littleboat

When daylight dissipates, the low-level breakwalls of Holland are more difficult to see. The ports you mentioned have catwalks, which are not lighted (Muskegon does have outer low level breakwalls also), but the catwalks do show up as silhouettes by their own pier light making the area easier to see (Grand Haven and South Haven have lighted catwalks for maintenance). Add to what you mentioned, plus just getting in at night can create a precarious situation. Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

I'm glad there were people there to help them. You're right about the pier lighting. Those pier arms need some accented lighting to bring out their shape. Night fishing requires a lot of attention to navigation as well as fishing. Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

Hopefully, the weather will clear, and you, PUG, and crew will have a good run tonight! Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

Having fun is what it is all about! Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

Fished solo 6am-11:30, 90-130, best was 95-120fow, 4 for 5, three kings and 1 steelie. Lost 5th one while resetting other rigger line from previous catch. Pole was dancing, but I just couldn't get to it without creating a tangle when lines were sliding underneath each other. Waves were 1 to 2ft with chop. The surface was 67.7°. Cold water started at 65fow in 90fow different than the bouy. I found some cold spots in the sea of warm water. They stuck out like steep peaks very sharp with narrow edges. Beautiful day, only a few boats out. Cycling riggers picked up fish. Check the pictures. 1- small king, 3#, (6:21am),bloody nose mag RV, 2.2 sog, SW trl , btmp 50, 69ft dwn, 95.5 fow. 2-king 13.5#, (7:29am), double trouble mag,2.5 sog, S trl, btmp 67°, 46ft dwn, 112fow 3-steelhead,7.65#, (10:11am), green jeans mag RV, N trl, 2.0 sog, btmp°47.9, 73ft dwn, 118fow 4- king, 4#, (11:28am), jagerbomb std, N trl, 2.1 sog, 10C. 110fow Nothing caught on 250cu, 300cu, or diver. Nice note about the rigger it remembers where you were at the last depth when you caught your fish, and it will take you back to that depth with a button push On my way in, I yielded to tug pushing barge. He was moving at a pretty good speed. Fish are really changing colors. Lots of eggs in the one caught. Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

Went out this morning knowing I had warm water to contend with, but I thought maybe I could catch something in the thermocline to make my trip worthwhile. So I put my lines in at 80fow. Marked a lot of bait fish and a few hungry hombres chasing them. What surprised me were the waves 3 to 4 footers. It made it difficult to run anything other than a straight troll with the waves and bounce when I turned around to troll the other way. I picked up a small king and released him. I almost decided to call it a day because of the waves, but they receded enough to trick me into staying out longer. My luck didn't improve after a few more hours, and the currents were very strong. Fished 80-167 fow. Mostly 130-160. Caught the small king in 119fow with the ball at 90, 66°btmp, sw trl, 2.3 sog. Bloody nose rv mag. Cold temps appeared at about 115fow like a knife going from 60° to 44° within a few feet. The wind readings from the bouy never matched the reality of what was happening on the lake. No hits on low diver back 250ft or any boards. Attached is a picture of KILLER KING. Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

It's looks like they started to turn? Good recovery on the tangles! Enjoy the coffee you earned it. Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

Mystery solved! When I first saw it, I thought of a smelt, but I couldn't understand the very long frontal mouth area. But with the change made in the stomach and the angle of the picture, it makes sense. Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

I haven't seen a fish with such an upturned mouth. With the fins flatten and without picture from another angle, it would be hard for me to identify it. It looks like it feeds from the surface (Brook Silversides?) You're there, so what were your thoughts Was its shape changed during the digestion process? Could also be a pike-perch from Europe called a Zander. Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

Solo, fished 100-140 fow, 120-135 the best, sw trl, waves 0-1.5ft, surface temp 68.9, wind 10. 3/5, 1st was a small laketrout which I released. 2nd was a KILLER Alewive, which viciously struck my mag RV flounder pdr, but in the end, the Flounder pdr pulled him in. Hooked him behind the eye. I released him and swam away, looking for his next victim. There were two other flybys who didn't want to become my lunch today. But I did pull in a 14# king, loaded with eggs. She looked like she was starting to turn color for a final run. Anyway, the stats: King. (10:11am), 14#, double trouble mag, 2.3 sog. Sw trl. Btmp 65.3°, Bdepth 76, 132.6 fow. Right in the thermocline. That's where they are trying to fill up. I cycled the Optimum DR with an 8ft range with 5 up speed, 1 dwn speed & 5 sec pause( giving it a jigging action adding flutter to the lure like a wounded bait fish) Caught all 3 using cycling mode at various depths. Look at the cycle pattern in the picture. No hits on 350cu or low diver. Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

The current seems to be all over the place this season, making the bites harder to entice. The deeper thermocline isn't helping either. Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

Nice bunch catching them at the breakfast table. Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

Two nice-looking dinner fish. Great job poking the fish to get them out of the bathtub water. Good solo run! Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

GOOD LUCK to all of you. I would probably do 95-160 fow. Big range, water is warm, and there are lots of cross currents. Watch which way your boards are pulling. Keep at least one line in the thermocline. I'm staining my deck this weekend. Won't get out probably until Tuesday. Save me some. Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

The waves didn't start out as 3-4 feet, which I wouldn't have gone out in. They pretty much jumped to that with the sudden wind changes. When they didn't go back down, I packed it in and headed back to Holland. The biggest thing about cycling the DRs is that leaving enough slack on the rods releases so they don't pop on the maximum bottom of the cycle and not an excessive amount on the top part of the cycle. It's really not too hard to figure it out once pops a few times (trial & error). I probably wouldn't do an extreme cycle spread, making it too hard to keep an eye on with all the other activities on the boat. My sliders seem to work as usual without sliding down further. The downrigger creates its own network with Bluetooth connections to the Humminbird , fishhawk, my phone, and other DRs if equipped. I'm not sure how the older drs would make those connections (maybe hardwire). When I watched the fish follow it, their trails were going up and down with it. It was amazing. Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

I started my troll in 90fow. My ball temp was 51-58 when down at 84 ft. Surface temp was 66°. Water was warm unless you were farther out, but the waves got even rougher, different than the bouy. I pretty much stayed between 110-120 fow. If it had been calmer, I would have fished 120-145 fow. I cycled from 87-93 depth because that was where my chip sonar was showing the fish, letting the downrigger do the work while I got used to dealing with the new process. I played with the rod slack so I could see at what point and cycle range would pull the release so I could work with bigger cycle ranges next time. It's kind of like jigging with the boat holding your rod. I think it's a real advantage for fishing. Next time, I'll tell it to go get me a fish while I wait in the parking lot. Love it! It's time to enjoy that coffee now. Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

I saw an early morning break in the wind and wave forecast, so up I got up to try out my new downrigger (Optimum) I just installed. Picked up a king at the back of the boat and promptly lost it when it and my bad net job hit the transom from a 4 ft wave. They already started to build quicker than predicted. Estimate 8-10#, in 121.5 fow (7:56am) with Rv green jeans std on slider on a N trl., dwn 75ft, btmp 53. Next came at small laketrout 3-4# in same depth 121.1 fow, (8:09am) , atomic melon std, dwn 90, N trl, btmp 51. Released him to lake (cycling up/dwn 6ft). Had 3rd release, but I think it was just the waves that tripped it. There are really strong currents out there today. The new rigger was really why I was out. The freezer was already full. The rigger had several valuable screens integrating the fishawk, humminbird, and my phone with depth. Speed, temp, etc. But what I really like is the ability to cycle the rigger up and down as you trolled from a few feet to as much as you could cycle without pulling the release out. I like about a 6-10 swing cycle. You can control your rigger from its own control, the humminbird, or your phone. Attached is a picture of the screen, but it was after I put the fishawk away. I was going to take it on the lake, but it was just to dam rough. But it shows you how it appears on the screen. No, I don't store my fishawk in a freezer. I called it a day after getting beat up in 3-4 footers. Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

Nice box of kings Reely hooked! Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

Fished solo, 3 for 4. 55-100 fow. 3 kings, 7 10 & 11#. One tangled which was quickly resolved. All catches were between 60-63.5 fow. Lake was flat. 1-King, (6:02am), Bloody nose RV mag, DR dwn 45 bk 40, 11#, S trl, ball temp 43.4, 2.4 sog, 60fow 2-King, (6:05am), Bloody nose RV mag, DR dwn 45 bk 55, 10#, S trl, ball temp 43.4. 2.4 sog, 62 fow 3-King, (6:35am), 7#, Flounder pdr RV mag, 8C, 63.5 fow Finally got a drink of coffee in. One miss about 45 minutes later flyby. New Humminbird Xplore I installed worked GREAT! Love that Chip sonar. Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

Nice looking fish. Great dinner! Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

What Great pictures! Certainly is a HAPPY CREW! Nice box of fish. Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

Great family outing, picture, and catch! Always have a good time when you have family with you. Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

Moving the ball up and down does make a difference, shaking up the neighborhood a little bit. Sent from my SM-A156U1 using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app