2MD

PUG had better watch his back for sure! That Muskie really messed him up in the head as the Apex Predator tried to eat him when he was sniffing and licking it on the floor of the metal boat. PUG is going incognito and relocating down south for the winter! VID_20250425_110727.mp4

PUG and the kids have been slaying Steelhead and Salmon on the metal boat out of Holland in recent days/weeks as weather has allowed. Some photos are attached. Yesterday was Sunday and we were out there midday fishing that 25-65fow mainly and managed 3 steelhead (on mono highlines with orange jointed rapala or mongoone size3 jplug) and then also 4 or 5 salmon (on spoons on the riggers and dipiseys a little further down). When we were about to call it quits PUG had me make a close pass on the Holland south pier and we were in 25fow and then I decided speed the boat up to 3.5-4MPH speed and that was when the rigger down 23 with bloodynose moonshine spoon just got smoked! Right away we could tell it wasn’t a steelhead or king the way it fought!? PUG figured it was a mongo Lake Trout??? Low and behold though it proved to be a 51” MUSKIE!!! Photos and video of that beast are attached here as well. The fish was safely returned to the water and very lively it swam away. Unfortunately, it left my oldest son a parting gift when it took a bite out of his hand (he ended up having to go to the ER xrays and antibiotics and stitches). What an incredible outing and fish of a lifetime though! So random and the last thing we expected... The boys and PUG got photos and measurements of length and girth so I will get the taxidermist to make us a mount to match and be talking about this legendary Nov1 Muskie caught trolling out in front of Holland for decades to come 20261101_150909.mp4

thanks for the report Kevin! was great seeing you out there & PUG appreciates the photo and honorable mention as he watched attentively from the beach!

probably PUG's last trip of the year sunrise bite was solid at first in that 80-90fow and what worked best was riggers down 35 and also 45 with yellow gobi being the hot bait went 6 for 8 5 salmon and then also a nice steelhead on half core with orange spoon - lost a second steelhead on same setup later in morning in 110fow too also later in morning connected with a fought a bigger fish on copp350 half a meal spoon in 135fow (never seen it but it did lots of runs and assume it was a monster steelhead or a jumbo 3yr old) unfortunately came off after 20min

PUG is in denial and wants another shot at the kings that ran - hit em off at the pass - see attached video from Nordelos Creek this morning haha VID_20261001_115221.mp4

PUG fished for only about 90min 3for5 in that 80-120fow just north of holland - copp200 spoon was good lowdipsey out 105 went with paddle riggers partook spoons up high and highdipsey ring off our 120 took steelhead wow 3 year olds can put up a spring salmon type fight and definitely outpace the spawned out 4 year olds of recent - PUG forgot what pink fillets looked like

well done!

might run the Saugatuck mud either Saturday or Sunday this weekend - PUG has guarded expectations since the run is probably 90% through but still fun to do - sometimes we get decent size browns and steelies on the plugs into October - if we go I'll let you guys know the outcome... FBD you fishing this weekend?

great night and your photos captured it so well! glad you were able to connect with a few of the graduating Chinook class of 2026

haha yes that one was massive - far inside board north of the north pier - heart break when it broke everything 15min in - seemed like the biggens where stacked around the outside corners of pier tucked in closer to the beach in that 7to10fow - less boat traffic and spoke in there - wish PUG would've figured that out sooner

4for14 on Chinook 8for8 on drum had a couple breakoffs on the bigger fish of the night that entailed losing orange boards and whole 9yds which felt defeating (pug tip of the day: never run 20# mono highlines in fall combat fishing) that 9fow to 16fow was best FBD had em going real good and PUG appreciated the advice as it took Parker a bit to dial em in 20260920_200751.mp4

hadn't been out with PUG for the longest of while and with all the east wind and rain it kinda felt like now or never ended up going 8for11 and the coolest part was we hooked some big ole school fall kings that fought nuts - been less of those around this year but PUG somehow put us on a pod - one Male measured 38 inches and had to have been around 20-21pounds - several higher teen hens - what a blast all our action was in that 10-13fow directory out off Saugatuck channel - PUG just had us making passes - seemed like south troll was a little better - groundspeed 2.7-3.1 did the trick - riggers down 6 with size3 plugs bacl 60-70ft behind ball - 1.5 color with special new blue & green plug my son found from some joint in Maine went a bunch - high lines witj different size5 plugs like green ladder got smoked - dipseys out 20-28 with big ole paddles went 2 or 3 times in less than 12fow believe it or not (these are the bites that came off - lost a mongo hen doing this) this skinny water fishing is so fun - no sheephead either tonight - BONUS 20260919_191201_1.mp4 20260919_191819.mp4 20260919_192247.mp4

nice looking fish! your big king even had color to it yet

PUG realized that cold water was still hugging the bottom in close so he and a couple of my sons and their buddy decided to take Parker out tonight. 9 for 14 all in that 38-45fow. Rigger on bottom with paddle and then jplugs on leads and dispeys was apparently what got it done. Here are some photos they shared. Tall seas. Black kings!

yep... i think they managed 8 or 10 so far there directly off kzoo mouth in that 45-50fow

PUG and the boys are back out there tonight but this time on Parker so we will have to see how they end up. Rough seas and water may have warmed a bit but they did send me this photo a few hours ago which i figured was a good sign

thanks guys - so the other day on the metal boat it was rigger down 38ft with big paddle that went 9 times the boys said before eventually breaking off - dipseys with size3 plugs as well as 5 colors and 7 colors got the other dozen or so bites - sadly pug lost a lot of gear in the chaos including a full 5color and orange board but that is how the fall madness goes

yep 2 man limit they reported having 23 on in that 38-42fow so it was a battle and didn't come easy congrats James & Isaac! IMG_20260909_102920.heic

PUG took my son and his buddy out this morning in the tall seas & slop and boated a couple now they are back out tonight getting into more 42fow directly off Saugatuck 2man limit is coming

congrats man - you guys were dialed in!

congrats you are on a northern roll!

PUG managed 6for10 getting a late start and having to motor out into 6footers - was nuts because the bouy had read 1.3ft just 50min earlier and when we left pierheads they were 6ft but literally no wind blowing. PUG is from the east indies and figured it was tsunami. We figure it was from big cell 200 miles north that had crossed lake mi 2-3hrs earlier. Anyways, all action came in that 110-120fow 6for10 mainly matures and lost even a few heart break ones at back of boat tonight. All bite was 70-90 down spoons. Riggers were best. High diver paddle out 280 all went. Do did other high diver with wonderbread moonshine spoon out 220.