Saugatuck 9/3 PM 14for21

[2MD]

PUG suspected that with fall in the air we had better check in on the Saugatuck mud this evening now that the gang is back from Isle Royale.  PUG’s intuition served him well…

14for21 all in that 29-36fow with all bites taken in the actual mud itself (not the clean water) and most action being just south of the piers

Large white paddle with green fly on dipsey without a ring out 62 probably got taken 8 times.  JPlugs size 4 and up did the rest of the damage on 1color, 3color, and 5color (they wouldn’t touch the size3 plugs tonight for whatever reason).  Did get one nice Chinook on a moonshine greenjeans hologram spoon in 35 fow with the rigger out 37 literally scraping the bottom.

Several chunky mature Coho, lots of mature kings, one or two immature fish.

The most unique part of this trip was that all of the mature Chinook were male and 7 of them were plants which is something we have not seen in several years…  I guess this explains why none really tipped the charts in weight (apparently the DNR unfortunately uses scrawny nothing kings at the wier to gather spawn from so the DNA on the plants is innately a smaller fish we have seen in the last decade – almost all of the master angler kings we catch and get mounted are naturals).   Regardless, such a great night out on the water though and lots of good action!  Hoping some of the big mama mature hens start making the rounds.  Could be tricky with water temps warming but PUG is determined to find out… 

[jdh]

Awesome to see they moved in.  Screen was pretty blank this morning.

[FBD]

Stayed slightly deeper last night in 40-50 just outside and south of 2MD ended up 8/11.  At one point landed a fish then ended up with a quad and somehow got three lost the fourth after a long fight on a half core when it got into the only rod still down. One hit on a j plug three on thundersticks three on spoons and the rest on white spinnies right on the bottom including a steelhead.  Two fish we lost both broke off and both were big fish.

[FBD]

Pectoral clip in a king last night.  Never seen that before.

[Aaron Nusbaum]

Looks like we hit it 12 hours too late. We went out this morning and bailed at about 8 am with nothing because the waves were 2 feet higher than the NOAA forecasted and we couldn't find anything inside of 50 feet

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[2MD]

shoot yes they must have moved - wild

PUG may give going tonight second thoughts now

[zgrinder on Fin Warrior]

Great work in the mud last night.  Not sure when I will get out again.  Maybe this weekend around football.

[FBD]

Checked the fish stock data base and kings are planted in Saugatuck on even years so it makes sense we are seeing a lot of two year old kings in the mix.

Gotta figure out who to give a shout out to at the DNR about the 36k coho we are getting in Saugy now those fish have paid off all season not just now that they are coming back.