HitMan

Depending on the water temperature, a typical 9 rod tournament spread would look like this for us. For example, in May in South Haven, we would run the following: 1 Downrigger 2 Wire Divers 6 Lead Core and Copper Rigs; lengths depended upon the water temperature For example, in August in Grand Haven, we would run the following: 3 Downriggers 2 Wire Divers 4 Lead Core and Copper Rigs; lenghts depended upon the water temperature These spreads change from day to day as we will run a 9 rod Lead Core and Copper Rig spread in a tournament, if necessary, and so on with the other techniques. Lures change from day to day with weather and water conditions. This is based on cloud cover, sun, rain, currents, etc. Typically more spoons in May and more Flashers/Flies in August.

Welcome to the site! I am an advocate of the more expensive Gamakatsu and Owner Hooks. I think the extra sharpness is worth the money! I use both the Gamakatsu Round Bend (Bronze) Treble Hooks in Size 1 and Size 2. Size 2 is for regular sized Stinger Spoons and Size 1 is for Stingray sized Spoons. Owner Hooks also came out with a Round Bend Treble Hook last winter. I also use their size 2 for regular-sized Stinger Spoons and Size 1 for Stingray sized Spoons. The Owners are a bit cheaper and a little stronger, but didn't stay sharp as long as we had hoped. Meanwhile, the Gamakatsu hooks cost more, stay sharper longer, but aren't as strong. As far as Split Rings and Split Ring Pliers, you get what you pay for. I would recommend purchasing a $12-$15 pair of Pliers, the $2-$3 pliers suck and you get what you pay for. As far as Split Rings, buy the thicker, more durable rings. It should tell you the diameter and the strength level. Cabela's is a good place to start for both the Split Ring Pliers and the Rings themselves. Hope this helps!!! Please let me know if you have any other questions!!!

I have the following Downrigger Rods For Sale: (2) 8'6" Eagle Claw Starfire Downrigger Rods. The model number is: SF 400A These are great downrigger rods in great shape. $20 each. (4) 8'6" Daiwa Linear Interline Downrigger Rods. The model number is: LIL-D862MS (These are the black rods). These are in good, used condition. $40 each. Send me a PM if interested!

The YECK LURES and PRO KING SPOONS Gift Certificates have been sold. The TRAXSTECH and BIG LAKE LURES Gift Certificates are still available. PM me with any offers you may have! Thanks!!!

The following gift certificates were won by us throughout the Tournament Trail last season. We now want to sell the following gift certificates: $200.00 Gift Certificate to TRAXSTECH $50.00 Gift Certificate to PRO KING SPOONS $50.00 Gift Certificate to YECK LURES $50.00 Gift Certificate to BIG LAKE LURES If interested, please make an offer by sending me a PM or by replying to this thread. Thanks a lot!

We tend to use a lot of regular-sized Stingers in April and May and then again in October. We mainly use Stingray-sized spoons throughout the other summer months. This time of year I have always used around 80% regular-sized Stingers, especially on divers, lead cores, coppers, and surface boards.

$20 each for the Shark Cannonballs now!

1) Carmel Dolphin Stingray 2) Blue Cory's Bait Stingray 3) Blue Dolphin Stingray

If it is nice and calm, I will be out of Muskegon on the family boat.

I have edited the ad and lowered the price to $30 each and I will ship if interested. If interested, contact me. Must Sell!!!

The Okuma Rod and Reel Combos have been spoken for. Thanks!!!

I have (2) 10 pound Chrome Shark Cannonballs For Sale. These are not the "normal" Chrome Hammered Shark Cannonballs most people are accustomed to. These are "smooth" Chrome Shark Cannonballs. They have only been used a few times. $30 per cannonball. The cannonballs are located in West Michigan near Muskegon and Grand Haven. Can arrange to pickup or meet in West Michigan also. If interested, I will also ship the weights. PM me or respond to this thread with any questions you may have.

I have the following for sale: (2) Slightly used, almost new condition, 8'6" Eagle Claw Starfire Downrigger Rods. The model number is: SF 400A These are great downrigger rods in great shape. $20 each. (1) Slightly used, almost new condition, Daiwa Accudepth 47LC Linecounter Reel. $30 for the reel. (2) Okuma Rod and Reel Combos. The rods are Okuma Classic Pro 9' Rods. The model number is: CPM-90M The rods are each paired with an Okuma Convector CN 30D Reel. These would make great dipsy diver rod and reel combos. These have been in storage for the last 2 years. $55 per rod and reel combo. I would prefer not to ship the rods, but email me if interested anyways. I will ship the reel. Items are located in West Michigan near Muskegon and Grand Haven. Can arrange to pickup or meet in West Michigan also. PM me or respond to this thread with any questions you may have.

Hey Clyde, On Saturday the lake had big rollers from the North. It was great fishing water with no wind involved and calmed down as the morning went on. On Sunday there was a stiff South breeze that wasn't too polite. The waves were close together and it was rough, but was very fishable, just not extremely comfortable.

Yes, the rods are the black model. They are about 4 years old, but have not been used in the last 2 years. They have just been in storage. Let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks!!!

I have (4) Daiwa Great Lakes System 9' Dipsy Diver Rods for sale. The model number is: EL787HGL These rods have not been used in about 5 years. They have just been in storage. $50 for all four rods. Prefer not to ship. Rods are located in West Michigan near Muskegon and Grand Haven. Can arrange to pickup or meet in West Michigan. PM me or respond to this thread with any questions you may have.

I have (4) 8'6" Daiwa Interline Downrigger Rod paired with a Penn 320GTI Reel. This is a great downrigger rod and reel combo! These are used, but in good condition. $85 per rod and reel combo. Will consider other offers for (2) or (4) combos only. Prefer not to ship. Rod and reel combos are located in West Michigan near Muskegon and Grand Haven. Can arrange to pickup or meet in West Michigan. PM me or respond to this thread with any questions you may have. Thanks!

I fished on my mom and dad's boat this past weekend in Muskegon. It was a great weekend for fall Salmon fishing! We ended up 9 for 16 on Saturday and 12 for 15 on Sunday. We fished in and out of the pierheads and in the basin both days. We just did circles from the stub pier for the channel out to the Lake Michigan pierheads and back. We boxed at 7:55AM on Saturday and at 8:45AM on Sunday. The best lures were Double Glow Ace High Silver Horde plugs 17 ft. down, Pearl/Black Dot Tomic 15 ft. down and a Green/Glo J-Plug 13 ft. down. These were the downrigger plugs used both days. The other plugs used on divers throughout the mornings were a Orange/Gold/White Tomic 30 ft. back, Green/Glo Tomic 25 ft. back, Yellow Scaly Tomic 25 ft. back and a Pearl/Green Stripe Tomic 30 ft. back. Good Luck to all!

This happened Saturday right between the Sea Flea and Tammy Too Charter Boats. Sea Flea called the USCG and Tammy Too pulled lines and went to try and save the guy as both boats were watching when the other guy jumped off the boat. They said the young man possibly had a seizure and just fell overboard. They said the young man was instantly missing as soon as he hit the water. That was the last I had heard anything.

Fishing is unbelievable out of Grand Haven right now! Many veteran fishermen are saying they have never experienced anything like this before. Limit catches of big King Salmon (10-18 pounds) are being caught in only a couple hours!!! A good amount of Coho Salmon and Steelhead are also being mixed in with the limit catches of King Salmon. Many anglers are catching 18-30 fish per trip. The majority of the fish being caught are from 70-185 feet of water with the 110-135 foot depths being extremely productive. Downriggers 40-80 feet down, 8-15 colors of Lead Core, 150-375 feet of Copper and Divers 100-160 feet back have all been producing well. The flasher/fly combinations have been working extremely good along with Nitro Glow Stingray spoons. We have been running four to six 8 inch Pro-Troll ProChip Green/Glow flashers with a Hypnotist LG Rapture Fly or Wild Fern Rapture Fly everyday. These two flasher/fly combinations have been outstanding on downriggers, divers and lead core. They have been our best flasher/fly rigs of 2007! An 11 inch Pro-Troll HotChip White/Glow flasher with an Oceana Rapture Fly or a Frosted Fern Rapture Fly have been consistently producing rigs every morning as well. The 8 inch Pro-Troll ProChip Blue/Glow flasher with the Blue No-See-Um Rapture Fly or Blue Fern Rapture Fly has also been good in the rain or foggy and overcast conditions. Also, the Custom Fishing Products Blue Bubble 8 inch Pro-Troll ProChip flasher with the Blue Bubble Rapture Fly has been extremely good as well. The 8 inch Pro-Troll ProChip Chartreuse/Glow flasher with the Yellow No-See-Um Rapture Fly, Green No-See-Um Rapture Fly or Citron Rapture Fly has been very good once the sun gets up and is very bright, especially during the afternoon. The NEW Stinger Nitro Glow Spoons have been fantastic first thing in the morning! The Twister Stingray and Nitro Dolphin Stingray have been accountable for a few bites before the sun starts shining every morning. Also, the Blue Cory's Bait Stingray, Glo Dolphin Stingray and Blue Dolphin Stingray have been our best spoons every morning. Other baits that have been working well throughout the day are the Carmel Dolphin Stingray, Lemon Ice Stingray, Stinger Pox Stingray and Double Kevorkian Stingray. Get out and experience this fantastic Lake Michigan Salmon fishing! Fishing can not get any better than it is right now! Good Luck and good catching to all!!!

Fishing for BIG Kings is fantastic out of Grand Haven right now! We left the dock at 5:30 this morning and boated 13 BIG Kings by 6:52AM and were back to the dock at 7:15AM. We ended up 13 for 24 fishing in 25-28 feet of water straight out from the pierheads. Over half the fish came on the NEW Nitro Glow Stingrays on the dipsy divers 30 and 35 feet back. The two hot NITRO colors continue to be the Nitro Dolphin Stingray and the Twister Stingray. The remaining fish came on a Green/Glow J-Plug, Pearl/Black Dot Tomic and a 11 inch Pro-Troll HotChip White/Glow flasher with a Frosted Fern Rapture Fly 11-17 feet down. Get out and enjoy some of the best early July nearshore fishing anyone has ever experienced! Good luck and good catching to all!!!

Fishing has been great out of Grand Haven! Limit catches of big King Salmon are being caught in only a few hours!!! The Northwest winds from earlier in the week cooled the water and there are schools of alewives and BIG Kings in the harbor and nearshore waters. The majority of the big kings being caught are from 25-70 feet of water near the harbor mouth and also in the Grand Haven channel at times. Downriggers 10-40 feet down, 2-7 colors of Lead Core and Divers 35-100 feet back have all been producing well. The NEW Stinger Nitro Glow Spoons have been fantastic first thing in the morning on dipsy divers. The Twister Stingray and Nitro Dolphin Stingray have been our two best Nitro Spoons early in the morning for the last few days. These spoons have been accounting for nearly half of our limit catches! After the sun comes up the Holly Christmas Stingray on 2 colors and 3 colors of Lead Core have been fantastic as well. These have been our three best spoons the last three days. The Pearl/Black Dot Tomic, Grinch J-Plug and Green/Glow J-Plug have also been working well near the harbor mouth and in the channel 7-17 feet down on downriggers. A few fish are hitting flasher/fly combinations as well. The 11 inch Pro-Troll HotChip White/Glow flasher with a Frosted Fern Rapture Fly has been producing a few fish as well. There are also a lot of smaller fish offshore where the water begins to warm up. These catches have been smaller King Salmon, Coho Salmon, Lake Trout and Steelhead. The majority of these fish are being caught from 120-250 feet of water. Downriggers 40-95 feet down, 2-15 colors of Lead Core, 50-300 feet of Copper and Divers 50-150 feet back have all been producing well. Get out fishing and enjoy this fantastic nearshore BIG King July fishery!!! Good luck and good catching to all!!!

Fishing is usually always good from Duck Lake south of Whitehall to Little Sable Point. I know a lot of guys who always fish from Flower Creek to Stoney Lake and do very well. The further north you go, the fewer guys you usually see and encounter. Good Luck!!!

I don't know exactly how many miles it is to Stoney Lake, but I do know it is 6 miles to Flower Creek and 17 miles to Little Sable Point.

Some guys swear by fishing late at night and early in the morning when it is still completely dark. Many of those anglers use the Moonshine Spoons or the Nitro Glow type Spoons. I personally have never seen a great advantage other than later on in the summer when the fish begin staging. It is always great fishing an hour before light and an hour after it gets dark. Hope this helps and good luck!!!