Extra Report -Lake Michigan

Posted 5/26/2002 5:58 PM (#536)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


4 for 8 today.

My freezer was empty so me and Bill Schwartz thought we would take Cody (Bill's son) out and get some Salmon this morning.

Ended up with 2 chins and 2 browns. Cody had a big one on and lost it after 20 minutes.[:blackeye:]

No real pattern.. I am not dialed in yet...but give me time and the grill will be smoking again this summer.[:)] Pan fried one tonight in butter and brown suger..very very tasty![:bigsmile:]

Posted 5/26/2002 6:00 PM (#33738)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


Cody's biggest chin, about 14lbs.

He was very tired after the long battle.

Posted 5/27/2002 1:21 PM (#33739)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


Went out again this morning. Off the lake by 9:30am with 10 in the box. We had messed around in the spot I got the fish the day before and died in the 35' range. One hour or 6:30am we went out to 105' and got nine fish in one hour. Then we spent the next hour unhooking fish boatside and having a blast. I lost a big chin, darn thing cleaned my clock and took off 300 yards. Later after releasing some more Coho's, my buddy Mark got this nice Stealhead.

Boated 8 Coho (2-3lbs)(released boatside 5 more) one 10lb Laker and one 12lb Stealhead. Lost 5 fish

Not a bad day on the water. Now back to muskies since I have some table fair.[:bigsmile:]

Water temps 44 degrees.

Posted 5/27/2002 1:30 PM (#33740)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


Musky Mike...I heard you on the radio on Saturday while I was out with Bill Schwartz, how did you do?

Anyway..here is a picture of the exact spot I got them today![;)]

You can see the First Star building in the pic,,, about 6 miles away![:bigsmile:]

Posted 5/27/2002 1:41 PM (#33741)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


Mike,, Thanks for the info.

Tip of the day!

105ft of water....8' to 15' down. [;)]

Posted 5/27/2002 10:20 PM (#33742)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


I fished out of kenosha harbor monday we put the gear in at 90 ft with no action for about an hour.We went out to 140ft fishing from the surface to 20ft and had all the action two guys could handle 9coho 1 12lb king and lost 7 others .

Posted 5/28/2002 7:19 AM (#33743)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


Jason: I told you about this last year so Be sure to drag a Depth Raider out there the larger coho & kings love em


Posted 5/28/2002 11:43 AM (#33744)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


What color John?

lol[:bigsmile:]

Posted 5/28/2002 11:57 AM (#33745)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


The Shimmering Shad should be good about the same size and color as a alewife, also just about any light color should do good

You may not get Many but when you do it is usually a pig


Posted 5/28/2002 8:04 PM (#33746)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


My downrigger rack is varnished ceder. Looks real sharp and is very easy to install.. about 15 minutes and its off and on.

I had to brace it up last year because the cedar was not a hard enough wood to take the punishment of 3 footers. Now its preaty solid and works fine. Its out of the way and I often fish muskie with the rack on the back.

If I was not going to sell my boat, I would have a nice Cannon or Scotty down rigger rack, and have it bolted to the gunnel on each side. But I did not want any holes in my glass gunnel.

Posted 6/1/2002 6:27 PM (#33747)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


Went 6 for 12 today...not good but me and Bill Schwartz had fun anyways. He got a nice Rainbow and the rest were Coho. NO Chins today for us, but a few were caught by other anglers.

Fish were really scattered, no rhyme nor reason to the depths. We got fish 10ft down and 50ft down.

Surface temps 49

Here is a pic of the nice Rainbow Bill Schwartz got.

Posted 6/1/2002 7:21 PM (#33748)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


This lake Michigain stuff has been a BLAST(have plenty for the smoker) but I got to get my head back into the musky stuff.
I guide this week and need to get something going on the dead sea (Pewaukee)

Had a great time this morning Jason! Cody was hart broke that he could not go because of baseball practice.

Posted 6/22/2002 1:41 PM (#33749)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


Three Generations all enjoying a great day on the water. My grandfather, my Dad at the wheel and the fat boy in the middle is me...Hahahaha

We went 6 for 10 with the help of Bill Schwartz too.

1 nice King, one nice Brown and the rest Coho.

Posted 6/22/2002 1:43 PM (#33750)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


Nice day to fish Salmon almost fat calm at times. Fish were scattered, dogger and fly combos worked the best.

Thanks for taking the pic's Billy![:bigsmile:]

Posted 6/23/2002 9:44 PM (#33751)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


Went out from 5 to 10am again today. Fish were scattered but we did go 5 for 5 with a 20lb king, 10lb brown and nice Coho around 4lbs.

Changed things up today, after they would not hit doggers and flys like yesterday. Went to high speed and some very ugly spoons to get the good one and the last three other fish.

Being able fish with my Grandfather at 85yrs is something very speical to me and to top things off he got the 20lb king.

Sorry no pics, forgot the camera today.[:blackeye:]


Posted 6/24/2002 11:49 AM (#33752)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


5 trips (mostly 5hrs each one) 37 salmon for the year...if only my muskie fishing was like that..LOL[:bigsmile:]

Posted 6/24/2002 11:56 AM (#33753)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


Jason:
If musky fishing were like that you (+ me and others) would then have to be looking for another species to test our angling skills....[;)]

We'd tire of it, I'm sure. The uncertainy of musky fishing is what really keeps us at it. That's my 2 cents worth anyway.

Mike

Posted 6/26/2002 10:34 PM (#33754)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


7 for 8 tonight in 3.5hrs on the water.

Two 25# kings and some nice Steelhead, smaller kings and coho.

Blue Spatterbacks 20ft down over 80 was the key.

Posted 6/30/2002 11:53 AM (#33755)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


When out with my son Cody on Saterday AM form 4:30 to 10:00.
We went 4 for 8 and I got my personal best King.(38 inch 22# aprox))
We had another smaller King and two Coho. Cody lost 3 on dodger and flies and one on a spoon off a rigger. The 4 we had in the cooler all came on a pearl spoon off the down rigger 60 to 70 fow running 30 to 40 down.


Posted 6/30/2002 2:53 PM (#33756)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


Bill's biggest King ever that was taken on Saturday morning.

Goes to show you.....You can take a Tuffy Esox Ltd on Lake Michigan and catch Salmon.

Great job Bill!!!

Posted 7/1/2002 7:20 PM (#33757)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


What made this day even more special to me is that I spent it with my son Cody. (not that I don't like fishing the big pond with you Jason) Cody had lost three fish real early in the morning and then landed a smaller King and a Coho. He said that the next rod was going to be mine. After about 15 minutes, the rod off the down rigger that was set a 40 feet started to scream. Before I could get it out of the rod holder the line counter read 210 feet. I did not start to turn the fish until 270! Cody brought in the other lines and after about a 10 minute fight I seen the line counter at 9 when I heard a Oh Oh. I looked to the front of the boat and Cody had the net tangled in two of the reels that were along the side of our boat. After what seemed like for ever, he untangled the net and then the fish surfaced at boat side. The first time (and second and third!) he tried to net her she flip flopped out of the net. On the forth past he scooped real deep and got her and the spoon fell out of her mouth. After a few high 5's we looked at the cooler and laughed. We ended up putting her in the livewell with some of the ice. (boy I missed your cooler Jason)

On Sunday 1/2 of the fish made it into my smoker, was it ever GOOD![:p]

Posted 7/14/2002 6:54 AM (#33758)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


Was out Saturday AM from 4:30 to 11:00. Went 4 for 7, two king's (28" and 29") one nice rainbow
and a coho. Got the first fish at 6:50AM in 110 fow 65 down on a blue spoon. Second fish an hour later on a watermelon color R&R spoon 60 down. Nothing else until around 10:00. The bow and coho came on a green howie off a slide diver 150 feet out in 120fow.

Talked to some guy's that got all of there fish early, we realy struggled??????

Posted 7/21/2002 10:45 AM (#33759)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


Saturday morning the Slammer Tackle Company had there summer company outing and did some field testing with captain Craig Best and his first mate Heather of Crabby Charters aboard "Crabby", Craig's 30 foot Sea Ray charter boat. We fished out McKinely Marina in search of some of Lake Michigan's trophy trout and salmon. It didn't take long for Craig and Heather to put us on fish when in no time at all the reel's started to scream out line and I landed the first one and nice 12 pound plus Rainbow. Next up was my son Cody with another nice Rainbow in the cooler followed by a 20 pound King. The action was non-stop for the next couple of hours with all of us taking turns with the rod's. At the end of the day (that had to be cut a little short due to my wife's mild case of "The Lake Michigan flu" we ended up with 10 fish in the cooler and around 5 of 6 that we lost. It was a great day to be on the water (well maybe not for Maria) with some excellent fishing.
Most of the fish came shallow, under 130 fow and 80 down on dodger and flies.

Posted 7/28/2002 12:02 PM (#33760)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


10 for 16 today off the water by 9am also let 4 shakers go boatside. Kings in the teens, Steelhead, Browns and Lakers (the quadfecta). Lost 5 fish after we were at 9 fish, took us two hours to get the last fish to get our limit. Things were rocking right away, put 6 in the box on the first pass at 60ft. One on a dogger on fly, others all on spoons.

Time to go back and catch some muskies again now that the freezer is full.

57 salmon for the year in 7 trips.

Posted 8/10/2002 6:46 PM (#33761)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


Went 8 for 14 today with nothing really huge. Mid sized kings and stealhead.

I was in the wrong Zone.....some folks had limits of 20lb or better kings...One guy had a 31lbr.[:knockout:] [:blackeye:]

65 in 8 trips

Posted 8/11/2002 5:11 PM (#33762)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


Fished from 4:30am to 9am this morning to keep Cpainters wife happy... and went 9 for 12 with two nice kings and a mix of 3 to 10lb coho and smaller kings.

Dogger and fly combos in 75ft of water did the trick, short leads for better fly swing off the silver licence plate was the secret.

Cory spent 10 minutes with a big one and lost it....then the rod popped again and he fought this one tell he was so tired he was shaking his arms to get circulation. LOL

Cpainter fish 21lbs 39" measured and wieghed by the DNR.


Posted 8/11/2002 5:14 PM (#33763)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


Fat little 14lb football I got this morning with Cpainter and his friend Andy.

74 in 9 trips.

Posted 8/11/2002 5:24 PM (#33764)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


Thanks Jason for the GREAT morning on the big pond!!!! (Got home by 11:15...wifey was happy!)

Had a blast....caught some bruisers before in the river but never out on the big pond itself....very different but just as fun! I will be back as long as Jason takes me!!! (Hint Hint!)

My arms are still sore!!! Thanks again partner!! Now if only we can have a MUSKIE trip that sucessful together!


Grill is on and heating up!!!!!

Cory[:bigsmile:] [:bigsmile:]

Posted 8/12/2002 1:38 PM (#33765)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


Got out Sunday morning a little late but the action was fast from the start. Went 15 for 21 with 3 kings over 20+ and a nice laker pushing 16. A quality rainbow came straight out of the water as I was removing a shaker from the short downrigger before the deep release even tripped. I looked at my rod and watched it trip and line started to peel. Most of our action was in 98 to 120 fow. The down riggers were 45 to 75 feet down and the spoons were the Pro King pearl that were producing the best. I don't have all the big pond toys yet but we made due with what we had. J plugs in pearl and flys and dodgers were working for everyone we talked to. The hottest seem to be in the white,blue/green or moon glow patterns. My partner and I were having so much fun we started to let some of the shakers go and even some of the bigger chins. Good therapy for muskie fishermen!!![:bigsmile:] [:bigsmile:]

Posted 8/12/2002 7:57 PM (#33766)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


Anon,

Can be, depends on if the 4 yr old Kings are still in. Last year they were all up river by the second week in September, but that was really a week or two early. What I mean by the 4yr olds is those are the big fish just before they go upstream to die. The lake is always full of 1 to 3yr old fish that are very tasty. The 4yr olds too are tasty until they turn black. Then you can stick your finger thru the sides of them..

But you should have fun as long as the west winds are not too strong too drive the 4yr olds in the harbor and upstream. Last year, we had masive west winds, and in three days they were all up river...[:blackeye:]

Posted 8/12/2002 8:02 PM (#33767)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


Koepp,

You did not miss anything, infact when you first pulled up on me that was our first fish. From the radio reports, the early bite did not start until you got out there, then they rocked. I guess they were waiting for you.

Wish we could have stayed out longer.[:blackeye:]

But the wifeys come first!

Posted 8/13/2002 11:42 AM (#33768)
Subject: Extra Report -Lake Michigan


Jason when the wind kicked up around 11:00am they went nuts. You would have kicked some but with those dodger/fly combos. I talked to a few guys that also did good and thats what they used,I got to get some of those for the rig. Spoons were working but needed to kick up the speed to 2.4 to 2.6 to get consistant action. Great time for some muskie fishermen that are getting bored with the trolling bite for skies. Muskies are now moving back in on my pond and the trolling/casting will soon be a horse a piece. Bring on the big kings. Good therapy!!!