CaptLevi

Gotcha Tackle also has willow leaf blades on their flies. VERY tough flies that produce day in and day out.

But they catch fish like nobodys business! We count on them in any low light conditions.

The fish are there in great numbers. You can pick up adult Kings at or around the pierheads with J plugs and rotator/fly combos, or go offshore in 60' - 100' with plugs, spoons, and fly/flashers. (or rotators).

Yeah my younger Bro has been drift fishin and gettin limits for he and his crew every trip out also. I told him he'll catch em quicker if he trolls but I think he doesnt want to run outta fishin before he runs out of beer.

I use the packs of numbered stickers found at hardware stores. You have to super glue the edges to keep them on though.

Thanks for the report. Looks like they may have skipped St. Joe.

Pretty slim pickens down here. I have been averaging only 4-10 mixed bag per trip and I feel very very fortunate. Many catches are 2 fish........or less.

Hopefully they will arrive soon.

It's all a load of u no what. They could raise fees by 1000% and it wouldn't be enough. There would be too much money so Lansing would funnel it off to somewhere more "needing" (like raises for themselves and staff) and still would try to justify more cuts in services.

Let Lansing cut the fat first. Layoff or fire the majority of personal staff and excessive office workers before officers and field workers, or closing hatcheries. Lansing operates like a manufacturing plant gone crazy.......hire 200 office workers to manage paperwork and have meetings but layoff all but 10 manufacturing employees due to no working capitol, and sell the raw products and machinery to cut costs. They may as well close the doors and declare bancruptcy.

When the people lose jobs, Lansing loses tax revenue. The answer is smaller government, not higher tax burdens for our remaining workforce.

Wake up people! Stop electing lawyers and judges to be polititians. They don't have a clue. Elect business managers and we will see some different results.

First trip of the year was yesterday. We left the dock at 7am and started setting lines at 8am.(darned train bridge got me already!) The day was beautiful, although a might brisk. The fishing was slow starting out but got better as the day progressed. We ended up pulling lines and heading in at 1:45pm. Final talley was: 15 coho, 3 Kings(1 released), 4 steelhead(2 released), 1 Lake Trout(released), and 2 brown trout. One King pushed 12 lbs. and the largest brown was 10 lb. We also lost several fish that did the submarine with the boards and managed to shake loose.

The J-9 in orange/gold on a bird line, Stinger Sunburst Reg. on 2 color or bird with 1/2 oz. snap weight, and small orange dodger w/blue/gold fly was hot 5' down and 5' back on the riggers. The crew was amazed watching alot of coh and a nice king come up and smack it.

Others boats went farther South and had limits of coho off the Cook plant in less than one hour, but no other species seemed to be turning up there.

The "JACK" is produced by Fisher Tackle Company (www.fishertackle.com). John is also the pioneer of ultraglow flies(Squinchee) and ultraglow in-line spinners(Twinslam).

I use the Jack on Sportboat and have found that in shallow, clear water it seems to give us an edge as the ball-shy fish aren't spooked when they see the Jack instead. We have also had days at the pierheads when the only rigger bites were on a real short lead right behind a Jack while the other riggers produced natta.

All the Fisher Tackle products work well. They also have different set-ups for cutbait presentations. Give 'em a try. You'll be hooked too.

Sad to hear it Rich.

Well Sportboat is A float! Splashed her Monday at 3:30 PM at the municipal launch in Benton Harbor. Large crowds were on hand to witness the yearly spectacle and to wish her well for the season. Thanks to all who participated in the parade, with a special thank you to the RapJ13 marching band and the fishgut pom pon squad.

!!!!The river is still shallow for a ways downstream. So long as the wind isn't stiff outof the East most boats will not have issue getting to the lake and back.

The shallowest area is directly adjacent to the Tackle Haven slips. Whether you are tight to them or out a bit doesn't matter. Just don't get more than 50 feet away as you pass. Once beyond them you will want to stay towards the starboard side of the river as you go downstream until you get about 150' or so upstream of the first bridge at Harbor Isle marina. Then just stay to your port side (if traffic permits) downstream. The bouys marking the shallow water on either side are not in place so be carefull!

When that 8 color starts bangin em, you'll add more dedicated rods for sure. I love catching fish on Dipseys and Riggers, but lead core (and copper) catch bunches of fish when other methods are slow. It just sucks to bring in fish on! Or to bring it up at the end of the day or to change lures.

I don't know either. I can't get over a 1 1/2 ft. sand bar for sure. I need 3' + to make it. I may be able to get it downstream to launch, not sure.

Welcome aboard!

Your name skeers me!

10-4 Prolly frozen.

Was supposed to be Tuesday but I may just hold off a bit longer. I'm not sure if I can get downstream to the channel or not. I heard there is a 1.5 foot shallow area due to sandbar in river downstream of launch. If not looking to find another launch if possible.

R U NUTS? :rotflmao:

If you go be sure to take a sledgehammer to break of the ice!

Oops...... My phone is ringin.......thinks it's Deadliest Catch wanting to ride along next Friday! :skull:

We just swing them 30 lbers onboard like big eyed tuna!

I purchased some from a Company out of Wisconsin two seasons ago. (4 replacements) All are junk now. Gotta find a new supplier.

Yeah my first charter is the 13th, hope they pack their longjohns and snowsuits!

Yeah Jon we smoked em on it in St. Joe last year. In 05 the speedweed and green dude ruled.

I'm not surprized there. Meat works.

Dave don't you feel a little shorthanded with only two riggers fishing the pierheads for Kings or Steel? We SSSMMAACCKK em on riggers then. Course we do on our divers, and high lines also.

I'm afraid I might just have to lie and post one from seasons past......with this weather, spring boat maintanence needs and my April-May bookings my turkey hunting might be nonexistant this season. Too bad too. My new lease has a ton of big ol Toms on it.

Thanks Hitman for the input. Now I know it's not just something I'm doing wrong. Sure wish it would of been though........landing all those rips would be outstanding!

Way too fuunny!

Perfect! Got one of those startin next year I hope!