jdh

Was going to stop in Pentwater but cruised right on past and launched at Ludington instead.  My fishing buddy was only running on one hour of sleep and wasn't as quick getting ready as normal so we got  a later start than I would have liked.  But we had lines in the water at 6:30 am starting in 85 fow and trolling west.  Not fast fishing, but steady all morning.  At 11 am we were sitting 8/12 with 4 kings and a steelhead in the box.  Let some 18-inchers go boatside to grow up some more.  We decided to run west and ended up about 12+ miles west of port, and a depthfinder unable to find bottom (500 ft +? ).  Water temp was 39.9 on the Fishhawk and my graph.  Upon deploying 5 short long lines (2 through 5 color, 100 to 150 copper) with orange Superslims we began the troll east at about 4.5 mph.  Once the surface temp reached 48 degrees it was game on.  Wound up the day going 13/22 or so and finished out the box with 4 kings, 5 steelhead, and a lake trout.

Was wondering if we were going to hit some big fish, and we had 4 chances and got 2 of them in.  A 22 lb male and a 17 lb hen.  The other two big fish had other plans.  Smaller kings were about 6 to 10 lbs.  Steelhead ranged from about 3 to 10 lbs. Laker was 5 lbs.

Morning program: Riggers 45-65 ft down, divers back 85-110, 150 copper, 200 copper, 300 copper all took bites at some point.  Stingray sized UV tape spoons with green on them worked.  Also Pro King UV Taped flashers with green flies worked.  Later morning, setting the divers back 215-250 took a couple hits.  East and West trolls. 2.5-3.0 mph.

Deep program: Superslims at speeds of 1.5-5.0.  I kept changing speeds and directions and did a ton of circling once we found a group of fish.

Nice job!  I'll be heading up north tomorrow.  Not sure where I'll stop.  The original plan was to go to Manistee, but I may stop sooner.

Good luck with the walleyes!

My radio doesn't work on the high power setting unless the motor is running.  It need higher voltage to transmit.  Took me a few years to figure that out.

Notes:

1. PLEASE TURN OFF THE WATER AT THE CLEANING STATION AFTER YOU'RE DONE.  AT LEAST UNTIL THEY GET IT FIXED.

2. Alewives are in the channel and Lake Macatawa in huge numbers.  Hunkered down near the bottom on our way out of the channel, jumping everywhere on our way back in.

3. No matter the forecast.  If there's north wind involved its always bumpier than you would think.  We launched late and it was starting to calm down, but took us a while to motor out to our spot.

4. If you're not marking any fish - move!

Report:

We started in 80 and worked out to deeper water.  Graph was empty from 80-130 fow.  Lots of 3 to 10 lb fish in 140-160 fow last night.  Went 9-9 (8 kings 1 steelhead) in about 1.5 hours once we found them.  Got dark, so we left.

Glow spoons - mag & standards size spoons.  Divers back 65-85.  Riggers down 41 - 55.  100/150/200 Coppers.  WNW/ESE Troll 3.0 mph.

Nice job!   Fish have spread out quickly.  Not so many numbers the last few days 

It will probably change soon, but if you're going out again soon try fishing in closer.  Fish have been shallower - 60-100 fow. 35-55 ft down .

Won't be fishing down there tomorrow.  If I was I would be looking in 90 fow+. 40-80 ft down.

Mid 40s.

I'm guessing the St Joe tournament will be an offshore deal this weekend.  Warm water will push south tomorrow if the forecast holds .

I'll redirect you to this post next time there's a two fishing day weekend!

Due to the slow action in South Haven on Saturday, I decided to run south Sunday.  Thank you Joe for joining me!

Aftermaking it out of the pier heads around 7 am we set up in 45 fow outside of almost all the boats.  We worked our way in and out to 70 fow with nothing and then shifted to a NNW troll to get to deeper water.

Once we got 80 around 8 am, the dipsy fires and we got our first king of the morning.  About an hour later the 100 copper fires and the slide diver fires.  2 steelhead, got the small one, but the bigger one got away.

At 10 am we decided to make a change, so we pulled lines and ran about 6 more miles to the west setting up in 95 fow.  First fish hit in 105 and then we had a ton of bites in 105-120 fow making big circles for most of the rest of our time out there.  At first it was all kings with 2 about 18 lbs and 1 about 20.  Then the lake trout started eating.

We ended the day 16-18?  Not sure because we let a bunch of lake trout go next to the boat. 6 kings, 1 steelhead and the rest lake trout.  Everything from 40-110 feet down got bit.

Most of the kings came on riggers down 60-70 feet with stinger uv spoons with yellow colors.  Yellow tuxedo was hottest.

Lake was glass calm.

One smaller lake trout was stuffed with alewives.

Not much going on.  Worked 4-8 miles south of port in 40-60 fow.  60-80 fow   90-110 fow.  and 150-180 fow 

Got a lake trout in 180 on a diver back 200 feet with a green uv 8" paddle. That broke the skunk as we were getting ready to pull lines.

Deleted 

Sold.

Started at the piers.  Went to the state line doubling back a few times.  Then around noon ran north and trolled back to the piers.

Joe and Kelly joined me on this trip today.  Had a great time.  We fished 7 am until 2 pm.  Ended up 11 for 14 or so with 10 coho and a shaker king.  Almost all south troll.  2.5-2.9 gps.  20-30 fow.  Smithwick Rogues (2-6 foot trolling depth size) in Orange/Brown on mono 50 ft behind boards, and Size 1 divers on 3 back 15-25 ft with orange coho dodgers and peanut flies did most of the damage, with a few other presentations also taking hits. 

Picked up fish from a mile north of the harbor down to the state line.

Great shakedown trip.  Everything worked and had everything on the boat we needed.  Boat organization could use a little work though.

-JDH

I understood the "act of fishing" really only applies to commercial fishing.

Sold

5 hours ago, slickwater said:

I don't trust the double uni.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Great Lakes Fisherman Mobile App
 

Ok then.

Double uni-knot for sure!  I use that one all the time.

I would buy it.

Regular power pro in 40 lb and green has worked for me.  I run mostly wire now - that is wire deep and slide divers up high.

I've used herring oil during late July/August with some success.  Haven't messed with scents though until July typically.  Spring/early summer fish just seem to bite good enough.

Welcome back.  There is activity in the spring/summer.  Dies down during the winter.

0-0 tonight.  130-160 and back again.

Went 2-3 in 265 fow.  Diver back 200 with a flasher fly took both fish.  Lost one on a 200 copper.  Coho & a large lake trout.