littleboat

I normally will start at about 75 fow. If nothing is is popping there I work my way out. Once your finder lights up with bait you have arrived at your destination. With a small boat your only option is a west wind unless it is a really light wind from other directions.

Are you finding more of your bites are coming off your boards than divers and riggers at the greater depths? Meaning that the fish seem to be higher in the water column. I have a small fish hawk that I drop with a 1oz weight with my casting rod off the back of the boat to check the water temp thru the column and then I target that zone.

Do you use more cut bait rigs over here to help the bite?

LB

I'm glad the shallow bite is almost over. I am setup for more of an offshore program and enjoy that more.

I enjoy the off shore program better also. I really have to pick the days I can get far in such a small boat. What range of depth are you finding the off shore fishing best on the east side off Sanilac and HB? I'm use to fishing on the west side in a bigger boat.

LB

I think the real shallow bite is done for Lexington and port Sanilac. Most guys with good catches in Port Sanilac yesterday finished 30 plus.

I fished Harbor Beach on Saturday with my kayak and caught a nice coho, a smallmouth, and lost a big fish in 28 feet of water.

I agree. The water was still very cold in the depths I was fishing.It did surprise me though. I had allot of 44-48 surface temps in 20'.

Thanks for the infor. I guess I will be moving on up or out farther in Sanilac.

Congrats on your catch!

LB

Went out of Lexington today. Quite a bit of wind. 15-33' north and south of harbor. Not even a nibble. Crank baits and spoons, boards, DR, kitchen sink, old tires, mattresses...etc ..etc. 10-3pm. I guess I will move up to Sanilac next.

LB

I just put the same one on my boat this year and am trying to learn how to use it. Just for fun, we were at Lake Erie, out of Port Clinton week before last for a couple days, at times around the islands, the surface speed and speed at 25 feet were as much as .5 MPH different. Kind of a big deal when only going 1 to 1.5 on the surface. I'm thinking those poor body baits were not even moving. If Lake M ever gets so I can get out, I'm looking forward to using it. I do wish it had speed at the transom in back instead of using GPS speed though. I'd be curious if it is more stable using the Fishhawk speed vs the GPS speed.

Hope it helps us both.

Paul C.

I was surprised when I bought my X4D and realized that the wheel on the xducer couldn't be used for surface speed, because they traded it for probe depth. They should have reworked the display. Now the wheel on the xducer is worthless. Unless you have an autopilot you might have more variations in speed than you thought for the surface when adjusting for sea conditions. I guess you will just have to keep your eye on the ball speed which you want to anyway.

LB

Wow - so the autopilot works off of the main motor? I have the same problem - in that I mostly fish alone and - when I'm not gunning for walleye in LSC (which the ipilot does a great job of) its hell to keep the boat on track in waves and wind while fishing by myself using the main motor. Last week in Lexington was work - I'm hoping the waves and wind are nicer tomorrow.

The autopilot works the main motor. It's like having a silent fishing partner. The weather looks good to fish. Good Luck.

LB

What speed were you going with your autopilot? I have an iPilot with my Minkota that I use on LSC - but it's 55# and can push me tops 2mph. (So I always end up using my main motor in Huron when fishing for Salmon, Trout to get up between 2.5 and 3mph)

Great report; seems that the fish are still there in the shallows. I'm going to head out tomorrow morning - a little earlier than I usually do - I should hit the water around 7 latest.

When you say they didnt hit bright spoons - does that mean they hit dark ones?

I didn't use any dark spoons, so I can't confirm what you asked. I have an I-pilot also, but only use it trolling in the river or a small lake.When you have 2ft waves you might be limited with an I-pilot for control. The autopilot(Raymarine) I would run at 2.3mph, but I can run it as fast or as slow as the boat will go if I want. I also have a trolling plate which lets me get down to a crawl .1mph should I choose. It has some automatic fish patterns built in also, should I want to use them. It makes fishing allot easier and solo fishing much easier to do. I'm going to head out Monday out of Lexington weather permitting.

LB

I think more fish tend to bite early in the AM. I didn't get there until 10am and fished to 2pm. I went 1 for 3 during those hours, with the fish biting more between 1-2pm.

LB

Yeah I wouldn't say by any means that there are a lot of walleye out there. I've fished in Port Sheldon and this is the first walleye I've ever caught or seen caught. Unless there's a big secret that I don't know of Then I think it's safe to say that it is very unlikely that there are a lot of them in the lake. By the piers in holland though during combat fishing is another story. I've heard of a couple people catching them there and a few inside the river.

I've seen allot of guys jigging by the channel and other areas in Holland and FBD has caught some nice size walleyes and was wondering what kind of quantities and size were showing up along the different harbors? It is quite different on the east side where the walleyes run from Erie to Port Huron throughout the year. I enjoy both the salmon and walleye fishing. So it's always a pleasure to hear when someone catches a nice size walleye on the west side in the harbor, or outside.

Thanks for the infor.

LB

Nice size walleye, what a prize! Are there allot of walleye in the area? We have been nailing them in the Detroit River, St Clair River and lake, but I have never caught one on the was side. I know FBD has been very successful on his trips.

LB

I will let you know if they have moved. if I can get up there this week. I caught a king in 10' last Saturday and lost 2 others on body baits. Another guy reported catching more fish in the 30-40' range with nice pictures and on spoons in inline wts off Lexington. I don't have to work anymore so I fish during the week.

LB

Very good information from everyone. I haven't done the dipsys in shallow water before, but I will add it to the game.

Good luck,

LB

Got a chance to try out my new autopilot and catch some fish. 2nd time out of Lexington in my "Littleboat". It was like having an extra fishing partner who keep you on path perfectly. Also, met Mike who joined me as a walk on when his normal fishing buddies couldn't make it. It was a beautiful but very windy day. My drags were set a little too tight since I'm use to fishing on the Lake Michigan side. We might have caught the other two that we lost, if they were lighter. Caught the one(4# 22") and lost one on a crank bait (gold Rapala F11 size) that had beads inside it on a one color lead core. It makes allot of noise in the water. Lost a thinfish red/gold and almost a board on the other one, but we were able to get the board back before the wind blew it away (20+mph at times). I'm glad the wind was from the west most of the time. We were in 10' south of harbor a few miles. Water temp was 48-50. No bites on the spoons with bright colors. The bites came in the shallower water for us.

Good luck to the rest of you.

LB

Five walleye 20-23" 4.14# top one. all males, Black WW worm with white jig and red spot (looks like lipstick on it caught 3)and chartreuse Ice w/antifreeze jig caught 2. Also took 2 large sucker fish and several small mouth 12". No silvers. Didn't get the 2 man ticket today stopped at 11am, bite died. Worked area from mouth of Lake St. Clair to GM bldg. All on the US side. Pic of my 3 attached. Very healthy looking fish.

LB

It looks like the fish came back to the American side today. Did the two man limit. WW black or brown with brown, antifreeze or yellow jig caught the most. Also, Chartreuse ice with antifreeze jig pulled the biggest 22" 3.59#. Lots of silver fish and several 12-14" smallies, great fighters! 35' depth from Belle Isle to just pass GM bldg. My limit in pic.

Good Luck.

LB

You love fishing during the week and avoiding the crowds and momentum that tends to build on the holidays and weekend that make some people a little crazy. There is an adjustment period that takes place depending on your nature and how hard you have been working. Remember you will be going from full steam to more of a trolling motor pace. Congrats and welcome to the club.

LB

Nema2000 and nema0183 are not the same. You need a converter. There is quite a price range for it, up to $250. The new EVs are nema2000. The old spx5 are 183.

LB

The wind was very strong. You could feel the blast as you went between the structures. Caught 8 lost another one at the boat today all males 16-23". The fish went home around 9:30. Had about 6 ft vis. I believe the girls may have made their run.

LB

6 fow is just about right. Its my experience brads run typically too deep to fish in 6fow also they run horizontal in the water exposing the hooks to catch the bottom. That being said try small spoons on 1 color of lead or a small deep diving body bait on a short leader. Where the bill just Ticks the bottom kicking up sand. This can get expensive, try to use metal bill baits similar to those available for salt water fishing.

Thanks for the reply. I shall shorten up my leads and revisit my lure choices. Good luck on your fishing.

LB

East side really turning around on the spring bite. Much improvement in the last 4-5 years. The summer steelheading is notable as well.

How shallow were you in for the browns? I was in about 6', but I snagged when my lines went slack. Do you use the thin fish (Brad's)? Any browns on spoons?

LB

Shook down in Sanilac, plenty of water at the dock. 3 kings 4 cohos and a nice fat atlantic. Water was already 42/44. Fish were also caught in Lexington. Man felt good to see open water and rods in the water. Catching fish helps too.

Nice Catch! What were your catching lure combinations? Did anyone get any browns in the area?

LB

Punched 2 man ticket but had to move allot. 3/4 oz antifreeze jig with shiner minnow (plastic). Largest 9#-14oz. Males were running 19-23". Lots of boats out and anxious moments at the launch. Be COOL this weekend. Most of the ladies have spawned out. Catching more males now. Good luck. I don't fish weekends or holidays. May the force be with you?

LB

Had a great day. Thought we had our ticket, but my partner miss counted. 14+ 1 coho?/steel head, what a surprise! I guess we need a better counting system. Biggest was 9.14#. We didn't have enough room in our cooler, which probably added to the problem. We even took the food and water out of the other cooler and filled it up with more fish...Such a problem one should have. My partners are still shy about being in the pictures. No live bait used. Line was freezing in guides. 3/4 oz. antifreeze with orange top jig and regular looking plastic minnow.

LB

Quite a crowd out there today. All the ice is gone, but lots of sticks and stuff floating down the river. Got 10 today +2 perch with 3 guys (4-4-2) Biggest was 9 1/2 lbs. 29". Bite died off around 9:30. Watermelon WW with antifreeze jig. Everything using live minnows might have gotten more. I don't even want to be near this place this coming weekend. The perch hit the jigs just as hard as the walleye. I couldn't believe it. The bite has slowed a little since Weds.

Good luck,

LB

Punched a two man limit on the river yesterday. Great weather and the ice finally moved to the Canadian side The biggest was 9 1/2 lbs, 29 1/2". The smallest 3.7 lbs 22". The rest were between 7-8.6 lbs. It was like pulling up logs. When you thought you were caught on a snag, it was really a walleye. They don't really struggle when they are so large. Much different then the salmon and steel head that I caught off Holland last year. Used 3/4 oz jig (fire tiger) with a fin-s minnow pick your favorite. Also caught a small spotted muskie and released. A larger something hit my jig hard and took it to the front of the boat and I wasn't able to pull it up, before it spit it out.

LB