Dr Hook

Never really worried about an exact number. On one of my first charter trips, captain gave ball park of 3 feet out = 1 foot down. Probably not accurate for shorter lengths like 3 or 6 feet, and the curve flattens out at 60-70 feet max, but accurate enough to run above my riggers. More important to let line out same distance when fish bites no matter how far down it is. And start shallow, and let more line out if they don't get bit.

Wonderful day on the lake. Not too warm. Not too cold. No bugs. Slight breeze for a nice chop. And lots of fish. Set lines at about 6 AM in 90 fow. Water was 68 deg from top to bottom so began trolling south west. Once we got to 130 fow the fish lit in to us. Lost the first hit on a rigger, then took a small king again once the line was reset. After that it was pretty much pandemonium taking 3 doubles in a row. Don't really remember what took what but wound up 10 for 11 mainly from 130-140 fow. My initial spread was: rigger 85 down with white/glow spindoctor and Big Weenie Spook rigger 60 down with DW blue dolphin rigger 70 down with green/glow spindoctor and white fly rigger 55 down with DW Alygator Braid dipsey on 3 120 back with wrapped lightsaver spindoctor and Big Weenie Bushy Beaver Braid dipsey on 3 90 back with Crush UV spindoctor and Big Weenie Last Brunch fly 150 copper with Moonshine blue Flounder Pounder 225 copper with Captain's Choice blue spatterback plug Only the 150 copper and the rigger with the blue dolphin failed to take fish. Had 7 kings ranging in size from 6 - 16 lbs. in the box before changing the spread once the bite stopped. Dropped the rigger with the Spook down to 110 and took a small laker that was thrown back in 150 fow. Dropped the dipsey with the Bushy Beaver back 180 and took a steelhead in 155. As we were nearing time to pull lines in noticed the 225 copper with the blue spatterback paying out line. Didn't seem to run like a king but crew grabbed the rod but wasn't making any headway. Since it was time to pull lines, I began with clearing the dipsey on that side of the boat. As I brought the dipsey in it was pulling hard and found to have a large 3-4' branch snagged on it. Crew wasn't making any head way on the copper. Line seemed to be pulling steady without any head shakes, so I began to think that the copper had picked up the log the other branch had been attached to, Finally got the board to the boat, determined to see this trophy branch and be photographed with it. Pleasantly surprised when the crew finally got the line in with an ~ 12 lb laker on the end. This came back in 130 fow.

Thanks for the info, Ben. I'll be heading out in a little while. Nice to know where to start with all the warm water that moved in since the weekend.

Nicely done and welcome to the site!

Start off by saying thanks to Big Lake Lures for supporting the league today. Not a great day, but not bad. Lots of action early, then tapered off quite a bit. Had 3 kings in the boat before all lines could be set including first 20 lb-er of the season. Finished 5 for 6 with all fish taken between 80 - 110 fow with 80 - 90 being best. Steelhead on Moonshine blue Flounder Pounder on 7 color. Laker on glow/white spindoctor with Big Weenie Spook fly 75 down. 4 lb king off same spindoctor with Spook fly 45 down. 6 lb king off braid dipsey set on 3 120 feet back with Lightsaver Spindoctor and Big Weenie Bushy Beaver. Lost a 10-12 lb king at the back of the boat on same set up. 21 lb king off braid dipsey set on 3 90 feet back with UV Spindoctor and Big Weenie Last Brunch fly.

Went out this morning with brother in law in from Kansas for the week. Started out well then nothing for last 2.5 hours. Wound up 4 for 4 with 3 steelhead and one king all about 6-7 lbs. No real pattern for today, fished north of channel to Port Sheldon and back from 80 - 150 fow. Took hits in 90, 120, 130, and 140 fow on north, south and west trolls. No long line hits today. Blue dolphin 45 down on rigger took 2, braid dipseys 90 and 105 back on 3 took 2 as well. One had lightsaver spindoctor with Big Weenie Bushy Beaver and one had UV spindoctor with Big Weenie Last Brunch. So, anyone know where this east wind is going to move them next week?

Left the dock with a 3 man crew at 5 AM. Began marking a bunch of fish in 60-70 fow so set lines but no takers until king on a rigger 55 down with blue dolphin on north troll in 90 fow. Trolled the area just north of channel with 100-115 fow range being best. Took equal hits on N and S troll but not E or W. Finished 8 of 11, though it might be 8 of 12 and even possibly 8 of 13. At one point we had at least 3 steelhead on and only landed 2. There were so many fish jumping behind the boat couldn't tell if there were fish on 2 rods or if the others just got into them. Finished with 5 steelhead and 2 kings and a foul hooked, size borderline laker that was thrown back. RV blue flounder pounder on 150 copper remains hot with 3 steel, the one laker and a miss. Lost one on Stinger Monsoon on 7 colors and another on Big Weenie Last Brunch with UV Spindoctor on braid dipsey set on 3. DW Super Slim Carmel dolphin on 5 color took 2 steelhead. Finally, last fish was a king on 225 copper with Captain's Choice Blue Spatterback plug. Both kings were around 15 lbs.

N 2 Deep Killin' it Doctor Hook

Not much luck replicating yesterdays success, but 5/6 not a bad day either. Tried to run yesterdays program, but lightning from pop-up showers had me set lines in 110 fow just south of channel. Worked out to 125 then in to 86 and took a hit on 150 copper with blue flounder pounder. Lost that one but as I was putting the line back out rigger pops down 75 in 93 fow on white Spindoctor with Big Weenie Spook and landed 12 lb king. Worked 85-100 fow until 2 passes through the 90 foot zone failed to take a fish, though did take another king in 96 fow on rigger with blue dolphin 60 down. Then everything slowed way down south of Holland. Seems best action for the day was off Spyglass, but I was committed to fishing south. Worked the 110-130 fow for about an hour with nothing so tried moving out deeper. Took a steelhead in 150 fow on west troll on 150 copper with the blue flounder pounder again. Didn't really mark any fish out deep. Made it out to 175 fow but water seemed too cold out there so began heading back to channel on slow troll northeast. Temps at 175 fow were 43 deg 75 feet down and 40 deg 150 feet down. Back in 120 fow picked up a coho on 225 copper with blue spatterback plug. Started pulling lines and had all in but 150 copper. Had just taken board off when line started tugging in my hands. Eventually landed a small steelie in 100 fow on the blue flounder pounder. No dipsey hits today which were my bread and butter for the past week. Have to work on honey-do list tomorrow after 6 straight days of fishing but will be out again Wednesday before going back to work.

No problems running Subtroll on coated cable with high speed downriggers except if the cable gets too nicked up. Then you start losing signal and can't get readings as deep. Put new cable on last fall and have been getting readings 120-150 feet deep all season.

Well another enjoyable Big Red Classic has come and gone. Changing water temps for the past week led to a bit of inconsistency on my part, but overall didn't do too bad. Wednesday. Still with very cold water. Went 3 for 7 in 180 -215 range. Typical king steel laker mix. UV Flounder Pounder on 150 copper was the most consistent presentation. Thursday Water started warming up a bit. Went 10 for 15 for two man limit in 130-150 fow of water. 150 copper, 7 color, dipsey's back 90 feet all took hits as did both riggers. Big king 19 lbs came on green/glow spindoctor with white fly 120 down, just after a laker took Death Wish spoon on rigger 25 down. Friday Fished BRC Ladies Tournament with mom, wife and her friends. Tried to get yesterday's program to work, but lake was really starting to set up. Managed 1 for 3 with 7.5 lb king on Big Weenie Bushy Beaver on 150 copper pulling lines in 100 fow. I would've never bought that lure but I buy my wife one lure each year for this tournament and saw this at Lakeshore Outfitters the day before. She likes the pink ones. Saturday - BRC Day 1 Another tough day, set up in 80 fow and had the Bushy Beaver on dipsey 90 back go again 15 min after lines were set but lost it. Seemed like the day was off to a good start but lost the next 3. Finally had a run of mid-sized steelhead from 11 to 11:30 in 100-110 fow and finished at 3 for 7. Sunday - BRC Day 2 Perseverance pays off big time 12 for 19. Not much weight with biggest king at 15 lbs. Set up in 110 fow and had Bushy Beaver go off on dipsey 90 back with only 3 lines in the water. Gradually got pushed out to 135 fow on south troll but was taking fish along the way. We were 8 for 8 by 8:30 AM, when made a turn north and pulled 5 and 7 color and ran more plugs and flasher/fly's looking for bigger fish. Also began trolling out and took the 15 lb king in 175 fow on blue spatterback plug on 225 copper. Took another steelhead in 150 fow before pulling lines in 120 fow after 2 more steelhead. Final tally 4 kings, a laker and 7 steelhead for a 5 fish box of 61 lbs. 3 spoon hits: Lemonberry on rigger 45 down, king on Monsoon on 7 color, UV blue flounder pounder on 150 copper. 3 plug hits: 2 on blue spatterback with 225 copper, and one on 150 copper with wonderbread plug. Finally, a bunch of Spindoctor/fly hits: Bushy Beaver on dipsey starting 90 back and gradually lengthening line out to 180 back with last, Big Weenie Last Brunch on dipsey with same starting and ending distances and one hit on Big Weenie Spook on 300 copper. Lot of fishing these past 5 days, but heading out tomorrow to see if I can put together back to back days like today for a change.

That's pretty much it. North also tends to bring in cold and South also tends to bring in warm.

Thanks Jon, though now I can't for the life of me remember why I actually wanted to see this.

Judging by the Coastwatch satellite temps, I'd say yes.

Heh, now if I could only think like you out on the lake. God forbid, you should start to think like me.

Which Tuesday were you thinking of?

I second that, and the one on the 26th will be even better;)

You hit any kings out that far or just steelies?

Yesterday at the WMFL, I had the good fortune to meet Ed aka Littleboat. We found out we had a few things in common besides salmon fishing, namely wives that won't get up early to go salmon fishing. Feeling sorry for him (and desperate for the extra lines his license would allow me to run), I asked him to join me today at 4:30 am. Ed was waiting at the dock when I arrived...... early. We ran out to 90 fow slightly south west of channel,and set lines, trolling 90 - 120 fow all the way to Saugatuck without a hit. Began a west troll and began marking fish in 150-160 but no takers until we got out to 190 fow. 300 copper with DW blue spatterback Captain's Choice plug was first to go. We landed a nice 10 lb steelhead and a short time later, landed a bookend on braid dipsey set to 3 with UV Spindoctor and my favorite Big Weenie Last Brunch fly. Lost a 3rd hit in 190 fow on a 5 color with magnum Lemonberry. Made it back up to the channel and turned in trolling east and the dipsey went off with another steelhead again. Trolled in and did another south run in 120 fow marking fish but just couldn't get anything to go. Once again, thanks Ed for the company.

Fished WMFL this morning and had a great time. Set lines in 100 fow just SW of the channel and took first hit in 110 fow with only 4 lines in the water. Seemed like the start of a good day. Hit came on rigger 55 down with 11" UV spindoctor with Big Weenie Jon's Little Wiener fly which seemed fitting with them sponsoring the WMFL today. Went back through but no hits so began working 100 - 120 fow south and picked up a lake trout on same rig but down 65. Then nothing for several hours. Made it out to 140 fishing in front of the sliders. Finished the morning losing 3 steelhead in 85-90 fow. Two on 150 copper with Stinger Wonderbread and one on 7 color with orange/yellow Silver streak with black spots from the Silver Streak WMFL which was renamed lemon orange. In fact I had all my spoons renamed by the 6 year old in my crew today. Say good-bye to the blue dolphin and hello to "aquamarine". Once again, thanks to Big Weenie, not only for support of the WMFL but also for their fantastic products.

Set up in 60 fow north of Spyglass in rough water and took first hit on way out in 80 fow on white/glow Spindoctor with Big Weenie Outhouse Special fly on braid dipsey set on 3 105 back. Got it close enough to the back of the boat to see it was a brown before it spit the hook. With the rough conditions, decided to troll with the waves from 90 -110 fow, wound up all the way down to Saugatuck with no action other than pounding from 2-3 foot waves. Finally took 2 rips on 7 color with blue dolphin (Thanks, Bob) but lost them before the fish were seen. Trolled into the waves in 110 -125 fow but no more takers so pulled lines at the sliders and came on in. Water temps seemed to be warmer further south and further out. Temps were 41 deg 60 feet down and 51 deg 30 feet down at the start. Down temp was up to 48 deg 60 down and 60 deg 30 down in 120 fow near Saugy. Came back down to 44 deg and 54 deg respectively when pulling lines. So finished 0 for 3 but still didn't have as bad of day as the runabout that ran a wake inside the channel and got stopped by the sheriff.

Been there earlier this year and missed the second date. No fun. Hope its not too bad. I'd invite you along but I have a full crew already.

Set lines in 90 fow and began taking fish in 120 fow. Lost first 3 before boxing a 9 lb steelie. Moved in to 110 and out to 140 with no takers. Trolled a bit at 120 and boxed another steelie. Moved in to 90 and had a double on but only landed the laker, as the other fish made a birds nest out of 2 hybrid copper lines. Finished 3 for 7, took fish in all directions, water temps 46 deg 80 feet down, 55 deg 60 feet down. 11 in UV spindoctor with Big Weenie Jon's Little Weiner off rigger 70 down and later 80 down took 2 hits. 300 copper with DW blue spatterback plug took 2 hits, 150 copper with Stingray glow Wonderbread spoon also took 2. Last hit came on 5 color but I don't know what spoon was on it because I didn't set it, no did I see it once the deluge hit.

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