instincter06

Wow, this is a fantastic report and a fantastic morning on the water.  Thank you for sharing!

Is the launch open now?  I see they closed it again on June 18th but I never saw an announcement if they reopened it since then.

That looks exactly like the old Penn reels I use on half my rods, lol

I went out of Holland last night from 4:30 - 8:30 and got no hits.  Trolled from 65 - 95 FOW down to the sliders and made one pass through the piers on the way in.  I forgot my jeans so had shorts on and was swarmed by biting flies out on the water.  Ouch!  I was the only boat out fishing that I could see.  That was eerie!!  At least it was a beautiful evening to be on the water.

Looks like the deeper water temps at the buoy just shot up. Any thoughts on if that will help the fishing?? I haven't made it out yet this year but have been hoping for a good August bite.

Thanks

What is the typical setup for Fall fishing? Lots of high lines? Way out deep?

Maybe the colder water this year from the long winter slowed down the maturation of the eggs in the females?

0/0, and didn't talk to anyone that did good. Saw 3 fish landed in Pere Marquette lake and 3 fish on stringers on the North pier. Trolled the channel and out to 70 FOW and back, then the channel and lake for what seemed like days! Tried everything I had. Maybe we should have anchored and jigged...

All the big local boats from the marina went way out deep, out of sight. Forgot my radio (it's always something, LOL) so didn't hear how they were doing.

DNR surveyor said one boat had 5, another had 3, and the rest had 0 or 1.

Everyone was too excited to sleep the night before so we left at midnight and started fishing at 2:30 a.m. Needless to say, we won't be doing that again! It's weird being the only vehicle at a huge launch site....

In Ludington Sunday morning I saw one guy carrying a fish in his net and another guy with 2 salmon on a stringer. Us and other guys trolling the area did very poor. 0/0. Water was still too warm.

wind and waves already half the size they were this morning - going to go troll the inside part of the channel and the west side of macatawa in a couple hours - might be premature - hopefully cold water and currents are pushing down the shore and into holland harbor

Someone has to be the first! Good luck!

Thanks for all the info guys! I'm going to gear up for Sunday and hope the weather cooperates. I'll keep checking back to see how everyone has been doin and let you know how we do.

I'm hoping to make it out this weekend with some friends if the weather cooperates and was wondering if there have been any fish in the channels yet? I usually fish Holland but was thinking of trying Ludington for the first time. Any advice or biased opinions would be greatly appreciated!

Awesome! What time of day were they biting best for ya?

Here's some of my 2013 highlights. For salmon, it was a year of learning for me. Just my second year at it and I'm learning a lot, with still a long way to go!

My biggest salmon from the lake so far - 19.75lbs. In the Holland channel this fall.

An early season Laker my buddy Chris landed

Got a baby sitter and made it out for a fun evening.

Found the best way to make Lake Trout edible!

I was an observer for Fly Catcher in the Big Red Classic. They got 4th and I learned a lot!

Detroit River walleye jigging.

Made it into the money in my company bass tournament.

There weren't any steelhead in the Pere Marquette but we sure found the trout.

Late season limit of geese.

Meat in the freezer

I didn't see any in the Macatawa River this afternoon. Forgot my polarized glasses though, not that it helps much in that nasty water.

I ran one board about 8 feet from the boat and that left plenty of room in the channel. Especially since I ran it so it was going along the sea wall, no chance of hitting someone else that way. Some guys had 2 on each side but we managed to avoid them.

2MD, that's fantastic! You got em figured out. What did you find your best speed to be in and around the channel? We kept changing, trying to get some more bites

Jeeze, what a mess. At least you got some fish to clean

Fished all weekend in my 16.5ft bright blue boat, no name yet.

Sat. am. 3/4

Sat. pm. 0/0

Sun. am. 4/5

Saturday morning trolled out through the channel before light and hooked up just out of the piers. Lost it at the boat, about a 16 pound king. Caught 3 more in 138ft. One 12lb, other two about 18 - 20 inches on the north troll. At the piers - glow stinger spoon that was greenish behind a tiny dipsy 120 out. In 138', 2 on a Patriot dark blue spoon on 10 color, 1 on orange glow fly green spinnie.

Saturday evening nothing. DNR officer at the launch when we came in said no one was doing any good in the evening.

Sunday morning was rough. Trolled the channel out then turned back at pier heads because of waves, next pass through we were able to go out in the lake a little. Immediately hooked up on a double 40 yards outside the piers! Lost an 16lb on a homemade blue and glow fly with blue and glow spin doctor off the DR 14' down. 2nd one was 16lb on a green ladder back Jplug with strips of glow tape 12' down on DR. Next pass just north of the north pier hooked up on the blue homemade fly again in about 25-30fow. Got cutoff by another boat that decided to push us into the beach. Managed to keep the fish out of their boards that were straight behind us but it was close. Landed the 20 pounder, my biggest so far on the lake. Last fish was a few hours later about halfway through the channel on a green Hot 'n' Tot on mono a ways out, 16lb king.

Oh and we got a 17" walleye in Lake Mac between the channel and the green buoy on a green/blue glow spoon on 3 color.

I can post pictures of the lures if anyone is interested, since I don't know all the fancy names yet!

Weather service is saying the wind is supposed to turn North East Friday night and be East Saturday morning. Not sure what that will do.

What tackle do you guys use in the channel? I've never done it before. Down riggers and dipsys? Seems to crowded for planer boards. Thanks!

I've never trolled the channel, do you just use short lines? Divers? Thanks.

10 for 20 ought to get you hooked! I started out as a newbie just like you last year. I'm yet to pull in more than 3 in a trip but I love it. Congrats on the good trip and thanks for the funny report.

Went 2/3 in the morning and 2/3 in the evening. All in 90 - 110 fow.

Got a really late start, didn't set lines until around 8. Got a 6.5 and a 7.5lb king. Nothing biting mid-day.

In the evening we set up at 7ish and picked up another small one right away. It was slow until right at dark. It sounded like everyone on the radio had doubles or triples on in the dark. I landed an 18 pounder, my biggest so far.

What worked:

7.5lb king - 10 color with dark blue spoon (I don't have down all the fancy names yet).

6.5lb king - 7 color with a green/white spinnie and a blue glow fly

Evening:

6 lb king - 7 or 10 color, can't remember. Blue glow fly again.

18 lb king - DR down about half way in 100fow. It was tangled in about 3 lines and in the mess of lures, paddles, spinnies and snapswivels I didn't see what I caught it on. I think the fish sat forgotten in the net for 10 minutes while we tried to untangle our rods and ourselves, all with a bit of a buzz. What a fun mess!

Very nice! Were you marking the fish suspended?

I ended up trolling from 60 out to 140 then back to 125. Went 0 for 2 with fish on at 125 and 135 on a green and white glow spoon behind a dipsy. First one just came off, second one took a big run and I had the drag too tight. It surfaced 40 yards behind the boat trying to spit my spoon out. There were plenty of other folks fishing the same water. A buddy went 4 of 5 in 70ft.