy jigs and cut bait, we had no hits until 11:00 am.
We noticed a group of five also using tip-ups and jigging about 100 yards east of us had several flags in the morning fishing in about 120 feet of water. We watched them set the hooks and land several nice Lakers. Believing they were doing the same thing as us and believing that a little patience was the key, I turned down a suggestion from Vic that I take a walk and see what they were doing differently. That changed when the group had another three flags simultaneously.
After a short walk, the fishermen told me that had caught almost all of their six fish on cisco cutbait. WE were using shiners. I also learned that they had caught their bait. Although I offered to purchase some of their cisco after hearing that the local bait shops probably would not carry them, they gave us the bait, no charge.
Elated with their generosity, I scurried back to our own ice and we cut up the cisco and baited the tip-ups and jigs. In 10 minutes, fishing the same hole I had worked without a nibble, I hooked a fish but lost it one-third of the way up. Over the next hour we didn’t get a hit but watched the steady action continue across the ice. They landed more fish and Vic heard them say they had limited out and were heading out.
Wanting to claim their spot while not intruding, we kept our distance. The angler who had offered the bait told me to use a certain hole. I told him that we were grateful for the cisco and let him know I didn’t want to get to close. He insisted that I use the hole where he had caught the last trout. I had just finished rigging the tip-up and turned for another when I heard those coveted words.
“Tip-up!”
With the bait in the water for less than two minutes, I felt the weight of a good fish and began the tussle with another fisherman lending a hand by clearing line from the hole. When the 24-inch Laker was iced, he said, “that sure didn’t take long…I watched you put it in.”
We reset the tip-up and our other flags as well. We kept getting a few flags and hits on the jigging rods too. At about 3:00, another flag let to a hooked fish. This time, with Vic’s help we landed a 23 inch Laker.
With many days and hours logged on Big Green over the years, these were my two biggest Lakers. I wish I would have gotten the names of the group so generous with their cisco, but I realized after they left that I had not.
It was a terrific day with bright sun and a clear blue sky. I marvel at how strangers can mix into friendly neighbors pursuing a common goal. In all we had a great day and met some nice people even though we never exchanged names. I know they were from Stevens Point and I hope they had a happy ride home.
I know I did.