Far Beyond Driven

Have kayaked over 600 FOW in traverse city within a mile of shore. On lake Erie we fished 29' one time. It was 40 minutes out. Each time we gained a foot on the graph we cheered...

There's one in Ludington. To be frank, it sucks compared to the Holland and new buffalo tournaments. Seems like an afterthought to the Ludington main tournament and not anything special for the kids.

Planning on it, May even debute the four winns if I ever get time to clean her up and shake her down.

How big was it? Nice cooler.

Imposter lures?

Nice to crap on a guy when he's down. Wmfl had boats with 20+ lake trout on Saturday, the following Wednesdays we got one. Buddy caught 21 Lakers in two hours last weekend. This weekend we got one. When I lose my browns to fall back on I too am going to be in a world of hurt. Last summer I could always get a fish or two but never strung a good cooler together.

It was great out of Holland last year in.late May. No dropbacks and kings under the steel. Keep watching the satellite maps.

Nice plan b...

Ran a scandalous 5.3 mph in the channel this morning. Wound out the 15 and set up in 60' south and headed south. After about an hour full core dug in with a small fish. Nope, 8# king with mouth pinned shut by green dolphin. Slowly worked more laker gear into the spread and took a 6# on a dodger peanut pounding the mud. Gave up on that, ran to the beach just as the chop gave out. Could see the bottom in 16'. Crap. Thought about wind and currents and made a guess where we could find some stained water and found a small pocket. First pass nine pound sheep, then a double with a miss and a seven pound brown. Nothing on a few more so we trolled back to the clear water and pulled them. Followed a big tiara back in at 6 mph, and no one was the worse for it. Gorgeous day out there with a couple good fish.

Proud dad moment. As a family we did a five k. My wife and oldest are not athletes. The oldest can walk or hike or kayak with me without complaint, but not run. I didn't tell them we were doing thus. No training. My middle daughter and our baby have genetic issues that stunt their growth. The eight year old is not 4' tall, can't ride most rides at Michigan's adventure. Is,a head shorter than the kids in her grade. Sore spot for her. Wife and I took turns pushing the stroller on a brisk walk and hit 46.5 minutes. My oldest wanted to beat 45 and bolted with a half mile to go, hitting 44:53. Wow. The eight year old was waiting for us at the finish line. 38:19. No one yonunger than her beat her. Then she and her sister walked a mile home. Should be in good form to winch Lakers in the kid's tournaments...

Training exercise with the coast guard. The downwind troll was fine. Thought it would blow out before we had to slog back into them but no luck. Certainly killed the bite though. Sheep are sheep but the pull harder than a three pound brown.

Started out watching the coast guard and sheriff work the end of the channel, not sure why. Hope all is ok. Rough, solid two with a few 3' out of the n w dictated a south troll in the 14'. Had five when I turned to slog back in them. I spend a lot if time on the beach, more than most, and never had this before: four sheep and a quill back carp sucker. Two sheep over ten one pushing 13. Trolled all the way back took a shot across the pier then went in front of the state park to turn and pull lines going with them. Poor man's auto pilot. Just got turned around fired s double with 1# and 3# browns. Guess it had to be a south troll tonight.

When kings are mixed in I like to run 8" green with white glow tape spinny with a pickled sunshine fly, or a 10" white with glow tape spinny with a purple mirage fly. Always a pleasant surprise when the reel.lights up. I pound my cannonball right on the bottom to the point my laker cannonballs are flattened on the bottom. I also walk my wire divers to the bottom as well. Don't overlook mag spoons, with glow in particular.

That and coho scales have amazing adhesive properties...

If the tournament allows for it, what's wrong with a box of grease? My daughter's both have trophies in their room from pulling double digit trout in youth tournaments when kings were hard to come by...

Oh, that said 4/5 this morning. 12" brown alphonse little devil 50' off a yellow bird 12" brown f11 back gold rapala same as above 6# lake run brown magnum mongoose stinger one color Lost a good rip on a gold red thin fish 12" brown on a j-11 blue rapala Let two of the little guys go but one was hooked hard. Odd as four hits were on the outermost boards. Maybe they were boat shy? Big one cane 30' from the boat and yanked the board under like a bobber...

My buddy ran rally cars for about five years. When it was done he added it all up and made the announcement I copied. I never asked how he figured out what each cost or the frequency of use...

I can troll backwards at 0.3 mph and maintain control. I'll do that labor day and see how long it takes to get their attention. One time there was about a three mph current coming into Holland and a huge west wind. After the sailboat races they came back in under full sail. Some were going 11-12 mph, but with displacement hulls, no wake. We were trying to troll out and practically standing still. It was pretty impressive seeing them rip past.

He has a point. Cocaine and hookers would be cheaper.

Verbal warning. I would not have let it go farther. I'm sure the 50' that went out thus morning put up more wake than I did.

Sheriff in the channel thinks 3.8 mph in a 14' boat displacing 550# is too fast.