Long time no talk

Just trying to catch up. This fall has some very up and some very down periods. basically, when the weather sucked really bad it was down and when we could actually get our butts on the lake it was good. With that said the fall to this point has required me to be on my A game more than ever. Very slight differences in the program made a ton of difference...some days they would only hit a few colors of Reef Runners...kinda weird.

Trying to get all of the ice gear in tip top shape...Clam and Ice Armor really raised the bar this year with some incredible new gear. Make sure to check it out and look at all of the updates myself and the rest of the Ice Team pro's post at iceteam.com.They will have audio reports form all over the country starting this week.

My nearly mint condition 2013 Ranger 621 is still for sale. it has approximately 125hrs on it and loaded with top notch equipment and lots of custom gear. Emial or call me with questions or for more pics.  hogwalleye@yahoo.com or 419-283-7069

Ross Robertson   www.bigwaterfishing.com

Boat for Sale

It has been a crazy year. The book has been a bigger success than we could have ever imagined and just a lot of other fishing chaos throw in the mix to keep me busy.

Due to an unfortunate set of circumstances the guy buying my 2013 Ranger 621 can no longer do so. It is the 45th Anniversary edition and in extremely good shape, professionally rigged and maintained with lots of custom extras.  It has approximately 80hrs on it and has a extended warranty on the big engine. Below are some of the included options.  Get a hold of me at hogwalleye@yahoo.com or 419-283-7069 with any questions.

 2013 Ranger 621 250Pro-XS & 9.9 Pro-Kicker

Equipment list: (in addition to standard equip)

101 Terrova AP/US—I-LINK w/ remote (NEW)

(3) Optima 31 series deep cycle trolling batteries

(2) NEW Style Smoothmoves suspension seats

(2) 60’’Bert’s custom tackle tracks on rear

One of a kind custom made console electronics mount---holds (3) 10’’ units without moving

6’’Bert’s custom tackle bow track for electronics w/ mount

(6) Rod holders, six mounts

Bert’s Custom Tackle Custom made troll motor Stabilizer

Humminbird 1198 GPS/Sonar/side Imaging @ console

Humminbird 1158 GPS/sonar @ bow or extra hookup at console

Transducer switch for SI and DI

Custom trolling motor bracket for shallow water and steep ramp launching

Flush mounted and lighted compass

3 bank Ranger on-board charger

2 bank Minn-Kota Precision charger (NEW)

Battery switch w/ 5^th battery

5^th backup battery—Optima 31 series

Custom travel cover and buckles

Sony Marine AM/FM CD player

Mercury stainless prop

Rear rails

Remote oil fill

Extra glassed in back up transducer

Flush mounted side imaging

Down imaging skimmer transducer

5 port ethernet box and cables run to each unit

3 folding and one bump seat

Bow electronics hook ups (GPS & MK US2 & ethernet)

Mercury extended warranty on 250

Custom straps to hold planerboards and landing nets

Custom cargo net below passenger console for storage

Customized  rigging tube from main 250hp engine

Bracket mounted to hold bow nav light

Static bracket

Dual console

Bow rod deck buckles

Mercury smartcraft guage (ability to troll w/ main engine)

Icast Recap and BIG walleyes

Sorry for the long delay.  This has been a crazy season...in a good way. Heck, the weather goes from 100+ degrees to needing a jacket in July...crazy!

Icast a few weeks ago in Vegas had some crazy new goodies for those tackle junkies.  Perhaps the biggest came from Humminbird and Minn-Kota. Humminbird has a new product out that is similar to Dr. Depth, but without all of the complicated procedures, expense, and uploading your waypoints to a "public" server. You literally can make a lake map of a small private lake or get a super defined map of a special area you have fished for years.  This is a game changer!

Minn-Kota wasn't to be outdone as they introduced a 12' talon that acts as a quick way of anchoring.  Tough to say shallow water anchor anymore when you can hit 12' with these bad boys.

Arguably the biggest thing for me was to see the newly designed 36volt trolling motors by Minn-Kota.  I've made it no secret that for years my go to piece of equipment that I literally can't be without is my Terrova auto pilot.  Now you have even more power and more efficient use of it. The newly designed head is shorter and slightly wider, which also causes you to experience less steering torque.

As far as fishing the bigger than normal winds we have been experiencing have kept me on my toes. Pair this with the warm lake temps and we have had to fish deeper than normal with both Silver Streak UV and non UV models as well as speed troll Reef Runners when the junk gets so bad we can't keep the spinners down.  Pink, Pink and Pink has been a good color to have on both the spinners and cranks.

Capt. Ross Robertson
www.bigwaterfishing.com

Bitter Sweet

More than a little tired having fished literally everyday for the last month. Lots of big fish came to the boat and got a bunch of Jr. anglers some giant walleyes.

The end of the trip was bittersweet. I made a big big gamble and lost big time in the NWT tournament. With the caliber of fisherman in these events you can't stumble and if you want to win you usually have to take a risk. This is especially the case at a Erie event when it's almost always a slugfest. I was fishing a couple small rock piles that had been holding lots of big fish for more than a week and felt if I had them to myself I could win. These type spots are usually more consistent than those open water roamers, but after the cancellation and subsequent two days of a big blow they just flat out moved out of dodge.

 We were catching lots of big walleyes slow trolling a new prototype Silver Streak lure and speed trolling Reef Runners all week.

The obvious bug across the internet is that their was a few snags with the tournament aside from the weather forcing the director two cancel two days of the event in the name of safety.  When lake Erie roars you don't mess with it. They had some serious issues with the scales...it cost me 4lbs and what should have been a 35.5lb bag, but it didn't end up really mattering.

The good part of it is that my close friend and Bigwater Pro team remember John Gillman won the event trolling Reef Runners on one of these same types of rock piles...just about 60 miles away from where I was. When I showed up and the fish had moved it was too far to go and the chance of running out of both time and gas were more of a reality. Bigwater Teammate Bob Henton had yet another 10 ten finish as well.


Ross Robertson
www.bigwaterfishing.com

Big Fish...Even BIGGER Dude

We have continued to stay on the walleyes even when dodging thunderstorms, incredible downpours and often waves bigger than we need. The need to keep the spinners in a small window has been the difference between a bunch of fish and not so much. Silver Streak UV spinners with a little pink on them has definitely upped the odds the last five days or so. Another recent thing I have messed with is moving the weights in my Church TX-22 all the way to the back. This makes them much more "sensitive" and work better in rough water. I have a video on my you-tube page showing this.

I've had a great group of guys in the boat so far this year, but was surprised when I got a call from Marshal Yanda. I love football, but primarily watch college these days and didn't know who he was or even that he played football at first. Those big lineman don't seem to get the accolades that the backs do. What I did learn is that this pro bowler and super bowl champion loves to fish for walleyes...so much so that he has a Ranger 621 decked out very similar to mine. It shouldn't be too much of a surprise he did grow up on a dairy farm and attend Iowa. As a hardcore Buckeye fan i did resist the urge throw him over...you're welcome Marshal...smirk

Grind em = Big Results

The bite this spring proves to be just plain weird.  It truly has been a bite that separates the men from the boys.  While I have had a few stumbles...we have been limiting daily with big fish in the mix daily. At the risk of sounding like a broken record...My Minn-Kota I-Pilot has been key to both keeping quiet and incremental speed adjustments.  Little changes in depth have resulted in lots of bites or empty hands. Look for the bite to really pick up with the temps creeping towards 60 degrees.

Ross Robertson
www.bigwaterfishing.com

Over Due...but not to disappoint!

The weather this spring has been wacky...but unlike last year it has been a cold and windy wacky. In between giant blows, sleet and driving rain I have been quietly putting the smash down on some walleyes and even some MONSTER smallies.  I have had two scaled smallies over 7lbs come in the boat in the last few weeks, as well a pile of 5lb + specimens. I think the moral of the story is that if you wait for the perfect day or perfect weather you will never go and when you do get it, it tends to not make for the best fishing anyways.

The recent warm spell has jumped the water temp up to 50 degrees is most places I have been. This has caused the spinner bite to hit high gear and the crank bite to drastically slow down.  Look for some real good fishing to follow.

I just finished a episode of the "Local Catch" that should run in the next few weeks. A very down to earth and educational show I hope you enjoy.

PS--before anyone starts we released all but one smallie that went on the wall.  That even includes walleyes.

Ross Robertson
www.bigwaterfishing.com