jdh

Good advice Jason.

You could also run one downrigger rod with a two color leadcore.  Let the spoon and leadcore out, then put a clean spoon on that line.  I would also try some other types of spoons too (non-glow).  One of my favorite spoons is a magnum blue dolphin (by Silver Streak).  I also really like to use the UV spoons in the Stinger and Stingray size from Michigan Stinger.  I would guess greens and blues would work best. 

What kind of water clarity is there in the reservoir?  If it's not crystal clear, then some plugs might be effective run 50-100 feet behind the ball.

If the fish are very skitish due to a lot of boat traffic, it might be more effective to only run 2 downriggers instead of all four.

How deep do you usually run the downriggers?

I'm guessing most of the time , the fish are pretty deep in the reservoir (50 feet or deeper.  I would run both flasher and fly setups, and also clean spoons/no flasher.

How many lines are you running?  A few downriggers and a few divers?

What types of spoons have you run?

Where are you fishing?

Late report.  Started around 5:30/6 pm in 180 fow.  Fished out to 210.  Motored back in to 175 and fished NE/SE until 110 fow and pulled lines.  Speed maintained from 2.5-3.0 at the ball at down 55 feet.

185 fow.  King 15lb+ range.  Mag diver back 189 feet - Pro King Mountain Dew paddle and mirage fly.

190 fow.  Swing and a miss - downrigger (55 ft) free slider with yellow/orange spoon.

200 fow.  Laker escaped behind boat - lure?  I forget.

210 fow.  Laker.  Mag diver back 189 feet - Pro King Mountain Dew paddle and mirage fly.

170 fow.  Laker - Diver back 225 - MI Stinger Green/White 8-inch paddle and hypnotist fly

160 fow.  Laker - Diver back 135 - MI Stinger Green/White 8-inch paddle and hypnotist fly (hit while setting line)

150 fow.  King (3 lbs?) - 300 copper mag blue dolphin

140 fow.  King (3 lbs?) - 200 copper purple spoon

6 hours ago, luv2rapala said:

I got what your looking for - in fact I got 4 of them, got some reels spooled up with wire to if your interested

2 ea TLD 70

2 ea Tallus 

located in MN but I can ship them- got some good rod tubes.

gary

[email protected]

 

Thanks, but I already have purchased a replacement about a week and a half ago.

Fished from 5 until 8:30 pm.  Started in 190 and worked back to the SE.  Made a few loops and passes in 150 fow, and then turned in towards port, on a NE.

First fish in 150.  2 lb king - 45 down rigger - Stingray NKB

2nd Fish in 145.  16 lb king - 80 down rigger - green/white 8" paddle + mirage fly

3rd Fish in 145. 19 lb king - 300 copper, mag blue dolphin

4th Fish in 110 fow - 2 lb laker - mag wire diver back 225 - green spin doctor and mirage fly

5th Fish in 90 fow - 5 lb laker - 80 down rigger - green/white 8" paddle + mirage fly

6th Fish in 85 fow - 5 lb king - 200 copper - purple spoon - unknown brand

Pulled lines after fish no. 6 and headed in.

I'll say it's been very common for the lakers to suspend until the water warms up a bit.  I've caught them offshore too on one and two color lead cores.  The overall numbers should be way up to compared to 20-30 years ago.  There are a few strains.  Most common strain on the south side of Lake Michigan has been the Seneca Lake strain recently.  Some plants have been Lewis Lake, and Klondike Reef strains also.  A lot of Lake Superior strain fish have also been stocked up north.

Colors could also indicate what the fish have been feeding on.  Any fish feeding on mysis shrimp recently would be really orange.

Yikes!  I'll be fixing the rod holders that did this to me twice now!  Don't want it to happen again.

Something's not working here (obviously because you're snapping off). 

Knots aren't being tried right.

Drags are not smooth enough.

Diver release is too tight.

Wire quality wire isn't good - or old, or it's allowed to kink.

What brand of leader and wire do you have?  I've been running 25 or 30 on flouro leaders for years, and have snapped off like 2 divers - due to wire links.  Used to run snubbers but find i get better hookups without.

Better believe it!  Same as last time too!

Put a tape measure out in the yard and put stakes in to measure 50 ft increments.  Time to put the copper to the tape.

My 100 copper was 60 feet.

My 200 copper was 175 feet.

My 400 copper was 280 feet.

Still have to measure a few more!

Looking for a used 7 ft Shimano Wireline/Roller rod.  Anyone got one?  Only interested in the 7 foot rod as it's my inside diver.  I'm near Grand Rapids MI.  Would travel a little ways if the price is right.  Dropped one in the river yesterday in South Haven.  Sank like a rock.

Only lake trout marks on bottom 20 feet in the deeper water.  Probably should have started in 160-180.  Coho and kings often out there this time of year.

Fished from 3-6 ok today.  Started in 60-75, nothing.  Trolled out to 120.  Nothing?Pulled lines and we had a lake trout on the rigger rod out 125 in 120 fow. Fished again in 50-70 for an hour without a bump.  Called it a night at 6.

Water was mud until 40 fow, and extremely dirty until 65 fow.  

Water cleared past 90 fow.

44 degrees down 40 ft.

I've done well last few years out of South Haven first three weeks of May.

I usually fish first week of May further south, next two weeks South Haven,  then Holland until July.

Well, we're "allowed" back on the water now!  I'll be out Monday unless I get more work for next week.

I just wish the order would have shut down the major DNR launches until May 1st.  That would have prevented many of the large congregation of people at the launches, and would still allow me to use my boats other places.  Or legally use our 14-ft row boat with an electric trolling motor.

In other news - at least the time off has allowed me to actually get the boat ready properly instead of piling boxes and boxes of crap in the front of the boat because I don't know where anything is!

My question now is, are we going to see a massive "launch your boat" civil disobedience protest if the boating prohibition is extended?

Thanks for sharing.  Maybe allowing all these fish to naturally spawn will lead to an increase in fish on the Little Manistee.  Wonder why the good numbers of steelhead seem to be missing the last few years on the big lake.

Going to have to run slow this year.  Getting the boat geared up for coho fishing.  Should be out there soon!

Welcome.  We'll see how soon we'll be able to start fishing this spring.  Not as much activity on this site since Facebook groups have become much more popular.  Contributions are appreciated!

-JD

Crazy!  Wonder where he picked them up?  Could it be they just swam out into the lake and are feeding similar to perch fry and alewives.  

Well, start out simple.  This time of year can be quite unpredictable for fish.  Pick a pier known to fish well, and get out there at first light and see how many people are out there and what they're using and if they're catching anything.  Be friendly and maybe someone will share some tips and their setup with you. 

Fished Grand Haven today.  Nothing going at the pier heads.  Cold water was pulled all the way up river, so we trolled almost back to the boat launch.  Nothing there either.  55 degrees down 20 ft.

Also ran to 200+ and hit a lake trout in 230 fow.  Good marks out there down 80-120 ft.

I cannot buy a bite on meat this year!  Flies have done a decent amount of damage.

Lost the plug in a tangle with the big fish.  They don't sell very many colors anymore! 

Went out again this mornings, but the bait I had found had moved.  Still managed 2 smaller kings 6-8 lbs or so.

Waves felt a lot bigger than the buoys 1-1.3 ft reported wave height.  Said it was about the same as on Saturday, but no way that was correct.