MoJoRisin'

Jose - there will be lots of trolling traffic in the sand docks so I would recommend not anchoring there. Put down some Js and other plugs and make some trolling laps - there always seems to be some big fish taken out of there. However if you are alone you may want to jig closer to the channel and slip the anchor down. Get there early because there may not be enough seats at the table - I'm sure word is spreading fast. I'll be getting in on the combat next week - going north Thur night to camp on the Betsie and get at least 1 trip out of Frankfort.

The general rule of thumb is 3x attractor length for leads plus or minus a few inches. On big paddles the leads can be a bit longer then 3x attractor length.

I have only now run this for 3 trips and the first one was a blank - the dispies we ran it on were slower for us about 3 weeks ago. Last 2 trips Fri and Sat last weekend it produced 2 of the larger fish and our dipsies overall were better. However it seemed we got hit on all different rigs - no one rig was the hot one with spoons and flys taking most all of our fish with only a few plug bites. One thing is for sure there are big fish out there this year!!

BW Rubber poofster combo has been good along with pickled sunshine on a white green spin doctor.

Dont tell me J Plugs took the perch!

Several yrs back my bro and his wife were on board in Manistee doing a night trip. We had a firedrill go off on us right at dark and only had one net, 3 on board and 4 of 6 rods go off at once. Somehow we managed to boat 4 of them. After that I added one more long handled net and my short river net to avoid anymore problems getting j plugs out of the net. Always good to have backup - cause you will need it!! Good job on the big dog!!

Master Angler Coho is 12 lbs. I got one way back when they were bigger at 12.2 lbs and submitted it. We also had a 17 lb ho that we cut up before we figured it out - oops. It really sounds like it is possible to get MA coho and kings this year - go get 'em.

I got one more to add to the card: Watch for the sailboat that looses the battle with end of s pier and the crowd goes "oooohhhh!" The guys on the pier right at the lighthouse almost got hit by his mast!

We started north by the tower in 60 FOW just after 6 AM and hooked up before I could get the rods down. First was a small skipper king on std size MS night crawler 25 dowm on the probe rigger. Then we got a 11 lb king on green glow fly and kahuna white glow FC dispy back 70. Smallish 3-4 lb jack male ready to spawn king on the night crawler again at 25 down. Continued to work that area noting that the fish and temp were high 20 to 25 down. At 22 down the temp was in the mid to upper 40s. I put out the 3 and 5 color cores and almost immediately had a hit on the 3 color with yeck double orange crush. Once it got light enough I pulled the glows and changed over and found another skipper king on the other pickled sunshine dipsy that was still kicking. Headed out for deeper water as they seemed to shut down in that 60 FOW area by about 9 AM. It wasn't until about 10:30 when we turned and headed back in at about 130 FOW we got into some steelies with a 9 lb bullet on a half core with NBK. This fish never surfaced and we were not sure it was steel til we saw it. Then we got hit on the shallow rigger and lost that steelie in less than 15 seconds. Had a shake on the 3 color with tangerine and that was it. Finished 5 for 8 with no real hogs but 3 eaters and 2 that will work nice on the smoker. Talked with Flyboy a few times - how'd you do guys?

With the forecast below it should stay cold in close. Might be smart to start trolling before you hit the lighthouses as they should be right in close early. COMBAT TIME! This Afternoon: Variable winds less than 5 kt becoming WNW around 6 kt. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 ft or less. Tonight: NW wind around 6 kt becoming variable and less than 5 kt after midnight. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 ft or less. Friday: E wind around 6 kt becoming variable and less than 5 kt. Partly sunny. Waves 1 ft or less. Friday Night: NNW wind around 6 kt becoming E after midnight. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 ft or less. Saturday: Variable winds less than 5 kt becoming WNW 5 to 9 kt in the afternoon. Partly sunny. Waves 1 ft or less. Saturday Night: NW wind 5 to 7 kt becoming variable and less than 5 kt in the evening. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 ft or less. Sunday: SSW wind 5 to 10 kt becoming WSW 13 to 18 kt in the afternoon. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Waves 1 ft building to 4 ft.

Boats were in tight to the piers early and have scattered out a bit from the piers now. Early combat action!! Light east wind will continue to drop the surface temps.

I ran some mirage patterns with smaller blades to no avail - the next time out will be a white paddle with oceana and a new BW poofster combo if I get it in time. How about lead lengths (both fly leader and leader from dipsy to paddle)?

Don't overlook in close - last weekend they were up in 50 to 60 FOW down 40ft. When we motored back in at 12 noon we saw more marks in there than when we went out towards 100 FOW after the sun came up. Probably should have stayed in close and pounded bottom all morning. I'm sure with the heat earlier they have changed but if the cold water comes back the fish will also.

Seeing the new weather bouy in muskegon and that the down temp at 54 ft was 47 degrees made me check the shallow water to the north. Left the dock at 5:40 AM and headed out just in front of a freighter that decided to anchor out front. We immediately were marking fish all the way as we headed north into about 50 FOW to setup. Dropped the glow spoons with fewer than normal Moonshines (most all of mine are mags and wanted to run regular sized spoons). By about 6:45 AM we had our first one in on the glow yellowtail rigger hit 43 down in about 50 FOW - nice 12 lb young king (no spawn or milt in this one - just a wide body that fought very hard). Fish were stacked pretty good below 35 ft to bottom where we were at. Next was a Moonshine Night Crawler on my probe rigger down 30 where the temp was hovering around 60. 15 lb male king that went a screaming out from the initial hit. By about 7:30 we had #3 release on a glow bloddy nose which was empty. By this time the light was really going up down below and we decided to head a bit deeper as the marks had disappeared. We moved out towards the north nets and got a full core that was pulling and he came off before I could really start getting line in to g et the board off. Unfortunately that was it - didn't mark much after we left the 60 FOW range. After the fact I'm thinking I should have stayed in close to get those inside fish - we marked a fair amount of bait heading in through that same 60-70 FOW area we were in early. We did see some areas where there was pretty good down temps at 50 down on 90 FOW but there were no takers there. Cold water is still around and the current seemed to be a little mixed up at times. I have this to add though: 1) Absolutely no dispy action AGAIN. Tons of fleas on the dipsy lines - 30 lb fireline. Ran Spinny / flys and also changed to a plug after 9 AM. I think this season I have had a grand total of 1 dispy hit over about 6 or 7 trips - PATHETIC. Only thing I can figure is the fleas are causing problems with the dispy program. I've run spoons, plugs, and spinny flys, even ran a squid yesterday trying to mix it up. 2) Finally got into some action during low light - been a long time since we got into fish before 7:30 AM with glow lures. 3) Fleas were so bad that my Cannon probe tag wire and rigger main exposed cable and large coastlock to the ball had fleas - first time I've seen that one - they must have been very thick down there.

I've really struggled to get an early low light bite for the better part of a year!! Seemed later last year and so far this year we have really struggled to get action prior to about 7 or 7:30 AM for whatever reason. Used to be the hot bite was early - now it is a "not" bite instead of "hot" bite. We were going to go Sunday and got scared off by the weather that was in WI at 5 AM. In hindsight we should have went but I made my decision based on what I saw on the radar and showed it to the guys and we all agreed that the way it looked it was best to stay home. At about 6:45 AM I realized I made a bad call and the crew was already home in bed. Opps! I'll be trying again Sunday AM - hope we can get into some good ones!!

We fished in the AM and only action we had was around 95 FOW south of the N Nets. We started in about 60 FOW and there was nothing there - however the guys that stayed close to the piers and in shallower sounded like they found fish. We were 5 for 5 on 2 differemt 6 color core rigs running regular Yecks - Lemon Ice and Tequila Sunrise (took 3 of 5). 4 kings, 19, 2 x 12 and a skipper and about a 5 lb laker that got sent back. All action was between 7:30 and 9:30 AM. No early action to speak of. How was the down temp - we saw mid 40's at 30 to 40 down and about 60 on the surface - the south wind was starting up as the morning passed on so I expected the temps to go up. Sounds like there was still fish in close - good job!

The alewives move in to the drowned rivermouth lakes to spawn in late May - early June and usually move back out before the beginning of July. As said it seems that this yr is a few weeks later than normal so they are just now showing up in large numbers. Also the lake temps have been crazy - I've fished 2 times in the last month and both times the lake temp was 50 or less top to bottom because of relentless east winds. Just in the last 2 weeks it is finally setting up to a more normal temperature pattern where we can isolate the good water easier and the bait is now back in the big lake instead of inland spawning. Sounds like the next few months should be excellent fishing if mother nature is kind to us!!

Capsized boat which was upside down was towed into the breakwater by another fisherman and after some delay TOW USA had 2 boats right it and tow it into Muskegon Lake. It was I believe a Bayliner center console about 18 ft or so. We were in front of the channel in 50 FOW when the call went out and I was a bit surprised about the delay before the Coasties were headed out. We saw TOW USA towing the boat in Muskegon Lake go by as we were pulling lines at the sand docks. We saw many boats smaller than that one out and there was one time we were turning to head back into the channel where other boats were disappearing because of the height of the waves. Very mixed up Fri AM out there and building. Also saw a few guys alone fishing in the bad conditions. We lost a screamer to a straightened out split ring in the sand docks and had one wiggle off the south light following 2 other boats that landed fish there. Didn't see much acton other than that though. Would have liked to head out to find better fishing but the weather kept us in close. As you said seeing and hearing about a boat capsizing and 3 guys having to be pulled out makes the skunk in the box minor. Glad to hear the guys made it out OK. Also heard CG Chopper going by my house later Fri and also heard about them being out around dark Fri searching - not sure what for but a friend said he poked out from the piers Fri dusk and said there were about 6 footers out there. Then they saw the CG Chopper a bit later. Be safe.

She got quite the rise out of the crowd didn't she....... It got to the point where we almost shut off the radio due to the crazy chatter. I was about ready to dub the radio drama "as the fish jumps" on the soap channel. "My ex has good equipment but I'd rather he was dead" was one of the comments that caught our attention - I think that one came from another lady though. There must not have been enough rods going off when you get that kind of dribble on the radio. Unfortunately we did not get any core hits so we could brag and start the explosion of core haters again! Some guys just do not have any manners. Hopefully we can get into them next time out.

I was the one everyone went off on about running core. I think you were setting up behind us and went out farther. There was one guy that was by himself setting up and came across our rear and when I told him we had a full core it started the firestorm. As you said we setup with no one around and 20 mins later they all converged on us. We only managed 1 for 1 - small jack in 85 FOW 105 back on dispy green glo fly big kahuna white FC with spin n glows on it. That one usually produces for us in low light. Hard to believe no other hits for us.....we had all of the usual HOT baits running but no takers. By the time it was dark we were one of the few north. For some reason they don't like what I have been putting down. Running out of trips for this year - going to camp on the Betsie Labor Day weekend - either Frankfort or Manistee for 1 or 2 trips - have not decided yet. Maybe Platte Bay if weather cooperates. Will be out Fri AM and possibly Sat AM out of Muskegon for my last gasp. Need the temps to change to make something happen. I've been out of the zone all season it seems. Only had one good trip 5 for 9 and after that I don't think we have had 9 hits total in 4 or 5 trips since.

I'm heading out tonight - stayed in yesterday due to wind. Hoping water has turned over and fish are relatively close.

Was it lumpy? I passed yesterday thinking it would be too rough. How was traffic - were there boats up close going after the combat fishing? I'm going out tonight so any info would be greatly appreciated.

Once you get to 150 FOW off Muskegon she goes deeper fairly quick. I usually do not go out that far though - my passengers like to see land. As FBD said go north and it is totally different. Like off of Frankfort on the bank or in the herring hole, or the Platte Bays -they are a challenge especially if you are not familiar with the depth chart info. You can be bouncing gear off bottom pretty easy. Our bottom coutours down here are pretty boring compared to Lud and to the north from there.

Last night in Muskegon the temps were kind of mixed up. Found 68 F surface temp in about 80 FOW and in from there and as it got dark on us we saw slick water and down temp inside of 100 FOW was about 50 at 40 down. But it was very irratic so in one spot down temp was 63 and another it was 49. I think the fish are as confused at the water - plus keeping consistent speed was a challenge with a strong current. At sundown we started seeing fish up as high as 20 ft in 80 FOW. Cooler temp was there too. Out in 100+ the marks were 60 down or further and we took a king on SWR 90 down in 115. Then we got the laker in same water on full core mag Blue Dolphin. I couldn't pull the rigs up fast enough as we got towards sundown. Went from deep spread and no marks to shallow and lots o marks in the 80 FOW 25 to 25 down range quickly. Managed 2 kings and a laker. 95% of the marks were inside 80 FOW approaching dark but only one fish on dispy/SD/Green glo fly just after dark where we were marking the most. Hope to find some consistency next time out. 4 different rods got 4 hits with 4 different baits.

Went straight out and had lines set in 100 FOW at about 6:30 PM. A little lumpier than expected with 2 ft chop kind of confused. Didn't mark much on the way out and some guys stayed in tight as they reported marking fish in closer in about 50 FOW. We went out to 125 and then made a turn to the northeast away from the nets and got a decent 12 lb king on green scaley Tomic on SWR 88 down. Really were not marking much and decided to turn around to see if we could get back to our spot where the SWR went. There was a tall ship that was headed out to the NW and they and another boat pushed us a bit inside of our mark and we got a laker on the full core FB Mod Blue Dolphin that we released. Then we started to head NE in shallower as the sun started to go down. Not marking much until we got into about 85 FOW and then we found cold down temps - from 45 to 54 down temp at 35 ft down. Marked alot of fish up fairly high from 40 up to 25 and took our last fish after dark on dipsy green glo fly white SD 105 back. Temps were mixed up warmer out farther and cold water in pockets. Sounded like there were some fish caught but radio traffic was pretty quiet. Last king we got was bronze in color and had a pretty good hook jaw. No other action for us - really could not get anything consistent to go - 3 fish 3 different rods. Got 1 empty release on a 4th rod (green glo ladderback J 65 down). Speed was a bit of a challenge - when you changed direction your speed changed drastically. Maybe Sunday for the next trip. I'll keep you posted!!