scgibby11

I always forget the numbers of the dipseys, but I think it is a size one. They are not the magnums, but they are the regular ones I use for deeper applications. I even left the ring on them. They seem to be hitting like that, so I just left them and haven't bothered with other sizes or removing the ring for shallow applications. Hits were both on superline high dipsies and low wire set-ups. Scott

We also go out around 8am yesterday 4-7-11. It was slower than 6 days ago, but we still took 9 coho and 1 NICE 13 pound king. He put up a nice fight. We got not one single hit on the boards. All came on torpedoes, dipseys, and 1 on a rigger. Best lures: Brads (firetiger, copper, copper w/pink). Some came on peanut flies, and one coho on a green spoon. The king hit a Brad's copper with pink on a dipsey, setting 1, out 35 feet. Water is warming. About 43 around the river plume, but much south of there, gets back to 39. Scott

Beautiful! Man what fun!

I have some pictures now. Always a good trip if the kids catch a couple!

I took the kids and we had our season's first outing yesterday. 13 for 17, all coho. Flat calm, not too cold. Outstanding day. Hit the water around 1-1:30 pm. Pulled lines around 4:30 pm. We trolled south initially, well beyond the water treatment plant. We picked up 1 there, but it was slow, trolling from 14-25 FOW. Water well south of the harbor was 36 degrees We headed back near the river plume and pierheads. Temp increased to 38-39, bait bods, and non-stop action. Almost anything we put out hit, but the hottest sticks were the deeper ones,near bottom in 20-25 feet near the harbor, one on a dipsey (setting 1, 35 feet out) and one on a musky torpedo diver. Best lures: red dodger, red tinsel fly; Brad's thin fish (red, copper/pink); shad raps Scott

well done!

Added autopilot and a trolling motor. The itch is real strong right now.

I am about to send some PM screen shots. Check your messages. Scott

Hello, I have never fished Lake Ontario. If I were to take a trip from SW Michigan, which port or city would be the closest and most productive? Scott

I use something Navionics calls the PC App.

Name: Scott Age: 46 Residence Location: Kalamazoo Area(s) Most Often Fished: South Haven, St. Joseph, St. Ignace Years of Experience: 10+ Boat Size and Info: 24 ft Seaswirl Boat Name: Damsel Fly The picture below is from about 1979 or 1980. My dad had a friend with a nicely rigged Trojan sport fisher. We would sit by the phone on Sundays dreaming and hoping that we might get an invitation to go to South Haven and catch salmon. We frequently did. In 1982 my dad decided to buy a boat of his own. He aboslutely loved it, and together we learned more and more about salmon fishing on the great lakes until he unexpectantly died 3 years later at the age of 48. My mother, siblings and I continued to use the boat for a couple of more years, but it wasn't the same, and we eventually sold it. Now, for the last several years, I have been taking my kids out, and I'm certain I love it more than they, but they humor me. I honestly cannot tell you how fun it was, the very first time out with the kids, telling them all the old stories, and trolling around for a couple of hours without a bite. All of a sudden a rod popped, my 10 year grabbed it, and 25 minutes later I netted a 15 pound king. His eyes were as big as saucers! A few years later, he brings 'em in like a pro. I sure hope they have the same memories that I do. Wow that was a long time ago. Check out these pictures! Where'd my hair go....?

I'll be out sometime the first week in April. CANNOT WAIT. CANNOT WAIT. Put autopilot on the boat this winter. Ready to try it out...... Scott

Just mounted mine. Can't wait....

I do a lot of deep diving on the great lakes, and you can frequently hand grab the burbots when they are on the bottom or on wrecks. Freaks them out!

Hi all. I'm not asking anyone to give up their spots, but a little information about perch fishing in So. Lake Michigan would be great. I have the boat at the southern end of the lake most years until the end of May. I then move it north. I generally salmon and trout fish but spend some time on the bigger inland lakes further north. I would like to go for some perch this Spring. Any advice would be helpful. Is there much of a perch bite in the spring? I tend to go out of St. Joe's or South Haven. Thanks, Scott

I've done this.

Oustanding. A great port. What a summer that will be.

Very nice and great job! Scott

Look behind my son in this picture. The two diver rods are in a double rod holder that I place in a flush rod holder with a gimbal mount. These are craig rod holders. Is that what you were looking to do? They work okay for me. Scott

This was one of my favorites. Fourteen pounds, caught by my 11 year old on mono off a rigger 1/2 way between Mackinac Island and St. Ignace after a terrible night of storm and wind and fog as the weather broke. He reeled and reeled. What fun!

Okay, it probably is not an expected or appropriate response on a GREAT LAKES FISHING website, nor is it that common a presentation for me anymore........but...... I learned to fish from my dad when I was about 3 or 4 years old. The classic presentation was a slip bobber and a night crawler. There still is something about watching that bobber go down that excites me and brings back memories. My kids can set the dipsies, bring in kings after 20 minute runs, and jig for walleye. But they learned first to watch that bobber with a zebco spincaster in their hands. Woops--I just realize this is in an ice fishing thread--sorry, didn't mean to hijack..... Scott

I would get Dan Keating's books 1. Keating on Kings 2. I can't remember off hand the name of the other book, but it is more all around trout and salmon fishing on the great lakes and was co-written with Chip Porter There are some decent DVD's too from Chip Porter and the Best Chance Charters crew (Capts Dave Engel and Bill Bale)

I bought the GHP 10 a couple of weeks ago and have a date with my boat the second weekend in December for installation. I'll try to keep things posted about how it goes. Scott

Thanks everybody. I'm going to start with the inner tube, so that give me flexibility to move the rod holders if needed. We'll see how it works. Scott

Great to have you!