Hoosier Daddy

I saw one other boat out there. Thought it might have been you. How was the fisheries meeting?

Fished out of Port Sheldon this afternoon. Other than some drizzle it was very pleasant on the water. Ended 1 for 1 with a 20" king. Came on a jaw breaker on a flat line just inside the break wall. Tried trolling in and out of the channel and around the bubbler with flat lines and one and two colors, but didn't have any other takers. Can't complain though. Great to be back on the water. Can't believe we are trolling in January and still no ice.

I'll take the flashers if they are still available.

Anyone recognize this spoon? It was included in along with several others i bought from a guy this spring. Very thin metal. Painted white on the back. Id like to pick up some more but cant figure out who makes it.

I've experimented with running a 30 copper and 50 copper as a SWR as well and have had good results. Don't hear much about anyone else doing this though. I'm assuming most people run the lead cores because of the longer leads?

[sorry meant 8/12 PM] With the cooler water temps yesterday decided to run to Saugatuck to fish the mud in front of the pier. Fished for 3 hours and finished 7 for 7. Four nice kings, one steelhead, one brown, and a nice coho. 4 of the fish came on a dreamweaver steely dan, the other 3 on lucky charm (chrome/green) silverhorde plugs. Spoons were on 2 and 3 colors. Plugs on the riggers. Had plenty of other spoons, flies and meat to choose from out there, but only interested in the two last night. All the fish came in 15 - 25 fow. No fin clips on any of the fish.

Fished from 6:30 to 9:30 on Wed PM. Dropped lines right in front of pierheads and made loops in 20-30 FOW mainly south of pierheads to right in front of channel. Finished 2 for 3. One 10 lb King and one laker. King came on a gold plated jawbreaker on a 50 copper. As we reset that rig it went a second time but couldn't keep it on. Picked up a laker on a moonshine ratchet jaw 40 back and down 20 on a rigger. All three hits came on north trolls.

Water was 52 degrees on the surface.

1 lb pan fryer

We keep the boat at Anchorage Marina in Holland.

Fished out of Saugatuck last night. Worked around the pier heads primarily in 30 FOW. Finished 4/5. Three Steehead (13 lbs, 10 lbs, and 7 lbs) and a Brown. Speed varied from 2.6 to 3.2 SOG, with most fish coming on the slower end of that range.

Steelhead took (1) a 2 color with a clown colored spoon, (2) Kevorkian meat rig on diver set at 3 46 back [this rig went twice 1/2], and (3) jawbreaker spoon on diver set at 3 46 back. Brown took a lemon ice spoon on a 50 copper.

Beautiful night on the water.

Went 5 for 8 out of Holland last night, including a monster 19lb/37"+ Laker and a nice 12 lb King.

Started out in 75 fow straight out of Holland fishing NW into the waves. Got lines in the water at 5:00. Took a pounding for a while fishing out to 115' with no luck. Turned to the South and once we hit the 85 to 75 fow again started marking fish. Marked bait 50' down consistently the rest of the night. We stayed in the 75 to 85 fow the rest of the night.

First fish came on a rigger down 70' with a purple/gold spoon. Average laker. This set up went two other times with no body home.

Second fish was the 12 lb king. Took a 10 color with a green dolphin.

Put the 10 color back in the water and it went again right away with the 19lb laker.

Fourth fish came on a 7 color with a raspberry spoon. Average laker.

Last fish of the night was a small king on a 7 color with a green dolphin.

Just before we pulled lines had a huge rip on the dipsy with a white/green SD and white/green fly. Snapped off just below the dipsy after a short fight.

Lake finally started laying down toward the end. Despite ominous skies we avoided the rain.

flies on both spin doctors. Wild fern on one. All white on the other.

Here is the picture of the king that didn't look so hot. The sore is on the bottom of the fish. I thought it might be a lamprey mark, but seemed kind of long.

Fished out of Holland last night. Finished 5 for 5. Three Kings and Two Lakers. Kings were 9 lbs, 10 lbs, and 14 lbs.

Started in 80 fow and headed to 115'. Marked a bunch early but no takers. Worked back in and started marking again from 85' to 75'. Spent the rest of the night working that water.

No action until we put out a dipsy with a white spin doctor. The dipsy never went, but the 250 copper on that side of the boat went 15 minutes later. Laker on blue dolphin. Put the 250 copper back out and it went again. Another laker.

Wasn't sure if the spin doctor had anything to do with it, but I decided to put another one out on the other side (port) of the boat. Within 30 minutes the 10 color next to it went. 10 lb king on blue/purple spoon. 9lb king came next on port side rigger down 61' with blue dolphin. Last king of the night came on the 300 copper (also port side) with purple spoon.

Only 1 of the 3 kings had a fin clipped. The 9lb king did not look healthy. Weird long sore on its stomach, and loosing its scales. The other two kings looked great.

Headed out of Holland with a couple of buddies and our boys on Thursday afternoon. Started around 4:00 with a skinny water program putting lines down at half-way creek and fishing to Saugatuck. Worked in and out from 5' to 15'. Absolutely NO action. Once we hit Saugatuck we decided to switch to a greaser program and headed out to 55'. Immediately saw action. Ended with 5 Lakers. Lost/missed several others. All came between 55' and 75'. Riggers down 60'-65', 7 color, 10 color, and 300 copper each had hits at different times. Spoons with some kind of yellow seemed to be the ticket. Spoon with purple and yellow saw the most action. Boys had a blast pulling in the lakers. Cant wait for the big silver fish to show up.

Went out of Holland this afternoon. Foggy so we set lines south of the pier heads and trolled to Saugatuck. Picked up a small brown and coho early on, then things slowed down until we got close to Saugatuck. Picked up an average brown and lake trout just north of the saugatuck pierheads. Trolled south of the pier heads and turned back north. Had some action again north of the pier heads. Ended 6 for 9. Kept 5 (4 browns and a laker). Fished 8'-15' FOW most of the day. Fish came on a combination of small orange spoons and jointed rapalas (orange; black/silver). Couldn't get anything going on the thin fish.

Beautiful day on the water. Nice first trip of the season.

I have two Okuma Solterra SLR-50L Reels for sale. Brand New. In the box. Never been fished. Levelwind, lever drag. Great Reels.

One is loaded with 850 ft of 45# Bloodrun Super Copper

The other is loaded with 1000 ft of 45# Bloodrun Super Copper

Asking $350 for the pair ($175 each).

I received them as a gift and have two already. I didn't need four.

If interested send me a pm.

Looking forward to fishing for Coho for the first time this spring. From what I've read on the forum and elsewhere there appears to be two main strategies in the spring: (i) body baits like a brad thin fish in red or gold or (ii) small red flashers with peanut flies. I have a couple of questions.

1. Are these strategies used at the same time, or do you start the spring with one, and as the season progresses move more into the other?

2. Are the body baits and flashers all fished on flat lines with boards (using mono) or can you also use dipseys, riggers, or weighted line?

Any thoughts on setups would be appreciated.

Looking for some Okuma Catalina Line Counter Reels in good condition or better. Preferably CT-30D model. If you have any you would like to sell send me a Private Message.

Another welcome Bill. Sounds like fish are still deep there. Any surface temp. avail? Thanks.

54 Degrees at the surface when I was out on 10/30.

Thanks Jim.

Went out this morning . . . finished 6 for 9. 4 Steelies; 2 kings. 125 - 130 FOW. Kings came on riggers down 115' on blue dolphin. 3 Steelhead came on dipseys out 135 - 145' on orange spoons. Other steelhead on 7 color. Most came on west troll. Great fall morning on the water.