DKuiper

47LC and cannonballs have been sold. Duane

We have been doing well on smelt on Gull Lake NE of Kalamazoo. Fishing during the day just off the north end of the lake out from the Prairieville Township Park. Only about 50 yards from shore in 30-45 FOW. Running to the small side 5-6" mostly. Two of us fishing for 4-5 hours with the low count being 40 and the high end being 131. Usually quite a small city out there, but it sure easy fishing. I guess they have been doing that for the last six weeks but we have been at it for only the last two. Tried it at night twice and did no better than the daytime. Duane

Nate, I lost the probe to my subtroll 900 several years ago. The cost of replacing it just was not worth it to me. I have the read out unit, connecting co-ax to the special downrigger wire and most of the downrigger wire left. If you are interested and willing to pay the shipping cost I'd send this stuff to you. If, after replacing underwater probe, you are satisfied with the unit just send me a MO for $35. I think you would end up with a good unit for just a bit over $200. PM me if you have any interest in this. Thanks, Duane

Arm rests that mount to the back of most boat seats, Pro Winch electric anchor winch 20# capacity with manual, wood duck nesting box with 6'+ 4X4 mounting pole, owl/hawk nesting box. Located in Otsego, PM me for details, phone #, etc. Duane

Daiwa SG47LC good condition, MagdaPro20DX fair condition, two slide divers only used one time, two 4# TruTrac cannonballs great for manual drs in shallow water, two 8# Trutrac cannonballs. PM me for details, phone #, etc. Located in Otsego, Michigan.

He was at a South Haven fishing seminar at Lake Mich. College in South Haven several years ago. I was forunate to sit near him. He was helpful. Uses mousies almost exclusively which he buys late in the winter, quantity of about 5,000+. Not sure how he keeps them all summer. I've talked to him on the ramp at SH several times. He will give general information, but naturally enough not detailed hot spots. He does move around a lot out there. Fishes out of a 14' center console red lund with a tall white antenae. Usually just one guy with him. Usually launches at the ramp up river from the public ramp in SH. Does not think highly of us salmon fisherman. Duane

Hey Dog House, great daily fishing log. Sure will help keep track of what happens out there! Will make it easy to transcribe to my yearly log with out having to rely on my memory. Gets a little confusing about what happens on the lake if you are into some good action. Thanks Duane

Sure looks like bad news for the great lakes states. Hopefully the AG's of all the states affected will continue the fight. The Supreme Court only turned down the immediate tempory injunction. Make sure to contact our AG, Mike Cox, so that he knows we voters want him to take this in full case to the Supreme Court. That will take time, which we may not have much of from what we are hearing on TV and the newspapers, but there is still some hope for a rightful solution. Might be slim to none, but the chance is there! Lets keep battling the powers that be and let them know how important this is. State Senators and Representatives should be told that we are monintoring their actions! Duane

Racine is a great port to fish from. I went out of there two days last April. Great facilities both at Racine Municiple and North of town about 7-8 miles near the power plant. Great brown trout fishing there when we were out. 21 fish, mostly browns with a couple of kings and lakers mixed in. Up to 14#. And only 2 or 3 other boats out on the lake! I'm guessing the swap meet is in 2010? I might make that trip to get to swap meet and do some fishing. About a 4 hour drive from Otsego, but it was well worth it last year.

Ginger snaps and Vernors ginger ale works great for the seasick prone people I take with me! Way to hang in there. George! 4-6 footers is not easy or fun fishing. Duane

Mike at D&R Sports says they are doing well on them at Benton Harbor right now. I never have given it a shot, not to good at walking anymore and a trek with heavy clothes and gear out to the pier is probably not in my future. Sounds like fun tho. Duane

Went looking for perch on Muskegon Lake Tuesday. Nice day to fish and look but the catching was almost non-existent! Looked and fished in all my favorite spots and a few others but could find no fish worth keeping. Lots of dinks available but we caught only 3 that we might have kept if we'd found a few more. Quite a few boats running around doing the same thing we were it looked like. Water temp was 50. Hoping the first week of November may be better. Talked to one Lake Mich fisherman at the ramp when we came in and he had been trolling solo out there with 1 small king in the box. Hoping the lake will calm down some next week so I can make one more trip for steel or whatever. Duane

I have been shrink wrapping my boat and my son's for a couple of years. Never have used a dessicant bag and have seen no problems although I do install a couple of vents to keep the air moving a bit. I also open up all the inside hatches and get all the gear out. I have an on board charger that I leave the pigtail hanging over the edge and once a month I plug it in to keep the batteries up. I need the garage space for woodworking in the winter so wrapping the boat works well for me. I do miss being able to do a bit of maintenance in the winter tho. A heated inside storage would be ideal as mentioned so you could tinker during the winter, but sometimes that gets a bit pricey and the location would be critical also I would think. Duane

There is a Trophy for sale just north of Richland on M-43. It is at a dealer there on the east side of the road. Looks like it has been used for big lake fishing with some rodholders and may be riggers on it. Twin OBs and maybe 21-24'? As has been mentioned it is a great time to be a buyer. I think they will all wheel and deal. The area from Toledo to Port Clinton, OH is a great spot to do some looking and boat shopping. Always a bunch of boats for sale down there. Might be worth a day trip down that way. Duane

I have a friend who has a Sportcraft 23'10" hardtop, 2002 model with a V-6 that for me might be the best boat. Solid, good reputation, economical to run, lots of fishing room in the stern area, comfortable seating and a small cuddy cabin with two V berths. Fishes four comfortably, gets you out to where the fish are at a decent speed and back safely. Price wise not to bad for this type of boat. He paid about 30 Gs for it but it is in mint condition. Best will be different to different people, but a good question to put out there, Mike. Duane

Set lines in 85 Fow at 8:30 AM. Trolled west and then easterly into the wind. 3.0 on the GPS. Fished until 1 PM. Went 4 for 10, 4 of the 10 were just stand ups on the d/r rods. All kings from 3# to about 10#. Had a totally in-experienced crew of 1 80 year old, 1 of 70, and myself at 75. The boys put me to work! Ran 4 riggers, 2 half cores, 2 full cores. First fish came on dr down 85 with a Moonshine half blue immediately after getting it set as the first line down. 3 hits and 2 fish off half core with teespoon spinner with a lemon ice spoon about 3' behind it. One fish on glo blue whale at 60 down. Carmel dolpin on half core had 2 solid rips but both came unbuttoned before we could get 'em in the net. Nothing on the 10 colors. Lots of fish out there between 90 and 120'. And big schools of something right on bottom between 105-110'. Didn't really look like bait, just a bunch or big hooks! Dragged some lures thru them, but no takers. Biggest king came on 5 color while I was letting the board out. Nice feeling to have the rod in your hand when they hit! Duane

They probably have since early spring if it is anything like South Haven. I've fished perch on Muskegon lake frequently, mainly in late October and early November with pretty fair success. Adams Angler & Archer Bait shop in N. Muskegon can usually give you pretty good information on what is going on in either Muskegon or Lake Mich. Phone # there is231-744-5992. Duane

Captn, thanks you your posting everyweek on Saugatuck fishing. I for one appreciate the up to date factual information. It has been helpful all year long, even when fishing other ports such as South Haven or Holland. I do a quite a bit of perch fishing so that info was nice to see also. Never did really get into the perch out of Saugatuck but nice to know there are still some around there. I just need to get on 'em. Hope you had a great year. Duane

Sounds like possibly you may have some line twist from running SDs or flashers? I have had that problem and mostly solved it by running really good swivels and a short length of bead chain ahead of the flashers, like those on J Plugs. I don't believe a twilli tip will solve the problem you have. JMO Duane

6 for 9, four kings up to 15.2# and two coho about 7#. Set lines at 8 AM in 85 FOW. Fished East and West out to 130 and then back to about 85. Took about as many hits and fish in either direction. Pulled lines at noon. Intermittent rain all morning, but really a nice fishing day. #3 blue glow J took both coho dn 65, missed one other. Coyote flasher pearl/chrome with green fly dn 85 one king. Carmel dolphin magnum down 70 one king. Blue/chrome Protroll E chip gold/clear mylar fly on dipsy back 175 on 1 1/2 two kings one missed rip. Green/pearl SD/ green fly broke off at strike on dr down 60. Tangled around ball I believe. Nothing on two full cores, one with #4 green/glow J, other with a magnum pearl glow spoon with red dots. Nothing on #3 green/glow J dn 55-70 dn, nothing on dipsy back 160 on 1 1/2 with Fish Catcher gold with yellow fly.

Great job Ryan. A good memory catching some fish with dad in a 14 footer! Fished out of a boat like that for many years. All my boys got initiated into salmon fishing in that small boat. Caught just as many fish then as now in a bigger, better equipped boat. Keep taking dad out, I know he truly appreciates spending time with you. Duane

Nice job Terry, nice size fish. It's been awhile since we've boated a 20#er! Maybe tomorrow. Expect to try the perch first and then the silver fish. I know that is kind of backwards from what we should do, but, the rest of the crew would really like to get into some good size perch. Been doing OK on the perch in SH, but they sure don't qualify as anywhere near jumbos. More like 8-10" with an occasional 11"er. We'll see if we can find some out of Saugatuck. Duane

Thanks for the info. Since I'll be coming through Allegan, and I know where the side door store is that is where I'll stop. Heard any perch reports out of Saugatuck, Terry?

Thinking of trying a combo trip to Saugatuck Monday. Perch/salmon. Is there a bait shop near there that is open like 6 AM that would have minnows? Any info and directions would be appreciated. Thanks, Duane

I see Fish Dog has them for $59.99 also. That is probably where I'll get 'em. Always have had great service there. Thanks for the updates. Duane