EdB

We like Bolles because there are more docks, is less crowded, deeper and a short drive to the lake. Sterling has a fish cleaning station which people like (I clean my fish at home) and it draws a big crowd. They have fewer docks and you can run into launch lines on weekends. Sometimes coming back in on weekends is a pain because campers are launching pleasure boats to ski and tube mid day when anglers are returning and it can be a cluster trying to get a dock. It also has a longer drive to the lake which can be kind of shallow if we get a sieche from a strong west wind. People also like Sterling because it is right in Brest Bay which can be more protected from a north wind. If fish are north by Stoney, Sterling is closer but if they are south by Luna Pier or Toledo light, Bolles is a lot closer. There is usually good fishing out of both ports I just run my boat where ever out of Bolles. All the good fishing are reachable from there.

Visibility was not bad but it was slow for trollers, we fished 19 to 22 fow.

The jig bite is on, we got 18 this morning. Purple hair jig, green hair jig,green head blue ice and pimp daddy plastics all tipped with minnows. Also hit a few on blade baits. Good luck!

Be careful, it's going to real rough. I would not go with tomorrow's forecast. A boat went down today.

There has been good combined catches of coho and perch limits out of Portage. Also heard coho limits at E. Chicago, probably good at both ports. Hope you get some good weather.

You don't need much for walleyes. I use 6 ft med action Shimano FXC 70MB2 for walleye trolling. Diawa makes some decent salmon rods in the Wilderness and Great Lakes series. I like 9ftrs but use 7ft rods for downriggers. You could get 7-8 ft med action rods and use for both but I have lighter tackle for walleyes and heavier for salmon. 20lb king salmon are comparable to a lot of salt water fish, that is where they came from. All of these rods mentioned are inexpensive but they work fine for trolling. You can spend a lot more if you want to. Like FBD said, you could probably use your saltwater stuff to get by but it will be more than you need.

Welcome to GLF!

Center consoles are great when it is warm and dry. Now so much when cool, windy or rainy. If you fish the spring, it is always cool on the water, even on warm sunny days because the lake is still cold. I prefer a cuddy cabin for gear and enclosed cockpit at least on 3 sides with an open rear or drop curtain. I'd want 2 corner riggers on a boat that size(if it had a 10 ft beam or bigger, I'd go with 3 riggers and add a chute rigger), then 4 good diver rod holders to run 4 divers and either a rocket launcher or rod trees for planer board rods. Don't go cheap on electronics, get the best you can afford. Make sure you have a good marine radio and at least a 9ft antenna.

Fished south of Ludington starting in 150fow working out to 240fow. Hit 2 small kings early on a Moonshine green jeans on rigger at 80ft (hot bait for the day) and a behold flasher and auqa glow fly on a lo diver out 140. Had our best action around 200 fow of water. The MS green jeans took 3 more fish. A jelly bean spoon on a 150 copper took a nice steelhead. Ended up 6 for 8.