EdB

Congratulations!

Got this today from the LACA. Note they are providing the middle GPS numbers for the north south line- 52's and 01's and the water depth(east/west line). Be on the lookout when fishing these areas. From the LACA To all Lud LACA members Below is a forwarded message from Archie Martell, LRBOI regarding assessment nets in our area to be fished over the next few days. These nets are typically set in the afternoon and removed the next morning. All persons should be on the look out for these nets if fishing in this general area during this time frame: We will be beginning or whitefish assessments off of Ludington, MI this week and should be completed by the end of next week. We will be setting along the following transects: N 44o 01’ N 43 o 52’ We will be setting two (2) gangs of standard assessment nets, 1800 feet in length, between 50 – 200 feet of water. The nets will be marked with staff buoys at each end and these sets will be overnight sets lifted the next day.

Great catch, it sure is nice when you have an experienced crew.

Fished Sat and Sun. My buddy that went fishes a lot too so we took it easy and slept in Sat. Had low expectations and launched the boat about 8:30. We fished till 1:30 and went 4 for 7. On Sunday, we got out on time and had a limit of kings and a coho by 7:00AM. Lost a few others too. Changed up the spread and went on a long west troll till 10:00 looking for other fish and found none. We fished north both days, on the bank early and off the bank later. Best rigs were a blue bubble spin doctor on a low wire diver out 120. A wonderbread glow DW super slim on a high diver out 90. A wonder bread j plug took 3 on a half core Sun. A green blade/white crush tape spin doctor on a rigger at 60 feet took a couple hits. A moonshine daisy cutter and dancing anchovy went early on Sunday. Good luck!

Here are recent Ludington net locations including the new one to the south: South of Ludington: 1. Deep end: 43° 50.555 N 086° 30.707 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 129'. Inside staff: not reported. North of Big Point Sauble: 2. Deep end: 44° 04.752 N 086° 31.025 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 120'. Inside staff: not reported. 3. Deep end: 44° 04.941 N 086° 31.186 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 170'. Inside staff: not reported. 4. Deep end: 44° 05.265 N 086° 30.669 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 111'. Inside staff: not reported. 5. Deep end: 44° 05.501 N 086° 30.718 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 165'. Inside staff: not reported. 6. Deep end: 44° 05.783 N 086° 30.457 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 156'. Inside staff: not reported. 7. Deep end: 44° 05.9001 N 086° 30.405 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 158'. Inside staff: not reported. 8. Deep end: 44° 05.996 N 086° 30.406 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 150'. Inside staff: not reported. 9. Deep end: 44° 06.376 N 086° 29.940 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 129'. Inside end: 44° 06.170 N 086° 29.555 W. Staff with two flags, orange over black. Depth: 93'. 10. Deep end: 44° 06.838 N 086° 29.3444 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 130'. Inside end: 44° 06.450 N 086° 29.246 W. Staff with two flags, orange over black. Depth: 94'. 11. Deep end: 44° 07.059 N 086° 29.344 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 130'. Inside staff: not reported. 12. Deep end: 44° 07.443 N 086° 28.865 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 137'. Inside end: 44° 07.19N 086° 28.73 W. Staff with two flags, orange over black. Depth 130'. Note: Additional nets are known to exist north of the Ludington Net Alert Border, defined by Latitude 44°10.00 North. Caution is required when fishing/traveling beyond the Ludington Net Alert boundary. Reminder: Additional nets may be placed or currently listed nets may be moved without warning, and several days or weeks may elapse before the net alert can be updated.

I've been checked quite a few times on the big water. Twice I was way off shore 10+ miles. Everytime, they pulled up along side, match my trolling speed and ask us to show licenses. They have used binoc's to read them from their boat. They were always courteous.

Cook up some lake trout the same as any other salmon or trout and do a blind taste test for others who don't know what is what. Lake trout wins every time I've done it. I love fried lake trout too.

Had one of my best fishing vacations ever. Why- because we got out 8 days straight and never had a blow keep us off the water. I don't think this ever happened in my life before. Fishing was great too. We had double digit action all week leading up to the Gander Mountain Classic. On Friday's ladies tournament, our gals did a great job on the rods and nets and we ended up in 2nd place AM winning $700. We came in 33rd on the first day of the weekend tournament and moved up to the 18th on day two which was good for a $500 check. Over the week, we fished everywhere from the nets north of Big Sable to quite a ways south of Little Sable Point. Best action came on spin doctors blue bubble and mountain and white crush with green and blue flys, a wonder bread DW super slim was the best spoon all week. Put it on a core and it will go. This spoon took 2-4 fish a trip. Riggers from 30 to 90 down depending on where we were at. Divers from 70 to 150 back. Good luck!

See below for the Ludington area. Revised Tuesday, July 3, 2007. The Net alert will be updated immediately any time a confirmed change is known to the Association. Net Alert! Tribal fishers have placed several trap nets in the Ludington area. New net locations will be added to the Net Alert list as soon as the locations are known to the LACA and are confirmed. Please check the net alert often for new net locations and for new information about older nets. Several nets have been placed near Big Point Sauble. Anecdotal information suggest these nets are well marked with at least two highly visible staffs consistent with the tribal regulations. The depths of the nets vary. Please check each nets depth listing. When fishing normally the nets should stand approximately 20' to 30' up from the bottom. It is possible to fish over some of the nets depending on the depth of the fishing gear. However staff and buoy lines extend to the surface and may be inclined in the direction of the wind or current. These lines should be carefully avoided. Occasionally, due to accidents, strong winds or currents the net buoys and flags may not be visible. All net related incidents should be reported to the MDNR commercial fisheries division by calling the RAP line (800-292-7800). Please record the GPS location, the time, weather, sea conditions, and the presence and type of any flags, buoys, floats or other net markings. This is extremely important for the MDNR record keeping and helps to lead to corrective actions. All sightings of unmarked or improperly marked nets should also be reported. Also, anyone observing any length of yellow polypropylene line floating loose at or just below the surface in the vicinity of a net location is urged to promptly report the exact GPS location including the depth, to the DNR RAP (800-292-7800) line as soon as possible. Net entanglement or other net related incidents may also be reported to the Mason-Oceana County Emergency Hot Line at: (231) 869-5858. Emergency help may be provided. In the event of eminent danger of loss of life or vessel, call the USCG on FM 16 or by cell: 231-843-2447. Net locations are listed from South to North, by their last known position, with conditions as noted: Eleven identified and marked nets currently fishing are located north of Big Sauble Point. (Note: GPS coordinates vary slightly from instrument to instrument) All net locations should be regarded as approximate, and subject to change. 1. Deep end: 44° 04.752 N 086° 31.025 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 120'. Inside staff: not reported. 2. Deep end: 44° 04.911 N 086° 31.138 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 154'. Inside staff: not reported. 3. Deep end: 44° 05.265 N 086° 30.669 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 111'. Inside staff: not reported. 4. Deep end: 44° 05.486 N 086° 31.280 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 149'. Inside staff: not reported. 5. Deep end: 44° 05.783 N 086° 30.457 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 156'. Inside staff: not reported. 6. Deep end: 44° 05.891 N 086° 30.406 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 158'. Inside staff: not reported. 7. Deep end: 44° 05.996 N 086° 29.952 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 99'. Inside staff: not reported. 8. Deep end: 44° 06.150 N 086° 29.940 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 129'. Inside end: 44° 06.170 N 086° 29.555 W. Staff with two flags, orange over black. Depth: 93'. 9. Deep end: 44° 06.838 N 086° 29.3444 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 130'. Inside end: 44° 06.450 N 086° 29.246 W. Staff with two flags, orange over black. Depth: 94'. 10. Deep end: 44° 07.059 N 086° 29.344 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 130'. Inside staff: not reported. 11. Deep end: 44° 07.443 N 086° 28.865 W. Staff with orange flag. Depth: 137'. Inside end: 44° 07.19N 086° 28.73 W. Staff with two flags, orange over black. 112'. Note: Additional nets are known to exist north of the Ludington Net Alert Border, defined by Latitude 44°10.00 North. Caution is required when fishing/traveling beyond the Ludington Net Alert boundary. Reminder: Additional nets may be placed or currently listed nets may be moved without warning, and several days or weeks may elapse before the net alert can be updated. Information about Trap Nets and their markings: Notes: The first staff coordinates usually most closely relate to the location of the pot. If a single depth is given it usually indicates the depth at the pot staff buoy location at the deeper end of the net. If two depths are given, the shallower depth will be at the inside anchor staff (two flags) The nets stand from 20’ to 30+’ high from the bottom upward. These coordinates place the nets in the area from just north of Pentwater to several miles north of Big Sauble Point. Floats or staffs may also mark the positions of the wings and or anchors. The float lines may be especially difficult to see in periods of poor visibility or rough water, and the possibility exists that excess float line may be floating loosely near the floats. Depending on the depth of water and other factors, the total length of the net and the lines to its anchors may be as much as 1,500 feet in the direction generally perpendicular to the shore. They may extent up to 200 feet in the direction parallel to the shore. Wind, waves, fog or darkness may make it difficult to observe the markings. Boaters and fishermen are urged to exercise extreme caution near the nets. Boaters traversing the vicinity would be well advised to travel either well inside or well outside the netted area. The nets are constructed of very heavy netting and may reach from the bottom to near the surface in some cases. If your gear becomes entangled in the net, you are urged to cut it off and contact the fishers to recover it. Should your boat become entangled in the net, please call or radio the Coast Guard immediately. For additional information regarding trap nets pick up a copy of the brochure "Don't Get Trapped" at the Ludington Chamber Office, or visit the web site: Michigan Sea Grant/net or call: 616/846-8250. Please visit the Ludington Area Charterboat Association website for updates and additional information. http://www.ludingtoncharterboats.org

Ohio limits againt this weekend. We fished between the Sister Islands in water depths 29-31 ft. Pulling all spoons, diver disks back 80 and 90 and riggers a foot or two off the bottom. Spoons were Moonshine shell bell, red grape, agent orange, stinger confusion(best), perch, and copper watermelon. Some fish were getting caught up by Fermi in MI waters. Good luck!

Got this e-mail from the LACA. To all, We have been alerted to LRBOI annual assessment test netting to take place in our area this week. Usually these assessment nets are placed during the afternoon and removed within 24 hours. If you are fishing/boating in the area mentioned in the vicinity of the transects listed below, please take appropriate precautions to avoid the buoys and to miss the nets. (See the note below) Jim Fenner, Pres. Ludington Area Charterboat Association Jim, We will be starting our fisheries assessment activities out of Ludington this week along the following transects; 1) <!--[endif]-->N43O 50’ 2) <!--[endif]-->N43O 45’ As in the past we will be fishing a total of (6) 1800 foot gang of graded mesh experimental gill net. These nets are bottom set and are 6 feet off the bottom. The nets will be marked with orange flagged staff buoys on each end. We will be setting 3 of these nets between 50 and 200 feet of water depth along each transect.

I'd recommend an autopilot. It's one of the best boat investments for a fisherman, especially if you take out rookies very often. Pick an open slot, set your course, tell a crew member to watch for boats and set up. They hold course much straighter than a rookie and many experienced boaters. You'll have a lot less tangles on a big set in the dark since your going straight instead of figure S's. Great when having to net fish or make adjustments. If you fish a lot, after you put one on your boat, you will never own another boat without one.

I am using a 4 ft leader and only running spoons on them. Moonshines and stinger scorpions. Last week in waters 18-20 ft deep, we were running them back 40-60 ft. This weekend in Ohio we were over 26-28 ft of water and we were running them 80-90 back.

Got out again today and got our Ohio limit for 3 of us and were done at 9:30. We fished out by W Sister again in 27 to 28 ft of water. Ran all spoons, stingers and moonshines on riggers off the bottom and diver disks out 80 and 90. Speed was 2.0 to 2.2. Looks like the hex hatch is getting started in close. Good luck!

Great day fishing out in Ohio today. Action in MI waters was slow today from a few buds fishing there. We fished between the Sputnick and W Sister and stayed away from the packs. We pulled our limit in a couple hours. Spoons did all the damage for us. On riggers one or two feet off the bottom and diver disks out 60, 80 and 90 feet on the boards. Moonshine glow bloody nose, red grape and blue melon. Stinger scorpion perch, shrimp, rainbow trout were the best. It should be another great day there tomorrow. Good luck!

We had quick limit Sat near N-bouy but had to work a bit for them Sunday but we went south from there to find them, just inside of the dumping grounds. They really turned on just before the storm hit. Moonshine spoons have been hot lately, on discs back 40 and off riggers 1-2 ft off the bottom. Thunderstick jr's have been working good off the boards 80-100 back. The season is shaping up great, 5 trips and 5 limits in the last 2 weeks. Good luck!

Yes, I don't pick up a fishing rod in Oct and November.

I wish I could get the wife to send the kids to the babysitter to fish. She won't give them up on a weekend for anything now. Maybe that will change in a few more years? I brought them all out once this year but the best I can count on is a couple hours on the water with them. A full day trip is not in the cards yet. Thank god the fishing was hot when I took them, helped my freezer a lot! I'll probably see you down at the park this weekend.

Hi Spanky, I tried to call you a couple times on the radio but couldn't reach you. Get any bigger fish on the meat? 15-18 inchers for us. Good eating but finding one over 20 inches has been tough lately.

We pulled limits Sat and Sun. They came fast on Saturday and we had to work for them a bit Sunday. Trolling tots and spoons, gold/black and perch tots off the boards were best and a stinger dolphin was the best spoon today. Seas were rough this morning but it got nice out later. We fished 14-18 feet of water out of Bolles Harbor. Good luck!

I crewed on a buddies boat last Sat out of Pentwater. He was in the PSA tournament. Fishing was kind of tough there lately and the 6 rod limit makes it tougher. We got 6 fish that day but we worked hard for them. We were on a mission to target big steelies or lakers since the tourney is based on the biggest fish of each species and not combined weight. We put it on a west troll and never stopped taking it out to the 47 line west. No big scum lines and no big deal. We did hang the 2nd place steelie that day but it got bumped off the leader board by Monday. I came home Sat night but they got 6 fish on Sunday and 6 on Monday so the fishing is still on the slow side. Good luck!

Had a couple good days at Erie. The action was red hot and we pulled our limit in 2 hours Sunday. It took 4-1/2 hours on Monday for our limit. We fished 14-18 feet of water about 4 miles south of Bolles Harbor both days. All fish caught trolling, we had stinger scorpion confusion and copper watermelon on the riggers set 2 ft off the bottom and tots and warts 50-80 back on the boards. Chrome in blue/black and green were the best cranks. Cranks were best Sunday, spoons were best Monday. Get em while it's hot-good luck!

Still one more day left and if it's not pouring out, I'm taking the wife out tomorrow AM for her last chance. The kids have really slowed down our hunting together. It's been a great season for me. It started out calling in this jake for my brother. My turn next and I got this limb hanger, 11 inch beard and with a 1-/18 spur. 3 days later, I guided my buddies wife and called in this big boy, 11-1/2 inch and 7-1/2 inch beards with spurs going 1-11/16. It was still in first place in the contest at Cabela's as of a week ago. How about the hooks on this one: Two weekends ago, I called in this one for my young hunting buddy Alex, it had a 10 inch beard and spurs were 1-1/8.

Caz, I've never smoked turkey legs before but all the legs from mature birds that I've cooked end up tough as leather. I don't think smoking them would help. But I bet with the right brine, smoking them would give them a great flavor. Here's what I do with my turkey legs that we roast in the over. I cut the meat from the bone and grind it up in a food processor or blender. Add some mayo, copped celery, onions, lettuce and it makes a great turkey salad spread for sandwhiches. If you smoke it and it comes out to tough, try this and it might be good. Let us know how it turns out either way?

Had a probe down last weekend and it was 42 degree's down at 80 feet. 44 on top. I think that is a bit unusual for this time of year too, usually it is in the high 30's that deep now. Now the books say salmon like water temps in the mid 50's but I think the great lakes salmon have evolved to like colder water and 42 to 45 has been a great temp range to target for us. Outside of late summer, we find more fish in the 40's vs the 50's.