Do you ever catch 100 fish in a day by yourself? If so, what species and how do you do it? Would you be willing to lessen your chance of a trophy to catch 100 fish?

I do. It's mostly smallmouth and pike. I target the smallmouth and the pike target me. I do love the 100-fish days, but as time passes, I want quality over quantity. My number one 100-fish lake has smallmouth that average 16.5 inches. There are 19-inchers and the rare 20-incher, which is about one fish per several thousand. I fish nearby lakes where the smallmouth average about 17 inches and just that half inch difference reduces my daily count by about 40, but you can catch half a dozen 19-inch fish in an evening. Whatever lake, I rise at four and fish until ten or eleven in the morning. Then I return to fishing at five-ish and fish into the gloaming.

I can't say that I would enjoy 100 fish days. I catch fish for eating in the BW. After a certain point it just seems like you are harming the fish. Maybe I'm overestimating how many 100 fish really is , but it seems like that would take all day to do and you probably wouldn't be able to cover all that large of an area. I prefer to get out of the boat once in a while to stretch my legs and explore. Doing the same thing all day long just seems like a way to make it less special.

quote A1t2o: "I can't say that I would enjoy 100 fish days. I catch fish for eating in the BW. After a certain point it just seems like you are harming the fish. Maybe I'm overestimating how many 100 fish really is , but it seems like that would take all day to do and you probably wouldn't be able to cover all that large of an area. I prefer to get out of the boat once in a while to stretch my legs and explore. Doing the same thing all day long just seems like a way to make it less special."

100 fish is a lot, you're not overestimating. The most fish I've caught in a day is probably about 60, and at that point it feels like a thousand and I'm sick of catching them.

In the arrowhead in june ive had many 100 plus days with smallies and occasionally with rainbows when they are on the bite.Spring time and late fall are good times for this. Crappies are a given when they are on the bite.

quote A1t2o: " After a certain point it just seems like you are harming the fish. l."

As long as your using proper release techniques theres no more harm catching 100 then there is 5, its not like your catching the same fish over and over again. This theory does not apply to bass or any other fish on their beds, I never fish any species on their beds because when you are catching them the bluegill are eating all the babies when the bass is gone.

I used to fill two 5 gallon buckets with stunted white perch and sunfish caught from a dock to donate to the local bird rehab facility to feed to the disabled herons. That's probably as close to or even over the 100 count for me. There was a significant lack of "quality" in the catch. That lake had a winterkill to make you gag from the smell in May and June. I don't think my back could take a 100 fish day for smallies and pike anymore, even if I tried.

Other than panfish, the only other times I've had 100 fish days was smallmouth fishing on Lake St. Clair with tubes, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. It is not boring and it does not get old! :)

Only crappie and probably quit before 100 as they got cleaned to eat. Other species.....40-50 at the most and only kept a few to eat. 100 would bore me if not tire me out.

My Dad and I filled a large cooler with Oscars (yes, aquarium fish).......big fat slimy oscars. They fight great on a fiberglass cane pole and 20lb test in the lily pads.

We have a pic somewhere of that cooler literally filled to the top........that was the worst fish cleaning experience I have ever had. Oscars are slimy and there seemed to be no end to them, hour after hour......

I've had two 100 fish days in the BWCA on the 4th of July week. I was fishing for Smallmouth Bass with a #2 Mepps spinner. I bent the barbs to release them faster. I switched to a small Rapala and I had a fish on the front hook and a fish on the back hook. I made a long cast and it landed in a cedar tree branch, I pulled it free and it landed in the water and caught a bass. They were certainly not trophies but the action was awesome.

I had one day last June in the Quitico that was over 100. My journal says conservatively 150 walleyes, most between 19 and 23 inches. The day was unbelievable. Wind was blowing into a river mouth with an 9' deep channel going out into a shallow bay. We quit fishing for 15 minutes or so after every hour because our arms were sore. Many of the fish were puking up the same type of minnows, so the walleyes must have been in there gorging on them. We found the spot at about 10am all day there. Unfortunately we packed up and moved the next day.

quote Wables: "I had one day last June in the Quitico that was over 100. My journal says conservatively 150 walleyes, most between 19 and 23 inches. The day was unbelievable. Wind was blowing into a river mouth with an 9' deep channel going out into a shallow bay. We quit fishing for 15 minutes or so after every hour because our arms were sore. Many of the fish were puking up the same type of minnows, so the walleyes must have been in there gorging on them. We found the spot at about 10am all day there. Unfortunately we packed up and moved the next day. "

I had a similar situation with muskies. The wind was howling and aligned with a strait. Canoe control was tough, but I still managed to land five muskies in a little more than an hour and lost a sixth. At one point, I had two V's chasing my buzz bait.

Here in crappie and white bass country, March and April are the best shots at those numbers. Actually you're not really "on" white bass until you are getting 40-50 in a morning....and frankly, I lose attention span after that many and seek a different species or try a weird/new technique. Perfect time to learn a new technique or new area(pattern fishing).

quote Savage Voyageur: "I've had two 100 fish days in the BWCA on the 4th of July week. I was fishing for Smallmouth Bass with a #2 Mepps spinner. I bent the barbs to release them faster. I switched to a small Rapala and I had a fish on the front hook and a fish on the back hook. I made a long cast and it landed in a cedar tree branch, I pulled it free and it landed in the water and caught a bass. They were certainly not trophies but the action was awesome. "

Sounds like a great day. I also fish barbless and release most of them in the water for their sake and for speed.

quote bassnet: "Here in crappie and white bass country, March and April are the best shots at those numbers. Actually you're not really "on" white bass until you are getting 40-50 in a morning....and frankly, I lose attention span after that many and seek a different species or try a weird/new technique. Perfect time to learn a new technique or new area(pattern fishing)."

I used to fish for white bass on Lake Pepin and for kicks, I'd hook them three at a time. I'd drift with minnows on two rods and hook too. Then, while those were still hooked, I'd cast a jig and hook a third. However, there were times when it was impossible to fish more than one rod. You'd peel out line, set the hook, and repeat.

Have had many 100 plus perch days, releasing anything under eight inches or over twelve inches to get my limit of 50 perfect eating 8-12 inchers.

I have never kept track, but I'm sure I have had many 100 days catching smallmouth up north. A few years go, one afternoon me and my partner started counting just doubles and when it got up into the upper 40s we just quit counting. That was just the doubles. The hole was littered with pre spawn bass feeding in an area where warm water was dumping into a colder water lake. If I threw out a Zulu and twitched it twice and didn't get a hit, I thought something was wrong. Crazy fishing that day. My partner estimated we caught 350 fish there in just that afternoon of fishing. His first estimate was higher than that, but I talked him back down to earth. His brother who used to be my fishing partner and still is at times, one time we caught so many smallmouth his arm hurt so bad he couldn't continue to fish. He just put down his rod and said he was finished. He doesn't have small arms either, he was a 2 time All American line backer. Me, I kept fishing. My main problem is bass thumb, where the teeth of the fish just wear down the skin until they are almost bleeding and it hurts to lip a fish out of the water. I start in the morning and fish until lunch, then I fish in the afternoon until it is time for dinner, then after dinner I fish until dark. You only get so many days a year to fish in Quetico, so I fish every waking minute I can. I have a problem :)

quote QueticoMike: "I have never kept track, but I'm sure I have had many 100 days catching smallmouth up north. A few years go, one afternoon me and my partner started counting just doubles and when it got up into the upper 40s we just quit counting. That was just the doubles. The hole was littered with pre spawn bass feeding in an area where warm water was dumping into a colder water lake. If I threw out a Zulu and twitched it twice and didn't get a hit, I thought something was wrong. Crazy fishing that day. My partner estimated we caught 350 fish there in just that afternoon of fishing. His first estimate was higher than that, but I talked him back down to earth. His brother who used to be my fishing partner and still is at times, one time we caught so many smallmouth his arm hurt so bad he couldn't continue to fish. He just put down his rod and said he was finished. He doesn't have small arms either, he was a 2 time All American line backer. Me, I kept fishing. My main problem is bass thumb, where the teeth of the fish just wear down the skin until they are almost bleeding and it hurts to lip a fish out of the water. I start in the morning and fish until lunch, then I fish in the afternoon until it is time for dinner, then after dinner I fish until dark. You only get so many days a year to fish in Quetico, so I fish every waking minute I can. I have a problem :)
"

Yep, like rubbing your thumb on low grit sandpaper all day, day after day. Pure Heaven!

I remember late 1960's or very early 70's, my father, brother and uncle caught 200 nice sized perch in Lake Huron.

I still have memories of my dad and uncle, bottles of Pabst and electric fish scalers in hand, standing next to the fish cleaning table so completely covered in scales they looked like lizards.

I've had some days at least near 100 fish, on an Ontario fly-in I do every year. All 'eyes and pike. 100 is a lot of fish.

Our neighborhood has a fishing derby for the kids. The my 8 y.o. daughter and two other girls in my boat got 100 sunnies, crappies and LMB in 3 hours. That may have been the most fun I've ever had fishing!

quote QueticoMike: "I have never kept track, but I'm sure I have had many 100 days catching smallmouth up north. A few years go, one afternoon me and my partner started counting just doubles and when it got up into the upper 40s we just quit counting. That was just the doubles. The hole was littered with pre spawn bass feeding in an area where warm water was dumping into a colder water lake. If I threw out a Zulu and twitched it twice and didn't get a hit, I thought something was wrong. Crazy fishing that day. My partner estimated we caught 350 fish there in just that afternoon of fishing. His first estimate was higher than that, but I talked him back down to earth. His brother who used to be my fishing partner and still is at times, one time we caught so many smallmouth his arm hurt so bad he couldn't continue to fish. He just put down his rod and said he was finished. He doesn't have small arms either, he was a 2 time All American line backer. Me, I kept fishing. My main problem is bass thumb, where the teeth of the fish just wear down the skin until they are almost bleeding and it hurts to lip a fish out of the water. I start in the morning and fish until lunch, then I fish in the afternoon until it is time for dinner, then after dinner I fish until dark. You only get so many days a year to fish in Quetico, so I fish every waking minute I can. I have a problem :)
"

I hear ya, Mike. By fingers and thumbs are my weakness too. It's death of fishing by a thousand tiny cuts.

Tiny cuts get me too; I've become expert in applying tiny tape/bandaids to stay in the game:)

Usually have 2-3 days with 100+ fish per person on each trip. We go in early June when SM are up shallow. Problem is when volume goes up over 100, the quality of the fish usually goes down. Much rather have a 50-60 fish day with 10-15 SM > 20".

We typically catch 500+ per person on a 7 day trip with decent weather targeting SM.

We have our walleye holes where we can pick up easy eaters in 10-15 minutes when fish is on the menu.

Would rather never catch a northern, but sad to say they come with the territory.

Trolling for lake trout is not on our agenda.

quote Atb: "Tiny cuts get me too; I've become expert in applying tiny tape/bandaids to stay in the game:)"

My last 100 walleye day, my left pointer finger, thumb, and palm were torn up from grabbing fish on the left side of the boat. Gill plates and dorsal fins. Between that and a nasty cut from a northern tooth, I emptied a tube of neosporin in a week. I do bring a stowmaster net, but netting is too much extra work when walleyes are jumping into the boat.

I have even put super glue on my thumb after it was worn down.

I don't think I have ever had a 100 fish day.

Speaking of days one has never had (walleye_hunter), I have never had a day close to this:

"Much rather have a 50-60 fish day with 10-15 SM > 20"."

Wow, CardinalNation!

QM, have you ever had such a day?

quote missmolly: "Speaking of days one has never had (walleye_hunter), I have never had a day close to this:


"Much rather have a 50-60 fish day with 10-15 SM > 20"."


Wow, CardinalNation!


QM, have you ever had such a day? "

No, I have never had a day like that before and I have probably spent close to 1000 days in the Boundary Waters and Quetico. 15 smallmouth over 20 inches in a day would be a very rare day for me. I have never heard of anyone before having success like that. Maybe 15 during a week long trip, but never in a day.

I'm sure I have probably caught 15 that were 19 inches or better. Over 20 inches is another story.

quote QueticoMike: "

quote missmolly: "Speaking of days one has never had (walleye_hunter), I have never had a day close to this:



"Much rather have a 50-60 fish day with 10-15 SM > 20"."



Wow, CardinalNation!



QM, have you ever had such a day? "

No, I have never had a day like that before and I have probably spent close to 1000 days in the Boundary Waters and Quetico. 15 smallmouth over 20 inches in a day would be a very rare day for me. I have never heard of anyone before having success like that. Maybe 15 during a week long trip, but never in a day.

I'm sure I have probably caught 15 that were 19 inches or better. Over 20 inches is another story.
"

I've caught half a dozen 19-inchers in an evening and I include 19.5 and 19.75-inchers in that count, but those 20-inchers are rare for me. Let's put a tracking device on CardinalNation. We can tranquilize him and hope he doesn't notice the collar when he awakens.

quote QueticoMike: "I have even put super glue on my thumb after it was worn down."

Genius!

If I did catch 100, I'd have stopped counting at around 50 so I'd never really know, lol. I do run into days, usually a couple each year, where I catch 'em until I'm sick of it.

Strictly speaking - would I trade a chance at a trophy for 100 fish in a day? No way. Because I'd probably stop fishing before I got 100, anyway.

However, when faced with the more "every day" type choice - do I want to go for size or numbers . .I usually go for numbers.

There've probably been a couple days where I caught a 100+ just because I caught them so fast there was not really time to get bored of it. An epic half day of catching a 10-12" smallie on every single cast in The Flaming Gorge comes to mind. There've been some days here in TX where I hammered the sunfish and whitebass and probably racked up over 100.

I tip my hat to those of you that can catch 100 fish per day from a canoe. I can't even imagine that with the time it takes to paddle to different spots and take a few shore breaks to stretch the back and legs. Apparently I don't know much about fishing.

quote walleye_hunter: "I tip my hat to those of you that can catch 100 fish per day from a canoe. I can't even imagine that with the time it takes to paddle to different spots and take a few shore breaks to stretch the back and legs. Apparently I don't know much about fishing."

It's a matter of being on the right lake at the right time and not fishing savvy. Of course, you focus on walleye and they're less impetuous than bass. I'm taking some clickers next June to get accurate fish tallies.

quote walleye_hunter: "I tip my hat to those of you that can catch 100 fish per day from a canoe. I can't even imagine that with the time it takes to paddle to different spots and take a few shore breaks to stretch the back and legs. Apparently I don't know much about fishing."

W H Its different with Smallies because you can have a small area maybe 50 yards wide that can concentrate hundreds of Smallies. In fact I have a spot on the Mississippi that's no more than 20 yards wide that you can catch Smallies every 2 or 3 minutes for as long as you can stand it in June. They are so voracious and competitive that you cant keep them off your hook, so when you run into a spot like that in the Bwca and quetico, if the timing is right, the spot can produce year after year.

quote Basspro69: "

quote walleye_hunter: "I tip my hat to those of you that can catch 100 fish per day from a canoe. I can't even imagine that with the time it takes to paddle to different spots and take a few shore breaks to stretch the back and legs. Apparently I don't know much about fishing."

W H Its different with Smallies because you can have a small area maybe 50 yards wide that can concentrate hundreds of Smallies. In fact I have a spot on the Mississippi that's no more than 20 yards wide that you can catch Smallies every 2 or 3 minutes for as long as you can stand it in June. They are so voracious and competitive that you cant keep them off your hook, so when you run into a spot like that in the Bwca and quetico, if the timing is right, the spot can produce year after year."

They are also fat like butterballs in much of the river.

I can say it happened to me on a paddling trip. We caught so many walleye I started getting them on just a plain jig no hair or anything. We went back the next year with high hopes and could hardly get a fish!

W_H - I would probably say that 35 to 40 walleyes would equal a 100 smallmouth day.

Never even heard of such a thing up here. We've been in ever summer month, and we are just tickled pink if we can catch a fish per 8 hour day as a canoe. Best is a fish per outing. I imagine we've had a 20 fish day before, but unfortunately the 0 fish days seem far more numerous.

I want some of what you guys are smoking! :)

quote SaganagaJoe: "I want some of what you guys are smoking! :) "

Come up to Kawnipi with us in June. You bring the smoke, I'll bring the fish :).

quote SaganagaJoe: "I want some of what you guys are smoking! :) "

Hey, it's legal where you live! Buy your own!!! ;-)

quote QueticoMike: "W_H - I would probably say that 35 to 40 walleyes would equal a 100 smallmouth day."

Totally agree.

quote NoService: "Never even heard of such a thing up here. We've been in ever summer month, and we are just tickled pink if we can catch a fish per 8 hour day as a canoe. Best is a fish per outing. I imagine we've had a 20 fish day before, but unfortunately the 0 fish days seem far more numerous."

Send me an email at - queticomike@yahoo.com - and request the " Grand Slam Lure " article, maybe it could help you catch a few more fish?

Also, if you have any other fishing questions feel free to ask.

Good luck on your next trip!

quote NoService: "Never even heard of such a thing up here. We've been in ever summer month, and we are just tickled pink if we can catch a fish per 8 hour day as a canoe. Best is a fish per outing. I imagine we've had a 20 fish day before, but unfortunately the 0 fish days seem far more numerous."

I'm fishing lakes north of the BWCA. They don't get the pressure that many of the BWCA lakes do. It's not that I'm smart. I'm catching dumb, plentiful fish.

quote QueticoMike: "

quote missmolly: "Speaking of days one has never had (walleye_hunter), I have never had a day close to this:



"Much rather have a 50-60 fish day with 10-15 SM > 20"."



Wow, CardinalNation!



QM, have you ever had such a day? "

No, I have never had a day like that before and I have probably spent close to 1000 days in the Boundary Waters and Quetico. 15 smallmouth over 20 inches in a day would be a very rare day for me. I have never heard of anyone before having success like that. Maybe 15 during a week long trip, but never in a day.

I'm sure I have probably caught 15 that were 19 inches or better. Over 20 inches is another story.
"

Well, I never measured the fish on a ruler, but on a Magical day about 15 years ago, a buddy and I caught 17 over 4lbs with 3 being really close to 5.

That day also included 122 fish in about 8 hours.

The wind was blowing so hard, we made 2 passes to a 4 or 5 mile float. It was CRAZY, CRAZY good.

Whoa Geo thats really good.......doesnt get any better I suppose. I have never had a day like that and can't even imagine how much fun it would be. But it would probably ruin me........."yup we caught 'em pretty good today but did I ever tell you about when we killed them etc. etc." ;-)

When I read Stu in BWJ I am always a bit amazed that he knows the quantity of the fish that not only he catches but his other boats as well. The thought has never occurred to me to count fish........nor would I want to unless it had something to do with a legal limit. But thats just me and I cast no dispersions upon those that do.

quote mastertangler: "Whoa Geo thats really good.......doesnt get any better I suppose. I have never had a day like that and can't even imagine how much fun it would be. But it would probably ruin me........."yup we caught 'em pretty good today but did I ever tell you about when we killed them etc. etc." ;-)


When I read Stu in BWJ I am always a bit amazed that he knows the quantity of the fish that not only he catches but his other boats as well. The thought has never occurred to me to count fish........nor would I want to unless it had something to do with a legal limit. But thats just me and I cast no dispersions upon those that do. "

Whew, because I bought some clickers to count!

My view from this morning. I got bored after 30 snappers and switched over to tarpon. After a poor ice fishing season it was good to feel a pull again.

quote missmolly: "

quote mastertangler: "Whoa Geo thats really good.......doesnt get any better I suppose. I have never had a day like that and can't even imagine how much fun it would be. But it would probably ruin me........."yup we caught 'em pretty good today but did I ever tell you about when we killed them etc. etc." ;-)



When I read Stu in BWJ I am always a bit amazed that he knows the quantity of the fish that not only he catches but his other boats as well. The thought has never occurred to me to count fish........nor would I want to unless it had something to do with a legal limit. But thats just me and I cast no dispersions upon those that do. "

Whew, because I bought some clickers to count!"

WE call it a spankometer, and we only count smallies or largemouth.

We'd say we spanked the fish back in the day.....And not that we're competitive or what not, but officially spanked fish have specific rules. When fishing barbless in the Quetico, you could count "quick" release fish if they were at the side of the boat, and you touched it. Once over 50 or 60, if the fish was to the side of the boat, and you just shook it off, that would work too.

Long distance releases NEVER count, unless it's a tough day and you only have 5 or 6....those days are long, long since past though :) .

Later,

Geo

quote GeoFisher: "

quote missmolly: "

quote mastertangler: "Whoa Geo thats really good.......doesnt get any better I suppose. I have never had a day like that and can't even imagine how much fun it would be. But it would probably ruin me........."yup we caught 'em pretty good today but did I ever tell you about when we killed them etc. etc." ;-)



When I read Stu in BWJ I am always a bit amazed that he knows the quantity of the fish that not only he catches but his other boats as well. The thought has never occurred to me to count fish........nor would I want to unless it had something to do with a legal limit. But thats just me and I cast no dispersions upon those that do. "

Whew, because I bought some clickers to count!"

WE call it a spankometer, and we only count smallies or largemouth.


We'd say we spanked the fish back in the day.....And not that we're competitive or what not, but officially spanked fish have specific rules. When fishing barbless in the Quetico, you could count "quick" release fish if they were at the side of the boat, and you touched it. Once over 50 or 60, if the fish was to the side of the boat, and you just shook it off, that would work too.


Long distance releases NEVER count, unless it's a tough day and you only have 5 or 6....those days are long, long since past though :) .


Later,


Geo"

Back when I had musky fever, there were days when just seeing a fish was an event worth telling and retelling.

I have basically the same count as you as I fish barbless too and like to release them as quickly as possible.

quote GeoFisher: "

quote QueticoMike: "

quote missmolly: "Speaking of days one has never had (walleye_hunter), I have never had a day close to this:



"Much rather have a 50-60 fish day with 10-15 SM > 20"."



Wow, CardinalNation!



QM, have you ever had such a day? "

No, I have never had a day like that before and I have probably spent close to 1000 days in the Boundary Waters and Quetico. 15 smallmouth over 20 inches in a day would be a very rare day for me. I have never heard of anyone before having success like that. Maybe 15 during a week long trip, but never in a day.


I'm sure I have probably caught 15 that were 19 inches or better. Over 20 inches is another story.
"

Well, I never measured the fish on a ruler, but on a Magical day about 15 years ago, a buddy and I caught 17 over 4lbs with 3 being really close to 5.


That day also included 122 fish in about 8 hours.


The wind was blowing so hard, we made 2 passes to a 4 or 5 mile float. It was CRAZY, CRAZY good.


"

Thought 100 fish in a day is many, 122 in 8hrs that's even better, at least back in the days!