One Rod, Double Walleye

[Up Y'oars]

Gotta tell y'all about a strange occurrence last Friday. We're fishing Sak on the east end of De Trobiand Island and my buddy sets his line, starts reeling up the catch. As the fish nears 6ft deep we both identify it as a walleye (good fight so unsure of species & he was using a med-light rod). As the fish nears 2ft deep we both look to the left side of the walleye and see another walleye swimming side-by-side a couple of feet over.

We both remarked that the second fish didn't seem scared away by the boat, our movements, nor the net going into the water to land the 17-1/2" walleye. I bring the fish into the boat and he begins removing the hook/worm from the lip and tossed the hook/worm back overboard. As he gets ready to lift the fish up to the measuring tape I notice a splash at the rear corner of the boat next to the kicker motor.

We both look back to see what the commotion was and he notices his rod bent over. He reacts by dropping the first fish and picking up his rod along the side of the gunwale. He sets the hook and it's fish on! He pulls once again and the hook comes free, worm/hook flinging toward the side of the boat.

That damn walleye in the water definitely wanted that worm that fish #1 got to beforehand! He followed that all the way up and remained at waterside of the boat for a good 30sec and didn't go back to the floor of the creek bed.

I wish I had a video of that escapade. We were laughing and amazed how it was possible that a twin fish would hang around for so long and get that darned worm it missed a minute before.

;:;bowdown

 

[H82bogey]

That's awesome!!

I had something similar happen this spring. Pulling cranks on the river, got a bite. As the fish gets close to the boat, I realize I have two fish hooked on the same lure. One hooked on the back hook, the other on the front. Unfortunately one of them popped off as we were netting them.

 

[SupressYourself]

I saw something like this fishing smallies this year. The water was clear and calm enough that you could see them. Most of them were cruising, so not that interested in biting, but if you got one to bite, all you had to do is reel him close to the boat and let him swim around on the end of your line. Other smallies would come see what the commotion was about, and swim around with the hooked fish. If you threw anything at these 'opportunists' they were on it immediately. We caught several 'doubles' and even a few 'triples' that way. Nice fish too. Many in the 3# range and even a few over 4. Never seen anything like it. Makes me wonder if this happens more often, but the water isn't clear enough to see it.

 

[H82bogey]

I saw something like this fishing smallies this year. The water was clear and calm enough that you could see them. Most of them were cruising, so not that interested in biting, but if you got one to bite, all you had to do is reel him close to the boat and let him swim around on the end of your line. Other smallies would come see what the commotion was about, and swim around with the hooked fish. If you threw anything at these 'opportunists' they were on it immediately. We caught several 'doubles' and even a few 'triples' that way. Nice fish too. Many in the 3# range and even a few over 4. Never seen anything like it. Makes me wonder if this happens more often, but the water isn't clear enough to see it.

This is extremely common with Smallmouth. In fact for me, it happens more times than not. If fishing with two people in the boat, as soon as one hooks up, the other should cast in that direction, will probably have a double.

 

[SupressYourself]

Also, this has happened more than once when throwing a popper.
That's two bass, one on each treble hook.

 

[Bfishn]

I saw something like this fishing smallies this year. The water was clear and calm enough that you could see them. Most of them were cruising, so not that interested in biting, but if you got one to bite, all you had to do is reel him close to the boat and let him swim around on the end of your line. Other smallies would come see what the commotion was about, and swim around with the hooked fish. If you threw anything at these 'opportunists' they were on it immediately. We caught several 'doubles' and even a few 'triples' that way. Nice fish too. Many in the 3# range and even a few over 4. Never seen anything like it. Makes me wonder if this happens more often, but the water isn't clear enough to see it.

I've literally had smallies jump out of the water and grab lures that were dangling over the side of the boat on two occasions. I did also catch a 25" walleye on an original Zara Spook this year. Its the second top water walleye I've caught in my life while fishing for bass. The other was a 26.5" on a storm chug bug.

 

[Up Y'oars]

Bass, I would expect as such. Just never heard, or witnessed, anything like that. What walleye remains at the top of the water in 21' deep to search for a worm?

 

[tikkalover]

The other day when we fished camp of the cross, caught a eye in 18', and as I brought it to the boat there was another one with it. Neat to see!

 

[svnmag]

Unless situation dictates otherwise, always cast a lure in the direction of the fish your pard is fighting.