Harbor Beach Report, and a couple of 1st's

[tawood]

Hi all,

I'm a long time walleye fisherman, but I'm new to boating for trout. I've fished for trout my whole life (about 35 of my 43 years) from the pier, but believe it or not, I've never even hooked one, let alone landed one. Why I kept trying is anybodys guess!

Anyway, today I headed up to Harbor Beach to try to catch a trout. Got there later than I would of liked, and got out on the water about 8 AM. Caught my first ever lake trout, a 26 incher, about 8:30, and my first ever steelhead, a 17 incher, a few minutes after that!

I then hooked into "something BIG", but turned out to be too big for my 10 lbs test walleye rod, and it ran that rod completely out of line in about 30 seconds...sure would have liked to have seen that fish. I've only had fish run that fast while fishing in salt water! What type of fish runs like that in the Great Lakes? That lake trout I caught came in like a walleye: felt like I hooked a big wet sock, and it didn't fight until it saw the boat. The steelhead, being somewhat small, didn't even really fight at all (I didn't even know I had a fish on, and I think I towed it behind the board a while).

Caught both fish in about 15 feet, behind boards, 1.8 mph, on rapalas. I've got pics, but I'm not sure how to post here yet.

Tim

[Priority1]

King Salmon. I have seen them spool large reels filled with 20#.

BTW GJ on the Laker and Steel.

[Adam Bomb]

Sounds like a good time to me....If i had to guess id say the "spooler" was a King Salmon or a BIG Brown.

[Paulywood]

Good job, sounds like a fun first trip. Like the guys said, it was probably a mad spring king. They can get downright ornery.

[SUPERTRAMP]

Nice first trip. Congrats on the steelhead. the big one could have been a larger King or horror of horrors a carp. I have foul hooked carp on heavier tackle and had them spool me in front of the piers.

Post your pics in the galleries first then get GLF to help you post to your reports.

Mike(Supertramp) Chamberlin

Boat name MC2

[tawood]

Funny you mention carp: I forgot to mention, I also caught a HUGE carp. It was hooked on the outside of it's mouth, so I probably just snagged it. I think I just figured out the photo thing (thanks Mike):

[Nailer]

Very cool Tim. Now your really hooked.

[A-Fishy-Anado]

Congrats Tim! Are you sure the smaller fish is a steelhead? Hard for me to tell by the pic, but judging from the tail it looks like a small coho.

[tawood]

Thanks...I thought it was a steelhead...you can't see in the pic, but there was a definite pink/purple hue down it's side.

[spoonfed]

nice catch tim, now the disease will go into full throttle! Im with Brom, looks like a ho! better eatn if you ask me!

[GLF]

Nice job Tim!