Holland 9-12

[littleboat]

Fished solo 6am-11:30, 90-130, best was 95-120fow,  4 for 5,  three kings and 1 steelie. Lost 5th one while resetting other rigger line from previous catch. Pole was dancing, but I just couldn't get to it without creating a tangle when lines were sliding underneath each other.

Waves were 1 to 2ft with chop. The surface was 67.7°. Cold water started at 65fow in 90fow different than the bouy. I found some cold spots in the sea of warm water. They stuck out like steep peaks very sharp with narrow edges. Beautiful day, only a few boats out. Cycling riggers picked up fish. Check the pictures.
 
1- small king, 3#, (6:21am),bloody nose mag RV, 2.2 sog, SW trl , btmp 50, 69ft dwn, 95.5 fow.
 
2-king 13.5#, (7:29am), double trouble mag,2.5 sog, S trl, btmp 67°, 46ft dwn, 112fow
 
3-steelhead,7.65#, (10:11am), green jeans mag RV, N trl, 2.0 sog, btmp°47.9, 73ft dwn, 118fow
 
4- king, 4#, (11:28am), jagerbomb std, N trl, 2.1 sog, 10C. 110fow
 
 Nothing caught on 250cu, 300cu, or diver.

Nice note about the rigger it remembers where you were at the last depth when you caught your fish, and it will take you back to that depth with a button push

On my way in, I yielded to tug pushing barge. He was moving at a pretty good speed.
Fish are really changing colors. Lots of eggs in the one caught.
 
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[WRENCHED 4 IT]

Way to go ED. Went out yesterday out Muskegon with my wife for her first time out this year around 11:00 to 2:30.   Went out just to enjoy the sunshine and flat water. Marked some fish in the 125-140 fow so put some lines out. Low dipseys did the job, unfortunately trying to hand line them in and net didn’t work so well and went 0-3 . Wife still had fun in the sun with a calm day and getting fish to the boat.

[littleboat]

Having fun is what it is all about!

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[Jolly Time]

Heading out this evening. Thank you for the report. I appreciate the intel. I haven't been out for over a week because of the big blow and then that work thing.

I will make sure to post how we do after we get in tonight. It's totally a crap shoot this time of year. I think I will start in 150fow and work my way in until we find that sweet spot. 

[2MD]

very impressive report Littleboat!

JollyTime let PUG know how you fare tonight because we may partake tomorrow night.

In other news someone just hit the south pier

https://www.woodtv.com/news/ottawa-county/dispatch-boat-strikes-holland-south-pier-five-hurt/

[Jolly Time]

I hope pug can up with a good plan for tomorrow. I might try out deeper than we did. Now with that said when we pulled lines after sunset we were in 95fow and we had the best hooks of the evening right on the bottom.

I posted our evenings fish. I hope you get into them.

[littleboat]

very impressive report Littleboat!
JollyTime let PUG know how you fare tonight because we may partake tomorrow night.
In other news someone just hit the south pier
https://www.woodtv.com/news/ottawa-county/dispatch-boat-strikes-holland-south-pier-five-hurt/

Hopefully, the weather will clear, and you, PUG, and crew will have a good run tonight!

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[zgrinder on Fin Warrior]

Nice catching last night Ed.  We might give it a go tonight if the weather pushes off.  I don't mind fishing the rain.  Janet not so much.  The Undaunted / Pere Marquette ITB often comes into Holland harbor however, it currently is moored in Lake Huron so that was no likely the commercial vessel you came across last night.  

[Jolly Time]

A friend snapped these pictures from the pier head accident last night. It sounds like one person was ejected on impact with south break wall. He landed in/on the rocks. He was bleeding and nonresponsive. 

What a shame. So sad. I hope and pray this person will be alright.

Holland's break walls and channel are so poorly lit. Once again, I believe Big Red and the opposite side green light where the channel used to end confuse people. It's still sad that yet another person was hurt.

[littleboat]

I'm glad there were people there to help them. You're right about the pier lighting. Those pier arms need some accented lighting to bring out their shape. Night fishing requires a lot of attention to navigation as well as fishing.

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[FBD]

Or you can just slow down around the piers…

 

 

[2MD]

PUG is red hot pissed at me because I never made it out tonight (doing safety boat on a 2day regatta event inside Mac this weekend and day1 ran all the way til 630pm).  Anyways, good job finding some fish you guys and now that the buoy is up again I can visualize why things may be on the to the positive!  As far as folks nailing the south pier I completely agree that the south pier is a disaster for mariners… I noticed it many years ago when I would fish kings all night off Saug and then heading back at around 4am (obviously exhausted) it just appears so confusing.  Add a few drinks or if you are a newbie it is a recipe for disaster.  IMO and maybe I got it wrong but that weather station on the north side that also shines green is the kiss of death.  That effectively creates “two pair” of red and greens and if you mistakenly lock in on the inside pair then you nail the pier pretty much in the same spot where the last 4 boats that have hit it have nailed it.  Shoot it feels like Holland has had more crashes than even the channels with breakwalls like Manistee and Muskegon and this should NOT be the case?

[littleboat]

When daylight dissipates, the low-level breakwalls of Holland are more difficult to see. The ports you mentioned have catwalks, which are not lighted (Muskegon does have outer low level breakwalls also), but the catwalks do show up as silhouettes by their own pier light making the area easier to see (Grand Haven and South Haven have lighted catwalks for maintenance). Add to what you mentioned, plus just getting in at night can create a precarious situation.

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