Just Hook'n

5.5-6 seems a little fast - were you in a river?

The current changes direction and speed all the time - that is why fish hawk and other similar products have become very helpful tools.

It also depends WHAT you are trolling with (meat, spoons, spinnies, paddles, etc) as to how fast you need to go. Meat and spinnies like to "work" a little slower while spoons (depending on manufacturer) like to work a little quicker (up to 3mph). That being said I have caught steelhead close to surface going 4.5 (lure speed) as well, so you never know what they might like.

We typically target 2.7mph lure speed with a mainly spoon spread - maybe a couple other things in the mix.

The current is most commonly 1.5pmh or less so your gps speed will be 2-4...I really have not ever gone 5.5+ on the gps...something seems off to me there but anything is possible I guess.

If the currents are stronger it is even more important to square up to them - troll directly into or out of the current...trolling sideways in that much current will mess you up big time.

There is a never a perfect distance behind the ball - but this is one of the easiest things to experiment with (if you have electric downriggers). Sometimes the fish like 8', sometimes 50', sometimes a stacker....

A few ideas to throw at you, though not one is perfect.

If running the top 40' of water we'll tend to run the length behind the ball a little longer - out to 50'+ to keep the lures away from the boat noise...no idea being perfect, we have caught fish 8' behind the ball in the channel during the run.

If running out deeper - 60' or more down - we'll tend to run them 20' or closer.

I've heard guys say that the lures present better when run 8-10' behind the ball, and this can be true, especially for flies and paddles that like a certain rotation - we run paddles and flies pretty deeps, so you can get away with closer to the ball.

Like I said in the beginning, this one is probably the easiest thing to change in your spread - play with it if your not hooking fish and if something starts working - stick with it.

Most hooks are dull (especialy on spoons) from the manufacturer.

Sharpen them before you put them into storage as you are unwrapping them.

A sharp hook should catch on your finger nail if dragging it across, it should not slide easily. I've not found a single manufacturer who's hooks are up to my standards for spoons. Big weenie products (flies) are the only ones I trust putting them in the water out of the package.

Also, the troll direction is not only improtant to hook up ratios, but it is important to getting fish to bite at all...Ed has it nailed here.

No problem...Great to have you both aboard...when you get a chance, update your profile so we know what port you fish out of.

Nice work Kevin...why did you get a new profile?

Great work out there...awesome to have your brothers with you.

Ouch, time to get a case of beer and a hook sharpener.

WOW, nice work...ya you have been pounding the lake this summer.

Thank you for the continued reports.

Just some advice - I've never sold a gun and the buddies that I know that have always end up regretting it.

They have been very very smart lately.

Well, you know what they say - they don't get big by being stupid.

59 pounder strikes again....FISH ON.

Nice trip...way to get after them mid week.

Way to go Tony...good luck on the 305.

That's what I had on the Bayliner and we pretty much rebuilt that entire motor a few times over.

If I had to do it all over again I would have purchased a crate 350 and just swapped it out.

Very nice, and thank you for the information

MAN, If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times - those Lake O monsters look awesome.

Very nice...looks like a mixed bag of setups were working....maybe they will cooperate this weekend.

Perfect score - I think this is going to be more the norm for a while.

I'm thinking the days of deck loading 20 kings are few and far between.

That's an aweseome story and memory...great job guys.

That sounds like a fun trip - way to go.

Great picture...I'm wondering how that guys right thumb feels today - looks like he may have gotten into the teeth a little with that hold.

Nice job out there in the heat - I don't miss playing with the nets, but MAN the fish sure like to be around them.

Personally I prefer wire on my divers...most of the shops now are running the new stuff..19 strand I think...came out a few years back to replace heavier stuff...new stuff is much thinner and still very strong...you'll not regret it.

Nice job Ross...that's a lot of miles you put on the lake this weekend...top 10 finish is very respectable.

Well, I wish more people knew about this event because there we a TON of boats on the water on Saturday - wow what a circus.

Apart from there being a big Triport challenge in GH, Musk, and Ludville, there was another triport challenge in the southern half of the lake.

Facebook.com/triportladies

South Haven, Saugatuck and Holland event for the ladies to benefit cancer research.

It was a gorgeous day on the lake with a ton of boats, after 10am a ton of flies, and a few fish.

Black Beaty ended up edging us out by 2.5 or 3 lbs for first place (great job team) and we finished second overall, first in Holland (only two boats from Holland in it) and we also got big Steelhead - 11.5 lbs. All in all it was a great day on the lake.

Check out this event next year...it was only $50 to enter, they fed us very well and FREE BEER. I'm not sure about the total but they raised somwhere north of $8,000 for Susan G Komen....just awesome.

Nice job Dave...sounds like it was perfect.