Killin' It

I sat and was thinking about this last night and I forgot a very important part to this.... SPOON BRAND.... (This is not meant to bash on one spoon company or another, but is my opinion based on experience.) Everyone knows I run ALOT of BLL, I also run alot of DW SS. I mix in some Silver streak and moonshine mags. At time Stinger gets the nod on the 100 and 200 copper if I am looking for shinny blank (Green Slush) What I do not run Pro King Dreamweaver Mag or standard Contender Warrior NP NK SS mini's ( When I am fishing browns or offshore steelhead these get used alot more) The reason I do not run the listed above, is I found the lures in that category to not run well with the ones listed above. However if I run an entire DW spread (which happens when they want the Target tip from time to time) the DW can be the hottest thing on the boat. I know if I am going 2.5 SOG and my BLL are firing that all the other BLL should have the same action under water, Assuming they are in the same part of the water column. Over time I come to believe that DW SS run well at the same speeds as BLL. A differnt brand will not run the same under those condistions because of spoon blank weight, size and bend. In the same boat, If I know the fish are on a SS or DW bite I will change over and run a whole spread of that brand of spoon. Different spoons run at different speeds or with a different action in the spread. It is a matter of if you can recreate on a daily basis what works. As I said before this is my opinion and it has proven good to me.

Fixed slidders are way better then stacking. A second line with a scooter clip is priceless when fishing deep.

I know I fish more than others, so my theory might be different then someone that only fishes Saturday. I start with a normal spread which is either something I have heard from a close friend or my top 10 baits depending on weather, fish, time of year, ect. If I catch fish at peak time and the fishing dies off, I generally leave most of the same gear on. (I do not fish alot of glow spoons so, I do not feel the need to have a gear change once the sun comes up. I truly belive that if they bit it then, they will bite it again. The goal is staying on top of the fish. If the bites dry up I will pull gear and run back to were I started my morning troll and work the area I got bites in. If I catch fish... great the plan worked. If I don’t.... The question is to change or not to change..... Generally I change one of the riggers over to a silver/blue 10 inch with a teaser rig and either one or both of the divers over to meat or tin cans for lakers. The copper... This is a different story... What I put on my copper is my what I KNOW will catch fish or has been catching fish. I do not change it out till it has proven it is NOT going to catch fish. For me this takes one or two TRIPS. This rule is null and void in very specific instances. If the riggers and divers are slamming on spinnies, I will change over the deep copper as such. If my 250 is firing and my 300 is not... I will put the same spoon on that rod. I went 3 weeks without changing a lure this summer outside of this process. My go to baits ( These are baits that I almost always had out for the better part of the summer for each trip) Starting gear Kermit BLL Green Kato BLL Blue Green Frog BLL Blue dolphin DW SS Green Dolphin DW SS Moonshine Double Trouble Big white paddle with a proofster fly Mag Blue green frog BLL Bright sunny days after the sun came up Hawg Wild BLL 10 inch spinnie with a BLL teaser rig UV spinnie with a BLL teaser rig Patriot BLL Gator pro troll with a brads cut plug Cloudy days 8inch white spinnies with proctologist flies j-13 rapalas Tin can and spin glow Blue flounder Moonshine SS dark green Kato Mag Boogie man BLL Size 3 pearl Loco Silver spinnie with a brads cut plug The point of this is... Find what works for you.. It changes from year to year, but if you listen to what the fish are telling you, you will be just fine. If you are a bit hard of hearing, find people you can trust to contact if you are struggling. I listen to the radio more for fun than to find info. In saying that if people call on the radio, I will always tell them what has been hot. No reason to hide it, because the lures are hanging on the rods when I pull the boat out. The question I was asked at least a half dozen times this year is how do you find the odd ball lures that seem to get hot.... The truth is... I put them in the water to see what they do. If I am fun fishing I will throw 2 random lures out just to see what happens. A great example of this is... When I was fishing the same lure spread for 3 weeks... which happened to be Blue dolphin SS on EVERY rod other then the divers. I put down Boogie man deep on a copper because that rod had not fired in 2 trips.... it took 5 fish that day... Ran it for the next 3 days and it took 2 fish each day….. AND ….. then has been in the rotation ever sence. In saying that there are some disclammers to this post.. 1. The pro guys may have a different outlook on this… They are way better than I am 2. I fish for NUMBERS… I take people fishing to catch fish… whether it be 15 10 pound kings or 9 Lakers 3. You have to be ON FISH to catch them You cannot blame the lures for the problems of the person driving the boat. 4. KEEP YOUR GEAR CLEAN….. Wash your hands in the lake before you handle your baits. Smokers this means you… Every cig was your hands… Maybe just supersicous but still. 5. I took 40 spoons out of the box this year, that I DID NOT RUN last year.. Some of them had been very good to me... Others... not so much. Your CONFIDANCE IS KEY… go out with the mentality you are GOING to WORK HARD to catch fish… and if you do WORK hard…. You just might.

3000 copper... that sounds rough!

I fish ALL copper (Blood run to be exact) Everything from 100 too 350 right now. adding 400 and 450 this year. I have 1 lead rod in the boat and that is a 5 color when the fish are in the top 25 Copper is more fun, better fight with less line to bring in. I will be at the swap meet if you want to chat about it.

Survey done

I ordred some.. I hope they come in soon.

I love the start at 6 ... If you run a smaller metal boat, you dont spend 45 min breaking waves to get to the fishing grounds. or if you do... its before the fishing time.

John, 7. Start out of the same port as the weigh in. What if someone has a boat that is slipped in saugy or PS? This may apply to one or 2 members of the site that may be interested.

I will be the first to admit I LOVE my copper! I run 100 32 pound 200 32 pound 250 32 pound 300 32 pound 350 32 pound 300 45 pound 400 45 pound All blood run copper with floro leaders. If I had to choose I would run all copper over the divers ANYDAY! (Not laker fishing) Just my .02 for my two I could not go without, 300 45 and 300 32 pound.

A list of people that may be interestd just by pulling ames of people I can think of off the top of my head! Hollandpipper Doggie style Me Ben Lubbs Little Buck Kraker boat (A_krakker99) Coralee FBD Tung (Just set his boat up this winter) Luremaker? Gnarf Nailer Plum Crazy Wild at heart Ryan Peterson Sea Mac (Bring it Jr) Dirty Dog That would be an interesting turnout just with those names listed.

What about the possiblity of Multiport and meetin Holland to weigh? Well all know the SH guys can't catch fish anyway:) JK guys

John, I will fish it weather depending. I would suggest changing it to a weight 3 or 5 total weight. Simple rules for simple people.

Only if you are taking her fishing every weekend.

She wont be so happy when I put her to work in the spring:) Someone needs to reel in those 400 coppers. I know it is not going to be me!

The bottom two are going to be the hardest.

I never do a resolution, but I do write a list of things that I want to get done for the year. Some are easy, some are life changing. Here is a list of the things I want to try to accomplish this year. As a point of reference, I left out work type stuff as it was not relevant. Fishing: Hold the 2nd annual Wooden Shoe Carp Classic Carp fish two times a week Catch the biggest carp I can on the lightest line Fish and catch a 20 pound carp at 10 different venues Catch a 30 pound carp Learn how to troll Pike on some of the smaller local lakes Fish Salmon more with my wife Fish the DW charity event. Catch and mount a 15 pound plus steelhead or a 15 pound plus brown or 25 plus pound king. Catch a sturgeon Catch a shark of the beach Home: Replace the deck Fix the back privacy fence Make the wife’s garden bigger Redo the garage; add a ceiling and insulation to all the walls. Insulation added to the attic Get the side portion of the yard to grow grass. Health: No more soda (unless mixed with rum) No fast food (Sluggo’s pizza once and a while does not count) No energy drinks Do pushups and sit ups every day. Lose 30 pounds (Down from 205 to 175 by the New Years next year) Find a hobby that is good for me. Adopt a child Finish my last year of College for my 4 year.

If you ever want to fish during the week around Holland, I fish most mornings here. Your more than welcome to ride along if you have the desire. Welcome to the site. Enjoy your stay:)

I have been working on this over the winter. I will have it done and into the agent before the boat hits the water. I have this done on my Euro carp gear as each rod and reel set up is in the ballpark of 500-700 dollars. Take that times 8 or set ups.. and all of a sudden that takes a huge chunk out of my homeowners if something was to happen.

Count me in for a table... I love this event btw. It is the kick off to the salmon season..

Bob do you have pictures of your old boat?

I understand the idea.... Just can't catch fish doing it. I have tried.. Speaking of... going up river did not produce well for me this weekend either:( Took some hits, but my crew lost them. Oh well.

That back trolling thing is a complete mystery to me still....

Fishing at 6th street.... Mean you have bigger nuts then I do... Nice fish... I will have to try that rig with waxies.. never have tried it before.

I use there 100% floro by berkley in 6 and 8 pound.... works like a champ.. Vanish SUCKS!! For heavier I use Blood run.