tbutcher

Yes i totally agree with you. Hoping the waves get down to 2' and we will go. This 25' Grady white takes 3' waves fine but not much fun. we have two VHS radios and a spot GPS tracking system so we can be tracked at all times. i wear a water proof portable vhs and spot on my side just in case i go in. i also wear the inflatable life vest.

Have big note on the fridge saying "boat not winterized". Thanks for the reports going to try to get back.out still...

We are in the same boat! Keeping boat in for a couple more weeks the way it looks right now. I don't see anything cold enough in the forecast. This sunday looks nice to get back on the water. Getting out next week if the lake allows.

Looking good to get back on the lake this sunday am. Small craft advisory ends saturday night and calling for frost sunday morning so winds will be calm! I will be targeting steelhead in 100fow again if waves allow us.

Started out choppy but ended up settling down some. I wouldn't go out any wavier myself i don't have much experience out there. Autopilot was able to handle going into the waves even with one engine running which was nice.

1for3 fished 10am-noonish

Started setting lines in about 85fow alone again. Got the first rip about 110fow on my 150 copper on the green jeans spoon and missed it. Same setup went again and i missed couldnt get to it quick enough. I guess third time was the charm and i was on it this time nice 7lb. steelhead. She stayed down and fought hard i was thinking a king. I was shocked at how one fish can be so exhausting. Great way to end the day!

Your welcome! I plan on trying these again next week so we will see if it continues to work and add more pics as i get more fish on them. I'm going to experiment with sog as i was going 2.5-3.5 when i got these fish. It might be the action is slowed down I'm curious if speed gets the action they are looking for with the flashabou. We shall see.

Thanks-Please keep us u updated. Hoping to get out next week.

Your welcome i will. Good i hope you get out. Im probably going monday again if the lake is calm enough. Otherwise whatever day is calmest.

Is that a doctored moonshine or a factory spoon?

That is doctored moonshine. I added my own red hook with green flashabou. The other two fish were caught on spoons with red hook and red flashabou which were caught on the 100 and 150 copper lines. Ive been having some swings and misses so i thought this would help and so far so good. Ill post a pic of the other spoon for you.

Make sure you show your support for the buoy or we won't have it in 2016!

I love that buoy how do we show support?

Called holland state park today to see how long they are going to leave at least one ramp in. They said until first ice so we have a few more weeks before we have to pull out they said. But im going to check back periodically so we don't get caught with our pants down.

3for4 steelhead

Finally ventured out into some calmer water to 100'fow alone about 9:30 am and was done by 11am with 3 steelhead. Three rods down caught one one each rod. Two fish high on copper and one on bottom on the rigger. All caught on spoons in 100'fow. Only one other boat out that i talked to and they had a couple fish. As i was heading out saw something being dragged into port sheldon. I later realized it was the south buoy so no more buoy info for the year. Thats going to make it tougher to check the waves out where i want to be but i still plan on fishing for a few more weeks.

Nice big healthy steelies, good job. Any spoon recommended?

These two moonshines with green jeans first choice and black pearl second. But i added a personal touch to the green jeans though.

3for3 steelhead fished from 7:30-11:00 am

Later start with the dense fog so we took our time getting out. Once we got out past the buoy it was much clearer. Started in 140'ish and worked out to 200'ish similar to last week and caught all three in 180'-200'fow. My 100' copper took a healthy 12lb. steelhead. 150' copper and full core both took 8lb steelhead. All on spoons again. Water temp at surface was 43.5 deg and 41 at the ball so not much different. Not sure if we should be looking for warmer water at the surface if we can find it.

Does anyone know if its worth looking for and fishing temp breaks or thermoclines this late in the season?

How was the wave action out there? Temperature same as databouy top to bottom?

We were fortunate the waves only 1' when we started at 7am and stayed that way till about 10am. by 11 it was too choppy and auto pilot quit working going into waves and had long ride to port. fish hawk up to the buoy showed mid 40's at surface and low 40's near bottom. once we found the low to mid 50's past the buoy at the surface that's where we had some success.

4for7 fished from 7-11am two cohos and two steelhead. 150' copper went 3for5 on a moonshine green jeens spoon. 100' copper took one on moonshine bloody nose spoon. One solid release on rigger with no hookup.

Dropped lines in 100' first fish in 180' with a double. southwest troll took 3 fish between 160-200' fow speed at ball was 2.5-2.9. sog was higher around 4 with the strong currents. last fish on northeast troll heading back toward port and it got real choppy fast. Coast guard flew over us when we got to port looking for the missing boat. no sign of life out there but we kept our eyes open the whole time watching and hoping to find something.

1for2 lakers or 2for3 if you count whiskers

Started out in 140'fow at daylight waves were ok. east wind blowing us to 200'fow not marking and waves were too much came back into 140'fow got a laker down 110 on rigger bloody nose moonshine spoon. kept going to 125'fow same thing but lost laker it at the boat. trolled into port and huge cat in 70' fow he made a huge mess and called it a day.

We just had a boat act like that and it was fuel related. Port engine would cut out at 3500rpm. We rebuilt the carb and it helped the problem. We also routed a second vent so both tanks are vented properly also helped but not solved yet. Finally ended up being the check valve coming out of the tank was getting plugged with debri. We took the check valve out and now it runs great and holds 4000rmps.

Fished 6:30-11:30am ended up 3for3. Pair of 10lb. kings and a small coho.

Coho was on a MS rv happed meal spoon rigger down only 10'. brought it up to reset the the upper line and he nailed it.

Kings hit on the riggers about 60' down in 95fow. one on big weenie meat rig with kevins girlfriend SD. Other was on a big white paddle with oceana fly.

No takers on the dipseys, 225 copper, or 10 color today.

Fished from 7am-1030am late start with the dense fog but ended up a nice morning with 2 kings. First trip taking the kids and now they are hooked.

First was moonshine rv happee meal on the rigger down about 60' in about 95fow a 10lb king.

Scond came on white paddle with aqua blue fly on 10 color leadcore in about 105 fow a 15lb king.

Southwest troll took both fish and about 2.2-2.6 sog

not bad helmet! Gian went 3for3 today in the white whale. i might go tomorrow since the lake looks flat.

2 for 2 kings 6:30-9:30 am

First one hog 17lb. king on moonshine flounder pounder 5" spoon in 130'fow south troll off dr upper stack while dropping lines from 60' to 80'.

Second small king came when pulling lines on 225 copper not sure how long we dragged that fish same spoon in 4" size that fish was the door prize.

Hard to believe with all the flies, spoons, and meat we put out only that pattern spoon got hit.

Awesome on those home mades. If your other lures are that poor hook up % I would be sharpening hooks. I ALWAYS sharpen mine and my total lake michigsn this year is 17 for 18 in 4 trips

Do you prefer any certain file or stone?

Thanks!

3 for 4 all steelhead in 110'-130fow

First steely was huge and bit a homemade aquamarine fly off rigger 60' down we could not keep it from jumping and finally spit hook.

Second on a homemade dark blue fly on 10 color leadcore very active fish about 8 lbs.

Third on a homemade crankbait lure off dipsey got hit another very acrobatic 5lb steely.

Fourth one on dolphin green glow spoon about 8lb.

Homemade lures 3for3 hits. All other lures 1for7.

Who needs meat anyways!