Creekerman

South Haven 4-22-17 AM

Got a late start....about 9:00 AM this morning.  But all the fish came between 10:00 AM and about 12:15 PM.  Solo outing...couldn't find a deck hand.

4 for 4 all cohos in 180-190 FOW... approx. 2.5mph SOG.  All on south troll.

First was on a blue dolphin spoon on 3 color leadcore.

The last 3 were all on downrigger with chartreuse spin doctor and dark blue fly at 65-70 ft. down. 

Quit at about 1:00 PM because waves started to come over my stern.  Wanted to limit out...no go.

Thanks for the update...and for keeping us all informed!

Thanks for that report.  Fish envy here!

Blessings on the birth, mother, father, child and grandparents!

St. Joe 4-1-17

Anyone know how to boil salmon eggs for Whitefish bait?  How long to boil?  Do you freeze them afterward?   Any other tips-advice?

Had a dental appointment in Grand Haven today.  Hooked on the boat and launched solo for the evening bite from Holland.  Ended up one short of a limit….

10#  Steelhead          on 10-color leadcore with JJ Mac Muffin  Moonshine spoon   approx. 90 FOW

8# King          (minutes later)         on same 10-color leadcore with JJ Mac Muffin  Moonshine spoon   approx. 90 FOW

4# Coho         (Double)      on Downrigger with white Spin Doctor and poofster fly  70 FOW 59 down

2# Coho        (Double)       on 5-color leadcore with moonshine "Ratchet Jaw" spoon 70 FOW

 Happy even though one short of limit...Thanks be to God!!!

@ Taddpole

Last couple of times I've been out, I've only gotten hits trolling East (and a couple heading back West).  Last night we kept trolling across the 110-90 FOW and got our hits on both sides of 100.  North or South troll in same depth...nothing! 

Thanks for the info.  I'll look into it.   I definitely want to see a future full of Kings in Lake MI.  Obama and Co.....not so much.

Thumbs up!!!!!

Well, we got out there (2 on board-6 lines), but it was getting pretty rough…too rough just before dark.  Wish we could have held out about 45 minutes longer, but it was getting a bit hairy out there.  I’ll bet we could have picked up 2-3 more.

We did well….almost hit for the cycle!!!!   Couldn’t believe it when we landed a huge Brown.  Here was the catch:

17 lb King on green splatterback plug on 5-color (only about 25 feet down?)

10 lb Steelhead on White Spin doctor and white fly 80 feet down on downrigger.   (only 2^nd Steelhead this year)

12 lb. Brown on White Spin Doctor with white fly on 300 copper    (only Brown this year)

5.5 lb Coho in White Spin doctor and White fly 60 feet down on downrigger (only the 4^th Coho this year)

In a year of getting mostly Kings and Lakers…couldn’t get a laker to complete the Lake Mi. cycle.  BUT I’m happy with the box we got….4 for 4….no lost hook-ups.

Nothing less than 40 lb test mono for my leaders this time of the year.  Doesn't seem to affect the box.  Last year I lost zero tackle.  This year....well I lost a 12 lb cannonball and a chamberlain release with it.  40 lb test wasn't going to help that one.

Nasty flies were on the attack last outing...

I'm wondering if anyone has tried using one of those Thermacell mosquito repellant devices on their boat?  Does it work?  Claim is that it protects up to 15X15 feet or 225sq ft.  Thought I might consider it instead of using skin applications.  Any experience? 

Amazon.com link    http://www.amazon.com/Thermacell-Mosquito-Repellent-Outdoor-Repeller/dp/B00UTIDBW2

South Haven 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM    5/27/16       5 for 7

Two licenses aboard—myself and a neighbor - Trolled 6 lines.

 VERY FEW BOATS ON THE WATER ... all day

Morning double…  170 FOW:

16 lb    Lake Trout      On Downrigger @ 150 feet down   with Dream Weaver White crush with Big Weenie Poofster fly

14 lb  King       On 5-color leadcore with clean Blue Dolphin slim spoon.

Late morning

Legal Lake Trout    on downrigger (can’t remember depth)  approx. 180 FOW on Dream Weaver White crush with Big Weenie Poofster fly

Mid-afternoon

3 lb  Coho      On 5-color leadcore with clean Blue Dolphin slim spoon.   210 FOW

Missed (top water leaping) Fair-sized Steelhead on 5-color leadcore  Dream Weaver small orange dodger and blue-copper fly.   150 FOW

Late afternoon

4 lb  Coho      On 5-color leadcore with clean Blue Dolphin slim spoon.   140 FOW.

Missed  small-fair Lake Trout near stern on Downrigger @ 100 feet down  130 FOW with Dream Weaver White crush with Big Weenie Poofster fly

South Haven 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM    5/27/16       5 for 7

Two licenses aboard—myself and a neighbor - Trolled 6 lines.

 VERY FEW BOATS ON THE WATER ... all day

Morning double…  170 FOW:

16 lb    Lake Trout      On Downrigger @ 150 feet down   with Dream Weaver White crush with Big Weenie Poofster fly

14 lb  King       On 5-color leadcore with clean Blue Dolphin slim spoon.

Late morning

Legal Lake Trout    on downrigger (can’t remember depth)  approx. 180 FOW on Dream Weaver White crush with Big Weenie Poofster fly

Mid-afternoon

3 lb  Coho      On 5-color leadcore with clean Blue Dolphin slim spoon.   210 FOW

Missed (top water leaping) Fair-sized Steelhead on 5-color leadcore  Dream Weaver small orange dodger and blue-copper fly.   150 FOW

Late afternoon

4 lb  Coho      On 5-color leadcore with clean Blue Dolphin slim spoon.   140 FOW.

Missed  small-fair Lake Trout near stern on Downrigger @ 100 feet down  130 FOW with Dream Weaver White crush with Big Weenie Poofster fly

South Haven 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM    5/27/16       5 for 7

Two licenses aboard—myself and a neighbor - Trolled 6 lines.

 VERY FEW BOATS ON THE WATER ... all day

Morning double…  170 FOW:

16 lb    Lake Trout      On Downrigger @ 150 feet down   with Dream Weaver White crush with Big Weenie Poofster fly

14 lb  King       On 5-color leadcore with clean Blue Dolphin slim spoon.

Late morning

Legal Lake Trout    on downrigger (can’t remember depth)  approx. 180 FOW on Dream Weaver White crush with Big Weenie Poofster fly

Mid-afternoon

3 lb  Coho      On 5-color leadcore with clean Blue Dolphin slim spoon.   210 FOW

Missed (top water leaping) Fair-sized Steelhead on 5-color leadcore  Dream Weaver small orange dodger and blue-copper fly.   150 FOW

Late afternoon

4 lb  Coho      On 5-color leadcore with clean Blue Dolphin slim spoon.   140 FOW.

Missed  small-fair Lake Trout near stern on Downrigger @ 100 feet down  130 FOW with Dream Weaver White crush with Big Weenie Poofster fly

Thanks for the report

Thanks for the report

Thanks for the report

I used all DR862MHR on ALL my set-ups (dipsies, downrigger, and leadcore) with the exception of my long copper lines (300 - 400'). I've never had a problem with them! Some of mine have seen 4 seasons without a problem. They fit well in the boat for storage and they seem to hold up well.

I've used the Okuma Classic Pro copper/leadcore 8.5 ft rods for my long line copper and 2 of the 3 the tips have broken off. Not happy about that for the cost. I replaced the tips with Twili-tips so I could continue to use those rods. I've never had to do anything with the Daiwa Wilderness rods.

I've purchased mine from Northwoods Outfitters in Pinconning Their website is a pain to work, but a call to them works well

https://northwoodsoutlet.net/product-category/fishing/

This website has the rods at a great price....

http://equipmentfishing.blogspot.com/2011/11/daiwa-wilderness-trolling-rods-model-8.html

I was flying United out of GR on that morning about 9:00 AM heading for Salt Lake City. Bright day. Saw 2 boats on the water going north of Holland. One was probably you. Water looked calm. I wanted to be down there. Great to hear the Steelhead are still hitting on the Big Lake.

Besides a marine radio that automatically scans the weather channels, having a smart phone with weather app on board is extremely helpful. It saved my hind a couple of times. Saw the red cells coming across the lake from Milwaukee and another from Chicago. Got off the Lake in the nick-of-time. Otherwise would not have been adequately warned.

Also a DNR officer convinced me of the need of extra bilge pumps. I added extra and upgraded the capacity of the ones I already had. Now, If I turn on my pumps I think I could put out fires on other boats both starboard and port with the streams it shoots out.

BTW...I effectively used a 15 ft open bow boat prior to the present vessel. I certainly feel safer in the 18.5 footer I use now.

Do you use snubbers? I swear by them. No matter what rigging I'm using, whether SWR, dipsies, meat rigs, spoons, rotators and flies...any rigging...I always have snubber in the set-up. Some guys laugh at it, but I swear I get better hook-ups with them. Most outing we land every hit. Last year we had a streak of going 39 for 41. So I swear by them. Works for me, and I'm sticking to it.

We had hoped to get out for the early morning bite on the 18th, but the conditions looked horrible from the data we looked at. We watched the data on the weather bouys, on the NOAA site, on the Weather sites, and on the lakeside video cameras and the conditions changed by the hour…worse, better, worse, better. We finally decided it looked good enough for about 5 hours for a possible night bite. We crossed our fingers not knowing if we would find adequate conditions or not. We got lucky (or blessed...depending on how you look at it). It was a little rough the first hour….but settled down nicely before we watched the red cells coming across from the southwest.

Boat size = 18 feet, 135 I/O w/ 9.9 kicker.

8/18/15

Ended the day 4 for 5. We lost one on a father-son double. We waited out the morning with touch-and-go weather…left at 2:30PM and launched at about 6:00 PM. Three licenses on board…my b-in-law, nephew, and I.

Tally was; 14 lb King, 13 lb King, a 12.5 lb King, and a 4lb King.

One on Live wire SD with John King green meat rig on 300 cu

One on Mtn Dew SD with John King yellow meat rig on other 300 cu

One on Rigger @ 91 ft. down with John King Super Black Mamba rotator w/ black/white meat rig.

One on other rigger @ 80 ft down w/ moonshine "Green jeans" spoon

Lost one near boat on slide diver w/ blue splatter back glow SH plug.

Very few other fools on the Lake...most of the time saw no other boats. Beat the storm coming out of Chicago by getting off the Lake and in time to button down the boat. Ran ahead of it all the way home and got the boat sheltered before the storm arrived. Our timing for the day was about as perfect as possible fitting in the fishing amidst bad weather on both ends.