Martin1950

We've never had to come in on the hook before, knock on wood, but a couple of times we've come in on the trolling motor.  The worst  time we got caught with some bad North wind while we were down at the "Wall" out of S/J and had to fight 4&5 footer getting back to port. Another boat pulled along side of us and we chugged in together.

Martin

The meat still had good color when I slabbed him out.  Just out of curiosity I loaded the original picture from my friend camera into my Photoshop program at 100% and checked the tail, NO SPOTS on the lower 1/2.  Just walked out back to my gut pile and the nighttime clean-up crew had worked it over pretty good but the head was still intact and the mouth was a light gray.  So I'd have to agree with ya.  That fish weighed a touch over 8#s.

Martin

Give'm Hell Tom!!

After another 0530hr launch, we enjoyed a pleasant 3hr boat ride dragging rattling “J’s” on CU. and spoons on DR’s.  Started marking fish in 90fow so we turned North toward the fleet of bigger boats.  One of which was this tanker headed South so we changed our track and headed West to get out of the way.  Once back in 90fow we tagged this salmon on a #4 rattling J on 150x30# CU, he was one hungry fish.  More arches but no bites so we headed in.  Hit our 2^nd. fish in 70fow on a Mag. Grn. Dolphin down 45ft.  What the Hell is a Sheephead doing that far out?  That 12# pound rascal went back in the water.  Eleanor didn’t like that bumpy water and neither did my back but I’ll be ready the next time the lake is quiet.  Hopefully this heat will end and I can get out in the evening.

Martin

Scale wasn't working so I'd have to guess 15-16#

Launched 0530 hrs with high hopes of repeating what we did the last time out but it was not to be.  Only managed 2 fish. A Laker on a super slider out 100ft w/ a green Pro Troll paddle w/A Tom Mix fly in 75fow and a King on a #5 green & white rattling “J” on a 250x32 CU in 78fow, damn near a double.  Those were our only hits.  Neil’s BETTER half saw her 1^st sunriser over the big lake.  Only action was on west troll at 2.5.

I don't think ya had enough ice !!!!!!!!!!

Poor little Eleanor is a 16' Apollo so I have to have "quite" water. Getting too old to get beat-up over a silly fish.

Yep, we tried Friday AM.  Checked the S/H buoy at 0400hrs, 1.2ft., my fat furry butt.  Launched at 0530hrs and had Eleanor back on the trailer at 0600hrs.  Should have driven down to the beach 1st. to look.  Several 10 meters turned around also.  Will try again Sunday PM or Monday AM.

Glad you got one out of that bath water.  Keep that young man fishing.

We cleared the river about 0545hrs heading S/W to 50fow so our 6 lines would be wet by the time we hit 60fow.  At 60fow hit our 1^st King on a pearl glow ladder back on a DR down 50’.  Then at 65 hit another King on a yellow tail on the same DR.  That was our last spoon/DR bite.  All the rest of the fish came on #4 & #5 grn. glow splatter J-Plug off of CU., 150x30, 200x45 and 250x30.  The ice blue glow ace-high plug that was hot a few days ago was as cold as ice.  6 fish in the box, 3 Kings, 1 steel, 1 ho and 1 laker.  Lost a small salmon and a steel at the back of the boat.  Best water was 75fow on a north troll at 2.4sog.  Pulled lines at 1015hrs.  For a change, Neil wanted a picture in front of the launch sign with the fish instead of a "cooler" picture.

BTW, Pyle’s Porthole in South Haven is having a “going out of business” sale, oh crap!!!!!!!

Those ice cubes are made in those 4 qt. ice-cream tubs. I usually keep 6 of them in my bait freezer,  They come in handy when we lose power out here in the country.  I put 2 of them in a hot cooler the night before and they are still nice and cold through out the next day.

Launched 0500hrs, trolled S/W with a 3 rod spread set by 60fow, one glow J-Plug and one blue glow Ace High on CU.  DR with glow Yellow Tail with a Pearl Glow ladder back cheater.  1^st hit was a double at 70fow on Ace High and the Yellow tail, lost both fish PLUS That Ace High plug that was pre-rigged on a 40# leader.  Lost the steely 20’ from the boat.  At 80fow boated a steelie and a laker, then lost another steelie in 85fow on the same Pearl glow spoon.  Then it was nothing but grease, even got one on a 3 color in 95fow.  Had a monster rip on a Purple Smurf but it didn’t make it to the boat. Back at the dock by 1000hrs.  Final tally 4 Laker in the net and 1 released back to the deep, 1 out of 2 steelie in the net.

Ed, those are some great looking FISH!!  Keep getting after them!!!  I'm sitting here at 0315 hrs waiting for a charge on my starter battery, can't pass on the quiet water this morning.

Martin

Great report and thanks for those hog-pic's, Ed.

Yep, that really sucks!!  That's why I use 40# fluoro on flies, 50# fluoro on meat rigs, 30# fl. on CU. and 20# fl. on short leads and I still had a saw-off when a fish ran down against my deep CU.  There are a lot of fish out there dragging hardware this year.  Sorry for your loss, not the hardware but for the fish!!!!

Martin 

Thanks for the report and the pic's.

Cleared the river at 0600hrs. heading S/W. 3 rod spread, 150x30 CU with #4 J-Plug, Gr. Glow splatter back, 200x30 Cu. with a #5 J-Plug, Gr.Glow splatter back, D/R down 50ft with Pearl Glow ladder back spoon. The DR took an 8# King, the #5 plug took a 14# King before I hit 60fow, trolled out to 80’, nothing and reversed course. Again the #5 plug anchored a hard fighting fish on the turn, it cleared the water 3 times while stripping line, STEELIE I thought, but 20 minutes later I had a 16# King in the net, reel a little, correct course, repeat, often into the wind and the waves. The 150 CU. did chirp once but no one was home. After 2 hours of changing stuff around with nothing to show for it I headed for home. Final tally in meat, 16 thick steaks, 4 fillets of tail and 2 full length slabs for the grill, oh and 2 nice lengths of roe to boot!!!!  Not too bad for a time limited trip. Might try again Thursday if my kneels will heal up. "Getting old ain't for sissy's"

Martin

Thanks for the report, the story and the fish porn.  Over the years I've only had 2 chummers.

Martin

Mr. Tom,

You know how I brine my Ales, on several occasion I've found that changing the color of the meat from natural to sparkly green or blue can be the only change you need.  But then again I'm using whole baits.  Have you ever tried running a meat strip sushi fly?

Martin 

As always love the fishie porn.

Martin

13 hours ago, village said:

Nice. Some reason last 3 trips dang fish won't take the rig. Smacks tail of meat never finds hooks. 5 today. 3 yesterday. 5 times last Saturday.

Sent from my N9518 using Great Lakes Fisherman Mobile App
 

Thank you for your report

Last year I was having the same problem with my whole meat-rigs.  I solve it by pegging the meat harness back so the treble was even with the tip of the tail and flopping freely. Just a little food for thought.

Martin

Thanks for the great report and the "Fish Porn"

Martin

Always enjoy the "Fish Porn"

7 minutes ago, EdB said:

Great job getting him his first laker! He sure looks happy.

His dad had to prod him to get up and go out with us that early in the AM.  But now he's chomping at the bit to go again.  Just wish we had anchored one of those two jumping Steelies that hit that mixed veggie on that CU board.