hornets nest

Set lines in 140FOW at 6:15am and headed nothwest. Didn't get a hit until 7:30is on 250' of 45lb copper lemon ice spoon, 8-9lb laker, picked up 2 small kings on riggers parked at 70 down and 60 down green dolphin and double orange crush. Got a 11-12lb king on 8 color with a 2oz dive bomb added at 4 colors and a mixed veggie and got another small laker on the same set up, last fish came on starboard braid diver on 2 out 140' with a green natural born killer spoon 8-10lb king. All the fish came from 200 out to 295. Pulled lines at 295fow with the action slowed to nill and ran back to 210fow and headed northeast till we reached 150fow with nothing going, pulled lines at noon and headed home. 6 for 6 not bad but not as good as last week. No pattern to colors but the depths ranged down a little deeper. Temp was better inside than out deep. we had 44 degree water down 45' inside of 200fow but 50 degree water down in the 50ish fow out deeper, didn't get in the 40-45 degree range till we were down 65'+ out deeper. The best area we marked fish was between 198-202fow. Until next time..

Good job Mike. Thanks for the report.

Awsome job Larry, I guess we should have cotinued right out also, we did good for 4and half hours trip boxing 11 but 13 would have been a little better. Our best action was at the break from 150's to the upper 160's transition we found that the fish were active for awhile. We were getting fish basically the same depths you were.

Last season I got wrapped up with the meat rig fishing and put a lot of money in getting set up with a lot of different rigs. The guy I got my flashers and meat rigs from, frowns on running spoons and meat rigs together, as he feels the meat rigs require a lot less speed then whats needed to pull spoons effectively, can see his point to an extent. Anyways the last 5 trips I have taken it has been all small spoon bite, nothing on meat and very few on flasher/fly's, in fact the last 3 trips I haven't even run a flasher/fly except for a trash can and spin and glow once in awhile when the action is slow. Earlier in the season I did get a few fish on one meat I got (green frog meat rig and flasher) but nothing on anything else this year. I know every lure has it's day don't get me wrong I understand that, just like some colors are better than others some days then others. I do have a probe (X4) and use it all the time and understand that I have to slow down when fishing meat and flashers. Anyways I thought I would ask you guys a few questions about your thoughts. Do you run meat and with any great success? Do you feel that the meat is more a northern port set up, or a deep fishing tactic? Has your flasher fly been firing this year consistently? The kings were big this spring but they are scattered right now do you feel that has a baring on the situation? I'm not slamming anybody or firing anything up for a hot debate, just want to her some responses of how you guys are doing and your thought.

Well the problem goes a little farther. They reeived the fuel pump kit and pulled the pump to rebuild and when they got the pump apart they found that the check valaves had come apart internally, which was causing the problems. So now they ordered a new pump and will put that on next week. Yes I now that when a motor is acting like its struggling to get fuel and when you pump the primer and it picks up the pump is week, but in this case it made no differance, I pump the primer and it made no noticable change. Anyways thanks for all the help guys, hopefully the problem is found and it runs as advertised.

Great work, for some special kids that will talk about the fun they had for a long time. Good jod....

Set lines at 6:30am in 80fow, and pulled lines at 10:55am and finished 11 for 13. 3 Greasers, 2 steelhead, and the rest were kings. Most fish we got were between 155-168fow 40-60' down on divers, riggers and copper, lost 1 on the torpedo setup (steelhead) and 1 on a rigger (also steelhead). Double orange crush, NBK, Blue dolphin and green dolphins were also in the action, most steelheads hit on the orange spoons. Good day, hopefully we can get out again tomorrow, talk to ya next time. FYI all spoons nothing on flasher/ fly and the sea flees are getting worse, also the bugs were biting hard today one of the dirty bastards left a crater the size of a pea on my ankle (just kidding)...............

We took the motor back today and made them put it in their test tank. Ran for about an half an hour with no problem. Hooked up battery to charging system like it is on the boat and still ran OK. They started in with there is something wrong with your boat and we got the idea the tank was setting about the same height as the motor or just below. We took another engine stand and raised the fuel line up above the motor like it is in the boat and the way they said it would be fine and let it run that way for awhile. Wasn't long and the surging started and the motor quit just like it has been doing right along in the boat. They ordered a fuel pump kit to put in and feel that should take care of the issue. Hopefully it does and I feel it will, it acts like the motor is starving for fuel and that's what I told them from the beginning, bu they blamed the carb. The tank has been setting on the floor of the boat and has to run above the transom then back down to the motor and the pump is weak and can't handle it. We were planning on making a mount to put the fuel tank on the opposite side of the transom as the kicker like some guys do with swim platforms I've seen or just plain mounts then the tank will be at the height of the carb or a little above and the pump won't have to work so hard. I don't know how some of you guys get away with drawing from the main tank with these cheap little pumps they put on these motors but it is what it is, thanks for all the replies hopefully it's taken care of now.

I am taking it back again. I recommended that they put it on a boat and take it to a lake and run. Not just the muffler or the tank. What's so frustrating about the whole thing is the mechanic that works on it thinks it runs fine and gets real short about the situation. When we take it back this time I will be asking for an agreement that if they get done with it again and say it's good to go and I take it out and it starts it's problem again that they give us our money back for the motor. We got the panther mount and EZ steer thru them also but I won't ask for the $ for the add-ons. Does that sound unreasonable to you guys or not? This will be my 8Th and 9Th trip with this motor issue, at 35miles and a 40 minute trio it's ridiculous of what has gone on.:mad::mad:

Everything has its day in the water. After 2 trips out of South Haven last weekend and only taking one fish on flasher fly and 0 on meatrigs, and no fish on flasher fly and meat rigs on a 7-2 st jo trip I left all those in their boxes on the 4th trip yesterday and ran all spoons (mostly smaller or regular sizes) and went 10 for 11. Orange was the ticket, earlier green was was the ticket. Next week it may be blue. I would stay away from 4 riggers. With the lake so clear now you can get to much too close and hurt your spread. Keep things spread out as much as possible. My normal 3 man spread is 2 riggers, 2 divers, and 5 boards with either copper or leadcore. I have a chute rigger and use it for the x4probe and when I'm bouncen bottem with a trash can and spin and glow for Lakers only when action has been slow and have some new people on the boat and want to get fish for them too catch. When the bigger Kings start smelling the rivers anytime the flasher fly's will start going down and the meat rigs along with some plugs. But I have never put everything out with flsher fly's, maybe some people do, but thats a lot of noise in a small area with divers and cannonballs also making noise. Generally to much noise after the early bite has shut down.

Went 10 for 11 with 1 steelhead, 3 lakers, and 6 kings. 2 kings 10-12lb the rest were smaller. Orange orange and more orange was the ticket in 55-65 depth range in 90-110 fow. Double orange crush did the most damage parked on the port side out and down rigger down 55'. The steelhead came on 225' of copper with a miami dolphin spoon. The steelhead hit the spoon hard enough to bend the spoon, first time Iv'e had that happen. Lakers came on orange and green pro king spoon on mag dipsey. Great day on the water, lake was very pleasant and relaxing today. Had a drive buy on the 8 color with a watermelon spoon and also got one laker on that set up, also had a 4 oz dive bomb on the 8 color. Happy 4th everyone talk to ya next time.

We picked up a 9.9 Evinrude long shaft that was bairly used at all. Installed it on our 26' Islander and put a 3gal fuel tank in the back for the kicker only, and an new fuel line. Got out on the lake put it down got it running and pushing the boat in the 2.0-3.0 range and after a few minutes it started surging and quit, couldn't get it to run right so we took it off after we got it home and took it back to the dealer. They rebuilt the carb and test ran good. Took it back out and got it to run but had to have the chocke out slightly and it seemed to want to surge when the boat would rock with the waves. This time I took the boat with the motor to the dealer and they test ran and said they adjusted and was good to go. Took it back out again, and this time it started ok and run ok at first then as it got warmer after 15-20min of trolling it started surging and quit again, played with the fuel adjustment but could not get it to run well. Called the dealer on the way home and they said come and get a new tank and fuel line, they felt it was the fuel tank and the line that I bought. Put the new tank and line on and took it out yesterday, started and ran ok but again had to have the choke out slightly to get it to run smoth. After I got the lines set and things were calm I puled the cover and adjusted the idle mixture and it wouldn't help the problem at all when I adjusted the mixture. Put things back the way they were, and left it alone as it seemed it was running ok. Then all of a sudden it reved up alittle then wouldn't hold a stedy idle and died. I pulled it up and didn't play with it anymore. Any ideas guys? What would you do? Have any of you experianced problems with kickers like this?

It was my dad's B-Day and my brother-in-law's uncle's B-Day so I took em fishin. Started at 5:00am south in 80fow. Got a small king on 175' of copper with a freaken veggie spoon. Got a 7lb greeeeeeeeeeaser on a mag diver out 120' with a miami dolphin spoon. Lost another fish on the other side diver with a glow frog spoon and lost it. All this came between 90-105fow. Worked back in 80fow and got a 6lb steelhead on a 2 color with a small miami dolphin spoon. Action was a little slow and flashers with fly's or meat rig were not firing on riggers sow I put down a trsh can and spin-an glow down the shoot rigger bouncing bottom and we picked up 4 more greeeeeeeaser's. Also got a small coho on the 175' copper from above and lost two more fish one I beleive was a nice sized steelhead that jumped and threw the spoon shortly after the hook-up on the diver. Wound up 8 for 12 not to bad but would like a little more silver. Talked to Mike Chamberlin on MC2 on the radio for the first time and he gave a lot of good info and a few laughs about the red headed blow-up doll they boated, great catch Mike, at least that red head won't cry when you go fishin. Also got meet a freind I've got to know thru the web sites, Dan Agnello (Hockey Puck). Nice day on the lake and a good time with family and friends.

The first few lead core and copper rigs I got had 100'+ leaders and the fish didn't like it. Did some reading on these web sites and shortened my leads down to 50' and the action has been better. Like said before when they get down to 10-15' I retie, I might even shorten up even more than 50'. Hope that helps.

Great job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Heck I would be happy with a 20 pounder, but I would be on cloud nine with the 30eeeepounder

Took my cousin from Wyoming and his son out on an afternoon trip, which I prefer the morning. Went 2 for six with 2 break offs, one was a 30lbs leader on a fixed slider broke with a new spoon I had just bought, don't remember what Tone but it was green and something, the other was the hooks broke off my froggie meat rig, fortunately it was just the hooks and not anything else, also lost 2 smaller fish at the back of the boat, rookies. Both the break offs were decant fish most likely kings. Started at 90fow and worked out too 150 and not a lot on the graph. Headed back in and lost the first fish at 130fow and either lost or landed fish all the way into 85fow. Froggie meat rig got one and lost one, green sd and white, blue, red, and green fly took the other fish. Green was the ticket again. I was surprised when we got no hits at just before sundown, I guess that's why I like the morning better. Until next time.. But I think this weekend I'm going over to Erie to get some walldogs.

Mattmissler beat me to it. Nice job on the fish, but next time you want to post something about Lake Michigan fishing reports and I stress Michigan please don't don't have a picture of a guy waring a buckeye hoodie, makes me want to throw up:eek:, just kidding:grin: nice job,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Set down at 95 fow @6:40am, headed northwest, north of the pier heads, 1st fish on mag dipsy 120' out on 2 with green and black sd and a green /white / blue fly, 9lbs king 2nd fish on mag dipsy 135' out on 2 with a mag glow frog spoon, 12-13lbs king, 3rd fish on 5 color with a mag green dolphin spoon another 12-13lbs fish, had a wack again on the glow frog with nobody home and a rigger parked at 80' down with a green frog meat rig that came unbuttoned and lost a king at the back of the boat on 300' copper with another black and green sd and green fly. most of the action was between 110'-123' of water, 60-80 down. Fish died for some reason when the wind picked up, headed back at 10:30am. 3 for 6 not bad considering the day and weather.

I try to report what happens out there. Its a big lake and a lot of fish in the lake, I don't get to stingy. Maybe that's why I got kicked out of michigan sportsman members only pages last weak. I'm still trying to figure out what I wrote that pizzed off the capt. It is what it is. Its his board he can say what ever he wants, but if you say the slightest thing wrong in his eyes your gone. I guess the $700-$800 worth of gear the last couple of years I bought from him has no affect. Its not like I just use and abuse the info he shells out.

Ended the day 8 for 12, 7 Kings and one Laker. 2 of the Kings were 15lbs plus and 4 were 10-13lbs with one 6-7lbs. Laker was almost as big around as it was long when cleaning the Laker I found an alewife about 11" long, along with 4 other normal size alewives, can't believe it wanted something more in its stomach. 130 fow was best north of the pier heads for us. SUV flasher and meat rig took the laker down 120' on the starboard rigger and my green frog flasher and meat rig took 3 kings down 70' on port side rigger, green with white glow tape spin doctor with a green fly on 300' of copper had a big fish on than I couldn't even gain on with the boat at idle, stood there trying to figure out how we were going to get the fish in besides pulling every thing and chasing it down, every time I would start to pull back on the fish it would do some major thrashing and take off again, I had the new TX44 boards out and when it would run the board would dive under the water. That went on about 4 times and for about 15 minutes and the last run it took wound up braking my 30lbs mono leader, at least the copper didn't brake, wish I would have gotten that on in. 200' copper with a green and white mag spoon took one of the over 15lbs fish, starboard mag diver with a new spin doctor that's green, and black and green, blue, and chartreuse fly took the other big fish and lost 2 out 150'. Port side mag diver out 125' took 1 and lost 1 with a mag green frog spoon. After figuring out they wanted anything with green I stuck another green with white glow tape spin doctor with a green fly down the starboard rigger down 95' and it took the last king of the day which was a double on both riggers firing about 20 seconds apart. Bad enough I lost my spin doctor and fly on the big fish but when pulling everything in when we were done the spin doctor and green fly out 15' from the ball on the starboard rigger was MIA, a clean break off:eek: don't know how that happened, looks like it was about 4-5' from the ball:confused: rigger never tripped either. Didn't break at the release so I don't know how that happened, but it was the deepest rigger. Second trip with my new Chamberlain releases and they work perfect:cool: no more dragging lakers around with the rubber bands and blacks releases that wouldn't break. 51-53 degrees all the way out to 120' then the temp started to drop from their. Nice day on the lake, Good luck and I will talk to ya next time.

Tell your mom, job well done, from me also. Can't beat that learning and doing something great for our wonderful fishery. Again Thank You! Some things just make you glad to be an American and get to be part of so many great things......

Fishin was good Friday and so was the Beer and the Beer was also good on Saturday, Sunday that Beer from Friday and Saturday was taking redemption, nothing a nap didn't take of though, had a great time, only wish we would have done a little more fishin instead of eaten and Beer drinkin.

Fished on a friends boat called the Fish Finder on friday am. wound up 10 for 11 with 6 Kings and 4 Lakers. Port mag dipsy went 5 times anywere from 40' out to a 130' out with a mag glow frog spoon, also 10 colors with SOG and Blue Chilly Willy mag spoons were good, also torpedo down the chute with a Green Dolphin out 225' took one King. Took a while for me to get the kinks out of my friends boat mostly speed control, and to get a handle on what the fish wanted (no fasher flies) all spoon bites. We had a good game plan for the tournament Sat and Sun but the winds came in on Sat morning and never let up, as you guys already no. Met a lot of great people and drank way to much beer:thumb: and ate way to much food, Doug's friends are a bunch of great people and was a pleasure to get to know them, Thanks. Hoping the weather straightens out so we can get some fishing in, Good luck! Talk to ya later........

Good luck at U of M Eric, I hope they can help you and you start feeling better!