We’ve experienced a wide range of weather this week, from hot sunny days with temperatures in the mid-80’s, to cold, wet days with lows around 48 degrees. Last year at this time at Striker’s Point we had water spilling over the top of our dock. Today you will find a 6 foot drop from the end of the dock to the water surface. But don’t be alarmed…water levels may be down, but fishing is up, up, UP!

Our first guests, the Blankenship group, have reeled in seven – yes SEVEN – trophy pike:

• Nick Blily from Virginia caught a 39″ northern (top photo) at the mouth of the whirlpool using a Johnson Spoon.
• Mike “Mr. Fish” Mullins from Virginia (bottom photo) caught five of the seven, measuring in at 41″, three at 44″  and the big winner – a 47″ monster pike. His secret? Mike was fishing down the mouth of the Ogoki river, aptly nicknamed “Gator Alley.” He preferred casting to trolling, and stayed in shallow water around 3-4 feet in depth.
• Ted Taylor, from Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, managed to wrangle in a 42″ northern also in Gator Alley, fishing with a minnow. Larry Blankenship from Tazewell, Virginia caught a 41″ big girl using a floating Rapala (again, in the famous Gator Alley).

The Davidson group from Virginia also had great luck with pike this week. Bill Davidson was fishing for walleye when he caught his 41 ½” northern, and he also had 4 other big northerns measuring over 36″.

Whitewater Lake certainly delivered in terms of pike fishing, but walleye fisherman were also ON FIRE this week. The Nurenberg group from Minnesota caught 25-30 walleye each hour. When asked if they had a favourite fishing spot, they responded with “EVERYWHERE!” Walleye are hot all over the lake. The Nurenbergs tried their luck fishing with live leeches, jigs of all colours and Gulp – and found them all to be equally effective.
…From Striker’s Point Lodge on Whitewater Lake, this is Katelyn Johnson casting off.