Flyboy

So it sounds like thinfish-red and black- 2-3 color cores, standard 20lb test line, and maybe a few 000 red dodgers will do the trick. How about boat speed? Same as normal? 2-2.5? In shallow water like this, are you guys running stackers at all on the riggers? Whats the usual rod spread?

Thanks for all the help guys.

Flyboy

What kinda cores/coppers work the best? or is it hard to run them because of boat traffic?

How about line, is 10lb to light, whats everyone using for line?

Flyboy

When does the bite start? Early morning as soon as the sun goes up? Is the evening fishery productive as well? Never done this before, so before I make the trek I'd like to know as much as I can. Thanks guys,

Flyboy

What color thinfish are the best? Is light line the best way to go? Is there only one boat launch in St. Joe, and if so, does it require a permit to launch there?

Flyboy

Thanks for all the feedback guys. It's all greatly appreciated.

Flyboy

Does anyone have any port information on St. Joe? Want to fish the early coho bite for the first time. When do they really start biting? Techniques? Any information will be helpful.

Jake

Anybody fish for browns out of Muskegon? What are your best methods and locations?

Are all of these tourneys going to be in Muskegon again or are there some in port sheldon again? If so, what are the dates?

Anybody fish for browns out of Muskegon in early spring?

Does anyone fish for browns out of Muskegon with any success? If so, when do you start you fishing?

Could anybody post the winners from last year? I tried to find them on the website but i don't think the links were working. Also, are all of these dates posted on the website for this year?

Sounds like a great time! Are there dates set for this year yet? Also, are these strictly Saturday tourneys? I thought I saw that, that would AWESOME!

I was looking on another website, and I noticed something about monthly Muskegon tournaments? If so, when are they, and are they reasonable to enter?

What was your most productive flasher/fly setup of this year? Normally for the past 2-3 years I would have said green bechold and a pickled sunshine fly, but for some reason just couldn't seem to get that one to fire alot this year. Best flasher/fly setup on our boat was an 11'' white crush glow DW flasher and a sea mist horse fly. Caught fish every time out when place at 72'.

Do you start your morning out this deep, or do you gradually make your way out there as the morning bite dies?

When guys refer to "Charter Tactics out deep" on this website, how deep are you? In a smaller boat I'm always hesitant to venture out further than 200', especially with only one motor. At one time we made it out to 250', but that was more on accident because we were fightin a double trying to stay away from the crowd in 150'. So, just curious how deep is "deep".

So it looks like there is two different types of meat rigs. One that you can stuff with chopped meat and another you can clip a whole bait into? Is one any better than another?

Sounds like a lot of the fishermen on here use meat rigs when the morning bite slows. Where do you get the meat from and how/where are you running it? Off riggers, dipsies, lead core, copper????

Flyboy

For those of your running 4 divers, how do you get them all out with out any tangles? How far apart are they? Also on the long lines, how are you setting up your boat for these planer rigs? Just wondering if I need a mast system or just where to put these rod holders on the boat.

Never forget the time in August where the slider and the main line both had 20+ lb fish on them. You'da thought we locked on to another boat! Unfortunately, though, the two split in opposite directions and the slider broke. Still landed 1 of the 2 though. Sliders can be very productive though. Lately, however, we've kinda shied away from them and instead fished with another rigger rod stacked on the rigger, so we're running two rods on one rigger. Just seemed to have better hook-ups that way.

I fish with 1 or 2 other guys most of the time. This means 6-9 rods out the back of the boat. Just curious what others think the best/most productive rod set-ups would be.

Flyboy

Normally I fish with just my dad out of Muskegon, and last year we had a great morning bite, landing 5-6 fish from about 6-8am, but after 8am, everything shut down, and it was a real struggle to put 1 maybe 2 more fish in the box if we were fortunate. What do you do to keep the fish comin in the later morning hours? How much deeper do you go? What lures do you run? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Flyboy

Whats your go to steelhead rig when you need one most?

Flyboy

Number 1 spoon for the past 3 years has got to be the Moonshine Double Trouble. You can never have enough of those down.

Wow, this sounds great! I wish I knew about this earlier in the year! I'm busy the last tourney day this year, but will definately try and make as many as possible next year! Thanks for the info guys! That Muskegon Summer Challenge looks great too!