Earl

Trigger on downrigger rods gets in the way.

It has begun. Have a look!

At least for me. Better than last year.

In the lower grand. A fair amount of frog water and not a lot of structure in the areas I've been in. Good luck.

Might want to consider roping up a bit a couple of x-tra pound test both in leader and mainline. The by-product of this slightly higher water year is the bales of beach grass we will be facing this fall.

...and how much you love it. I have a nearly unreal collection of pier and surf rods; but I get sea sick, so I don't troll. Guy's that are in the know that notice my tackle think I'm an idiot for using it on the pier. The G.Loomis IMX SK1601 is 13' 4", three piece rod rated 4-8 pound line has an amazing action that exhibits very little tip drop with a 1.5 oz sinker; but at about $350; it ought to not only have great action; it should clean your fish too. True 12 footers right now are somewhat uncommon, I've got a couple of Lamiglas s-glass 12's that are great fun; but cannot handle more than a 1.5 oz sinker even with a lob cast. Diawa used to make a composite 12 that made a decent surf rod, but I have not seen any in a while. I think if you horse around on Amazon you might find the 12 that Fenwick started to launch last year, but then pulled back (maybe $110), and Shimano makes a 12.5 footer that's a nice rod for about $80. I think those are all 2 piece; which creates it's own transportation issues. Someone told me about a 12 footer from Cortland (maybe on fishusa?), but I've never seen it. As for the reels, the new Shimano bait runner is nice at about $110, nothing really terrible with Cabela's salt striker bait feeder for $65 in the 40 size for the less spendy, the Okuma avenger in the same size is about the same cost and about the same reel.

Labor Day Googan Rhapsody To the tune of Willie Nelson, Always on My Mind Maybe I didn't Scold you Quite as often as I could have And maybe I didn't treat you Quite as good as I should have If I made you feel like a pest I don’t really mean to whine You were always on my line You were always on my line maybe I didn't explain for you How straight you need to cast And I guess I never told you When a fish is on you should reel fast Little things I should have said and done I just never took the time But you were always on my line You were always on my line Tell me tell me that my last bait hasn't died And give me Give me one more chance To hook up satisfied To land one I'll be satisfied Little things I should have said and done I just never took the time But you were always on my line You were always on my line You were always on my line LOL sort of wrote itself...

Betsie River Warm Water Blues (to the tune of Folsom City Prison Blues) I hear them Kangs a comin’ They’re splashin’ across the sand And I ain’t seen my bob drop since I don’t know when Cause they’re stuck out on the sand flats, on a warm sunny day And the snaggers keep a comin’, up the benzonia way. When I just had a yellow rod, and I fished with yarn and lead I simply didn’t care how many spawners would always end up dead I’d snag them in the bung hole, and give them freezer burn When I see them kangs a splashin’, I know that we don’t learn. I bet there’s rich folks lining with fancy fly fishin’ gear They’re probably smokin’ Cigars, and drinkin’ import beer. Well I know we got it coming, especially those who fish gut Those kangs won’t keep a comin’ I know that I’m not a nut. Well if we could keep all the alewife If we had some more high water year I’d bet that they’d keep reproducing, just like the deer Those far northwestern rivers, that’s where they’d stay But I feel the collapse a coming, comin’ faster everyday.

depths and distance from the pier can still score a fish or two in this warm water. two hooks per line (try the spinshot hooks), 3 and 6, 4 and 7, 5 and 8 feet. good luck out there.

or even slower than that. If your willing to make a half a weekend out of it you might score one or so.

Hit two ports over Memorial weekend. Scored 1 brown and a sore arm trying to gather bait that was not in either location. Never seen bait this late before, hope they're not all gone.....

Tony, I've tried to send you a pm, but I'm not clear if they are actually transmitting....

with older Fiberglass blanks. Lost my mind bidding on some old noodle blanks on ebay, the ferrules will need wrapping. Might want to consider under wrap on the guides, two blanks 12 footers. Message or post is fine... Earl

Nice Pic's. Better check that car thermometer, showing it was too cold to fish.

Nice fish Ed, looks like that Brown might still be holding, was she?