OldCool

What are the benefits of the 15lb over the 10lb? Is there less blowback with the 15 vs. 10? I am intrigued so any info would be appreciated...I want to learn more.

nice

That sounds about right, but because I dont have the good fortune of living 10-15 minutes from the lake (it takes me 50 minutes and $20.00 in gas). I always look at the marine forecast but I also look at this site (http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=45007). This site is the National Data Buoy Center's page for buoy #45007 which sits in the middle of the lake. This gives me the actual wind speed, wind gusts and wave height information so I don't waste a trip and $20.00. This site (http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/maps/WestGL.shtml) has all the Western Great Lakes Recent Marine Data and you can get more accurate information on wind speed and wind gusts at many, if not most, of the major ports. Out of Port Sheldon, many of the other ports, there are folks on shore that listen to the marine radio and are willing to give updates on the weather if you ask.

I prefer May 5

Thanks guys. I may have to get over my fear of crowds and launch out of Holland or Grand Haven. Although I have yet to go to Grand Haven. What is that like, 'cause to find it I will have to Google it.

Launched out of PS this past Saturday and wondering if it was more shallow than normal? Is this the way it is going to be or does PS get dredged later in the year? I tried to stay south of the channel but it seems it's less than 3ft almost to the middle of Pigeon Lk. Any thoughts?

I made one last year and it is a lot of fun. I took my boys and since I told them that if we won any money I would split it with them, they were all into it.

Welcome.

Took the boat out this Saturday with my 12 year old son and his best friend who has never been on the big lake (they have been best buds since preschool) for the shakedown cruse. Thanks to all the post, I was able to get the boys into some cohos and a laker (two fish for each and one for me ) in just over two hours. Thank you all.

Welcome John. I'm just three years into fishing the Great Lakes so I have some idea where you are coming from. There is a post in this site that has the definitions of the more commonly used acronyms which I found very helpful.

Welcome Dave

Welcome.

Welcom.

http://www.extremegraffix.com/ We use them at my work.

"Plan your work, and work you plan."

If chartering is something you feel strongly about, you can still get an education with an eye on the prize. Start off at a community college learning about how to effectively run a business because being a charter captain is as much (if not more) about running a business as it is about fishing. Then talk with some of the captains you work for, explain your plan and ask them if you can also learn about the business from them. Benefit/Drawbacks (you decide which is which) in no particular order: You will be learning something that is relevant to what you want to do. Community college provides a very good education without having to spend a lot of money. Community colleges provides flexible schedules and are close to home so you can work and look at how to apply what you are learning with the real life education from a charter captain. You will be very busy with little time for extracurricular activities. Things will get hard but every man here will agree that "it is in the threshing that the wheat is separated from the chaff."

Thanks for the tow.

Fished from 7pm to 9pm Headed NW from the pier heads. Surface temp 73+ Set up in 70fow and trolled out to 110 nothing marked so turned north. First hit: North troll 7:30pm 110 FOW, SOG 3.0 DR at 60', 20' back Blue/Green 4" Horsefly behind an 8" Blue Double Crush Glow Spin Doctor Nice King lost at boat Second hit: North troll 8:00pm 114 FOW, SOG 2.9 Full core Moonshine Blue Flounder (good hard hit on this one and a good hookup) 10lb King. On the way in tons of bait fish marked between 90 & 70 FOW

Took a friend of my dad's fishing who has never before fished on the big lake. Late start but the water was real nice. Out to 70' to set lines: Fullcore 150' w/ Lemon Ice, 1/2 core with ??? spoon, DD mono at 2.5 out 145'. At around 100' depth I feel a hit so I give it to my dad's friend to reel in. As I turn around to make sure the boat in going straigth, he gets to the Walley Board, and keeps reeling. I know this becuase I ear a line break and look and there is the board in the water floating away:eek:. I turn the boat around and go after the board and fish. I get it and have to retie it. With that done I still let him reel it in & landed an 8lb king. During this little experience the boat turns and the 1/2 core gets caught in the prop and I cant dislodge it so I have to break it. As I'm retieing this line, the DR (110 fow, 73' down 20'back with green/blue fly on Spin Doctor) goes off and we land a nice Coho. Glad that we did not loose anything, I consider myself blessed and head in. He had fun, I have a good story, we caught fish so everyone wins.

Count me in as well

Our wives must be related. :-)