littleboat

Fished solo, 2 for 3, both kings. Waited to launch hoping the waves would settle down with the wind. Headed out. Had 1-3 for rollers which would come and go. 1-king, 8.16#,11:46am, RV hulk half moon std, on fixed slider, rigger bk 70 2.4sog, N trl, ball temp 43.8°, depth 60, 180 fow 2-king, 5.62#, 1pm, RV hulk half moon std, on fixed slider rigger bk 70, 2.5 sog, W trl, ball temp 44.4°, depth 55, 185 fow. 1 miss on diver with happee meal. I noticed bands of bait at 136-145, 160 and 180. Sent from my Z5156CC using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

2/4 both kings, 11.66# and 11.44# 1- king, 8:35am, MS RV Bloody Nose std, rigger 38' down, 70' bk, 2.4 sog, W troll , 44.1fow, bal temp 45.3 2-king, 11.51am, 50fow, MS mag, Hot Lips, diver, set 3, 55bk 2 misses, UV Jag on 6C and Lucky Charms Jplug on rigger. Lake was flat little wind. DNR looked like they were doing a water survey in the area. Sent from my Z5156CC using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

We're all the ramps in? Sent from my Z5156CC using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

Shake down cruise today. Bagged 1 king 10.16#,1/1 on rigger back 70', lure blue UV flounder pdr std, 2.3sog, N troll, ball temp 43.4, ball depth 32, 43.7 fow. No hits on boards or diver. All systems ran well. Lake was flat, water was stained. Sent from my Z5156CC using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

It's called Livescope. You can see the fish in sonar in real time. It's like video but it's done with sound. Sort of like an ultrasound device. It has a range of 200+ft. But it's best range for jigging is 0-45ft. It can rotate to different views (i.e downscan, forward and perspective.) You can see your jig as the fish swim around it. There is a little bit of a system to it. It doesn't catch the fish for you it just shows you in live motion where they are and are not with your jig motion. You still do the rest. It doesn't work well for big lake fishing/ trolling. But for casting and jigging it's the best. Look it up on YouTube lots of examples. Not cheap though. Different mfg make them. When we get together sometime I'll show you my setup and how effective I've made it. I haven't got my bigger boat out yet. Waiting for better weather. Sent from my Z5156CC using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

I had planned the trip for awhile. Stayed at my friend's house. He has an extra garage where I could secure my boat (Garden City). Then I was able to visit my son who lived nearby the launch site. My friend couldn't fish because he has limited mobility. The docks were different then what we have over here and the water was very low. It was a little more challenging when I was solo launching. When I finally got to the spot. As soon as I put my rod in the water with LS. I pulled out a fish at every stop. The boats around me couldn't believe it. I tried to explain how it worked to them as best I could while drifting thru the pack catching more fish. They were very friendly. I lost about 4 jigs and 3 other fish who were able to release themselves from the hook. It was amazing and great! Sent from my Z5156CC using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

Did a slow drift in the TC and pulled my 6 fish limit (which is allowed until April 30). Used Lunker city minnows ( blue ice, Arkansas shiner, firetiger and anything with gold flake in it) none being tipped with anything. I was done within a hour and a half. Boats were a little thick but friendly. The launch only ($5) was about a 15 boats long moved quickly. The wind wasn't blowing the 25+ mph as the previous days. Fired up my LS dropped the lure in front of the walleye watched him bite and pulled him up. Repeated the process. 6th fish buried under others.All males. (1) 22, (1) 21, (1) 19, (1) 17, (1) 16 , (1) 15 Great day. Sent from my Z5156CC using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

1 ramp is in at both locations. Rebuilding one at Holland yet. Water level looks a little low. Sent from my Z5156CC using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

Fished solo, 9-1pm, one man limit, 5 for 5, 1king, 4 steelheads 1 dble. Had to release 1 steelhead, only 3 are allowed. Fished 100-135 1- steelhead, 12.5#, (9:25am), 8C, MS happee meal, 2.3sog, w troll, 121fow. 2- steelhead, 6.32#, (9:25am), 5C, Jordo spoon, 2.3 sog, w troll, 121fow 3-king, 6#, (11:15am), DR back 60, dwn61, NW troll, 2.4 sog, 53.2° ball temp, 116fow, RV Green jeans 4-steelhead, 7.53#, (12:14pm), DR back 60, down 50, 2.5 sog, S troll, ball temp 51.9°, 120 fow, RV Green jeans. 5-steelhead, (12:40pm),10C, moonshine, returned to water only allowed 3 steelheads. I didn't want to keep catching more steelheads just to keep releasing them. They were very hungry. It was a very successful fall day. Waves were flat to 3 ft rollers, mostly 1footers. Great Day! Marking alot of fish at this depth! Temperature break into 44-49° water was 75ft down

Holland has two ramps in. Big Lake is pretty rough. Caught 10" perch in macatawa yesterday. Plenty of perch around. Good luck. Sent from my Z5156CC using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

Update on the fish cleaning station. It's closed for the season now. Sent from my Z5156CC using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

Fished solo, 9am-11am, that flat forecast just wasn't there. 3' chop, past 85 ft it got worst. Made it a short trip. Only able to run 2 lines, DRs Anyway 1/1, (9:38am), 11lb-8oz laker, 34" long, on dr back 60, 80fow, down 60ft, sog 2.2, E troll, ball temp 60.9, mag bloody nose spoon. Lots of marks. Very difficult solo trip. Wind changing all the time. Strong deep currents changing. One ramp has been pulled, fish cleaning station is still open. . Sent from my Z5156CC using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

You should be ok, just turn the gain up between 3 and 5 higher than you have it on. I run mine higher on the gain than I used to and get a better steadier signal even with it on the same side as it's downrigger. I have both transducers on the same side opposite the kicker motor. New probe came today. Boom pulley, cable, terminator fittings a couple more days. I have all the rest. Sent from my Z5156CC using Great Lakes Fisherman Mobile App

Good point on the batteries. Once I finish my stock pile of alkalines, I will revisit the lithiums. Sent from my Z5156CC using Great Lakes Fisherman Mobile App

I think the cable must have been frayed a little, but the boom hid it, so I didn't catch it, then a 3ft wave hit me put it under the transom ladder and pulled my boom pulley right out it's holder when it broke, because it was all near the surface when it happened. I'm going to be more manually attentive when my autostop comes to the surface. Because it may have run all the way up to the pulley and broke before I realized it. It was all very fast when it happened. Sent from my Z5156CC using Great Lakes Fisherman Mobile App

Solo, short trip today 1.5 hrs, waves 2-3ft, shot out to 170fow before I found some cold water at 120ft below the surface. Went 1 for 2 with a 3.35lb king with Bloody nose mag (8:38am), 172fow, 120 down on DR, ball temp 46.1. As I was bringing up my DR the cable broke taking my cannon ball and fishhawk probe to the deep. It happened so fast I couldn't catch it. My only consolation was my small very expensive king. I was marking enough fish to stay out, but as I looked at my other rigger I noticed the wire was frayed, so rather then risk another DR issue I headed in to repair it and try another day. Lesson learned, but very expensive. If you find your fishawk display is reading funny in the 172 fow range, remember my batteries will be running for 200 hrs before they stop.

Added picture to main post. Camera tends to lighten pictures misleading ID. Added picture to main post Dark gums, spots top and bottom of tail more prevalent in the extra picture. I would have been happy either way. Great job on your 5/5 catch the other night! Sent from my Z5156CC using Great Lakes Fisherman Mobile App

Solo 2 for 4, 14.4oz king and a sheep head (a gift whenever I fish shallow) that was close to 14lbs also. King 14.4oz, (7:09am) on an 8C with a happee meal mag spoon. sog 2.4, S direct, 54 fow, temp at depth 43.9 Lost two others in 135fow, one hit my Port DR with a jordo std spoon and ran for several minutes and when I tried to tenderly crank him in the line snapped and I lost him. He was of very good size! At the cleaning station a boat came in with (15-20 Kings) but most were small. Lake was calm Sent from my Z5156CC using Great Lakes Fisherman Mobile App

Solo, 1 for 2, 6.82# king, (6:46am), DR bk 60, down 49 in 78 fow NW troll, 2.3 sog with Bloody nose mag. One other bite, but never saw it. Got up early for the morning bite. As I made my way through the darkness I noticed several boats never turned on their navigation lights and some had their stern light burned out. Alot of twists and turns to prevent a bad situation. On top of that one anchored sail boat ( not moored to a bouy never had an anchor light on and was very close to the normal boat traffic area). Then a 300ft+ freighter came in. There must have been 30 boats waiting for him to clear. So much for getting up early Sent from my Z5156CC using Great Lakes Fisherman Mobile App

Solo 1 for 3, (7:53am)#9.98 coho in 64fow, ball depth 46, E troll, temp 49.2, Green flounder pdr. There was a traffic jam at the entrance. it looked like Christmas trees all lit up going back and forth. I decided to go to the point and fish. one bite in 100, but spit it out. no other marks. I headed back on the outside edge of the pack set my lines down in 70 fow. Got one fish right away and missed another after it took my line and spoon (bloody nose).. No more bites after that most of the boats headed in I quit at 10:30, since we were camping and had other things to do. Sorry I couldn't get up early enough to help jdh out.. Sent from my Z5156CC using Great Lakes Fisherman Mobile App

Do you just troll on one engine or do you have a kicker mtr also? Let us know what failed? Great catch through a difficult situation Weather forecasts, that 1ft forecast can be real tricky. I try to look at the offshore zone for the area I will be in and if looks greater than 1-2 fts I know it will be a bouncy day and stay home. Sent from my Z5156CC using Great Lakes Fisherman Mobile App