EmptyNest

Fished Manistee 8/16. Lots of cold water everywhere. Surface temps averaged 54 with 48 at 20' down. Fish seemed scattered. We started at the harbor, then pulled lines and moved to 120'+. Worked out to 220 then did an S-pattern south. We had one big one on a white paddle with a blue-green Howie at 90' in 200 FOW, but the fly broke at the knot for the hook. We picked up one 12 lb King around 5, and a nice steelhead on blue-green dolphin on 8 color leadcore around 6, all between 160 and 280 FOW. We would mark fish occasionally, but it was scattered. Started trolling in to shallower water at sunset. Just before dark, we picked up 3 kings - 2 on a 3-color leadcore with the blue-green dolphin in 38 FOW, the other on a carmel dolphin with a 5-color core. All three over 16#. Overall 5/6. With the exception of the one on the big white, NOTHING off the riggers.

Thanks for the posts, guys. I don't normally fish Muskegon either. Spent a number of years learning Manistee north and around Traverse City. I have a buddy with a boat in Jenison and we were running his this weekend. Trying to learn Muskegon and Pt Sheldon. Thanks again.

Fished Muskegon 7/30, straight out. At 100 FOW, 50 degree water was below 90' so started in 200 FOW, went SW to about 250 FOW, turned inside and proceeded in an s-pattern in a NE direction until we pulled lines in 80 FOW after 10:00PM. In all, probably ended up 1.5 miles south and north of the pier. Black Killer on rigger between 130 and 90 down. Glo Blue Dolphin on rigger between 75 and 55 down. NBK on rigger between 55 and 35. Blue-Green Howie Fly behind NBK E-Chip ProTroll on dipsey with ring, started at 225' back and ended up 150 back at sunset. A Chicken Wing Mi Stinger on another dipsey 175-140 feet back. Carmel Dolphin on 8 color core and Dang on the 5 color core. According to the sub troll, temp wasn't below 50 until it was deeper than 90 feet. Speed trolling 2.75-3.0. Not one release. Now I know a tournament was going on, so don't know how much faith to place in radio chatter, but it sounds like fish were in 45-90 FOW and 3 miles north? That temp ranged between 60 and 75 degrees, at least where I was. At a loss.