Jump to content

Daybreak

Charter Captain
  • Posts

    361
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by Daybreak

  1. I am very lucky to have a wife that LOVES to fish with me(in less than 2 footers :) ) And as a Husband and a Charter Captain I can attest....women are Great to have on the boat. I ask my wife or another woman to do something on the boat or teach her something about fishing...bam, it sticks and it gets done. I have to ask my fishing buddies and most other guys 3 or 4 times before it gets done right! :)

    A Marquette Harbor Salmon

    memorialday078.jpg

    Fairport, MI King

    Fairport0842.jpg

    Stannard Rock Steel!

    JamieSteel.jpg

    Her 4th trip to Stannard Rock. She's gettin the hang of it!

    JamieLaker.jpg

    PRICELESS!

    P5110004.jpg

    Fishin the Rock with the boys!...and she won the bet for first fish and most boated fish for the day!

    RockCrew-1.jpg

    Manistique King on-line

    Stannard-Uncle-ED022.jpg

    And here she is with her first Kill!

    JaimesHunt005.jpg

  2. Great Pics Polar Bear. Some nice lookin Lakers there and the Lakeshore behind you looks very cool as well!

    Are those "Grease Traps" on your line or a different attractor? I have been looking at those on the "Big Weenie" site and wanted some first hand feedback on them. I spend 80% of the summer chasing Lakers as well on Lake Superior and am always looking at new tactics to throw in my arsenal :)

  3. Your not doing anything wrong! 20-30' is perfect. Go much longer and your bait will be riding up in the water column above where it should be because of the drag against the extra line. 50' is almost too long, and 100' is WAY to long. I have never even seen anyone run a 100' leader? There is no need for that much leader(unless you really enjoy cranking up an extra 100' of line every time) You also lose the "effect" the lead core has on the bait with a leader that long.

    Also, running a snap weight(or dive bomb) 50' infront of your bait and behind all the lead defeats the biggest advantage of leadcore(its action). Thats why they reccomend you hook the dive bombs half way up the lead. That way you still get the "leadcore" effect on the bait. Leadcore gets your bait far away from the boat for a reason. If you dont want to crank all that line in, then just run a straight mono rod with a heaiver drop weight or dive bomb.

  4. I second the "Troll Master Digital"! Its a must have for a Kicker motor and allow you to be very precise with your speed.

    Dont go cheap on the bracket. Save money in other places, but buy the best bracket you can find and make sure its rated for well ABOVE what you plan to hang on it.

  5. GREAT Shot Mike!

    I can see my Truck and tent across the street in my usual spot! Nothin beats 3 hours of sleep each night on an air mattress, with four wheelers ripping by all night long and the sound of screamin drags playing in my head!

    Man, this thread is killin me!! Come on Spring!!:)

  6. Poverty Gap

    101_0672.jpg

    This pic was taken about 30minutes before the worst storm I have ever been on the water for. I hesitate to say I was scared...but Nervous as hell forsure! The fish were biting and we decided to stay....boy did we pay!

    Great pics Big Tuna! I'll see ya down there next Summer! :)

  7. I run them on 40lb. Power Pro with a 3' leader of 17lb. Seagur Floro. after the diver. Keep the drags loose!

    The dive curve is similar, but they dive slightly LESS than a dipsy with the original weights. You can get heavier weights for them to have them dive quicker, as well as adding a "mag" ring if you like.

    Since most of the time I run them as a "stealth" set-up, I dont mind having more line out to acheive depth because it puts it further from the boat.

    You can also turn the weight 90 degrees on the disc so it stays really shallow but can be let out 100' or more. Great for spring/fall fishing.

  8. They are usually the best rods on my boat, and with the exception of wire divers, they have completely replaced dipsys on my boat! They do everything a dipsy will do, and much more. The best thing is the adjustable lead legnth behind the disc. I usually run between 10-100 feet behind the disc depending on the bait. You can also get heavier weights for them to use them deeper in the water column later in the year. Netting is also much easier than a dipsy because the fish isnt 8-10 feet behind the diver., its only a foot or two.

    Lite Bites are very nice! They can be run without the "arm" as well just as the original ones, but its a nice option to have. On rough days I can use a lot of tension on the diver so it dosent break free on big waves, but it still only takes a light pressure from a fish strike to release it. When storing, I just use a piece of velcro strap to tie the diver to the rod and keep it from moving. Its really not that big a deal.

    When setting them out, I hold the rod in my LEFT hand. I open the bail, (clicker on) and let the disc down until I can grab it with my LEFT fingers. Holding the rod and the disc in my left hand, I can set the counter on the reel and begin to strip line from the diver with my right hand. When I get the lead legnth that I want, I lock the diver down, and then lock the bail to the reel. I let go of the diver and let it swing back while I reel the diver right to the tip of the rod. I reset the counter again, and set out the whole rig in the water. Feed out desired amount of line, and Lock n' Load!

    Once you get used to them, you'll never want to be without them! They can be used for all species of fish while trolling and are very versitile. Get any color you want.......as long as it CLEAR!!!

    Fairport0831.jpg

  9. This is from my new "Michigan DNR Charter Boat Handbook", dated 3-27-09.

    "The pistol-type visual distress signal has now been defined as a dangereous weapon and subject to rules of purchase, resistration, and carriage as required for any handgun. The pistol-type visual distress signal is NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE and MAY NOT be carried aboard Michigan Charter Boats."

    I was also told about this last year during inspections and had to remove my 2 "pistol" style launcher from the boat.

    Next will be the "rocket launchers" on my boat because the name sounds like they could be dangerous :angry2:

  10. Dont know if it will continue again this year....but Gander Mountain in Marquette carries the "green label" whole herring in stock every year. Or you can order it online through many retailers. Search "fish on bait company" for info. I belive Calumet Marine in the Chicago area also carries and ships fresh herring.

    I usually buy a case each year, or go in with a few guys on a bulk load at the beggining of the year and make enough strips up to last all season. If you wait until July to try to find it....you wont!

  11. Which ever brand you go with.....trust me, you will never want to fish without one again. Its just like an autopilot...lots of guys say they dont need one or its not worth it. (usually because they dont have one) But once you put one on your boat, you will never want to go without it again.

    You could take my GPS before you take my Depth Raider. Watching rod angles gets you close....watching my Depth Raider gets me EXACT. That makes all the difference in the world some days.

  12. Hey Nailer, Check this link out. This guy is the ultimate "guru" when it comes to Meat Fishing and there is a TON of great info on his site.!

    http://www.michigansportsman.com/Tips_n_Trix/Cut_Bait.htm

    I use Whole Herring prepared similar to the way described in the link. The side of the herring with the tail left on outproduces the other side 5-1.

    1 thing I have learned about running Meat Rigs is if your gonna run meat...RUN MEAT. Throwing 1 rig down may catch a few fish but the point of meat fishing is to add the smell of the bait to the water. We commonly run 2 meat rigs off the chute riggers and 2 more off Wire Divers, mostly behind 10" Spin Doctors or 11" Kingfishers. 4 meat rigs puts off a lot of scent and a lot of disturbance behind your boat and more rods are not nessasary. Many times thats all we'll run unless its midday and we have a few Steelhead lines out on the big boards.

    BIG FISH love meat!! And you get very few Shakers if any. :)

  13. I'll be fishing out of Marquette on Lake Superior. First trip of the year will be fishing the Upper Harbor breakwall, from 25-70 fow......and I cant wait! :)

    -2 Riggers with long leads and 10-12 lb. test. Standard Moonshine Wonderbread on 1 side and Mag Greasy Chicken Wing on the other.

    -2 Slidedivers about 30-50 feet out on a 6 setting. 2- #3 J-Plugs(yes, j-plugs) set back behind the divers about 40 feet. 1 Wonderbread plug and 1 Silver bullet. I LOVE J-Plugs and catch fish on them all year long.

    -4 Leadcore lines on the big boards. 2,3,4, and a 5 color. ALL with MAULERS! 2 with orange and blue, and 2 more in all Gold.

    -2 10lb. flatlines on the outside. 1 Blue/Silver Bomber Long-A and 1 Reef Runner in Cheap Sunglasses color.

    -3-4 Good Friends

    -4-5 Layers of clothes

    -and FRED BEAR playin on the radio!

    Dam I cant wait for spring! :)

  14. Flasher and MEAT!

    Three years runnning the biggest Kings on my boat have come on Wire Diver/Meat Rig set-up. Its not always the most productive rod on the boat.....but it almost always produces the biggest fish each trip, especially during the mid-day period.

    6 out of 7 of the tourneys I fish each year are big-fish events, so its not always about numbers for me!

  15. They area bit pricey, but remember, you get what you pay for! I have the Furuno Nav-Pilot 511. Its set up on a 27' Tiara Open with twin inboards and a Hynautic steering system. Absolutly awsome unit with all the bells and whistles, and the best part....its a Furuno.

    I did 2 years worth of research and I ended up going with the Nav-Pilot over the other units. $2700 out the door with everything you need as well as the new high power Furuno steering pump, integrated gyro compass, rudder indicator, ect..

    I would at least give them a look if thats in your price range!

  16. I use a few of just about all the brands in the poll. I think that using different brands(size, weight, thickness) really help dial in to the fish. A Stinger NBK can be hot, while a NBK pattern in another brand wont be.

    2 spoons that are ALWAYS in the water on my boat when fishing Lake Michigan are a Standard Size Mauler with orange/Blue crush tape on belly(Usually on Leadcore), and a Moonshine Blue Flounder Pounder(Usually on a rigger).

    On Superior for Lakers, it a SS Mag Greasy Chicken Wing.

  17. Thanks Guys! Those Lakers were from Stannard Rock in Lake Superior this summer...all caught on 6' Rods with spinning tackle and Jigs!...and NO fats! 99% of the lakers we catch out there or around Marquette are Lean Lakers. Bright orange meat and dam tasty! No Greeseballs here!

    Most of July-August King fishin is done out of Fairport or Manistique, in the southern U.P. After 3 years straight of not breaking 20lbs with a King, this summer we had 9 over 20lbs. with 1 at 25lbs.

    Also a great year for the Steelies! Saw many over 12 lbs. this year. Boated over 80 in July alone, with all but 6 being released unharmed.

    Gettin the itch for next year....but we got a ways to go for open water!

  18. Hello from the U.P. My name is Capt. John Tomczyk. I have been a Charter Captain running other peoples boats for 12 years, but finally decided to do it for myself!

    Daybreak Charters is located in Marquette, MI and I frequent areas on Lake Superior such as Stannard Rock, Big Reef, and the Huron Islands. I also fish Northern Lake Michigan out of Fairport and Manistique.

    I look forward to the great info on this forum, and hope I can contribute some of my own as well.

    Tight Lines!

×
×
  • Create New...