tort

I usually only fish in the evenings....I was out last weekend and was doing good in 110 to 130 FOW....If I were going out tomorrow, I would set up in 100 FOW and go on a SW troll out to around 170-190 and turn back on a SE troll in..I would then go in to 110 FOW and then back out on a SW. I would do this until an hour before sunset and try to plan on hitting the 130 mark (or new hot spot) right at sunset, and then troll in until about 45 minutes after sunset. If the fish have moved deeper, just move your numbers accordingly. I usually start running glow program 1/2 hour before sunset.

Set out south of the pier and setup on a sw troll in 100 fow at 4pm. Trolled all night in circles, straight lines and curves from 100 fow to 140 fow to 70 fow with no avail....then the sun hit the water.....went 3 for "some number to big to mention". With just my wife and I on board we had 2 doubles and 1 triple in what seemed like a short period of time. They got all tangled in a 300 copper and downrigger lines. Lost some gear but gained some memories! The fish we hit were in 85 to 100 fow 60 to 80' down on anything that glowed.

fisf crazy...was that you I was talking to on the end of the north pier around 8am? Your son and a buddy were with you.

Doug

What a beautiful night on the water. Took my Mom out for her birthday. We set up in 95 fow south of GH on a SW troll. Made it to 120 fow before we boxed our first king on a 200 copper with mixed veggies. We continued out to 140 fow and then turned back SE when we hit a double in 115 fow on a 300 copper and a 100 copper. Marked a huge ball of bait in 115 fow when I was letting out an 8 color...I stopped the spool, then let some out, and then stopped it when BAM another king on. After that it was a flurry of hits on the riggers and copper. I kinda lost track but I think we went 5 for 10 or 12. One king was 20# with the others being 18, 12 10 and 8. On a side note we broke one off on a 12 color core and lost our planer board. Hopefully someone will call my number that is on it.

thanks for the report!

Took an opportunity to take out my kids and father in law......It was not to bad when we started at 6am, but it got bumpy later on. Ended the morning at 8:30 with 2 for 4. We fished from 115 fow to 170 fow with the 125 to 140 fow producing the best. Moonshine blue flounder and happy meal took all the hits at 45 to 52 down on the rigger. It was the first real test for the new autopilot....I guesse I consider it a success because it can steer better than my 9 year old:thumb: Hopefully my wife will not be on call one of these weekends so we can have the "real test" for the autopilot:grin:

Took the kids and grandparents out of Grand Haven this morning and went 7 for 8. Best water was 90-110 fow for the first couple of hours. Later in the morning 150-165 fow was producing fish. Big fish was 18 lbs with the others between 5lbs and 12 lbs. This is what worked for us;

300 copper with a homemade spoon named by my kids “lucky purpleâ€â€¦this one took the two largest fish of 18 lbs and 12 lbs

10 color core took 3 fish…multiple spoon colors

Riggers 50’ down took 2 fish on lemon ice

Lost a steelhead on 3 color core with mixed veggies

I was told a while back that the design is pretty good, but they're for cable steering boats. Your 27' Sundancer isn't hydraulic steering?

I don't believe it is....hydraulic steering was an option on that year of sundancer. I honestly have not looked at it yet. Its in winter storage at grand haven and northshore marina looked at it and quoted me the setup stated above.

I have researching some of the posts on here about autopilots. I have a sundancer 270 that I was thinking of putting an autopilot on. I recieved a quote from north shore marina in grand haven to install the raymarine x10 corepack along with the st6002 control head and an octopus drive. I have never heard of the octopus drive. Does anybody have any experience good or bad with this?? If I upgraded to the 7000 series head control I would have the ability to do different fishing patterns. The different fishing patterns sound gimmicky to me.....but maybe I have been really lazy when I steer and they ARE worthwhile.

Thanks in advance

Doug

Took the wife and kids out for a sunday afternoon cruise from 5 to 7pm. Went 3-3 with 2 steelhead and 1 Laker (released). We fished from 175 fow to 250 fow. Took our first hit in 197 fow 60' down on a rigger (double orange crush). Second hit was 225 fow on a 10 color core (lucky purple....kids named it, I dont know what it is). Last hit was on a 300 copper with another orange/red spoon. What a beautiful night on the water.

thanks dog.....I read post and after watching winds, weather and webcams intently for the last 2 weeks I thought "aaawww crap I missed it AGAIN!!!!!" whoa....that was a close one!!

Took another boat load of employees out this afternoon. Started in the mouth of the grand to do a little combat fishing to get the juices goin'. Made a couple of passes to no avail, so we packed up and went deeper. Set lines in 170 fow at 5 pm and trolled sw to 240 fow then turned and trolled all the way back to pier heads. Went 2 for 2 with both fish coming on a 300 copper mixed veggies in 220 fow and 130 fow. Fish are still scattered all over. Nice night on the lake.

Took the wife and kids out this morning for our first a.m. trip of the year. We got lines set and 5:45 and took our first fish, a laker in 100 fow 90' down on an area 51. Next fish, a 10 lb king came in 105 fow 50' down on a lemon ice. Radio chatter sounded slow all over. I was pleased with our catch since usually I do more fishin' than catchin'

Bought a new boat this year and only made it out 3 times on it. Tough fishing all 3 times so I never boxed a fish!!! Bowhunting has been nicer to me this year and I nailed this guy as he was checking out some doe beds.

My new years resolution is to be more active and less of a "lurker" on this site. Good luck to all on Sunday

Nice job on the fish.....The kids hair standing up is a VERY Dangerous situation. Forgot all the details from physics class, but it is a precursor to a lightening strike!!!!!!!

Talked my wife into one last trip before the new arrival (due wednesday). Went to st. joe and set lines in 70 fow at 7:30. Went 6 for 9 with 3 kings, 2 coho and a laker. Most fish came in 90 to 100 fow 50-65' down on riggers or dipseys back 130 on setting 3. Preferred spoons were lemon ice and green dolphin

Thanks for the report. I am going out with the wife and kids in the a.m. Any particular setup work better than others?

Thanks

Doug

Took my family out of holland this afternoon. We set lines in 150 fow and trolled out to 195 fow. My 6 year old daughter picked up one small king on a dipsey 125 back with a lemon ice. Calm day made for a nice boat ride!

thanks for the input!!

doug

How do you guys typically set up your J plugs? Do you run flashers in front of them?

maybe it is a genetic thing like that guy in the pic who has 2 left arms :D:D:D

Here is the 15 lb'r

Fished out of grand haven in 160-180 FOW from 7:30pm-10:30 pm

Went 3 for 5 on kings that weighed 8, 12 and 15 pounds. We ran 10 colors and 7 colors of lead core on planer boards with no hits all night. We took 3 hits on a dipsy set @3 250' back with a white glow dreamweaver flasher and a homemade fly (kinda looks like a blue bubble). Also took 2 hits on rigger 60' down with double orange crush. All in all a nice night for a boat ride!

Will try to post pics.

Went 4 for 9 (kings).....(I need to sharpen more hooks:angry2:) Fished SW of pierheads in 130 -200 fow. Marked alot of fish but not many takers. Moonshine blue Flounder took 4 of the fish. Most strikes were in 170-180 fow on downriggers set 45 foot down. Full lead core had one really nice steelhead that gave us a show on top of the water before shaking free. A great day for a boat ride! Thanks to Plumkrazy for setting me in the right direction!

Doug

Lines set around 5:45 am took 1 rip on 3 color leadcore w/ gold and silver thin fin in 60 fow. Fish got off before I could finish hurdling 2 kids sleeping on the floor:eek: Surface water temp in muddy water @ end of piers 55 deg....clean water 48 deg. Marked some fish 60 fow but no takers. Some guys at the launch did ok on kings out in front of the pier w/ north troll in 25-40 fow where the dirty water met the clean water.....we were not as fortunate. Oh yeah we were also 1 for 1 on 6' logs that weigh 100lbs:angry2: had to release it...(foul hooked)!!!!