steeliebob

Anyone buy those new spring loaded tip ups yet? I saw them for the first time on TV last night. The fish grabs the bait and when the flag goes off the hook is set. They caught my interest a little bit but I fish for steelhead with tip ups and they tend to drop the bait alot. They will pull just enough to spring the flag then you have to wait a couple of minutes before they take off with the bait. They really look awesome but I think that I would lose more fish than I caught.

When nothing else works we always throw a couple of rapalas out and they always catch a fish or two. A couple of times we hooked up the steelhead rods with 8 lb test and green dolphins. THe steelhead could not lay off from them. It was a fun 30 minute battle to land an 8 to 10 pound steelhead too.

Somebody needs to fire all of the brass at the USFWS every single one of them. When they are all fired replace them with people who want to get off of their *** and do something about asian carp. For the last 10 years and the next 30 years all the USFWS will do is eat up our $$$$ and study them. A first grader probably could tell you more about asian carp than anyone at the USFWS knows about them. Just like wolves lets see how many elk, moose, buffalo, and deer that they can wipe out. Meanwhile we will protect them and study them. Nobody in the United States has better job security than a USFWS employee. As long as there are wolves and asian carp their jobs are pretty safe. No worry if you are a USFWS employee millions of hunters, fishermen, and trappers will support you just keep studying. I will bet I have seen a hundred different clips on you tube of USFWS employees riding around in boats watching asian carp jump.

Come on up. I will be out on the ice January 1 and I will let you catch the first steelhead of the new year. Last year I caught 3 of them on January 1 so the odds are pretty good. My good year was with alot of help from some friends with boats as I am boatless. I also did very well ice fishing and fall shore fishing. My largest coho and two largest kings came from shore fishing. It is a bonus when you live less than a mile from some hot shore fishing spots. In the fall it is work, fish, eat, fish, sleep, fish, fish or something like that. I hope that your boat is getting real close to being ready to splash.

I live in the UP and the Pro's do not do too many seminars up here so you either learn from your mistakes or learn from others. Once the skunks pile up in your boat you go out and do a complete change of everything then you catch fish. I hope that Reel Skrewd will take some good notes for me and we will be fishing in a few months once the hard water leaves.

It was 9 degrees out saturday am in the EUP but still no ice. Starting today it is supposed to get colder and really colder next week. I would say by the first of 2012 we will all be looking at little holes on the hard water. Going to give it another shot on the 24th. Right now I have 28 degrees out not good but it is below the freeze mark.

Very soon I will be venturing out to set tip ups for one on Michigans most sought after game fish the steelhead. Within the next few days we should have enough ice to make an offshore trip possible. Most people catch steelhead in the rivers in the spring and fall on typical fishing gear. They are also caught while trolling on the great lakes. Very few people fish for them during the winter which makes it a challange as well as fun. You can catch them in a few feet of water so you don't have to risk your life or your gear to go after them on first or last ice. I can go all winter long and seldom if ever see another ice fisherman so there is not much competition.

I went boatless last year and will probably do so again this year. I have learned more fishing on other boats than what I have learned in the previous 5 years fishing on my boat. I take what I have learned and apply different methods on every boat that I fish on. When you add it all up and your success rate really jumps you do not have to look real hard for a boat to hitch on because the guys who have boats really want to see what you are doing. One of the things that we did was to run 6 lines at night 3 of the lures were green dolphins (not glo lures). We also ran 3 of the top producing glo spoons. We landed 3 nice salmon within a half hour all on the green dolphins. Another thing that we did was when we had stackers we ran painted spoons off from the stacker as they were higher up and ran them about 100 back. The reflective spoons we ran deeper and closer to the ball about 30 back. The painted spoons produced more and bigger fish. Running sliders with small spoons on your dipsies will produce more atlantic salmon and steelhead. The steelhead and atlantics will chase a dipsey and they will hit at the spoon. Several of the boats that I fish on vary or frequently change depths on the cannonballs. Sometimes like every two or three minutes the balls go up or down 8 to 12 feet.

Climbed out of bed at 5:30 am. I got everything loaded in the Jeep by a little after 6:00 am and headed out. Spun in hand I ventured out onto the ice it was 9 degrees out. I got out about two steps and the spud went through, just like paper. I got back into the Jeep and drove home, made some breakfast and went back to bed. That my friends is a good fishing report. No fish or cooler to clean.

Wild Turkey is way better than anything you get at Meijers. Problem is if you are like alot of hunters you will have about $250 invested in a wild turkey before you even put it in the oven. Don't get me wrong turkey hunting is every bit as much fun as deer hunting.

I think that I found some hard water. Tip ups for steelhead tomorrow.

Welcome if you get to the UP and want to toss in a line or set a tip up or downrigger let me know. I think that I found some hard water to fish on....tip ups for steelhead tomorrow.

Just waiting for the ice to form so I can get back to fishing. Steelhead beware I will be back soon.

Looks like they eat well in Lake Ontario. Some nice fat kings Mark. Good luck in 2012

What a neck that buck has wow. You stuck to it and made him pay. Good Job

I almost made on the ice on Sunday but decided to wait until 12/24. I can't believe that you guys downstate are still going out in the boats. Nice brown trout you caught there. In the spring it is funny that you guys are lined up to launch boats and I see miles of ice for 6 weeks longer.

Nothing like watching someone else getting their ass kicked by a big king. Karma sore arms, stiff back. rod butt bruises I love it. Those big ones will make you pay.

With the year winding down I figured my totals for a great year. Chinook Salmon 132 biggest fish was 30 pounds. Coho Salmon 16 the biggest fish was 14 pounds. Pink Salmon 21 the biggest fish was 22 inches, mabey 3 pounds. Pinook Salmon 5 the largest was about 5 pounds. Steelhead 77 the largest was 13 pounds 4 ounces. Brown Trout 12 the largest was 20 inches all were released. Brook Trout 26 the largest was 18 inches and all were released. Atlantic Salmon 5 the largest 7 pounds 8 ounces. Lake trout 3 the largest was 7 pounds. I might get a few more steelhead before Jan 1 mabey two or three more trips.

Try running free or fixed sliders off from dipsies, use a smaller spoon and get ready for some steelhead or salmon action

Just like myself you are a die hard. I have the big debate of wether to pack tip ups or long poles this weekend. I will bring the ice gear just in case but I will probably be using the long poles for the last time.

Some pretty serious fishing boats you could probably add a little spice to the site. Good luck with your move and mabey see ya on the water.

Good Luck. I hate working on boats way too much time and patience for me, not to mention money. At least it made it through the season

It happened every year throughout my days in high school. I grew up in a farming community (West Branch). Every year one of the farm boys would bring a small pig to school and coat it with crisco. It was then turned loose in the hallway. The kids and teachers would chase after it....it was too funny. Those little buggers can run and squeal and nobody could catch it.

Had ice in the dogs water this am. Looking at the long range temps. I will give it a couple of weeks yet. I think that by about the 20th there will be some good ice. Last year I was out on the 17th but the ice was really not too safe mabey 2 inches.

If the price is right latch onto it.