Reel-Deal

Fished out of Musk. last Monday on the new boat - haven't been out since fall 2012 as I sold the old boat in March last year. On the water and set up at 7 am - straight out in 90 FOW and trolled west. Hit our first fish in about 125 fow, my 9 year old daughter's first time and she pulled in a 13.5 lb. king (I had to help her - it was a great sight). We continued to troll west as the screen was uninspiring, and we took 2 more fish by about 10 am - 11 lb steel, and another king 9 lbs. Trolled out to 350' looking for good looking water, but turned around and headed back to the temp break around 130 fow, just north of the harbor. went 4/5 with one more small king and had a great day on the water. Can't remember all the details, but we caught them on a mixed bag - 5 color lead, 85 on DR, 41 down on DR, and one on a braided dipsey. One of my good friends and his buddy drove home to Missouri that afternoon, and he was killed instantly when he fell asleep at the wheel, his buddy survived - it was his first time on the water with me, and first time fishing for salmon, and I can say it was a glorious day on the water and grateful for the time we had together. Here is a picture of him helping my daughter hold up her first king ever....he will be missed.

Got out for the 2nd time this year - fished straight out of Musk. Monday got a late start, set up in 120 FOW at about 8 AM - trolled out to about 150, picked up a double - 2 small kings, 95 and 110 down on the riggers. Then had 2-3 big rips over the next SLOW 3 hours, nothing on, broke off one of the riggers. Fished early Tuesday AM - on the water by 5:45 - stopped in 70 FOW, and marked some fish, so we started there early - marked a lot of bait, some hooks, but nothing. Heard 'Half Nuts' was doing quite well in about 130-160 FOW or so, trolled out there, nothing, hit 275 FOW, turned back east, ready to wrap it up, and hooked a big laker - about 19# - biggest LM laker I've ever caught. That was it - could not get the program going...

Depends...how big is your boat?

Way to go!

I like to hear that! Way to go...

Looks like a great time was had by all!

Very nice to hear! Thanks for the report...

I could use some help....I am spending a week at a house on the north side of Lake Macatawa - for a family reunion. I will bring my boat down from Muskegon for the week and could use some help with.... 1) Where is a good boat launch (24' Sea Ray) on the north side of the lake. I plan on keeping the boat at the small dock at the house (I think?) 2) Since i have no idea of the structure or fishing grounds around there - where should i target fish, and what are the landmarks I should use to find them? Any other help would be great - thanks in advance!!! Jim

I highly recommend two videos that helped me out a lot. First, not sure if it's still available, but it is the 2 video set from Chip Porter on salmon fishing. Also, is Dan Keating - Keating on Kings.....has a great book too. If you want to Chip Porter videos cheap - let me know, I'll make you an offer you can't refuse. My problems in salmon fishing always seems to come down to the fine print - the details, leader length, speed, direction, down speed, active fish, etc. etc. etc. Anyway - know this....there are a lot of great guys out there willing to help, and try to get to one of the seminars, Mike (administrator) organized one last year, and it was really good. Hope that helps...

Good job Mike, sounds like the fish were DEEEEP!

Great to hear you got out Mike, I only seeing you congratulating other anglers! Good job!

Thank you guys - I will be leaving for Ludington Monday afternoon, and will be posting throughout the week - I think there's internet service where we're staying....thanks again!

Heading up to Ludington on Monday, planning on fishing up there for the week, and while I am used to fishing out of Muskegon, what are the main areas for fishing out of that port, especially this time of year? I have heard of drop offs, and other terms - but can someone give me a little insight? Also - with the big blow - should we target PM Lake more? Just looking for some help - thanks to all, will give posts as the week goes on... Jim AKA - Reel Deal Muskgeon

Way to go...heading up to Ludington all next week...hope to tie into some fish...

Well done....not sure I buy the banana myth, I've read about it before, but....it's not been an issue when I go out...I'll keep a closer eye on it. well done though....

Way to go - glad to hear the good report...

Great to see you out there - and on here...keep plugging along... Jim Reel Deal Muskegon

What a beautiful evening on the water! WOW - couldn't be any better, except some hungry fish would have been nice! Got past the jigger's in the channel entrance, what a crowd! Set lines in 60 FOW at 5:45 PM - 3 DR, 60, 50, 40, 2 dipseys, 100 and 80, and 2 lead core, 3 and 6 colors. Couldn't buy a hit, zigged in and zagged out, took a hit on a dipsey, but one of our guys 'set the hook', salmon lips....then hit 100 FOW on a due west troll, and picked up a 7-8# king on the port dipsey, 118 back on 3, with an 8" pearl fishcatcher and little boy blue Howie fly. then, went out to 145 FOW, sun was setting, turned back, and couldn't buy a hit - about 9:30 PM, hit 65 FOW, and took another 7-8# king on the starboard dipsey, 85 out, with a mag glow moonshine purple nurple. Then, saw one chasing us on the graph, for 4-5 minutes, swimming along with the riggers, so, just before we pulled lines, popped the corner rigger and let it rise, hit immediately - another 7-8# king. All in all, a beautiful evening, 3 for 4, and had my 2 boys with me, and I let them pull them in...can't seem to upload the pix, will try again....does someone have to trick to uploading pictures? Jim AKA - Reel Deal

Heading up to Muskegon this weekend, and looking for some insight....the boats been in the shop for 3 weeks!!! It's now fixed and looking to get into some fish. With the latest blow - it might be anybodies guess, but thought I would consult the experts! Thanks for your replies....will post when I get back. Thanks in advance... Jim Reel Deal Muskegon

Started fishing about 1 hour after sunrise - circumstances and meeting up with others prevented us being on the water BEFORE sunrise - and it proved to be a mistake - the early bite was it - we didn't have a bump the entire morning - which we fished from 70' early - out to about 175 by the end of the morning - after sunrise - the fish scattered, as expected - but we were marking some good fish and bait - but couldn't get them to open their mouth - so, we went back to harbor - paid a visit to the Pizza Ranch - and came back out about 5 PM. The late afternoon bite was not there - and I was thinking that the skunk would be in the box today - but we stuck it out until 9:30 PM. We deliberately stayed in the 70-90' depth as sunset approached in order to target some active fish straight out from the harbor. Took a rip on a down-rigger about 7 PM which was great - and we put a 13# king in the boat - came on a white bechold flasher and a custom fly - which is a white fly that turns a purple-blue when it hits the water (I think it's a Howie) and I have 4 dark blue 6mm plastic beads in it....I call it Little Boy Blue.... Then - we couldn't by another hit until about 9 PM - as we trolled in the wonderful waves back toward the harbor - came in about 65 FOW - 55' down on the little boy blue again - 15# king - that was it - we were tired of being bounced around most of the day in the 1 foot or less waves as NOAA predicted - so we decided to go in - sounded to me like most guys were stuggling too - some hit it good I think in about 200-300 FOW, down deep...hope we'll see some reports... Won't be out for a couple of weeks - taking the boat to Lake Ontario next week to fish the fall derby - then back to Lake MI for I hope some staging king action....

Thanks to all - great being here - I did keep one bait within 5' of the bottom as we trolled back to harbor - and the other rigger was up in the fish - and of course, the dipseys were somewhat high - and set back 135-175 set on 2.5. When we got back to harbortowne marina - there were some guys who had 4 nice kings - all 18-20# and they had them in about 20 minutes in 100 FOW and all of them came on the bottom (they said). So, I guess that's why they call it fishing! Thanks all - will be back out next week, Mon-Tues time frame - Jim - aka - Reel Deal

Fished straight out of Muskegon harbor Tues. 4:30 - 9:30 PM with some friends - set up in 110 FOW heading due west. Hit about 135 FOW and had a king hit a rigger - 80' down with a NBK spoon - but got tangled in the dipsy after hitting, so had a big mess to untangle - a few minutes into the birds nest puzzle - and the 8 color went with lemon ice - nice steelie - about 10#. Got everything cleaned up - back in the water - and kept trolling out since the screen didn't look all that impressive. Hit about 170 FOW without any hits - turned around and started back through where we had the earlier action - couldn't buy a hit for nothing - zigged, zagged, bags in - bags out - you know the drill - and then back in that 100-110 FOW about 8 PM and the screen was FULL - so many fish from top to bottom that you couldn't tell them apart - fished that area for quite some time and right after the sky was turning that orange glow from the sun - the wire dipsey ripped - 150' out - set on 2.5 with a blue mamba fish catcher and cut bait rig - about a 9 pound king. That was it - couldn't get anything else going - had riggers down to the bottom - over 110' down - all the way to the top with 3 colors of lead and that was it - tons of boats - but the radio was very quiet - any body else do much - am I missing something?? Reel Deal Jim