cliftp

Was able to get out on the 7th and 8th out of St. Joe. The lake was beautiful. Fishing was a bit tough. Before the fishing though, thought you'd all enjoy two 300 coppers on the deck. Seems the currents, plus maybe to much of a turn, oops. Lost maybe 50 feet on one rod. Not bad. Now for the fishing. On Thursday in my boat, three of us ended up with 5 fish. Mostly in the 110's, straight out. We hunted a little out deeper but didn't mark anything. Fly bite was the best on Thursday, 3 on flies, two on spoons, mostly downriggers, with one on a 300 copper. Really nothing shined as the go to bait for us. On Friday went out in Rick's boat, and struggled again. Four of us ended up with 6, biggest was a 15.4 pound King on the 300 copper with a fly with lots of blue in it on a spin doctor. The rest were on different stuff, with a nice steel head coming on a 5 color pulling a thin fin with lots of red on it. I think only one came on a spoon, a dreamweaver with lots of green in it. The lake was beautiful even if the fishing was slow. Good luck all. Paul C. Mattawan, MI

Great Job on the video! Are you using the Go Pro cameras? Thanks for doing it. Paul C.

Hi Frank, do you think you could get close to Reeds price? I realize I'd have to pay sales tax if I bought from you but just curious. Rather buy local. http://www.reedssports.com/Product/search.taf?_function=search Paul C.

Thank you! Going to try it then.... Paul C.

Sometimes me brain scares me. (or lack of a brain). This was actually a two part question, the other part, ref the T-8 is the Trollmaster, which will operate the T-8. Is that an easy install or would a tech be appropriate? Paul C.

Pretty much made up my mind speed and temperature at the ball would be pretty useful and I asked last year what everyone liked and the Fishhawk won the contest. I was on a friends boat with a Cannon product and it was quite amazing what the difference in speed was at the ball. For those of you with the Fishhawk, is it fairly straightforward to install or should I plan on a tech doing it. The install will go on a Yamaha T-8. Thanks for any help. Paul C.

Love those St. Joe reports! Did you use the DNR launch? Crazy shallow by the docks if one strays a little to far. Thanks! Paul C.

Tried St. Joseph again to try and redeem the poor fish catching trip earlier in the week. Stopped at Tackle Haven to replace my net resting peacefully in the bottom of the Lake and got the latest report. Went out to the 160's to start since the lake was so nice and had a laker on before the second downrigger was even set. Caught on a Pro King spoon with lots of green. Cruised around for the next few hours with nothing, no marks either so went on a south east troll and finally drove over some fish in the 120's. Picked up six more on that pass, turned and went back through the fish and picked up the rest, with a few more passes. Three fish came on a 150 copper we had up high with a small red flasher and small red fly, hoping for a steelhead, it caught 3 kings. The rest came on spoons, Moonshine ended up being the best, lighter colors. Kept the down riggers around the 100 foot down and we figured the dipseys were in the 60 foot depth range. One four year old king, six additional kings of various sizes, and three lakers, which are on their way to a friends smoker. The lake was beautiful. Paul C.

Three of us tried St. Joe again yesterday. Didn't go past 110, and stayed mostly in the 100's. Tried a lot of the areas we did good in last week with no success. Ended up with a small coho on a Pro King Magnum with lots of greens in it and another 2 year old king on the same spoon, about 45 down. Ran flies, flashers, a J-plug for awhile and bunches of different spoons. Not good, plus it was rough for my little boat. Didn't mark to many but had a few come up and take a look at the down riggers but no go. Another boat was way out, I think he said in the 200s' and got 6, I assume Kings but don't know. Fished a little north and south of the pier heads but mostly straight west. Still a beautiful day on the lake! Paul C.

I ended up buying a couple of Church TX-44's. They will definitely pull a 300 copper and a 10 color lead with no problems. My Offshore board just didn't like them. Paul C.

Found this dated April 29. Sounds like a short term thing. Website Notification: We are currently transferring Web Hosting providers and www.biglakelures.com will be inaccessible for the duration. We will post an update when this has been completed. We apoligize for the inconvenience and we thank you for your cooperation. Have a great Monday! Paul C.

I agree, really liked the one by the Cook Plant last summer. Its been off line since last October though. Paul C.

This is the closest one I'm aware of: http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=45007 Paul C.

Went back out of St. Joe today, getting on the water about 9:00 AM or so. Started setting lines after clearing the pier heads and trolled west and a little north to 105 feet of water. Ended up with 15 kings and a couple throw back cohos. First fish was in about 55 feet of water on a red thin fin, next was on a clown husky jerk in about 60 feet, then a long dry spell finally about 80 feet the 5 color went off and then a dipsey, a 300 copper we'd just put out with a cream colored Moonshine, then mostly really started losing track. In the 100 foot area the downriggers were really good with any type of spoon with lots of white and some red. Lake was mostly around 6 inch waves until quitting time then was picking up. Great day for sure. Paul C. Mattawan, MI

I stopped and talked to the guys in the booth at South Haven yesterday. He told me the cleaning station can be opened if someone needed it. Also, said he thought the "NEW" money changer will be done next week and the "NEW" season passes should be available. Oh, and the new fee is going to be $100.00 he thought for the season. I'm thinking the DNR Launch in Benton Harbor may see more of my boat. Although South Haven is top notch, I just don't go enough with the St. Joe River about the same distance. Happy Summer! Paul C. Mattawan, MI

Went back out of St. Joe yesterday, 04/02/2012, with four of us. Got on the water about 1:30 PM and off by 6:30 PM or so. Ended up keeping 8 cohos and one nice king. Had several throw backs and a nice king that decided to wrap up around the down rigger cable. (He was not impressed with the hook, if you happen to see Rick's favorite lure in a King you catch, let me know. We don't even know what it was it was such an old lure). The king came on a red Brad's Thin Fin, 75 feet back behind the board in 35 feet of water trolling toward the pier in the mud line. The rest came on a little bit of everything. Tried in close for awhile but didn't pick up anything so ended up in the plume working all of the depths. Paul C.

Was able to fish out of St. Joseph from around 10:00 AM and off the water by 6:00 PM. Ended up with a 3 man limit of Coho, with a nice brown and king thrown in. Tried trolling way south and just picked up a few so spent the rest of the time in the mud line and picked up the rest. Oh, and NOAA was wrong again, it was ROUGH in my little boat. (Surprise) They are getting started hopefully and the DNR launch does have all of the docks in. Plenty shallow so be careful especially on the road side of the docks. Paul C. Mattawan, MI

I have them on mine too. Work great, have six of the Bert's rod holders and the options for mounting are pretty good. Paul C.

I'm not home right now, but thinking my Lakemaster does have some contours at St. Joe and South Haven. Your right, not much transition, but we went north aways and there is some pretty good structure. Directly to your question, no idea on Navionics, or even if still available for a Bird. Paul C.

Hi Everyone...... Mike said it was OK to post this link. Its the full 333 television show from last spring on the first leg of the competition. I enjoyed it. http://vimeo.com/34812618 Paul C. Mattawan, MI PS, also, Mark R's Fishing 411 show has a spring coho trip out of Benton Harbor too.

Have a friend who is teaching me how to steelhead fish on the St. Joe. Its a work in progress, but lots of fun. Since I can't ice fish this is pretty good! Paul C.

Might try the Sports Fisherman Center in Muskegon. Not sure what they have left in inventory. Nice people to deal with. Paul C.

I have the Bert's tracks, really like them, have the rod corral and four Bert's ratchets too. All great! I will probably switch to Traxtech though for future purchases because of getting burned by Bert's on the rod corral mounting. Ended up costing me a lot of money because of their poor service and advise. Oh well. Live and learn. Traxtech stuff does look great too. Paul C. Mattawan, MI

Is this the picture you wanted? Paul C.

Beautiful critter. Very impressed with your patience too! Congratulations!