Grand Isle area

[Joyride]

Rundown of yesterdays adventure. 9/1/25. The wife and I set out from the Guilmette access area at the sandbar around 7:30 am. First thing headed for the west side of Grand Isle near the ferry crossing. Set lines about 1/4 mile north of the ferry crossing on the Grand Isle side and started the troll across the ferry crossing toward Cumberland head . I told the wife the first hit would be right in the middle of the ferry crossing, Wham! port side slide diver with a CI morning glory went hammer down. After quite a battle and weaving between ferry boats a mammoth smallmouth bass was in the net. While this was going on one of the riggers with a CI monkey puke released but went unnoticed until it was too late. The troll across Cumberland bay all the way to crab island produced a couple decent lakers and another two BIG smallmouth . I could not seem to find the salmon there was a fair amount of bait on the screen 68 degree surface temp and plenty of lakers on the screen in about the 70 fow range. Pulled line on the west side and headed back for the inland sea. Set lines on the northeast side of savage island and started the troll south with the thought the white perch would be there in numbers. Actually only caught one white perch and three yellow perch and were able to get one sub legal salmon 30 feet down over 120 fow on a northeast troller wonderbread . Met up with Pat on the Mistress with his better half and rafted up and trade fish stories for a bit . Overall a beautiful day on the water, looking forward to the challenge of the September bite. Have fun and good luck with the September salmon, Jim

[Reelax]

Thanks for sharing Jim. The sept bite may be slow but it always seems BIG fish get caught. Love kypes and fall colors (on salmon and brown) so it’s a great time to be on the lake.

[Fishdawg]

Like that you are still getting after them!! There doesnt seem to be too many still chasing salmon. The river and stream trout fishing has been pretty tough. We need more rain!’

[Mistress]

Gotta love the challenge of catching mature salmon in late summer and early fall. Some days I think we’d have a better chance of finding a Unicorn! The Mistress did about the same as Jim’s Joyride as far as catches, some salmon smolt and one barely legal, but he and his wife edged us out on the small mouth category, they got a few beauties! Surprisingly fleas were practically nonexistent on both the west side and in the IS.
Another great day on the water weather wise and Betty and Wilma were content to raft up at the end of the day, happy wives happy lives We know those days are limited and soon enough Jim and I will be hardcore in winter conditions and our fair weather mates will go back to being land lubbers…….