I finally got my shore fishing gear set up after a wet and breezy trial run last Sunday. On that Sunday morning Larry, my neighbor who has taken me looper fishing from his 14’ boat for the past 10 plus years, came along to give this shore casting technique a try. The wind and waves have been too much for the small boat this past week and the looper fishing has shown a sign of coming back to the level it was about 4 years ago so why not try shore casting. We arrived at a spot on the North Shore and by the time I got down to the water Larry was set up 
with two lines in the water. A minute later Larry yells “fish on”. A few minutes after that he has his first looper by shore casting on the rocks. It normally takes a few trips to get one from the shore but oh no not Larry, his first time out, BANG! I give up about 30 minutes later after the weather and the loss of my rig snagging 
up on the rocks. The weather is light drizzle high winds and ice all over the rocks.
Fast forward to yesterday, Saturday a week after the trial run. Weather is much better, sunny no rain and the waves are out of the south about 1 foot or less. While I was setting up my rods Larry landed a small Coho. Figures, he is good at this fishing thing while I’m always out for the fresh air and view, he is strictly out for meat.
Anyways the shore has some ice on it so I made a mental note not to run on the rocks. About 60 minutes later I run over to one rod that looks like something could be on it and fall almost straight on my face. I'm sure the people watching from the restaurant (about 200' behind me) got a good laugh.
It took another hour but as I was posting a photo to my face book page I heard something that sounded like a fishing reel’s drag. I woke up out of my virtual world just in time to see the line running out of my reel.
“Fish on”, I yell, but neighbor Larry is out of site inspecting something up the shore. So now I need to bring this fish in on the shore. I have never done this before and I don’t want to lose my first fish shore casting. From where I’m standing there is about 3 feet of ice covered rocks then 3 feet of wet rocks. I'm thinking I need to get as close as possible to the edge of the water while reeling in a nice size fish. Needless to say I again gave my audience in the restaurant a great show. Down I go on my back with my fishing rod still pointing up, I keep reeling in this bad boy from my back on icy rocks just feet from Lake Superior. I get on my knees then my feet and start to move to dry rocks while keeping tension on the line. By this time I can see my prize in the water just a few feet from shore, a nice 4 lb looper. As I move to dry rock my back is to the looper I’m just hoping he stays on the line. When I turn around to land this guy I see him on the rocks so I quickly drag him to the ice covered rocks where in slides up onto dry rocks where I jump on this whooper. My first looper caught by shore casting. Life is grand!
Wish I had a video of this. Not the greatest landing but what the heck.
I’m back out here Sunday morning at 8:00 AM. Beautiful day, a bit cloudy but 24 degrees with a light wind, waves under 1 foot from the south again. Not much action so why not post something to my blog from the rocks of the North Shore. Maybe just maybe moving myself into the virtual world will once again bring a looper to my worm. It’s not to be, after giving it 4 hours, nothing. I will be back. Landing a looper on the shore was a great experience that I hope can be repeated many more times this winter. I have a lot to learn but just being out is what I enjoy. Having fish on the rocks will be my bonus!
with two lines in the water. A minute later Larry yells “fish on”. A few minutes after that he has his first looper by shore casting on the rocks. It normally takes a few trips to get one from the shore but oh no not Larry, his first time out, BANG! I give up about 30 minutes later after the weather and the loss of my rig snagging 
up on the rocks. The weather is light drizzle high winds and ice all over the rocks.Fast forward to yesterday, Saturday a week after the trial run. Weather is much better, sunny no rain and the waves are out of the south about 1 foot or less. While I was setting up my rods Larry landed a small Coho. Figures, he is good at this fishing thing while I’m always out for the fresh air and view, he is strictly out for meat.
Anyways the shore has some ice on it so I made a mental note not to run on the rocks. About 60 minutes later I run over to one rod that looks like something could be on it and fall almost straight on my face. I'm sure the people watching from the restaurant (about 200' behind me) got a good laugh.
It took another hour but as I was posting a photo to my face book page I heard something that sounded like a fishing reel’s drag. I woke up out of my virtual world just in time to see the line running out of my reel.
“Fish on”, I yell, but neighbor Larry is out of site inspecting something up the shore. So now I need to bring this fish in on the shore. I have never done this before and I don’t want to lose my first fish shore casting. From where I’m standing there is about 3 feet of ice covered rocks then 3 feet of wet rocks. I'm thinking I need to get as close as possible to the edge of the water while reeling in a nice size fish. Needless to say I again gave my audience in the restaurant a great show. Down I go on my back with my fishing rod still pointing up, I keep reeling in this bad boy from my back on icy rocks just feet from Lake Superior. I get on my knees then my feet and start to move to dry rocks while keeping tension on the line. By this time I can see my prize in the water just a few feet from shore, a nice 4 lb looper. As I move to dry rock my back is to the looper I’m just hoping he stays on the line. When I turn around to land this guy I see him on the rocks so I quickly drag him to the ice covered rocks where in slides up onto dry rocks where I jump on this whooper. My first looper caught by shore casting. Life is grand!
Wish I had a video of this. Not the greatest landing but what the heck.
I’m back out here Sunday morning at 8:00 AM. Beautiful day, a bit cloudy but 24 degrees with a light wind, waves under 1 foot from the south again. Not much action so why not post something to my blog from the rocks of the North Shore. Maybe just maybe moving myself into the virtual world will once again bring a looper to my worm. It’s not to be, after giving it 4 hours, nothing. I will be back. Landing a looper on the shore was a great experience that I hope can be repeated many more times this winter. I have a lot to learn but just being out is what I enjoy. Having fish on the rocks will be my bonus!
