Turfwrench

A few things that I like: Double length docks - gives room for 2 boats to be at the dock Nice because you can drop in your boat and move it to the end and another boat can put in. Seen so many times where people spend too much time sitting at the dock getting ready to get underway and other people can only sit and wait. It is also nice when returning, as you can at least be docked up instead of idling while the boat in front of you is loading up. Gives you time to get your trailer ready to drop when the other pulls out. (Pt. Sanilac) Wider docks - so people don't have to hug the poles when others on on the dock too. Ample parking is a must. Fish cleaning stations are nice IF they are well maintained and cleaned. Plenty of tie down lanes. And good restrooms that are also cleaned! (although sometimes I wish otherwise, seems my one buddy always occupies the facilities while I prep and launch the boat. Always returns after in the water and ready to go - makes me wonder if that is his strategy???) Would be nice if there was an ice machine on site - always a pain to have to stop at 0 dark thirty at a store to get ice before heading out.

Saturday was good for some, not for us. Left out of Patterson 0-dark-thirty, first stop N of the island 15.5' water. Gave it 2 hours with nothing, could see lure on bottom. Moved out next to dumping grounds 20.5' water. I got one 22", went 1 for 3 then all died. Buddy caught a fishstick and lost another. Will be back up thursday, haven't decided wheather to go to mouth or back out. Guess the weather will decide. Nice catch alleyes. Some solid fish there. Had mine last night for dinner, hard to beat fresh eyes.

I like the whiteboard concept. God knows my memory fails me when I have the riggers down and the big boards out. Unfortunately the picture thing would be too much as I have way too many lures to catalog that way. But the magnetic strips I could use to write on the lure type/color and when one hits on the board lines it would be easy to slide them to their respective position so I knew where each lure was in the string. Isn't winter great for trying to organize you summer:grin:

Sounds like ya got a pretty good deal. Seems a lot of cost goes into the charts. Bad enough that you pay a bit for the units and then turn around and buy maps. Would e nice if they sold these things with one set free maps for the area of your choice then pay for any additional. I have to wait until work picks back up before I get one or the wife may strangle me. Down to 3 days/wk right now, anticipated back to full time sometime in March.

Yes, these are good days indeed for the bay fishery. Absolutely outstanding. The good ole days I remember include fantastic perch fishing at Pt. Austin in the 70's where we could fill 5 gal pails with jumbo perch. The great salmon fishing we had at Harrisville when you could almost count on a limit trolling the shallows in the fall. Oh yes, lets not forget the yearly alewife wash-up on the shores that used to happen every spring giving the lakes a smell of fishyness. Now the big game is indeed the walleye fishing but I still ply the waters for the salmon and lakers. There is still something that gets to my blood when reeling in a nice King or pulling in a hard pounding laker from the depths.

Welcome Scott. Bring on the pics, love seeing those big salmon. I see pics on the LOU board and drool, remembering back many years ago when we had decent salmon fishing in Lk. Huron.

Don't worry Frank, don't want to get ya riled up, hell my blood is still on semi boil after that trip.

Will do Frank. I know you fish out of Au Gres a lot, do ya fish much out of Tawas? Had a great time up there the weekend before Labor Day. Got a couple dandy eyes out from the point. Went up on the holiday weekend, still caught fish but made mental note to no go there on the holiday. All the jet skiers were tying up the launch as if it was their own personal dock. See ya on the water.

The big smiles tell the story!!! Love it when kids have a great time. Congrats.

I also did a lot of research and had my eyes on the CP300. I do like the 3 year warranty. From what I read they are pretty good units. Let me know what you think of it. I plan on having one before the boat comes out this spring.

Attica is half way between Lapeer and Imlay City. Thanks for the welcome. Spend my time at Pt. Huron, Pt. Sanilac, and of course Sag Bay. Pt. Huron is the closest to me and did real well there this fall but really like Sanilac. Can't wait till spring!!

Interesting. Thanks for sharing. Although I may have to differ on the green, was not nearly as productive for me as the blacks were.

Jason, I use the thinnest rubber bands I can get, half hitch it to the line. Pull tight then snap band in two. I use the miniature wooden clothes pin that I drilled a hole in then hang off a shower curtain hook. Seems the mini pins are a lot weaker so will release easy. Then I stick one end of the rubber in the pin. I have found that a short clip to the line allows for a quick release whereas if you use a longer rubber band it will give you more of a tattletale if it doesn't release it. I also use this style off my big board. Seems to work the best for me.

Yea, I remember reading that thread Frank. It is amazing just how much stuff we can put in the water at one time. Running my big boards I like to limit the lines to 4 on each side, good surf conditions. Most of the time I will only run my outside riggers, as they are on swivel mounts I can easily move them out of the way. Obviously the big disadvantage running the big board is the distance I put them out. With a lot of boat traffic I try to keep it shorter for increased turning. Seems there is always someone traveling out of sync with the pack that causes a need for quick turning. With the driggers, quick turns are no problem and I can get back on a school in a hurry. I also run the small 4 lb balls when fishing them in the 20' or less range with rubber band release. So if I get a small hanger on I can usually see the rod bounce.

Quite curious. Spent a lot of time on the bay this season and always observe the other boats near and afar. One thing I have noticed is only an occasional angler utilizes downriggers in the bay. Big boards and in-line planers seem to be the norm. I most always have the riggers set when trolling especially with small spoons, or shallow runners that I like and want to get down to the fish. Sometimes I run a three way rig off the rigger set up with a diver and a spoon then run the ball down say 10 foot and let the lure dive deeper. I have had great success running them as a compliment to running the big boards. How about your pros and cons??

Great topic for sure. Being a stout salmon and lake trout fisher for many years I have developed my own personal preference. Though not without faults it has been quite successful. I like to keep my drags firm but not too tight. I like to be able to pressure the fish early and get it working towards the boat. Once the fish is near I will loosen the drag a touch. (I use all Diawa 27H reels so it is real easy to just sligtly move the drag star) I feel that once close to the boat that all fish get that extra wind and dive away. It is then I do bow down and let them run. Keeping lighter steady pressure on the fish fish with a looser drag seems to help keep the hooks in the fish and not pulling out. I like to try to keep the fish off the surface (like Frank suggest) until you are ready to dip it. The fish is reeled in as close as needed to net then the rod is elevated to bring it into the net. As far as the skimmers, well we just haul them in. They just don't have the energy or strength to put up a battle to be concerned about.

Nice looking whites there Dan. Were you in your new found friends "lucky spot" again Wouldn't mind getting a few of them myself but it is a 3 hr drive away. Looks to be quite a few guys on tawas cam this morn.

I have 2 never used that I am willing to sell. Asking $100 for the pair. Approx 25 miles east of your location.