Just Hook'n

Nice trip...Great way to spend a midweek morning.

That just isn't fair - my mouth is watering now....nice job.

Nice work Mike...have fun this weekend.

Nice job...that's a huge king.

Sweeeeeet...I thought that's why all the boats were on the web cam.

I've got a lead too Dave, text me and I'll let you know where we were last year with a 30' boat, heated, with access to get in all winter, for $400. :-)

Well, we prepared for and fished the Saugatuck tournament again this year hoping to do as well as we did 2 years ago - winning the 333 event.

We did NOT do that well...but congrats to Vern and team Deep V who won the 333 and placed 5th overall in the Pro Division...

Friday we had the pleasure of taking out 4 kids (I call them kids, there were about 16 years old) from up north. These guys had never been big lake salmon fishing before, but they were fisherman (rivers and lakes) and knew hwo to follow instructions. Great guys. So, I've been fishing the big lake on and off since I was 5 years old - 32 years now. Biggest fish I've caught was a few weeks ago - 21.5lbs...I was pretty happy with it. Well we get all the lines set - fishing most a meat program - nothing takes a hit - I'm thinking crap...we're not going to catch these guys any fish...then it all starts.

Dipsey fires 150 back on 1.5 with in about 120fow - 18lb king.

A while later Rigger 70 down fires - 27lbs 4 oz.

Kids first ever big lake salmon - ruined him for life.

300 copper goes for another 18lb fish.

caught a laker on a high line - go figure.

Missed another 3 or 4 fish in there somewhere, but everyone was happy.

Saturday - first day of the tournament - set up in 70fow southwest - everyone else went north for some reason.

Went 3 for 6 before 7:15, then it dried up.

10:30 we found some more fish in 150fow headed straight west.

Picked up 4 of them.

Hit 200 fow, turned around to the east.

Turned west in 140, immediately picked up another 2 fish (of 3).

Ended the day in 5th place with 9 fish - weighed one 17.3lb king and one 8.45lb steelhead in 333 hoping to get a laker in day 2...we knew we'd be nowhere near 333 champs with all the big fish coming in.

Day 2 of the tourney - decided to go north with everyone else - went to 80fow NW, set down on nw troll...almost the exact same thing as day one - no fish during setup, a few before 7:30 - then NOTHING.

Only problem with day two - NOTHING lasted a lot longer and we could not keep fish on. Ended up with 4 for 8 totalling 18lbs.

Fell from 5th to 15th place - but still got some gas money. :-).

I have to say it was a GREAT weekend on the water with some new friends, and the team did awesome for two days - had a blast.

WOW, what a nice 3 days to be on the lake....I don't think I've ever fished a nicer 3 days in a row.

Thanks to everyone who helped out with sharing information:

Flycatcher

Deep V

JimBobber

Got Fish

Great job guys...we had a wonderful time.

NIce job...too bad about the vehicle problems.

Way to go Jimmy, nice work out there and thanks for all the help.

Very nice...good to know that the bubbles off the cables trick still works.

Very nice....I hope that the rookie caught the 20 pounder

Thanks for the report Ross...nice when you boat still catches fish even without you on it...better with you on it though.

WOW, Dave bought that ride...OK, time to call Dave and offer to kick in for some gas money...Dave, if you are reading this...give me a call...GREAT BOAT.

We tried it last week with nothing good (skunk) happening, but I'm not really set up well for it either. Tough to keep a 30ft boat anchored in 45 fow....need a windlass.

Nice job Jimmy...WOW 15 - great trip.

Very nice - double dipseys over 20+, that would have me going back for more.

Way to go on the top 10 guys...great work this week.

Thanks Matt...great job...nice to have some more size, but I'd take a 7 for 12 fish trip any day of the week.

Some great looking boats in there...I bet that Mark Twain with twin 200's just flat flies...that one I like the best is the one with the IO...but that's just my opinion.

http://jxn.craigslist.org/boa/3950941742.html

Great trip...love those first time trips that turn out this well

Nice job out there...MAN some great large kings this year...

That is awesome....if that trip was with family, you might have a great wall mounter story and a few great set of fish to go with it.

WOW...that is a pig...nice fish...does anyone know where they found it? I had heard a rumor that someone drove their boat up to little point from Holland...that's a haul.

We use 6' long sliders, semi fixed with surgical tubing on the mail line...learned from GLF's own Mike Heckman...I've attempted others, and every once in a while if we are lazy we'll through a free slider on a rigger (that's when you just hook it to the line and let it find its' own depth). There is probably not a right way or wrong way to run sliders, just whatever you feel comfortable with setting.

Nice work - ya, I do not miss launch wars.