He invited me to join him on his private access only Pike/Smallie Lake.....yes smallies are in season for those who don't know.....
With the ability to set 5 lines I decided to set 4 tipdowns and jig for smallies.....As 24/7 is dropping his first line down he announces " I got one!"....what the hell?......Thunk....4 pound smallie....on a 6 inch dead minnow as its being dropped down to be set up for pike...
![Image](http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x125/RJNBirdee/247smallie.jpg)
The smallies were like perch to be honest....24/7 peppered the lake with holes and if you hole hoped you'd get one or two out of each hole....
The Vexy in action....
![Image](http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x125/RJNBirdee/th_MVI_0475.jpg)
I didn't take a pile of pics of smallies....in fact that's it...
Now onto the pike.......you know you are fishing in the right area when you are pulling this up at times....
![Image](http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x125/RJNBirdee/weeds.jpg)
The first one is interesting....24/7 had a line way far away from us.....and I saw it tip down.....he checked it....nothing....he yelled there was a secong hole nearby if I wanted to move a line there.....so I did.....as I dropped it....my 8 inch sucker got attacked.....
![Image](http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x125/RJNBirdee/th_rob2-1.jpg)
![Image](http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x125/RJNBirdee/rjpikehorizfeb26.jpg)
![Image](http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x125/RJNBirdee/rjpikevert2feb26.jpg)
As the photos were taking place....another one of my tipdowns went down....I told 24/7 to grab it....and game on...
![Image](http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x125/RJNBirdee/th_MVI_0439.jpg)
![Image](http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x125/RJNBirdee/247pike.jpg)
AT one point 24/7 was jigging up smallie after smallie he felt something a little bit better.....
![Image](http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x125/RJNBirdee/th_MVI_0457.jpg)
After getting bored of picking on the smallies I went for a walk to check on all the pike baits.....I do this fairly often as I think pike sit and stare at hanging baits alot and if ya give em a bump they will jump on it......so I pulled up the one line which was set in 18 FOW....on its way back down to the depths I felt a solid thud....I let the line go and as it tightened up the rod tipped down.....NICE!
Here's the fun part....I've never had this happen before....the fish got the second hook of the quick strike rig hung in its back in the last thrash at the hole.....so it would come to the hole sideways.....we had to shut the video off to get it out.....24/7 slid his arm down and was able to angle the fish enough to get his head up the hole and I gilled it....great teamwork on this one......had I been alone I likely would have had to just try to pull one of the hooks free which would have been tough.....
![Image](http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x125/RJNBirdee/th_RJstuckpike.jpg)
Another goodun!
![Image](http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x125/RJNBirdee/rj2ndpikevertfeb26.jpg)
Here's how he was hooked...
![Image](http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x125/RJNBirdee/pikerig.jpg)
And of course....
![Image](http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x125/RJNBirdee/th_MVI_0470.jpg)
I had a great day with 24/7.....and will fish with him whenever scheds allow.....his passion for fishing rivals mine....and he's a good fella.
Thanks Kev.
RJ