The Three Amigos Road Trip

[NickM221]

Strap in, it's a long one!

Brandon, Luke, and I started off trying to plan a long weekend camping/fishing trip that slowly grew longer and longer until we wound up with a week long itinerary of stops at different lakes.

Luke and I started the week off at one of our favorite lakes that is loaded with giant panfish. We had consistent action in 15-20 FOW hammering 10"+
bluegills, white perch, and dink smallmouth.

https://i.imgur.com/YV0Loc7.jpg https://i.imgur.com/GEGDtM7.jpg

The next day we hit up a lake that I caught some nice lake trout at earlier in the spring, so expectations were high. We launched the mugger, and drove 20 minutes to the spot only to realize I forgot the iPilot remote. Off to a good start :D 40 minutes of boat driving later, we're back at the spot and ready to go. First drop, Luke nails a nice laker and we thought it was game on! Boy were we wrong... Things were quiet for a few hours until we eventually found the lakers up shallow in 30 FOW. We caught a bunch of smaller lakers up shallow, including a few double ups.

https://i.imgur.com/esUbpTt.jpg https://i.imgur.com/zgZCk2C.jpg

The following morning, we decided to hit up a different lake well known for its lake trout fishing, but didn't have much luck. Luke and I braved the rain and 25mph winds looking for fish only for Luke to catch a single 16 inch laker.

https://i.imgur.com/79ijF7h.jpg

Since things were so slow, we decided to change plans and go to the next lake we planned to camp at a day early. We spent the remainder of the day exploring the new lake and mapping areas we thought were most promising, catching a solid number of dink smallies. After fishing for the rest of the day, we picked up the camping gear, threw it in the boat, and zipped across the lake to our campsite. Luckily everything made it to the camp site dry, other than my sleeping bag which took an unfortunate plunge into the lake (Thanks Luke :rolleyes:).

We spent the next day and a half fishing the areas we mapped out the day before, braving a full day of rain to catch both lakers and smallmouth.

https://i.imgur.com/Znhsuqi.jpg https://i.imgur.com/TiYAiWb.jpg https://i.imgur.com/JBmaN5Z.jpg

[NickM221]

We then packed up camp and trailered the boat to our final destination. Luke and I set up camp, ate lunch, then hit the water in search of some fish. We worked the shoreline of several islands, catching some dink smallies, perch, rockbass, and fallfish. We decided to move out a bit deeper, and found a spot where we started catching bass on every cast. I hook into my first big fish of the trip and land 2 nice smallmouth. Shortly after that, Luke lands a monster 21"er and a nice pike.

https://i.imgur.com/FVvWdeu.jpg https://i.imgur.com/f0UcmLi.jpg https://i.imgur.com/XbCV4zF.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Y3aD0d2.jpg

Later that night, we pick Brandon up at the boat ramp. The next day was cloudy and way cooler than the previous afternoon. We packed up our campsite and returned to the same spot from yesterday. We found that the fish were a lot more lethargic and cold to the touch. The three of us still managed to pick away at a few fish, and Luke and I managed a double up on 2 nice smallies. While fishing our way across the lake toward our next campsite, I managed to pick up a nice pike.

https://i.imgur.com/BWGac12.jpg https://i.imgur.com/uLNaBtq.jpg

We then navigated a series of locks to get to a more remote section of the lake where we camped for the remainder of our trip.

https://i.imgur.com/5opKpB3.jpg https://i.imgur.com/iG4Dytq.jpg https://i.imgur.com/w2Gxtyk.jpg

[NickM221]

Over the course of the next two days, we picked away at some solid smallies and pike (and spinning combos lol). On the second day, Brandon hooked into a really nice pike that was his PB, which I proceeded to dump out of the net before he could take a picture (sorry buddy). Luckily less than 2 minutes later he hooked into another pike!

https://i.imgur.com/EFIUegX.jpg https://i.imgur.com/hMYPARx.jpg https://i.imgur.com/30FPPq6.jpg https://i.imgur.com/urpLxeu.jpg https://i.imgur.com/ZCmZpHj.jpg

Great trip with great friends! Looking forward to next year!

[thmyorke1]

This one is for jigman; fallfish appreciation: We caught like 6 huge ones, 2 nightfishing from camp with tortillas. I had to stop nick from rigging it on a massive treble :eek:

https://i.postimg.cc/G29bjj3L/20210909-161801.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/dQkys2Rc/20210909-190455.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/PfwCstht/20210912-073656.jpg

Great trip! My favorite vacation ever :)

[Flygaff]

Nice report Guys

[FASTEDDIE29]

This post! I love this post. It has meaning and is simply what it’s all about. This is what EPIC means to me. 3 dudes on the road making every minute count! Well done bros. Well done! Phenomenal pics, detailed report and just awesomeness all around! You guys kick ASS! :D

[AndyS]

Excellent, I just re-read it 3 times !!!

[Jigman13]

Reminds me of a time not long ago when I didnt have kids lol. And I appreciate the fallfish appreciation! Nice trip.

[dakota560]

Great report! This is how life is meant to be spent. Reminds me of trips my family did to Maine when I was growing up. Great fishing, freshest air your lungs will ever breath, clearest water I've ever seen and a landscape painted from the hand of God himself!

Great stuff guys, glad you had the chance to explore and enjoy Mother Nature at her finest.

[Hookmanski]

One of the coolest trips I've ever taken! Operating that lock was a trip in itself :D Don't worry about the PB pike Nick, i'll just knock yours out of a net in the future :D ;) :p

Loved catching all those nice smallmouth. The pike are fun too but there's something about getting a nice thump from a bronzeback :D

If you ever get the chance to go up here, do it!

[AndyS]

Wet sleeping bag, OUCH !!

[thmyorke1]

Wet sleeping bag, OUCH !!

oddly karma paid it's toll and during the salmon trip, the tent leaked during rain and one of the only spots to get wet was where my sleeping bag was, same area where i dropped nick's bag in the water the last time.

Only fair :p

[Chrisper4694]

oddly karma paid it's toll and during the salmon trip, the tent leaked during rain and one of the only spots to get wet was where my sleeping bag was, same area where i dropped nick's bag in the water the last time.

Only fair :p

now post the REAL smallmouth bass we caught right here in NJ!

[thmyorke1]

now post the REAL smallmouth bass we caught right here in NJ!

aaaah coming soon :D

[fishingbuddies]

Love it. Awesome trip with the boys. Would love to head there one day. I have tons of pics n memories with my friends from similar trips to lake G and thousand islands. Hey Hookmanski... check your PMs. One of the coolest trips I've ever taken! Operating that lock was a trip in itself :D Don't worry about the PB pike Nick, i'll just knock yours out of a net in the future :D ;) :p

Loved catching all those nice smallmouth. The pike are fun too but there's something about getting a nice thump from a bronzeback :D

If you ever get the chance to go up here, do it!

[Detour66]

Great trip and report guys. My two buddies and I use to do trips like this years back. Thanks for stirring up the great memories! You guys are living life to the fullest for sure! tight lines!

[Pondhopper8]

I’m jealous!!! Those are some memories you will never forget and be able to tap into and smile about for the rest of your life !!

[JDTuna]

Great work, guys!

[ScowardNJ]

The Mugger has certainly been passed on to the right person!!!! Next level Muggery!!!! Love it!!!!

[Jerzguy2]

I hope you make albums or CD's because in 20 years from now, when you are caught up in life, you will have these wonderful times to look back on.

[NickM221]

The Mugger has certainly been passed on to the right person!!!! Next level Muggery!!!! Love it!!!!

Thanks for trusting me with her! I love that boat

[Chrisper4694]

Thanks for trusting me with her! I love that boat

then stop trying to sink it!