A day of firsts

for me

My reputation as a guide takes quite a beating. 

To wit, this week the trio went fishing at the X - QMH. Wed. AM was change out the gas filter. The week before on a couple of occasions the engine coughed to life and needed revving to stay idling. Once, the engine quit.
This series of poor starts, likely indicated a fuel supply difficulty. And since I failed to change the gas filter last year.... well, we figured why not. I had the spare filter and clamps. After much fiddling, F got the clamps off and the new filter on easily.
Cranked over like a trooper.
Some bass got feisty and co-operated. In the afternoon, as per usual - the big question ' where do we go now ? '
I'm the ' expert ' and they ask ' can we get walleye ? '
I went to a favourite spot, w/ trepidation < we hadn't seen a walleye all year >. 

Trolling motor down ( apparently, I'm a ' trolling motor down ' kind of guy ) -- it means that I concentrate on spots and don't spend time running from place to place, I flipped a plastic jig over the side. 
And set the hook, on a walleye. The ' eye ' wasn't over the minimum, and was released. 

A short while later, and my rod tip bent quickly and yes, another ' eye '. Bigger by lots. After a desperate struggle, D netted the walleye. On measuring, we were pretty sure the fish was under the maximum length but we were praying nobody official measured the fish.
D was next w/ a walleye but his was a tiny bit under or too close to take a chance. another release.
A good day.