eyecracker

I had surface temp at 41.

In lew of the amazing weather on Sunday, I thought I'd give the rig a little splash and see if I couldn't box a couple silvers. Was a little worried about the waves but to my surprise the lake was great. Gotta run the motor, get everything tested and my 6 year old got to enjoy tossing a few and didn't even need a coat. That being said, trolled rapalas in 6-10 fow, n troll and didn't take one hit. Can't wait to hear some reports as I need to get out and get the skunk off. I'm hoping I was just a couple weeks early.

On my way back in I did notice the nets on the GPS, didn't realize they showed up on there. The DD had the Mountain Dew Spin Dr. with a green mirage fly.

Got out Fri night about 7:00 pm, planned on starting a NW troll at 60, got to 60 and was met by a nice wall of nets on the north side running to 100. So, we just trolled straight W. Spent about an hour untangling my first attempts of stacking DRs. So, after that I just went 2 DR and 2 DD. Took first hit on a MD SD with green mirage fly, beautiful 8 lb COHO, 165 back on DD in 115 FOW at est. 8:00. At about 8:30 to a 12lb King, down 70 on DR, Flounder Pounder, this was after we decided to head back to the channel so we were on a E troll. About 10 minutes later we got another 8lb COHO on the same set-up as the other COHO. It was my brother-in-law's first big lake trip, needless-to-say, he loved cranking in the cohos. Lake was pretty choppy when we got out but laid down nice as the night went on. 3 for 3 and a great way to start the Labor Day weekend. Sunday dinner was AWESOME!!

I'm not a veteran by any stretch of the imagination but every guy I've talked to with any experience says get by the rivers at that time of year. So Grand Haven and Muskegon are what I've been directed to if you are looking to stay as close to Holland as possible.

Spent 3 hours on a north and south troll, anywhere from 80-110 FOW, started at 6:00 and only had 1 hit. Started trolling toward the peir about 9 and at 9:30, in about 85 FOW, Glow/blue Flounder Pounder, DR at 50 takes off and gives me the fight of my life. After several failed netting attempts, and a busted net, we managed to land this 25lb beauty!!! Made the whole night worth it.

We didn't mark a lot close but on our way in, a couple told us they had been doing really good shallow, just outside the piers, probably close to bubbler. There were 2 boats perch fishing in 30 and another one was going out as we came in.

They weren't too bad at all. They were 2 ft swells so we rode them just fine and I only have a 16.5 footer. I guess the wind is suppposed to pick up as the day goes on though. Also, don't let the channel fool ya. It was crazy rough in the channel and the lake was nice.

Was pretty pumped to get out this morning and had everything ready to go by 5:45 but when I went to launch, something had drained my battery. So, after much early morning type brain sessions we finally made our way out using my truck battery. Needless to say we were a bit out of sorts as I couldn't really get the Fish Hawk and GPS both up and rolling and we didn't get lines down until just after 7:30. Anyway, enough of the whining session. Started our troll in 90 FOW, SSE. Took a nice hit on DD with Miami Dolphin, 135 back in 82 FOW, fought him to about 20 ft from the boat and he spit it. After that I remembered that one of the 3 hooks broke off on our bumpy ride out and I told myself I was going to change the spoon as I have more than one MD, but I didn't, and I was ticked to say the least as he felt very much like the 12-15 lb range.(Sorry, I guess I wasn't done whining). After fighting the flies(and they were crazy bad today), we took a nice little 3-4lb king in 90 FOW, PB, copper 225 back with Flounder Pounder, first big lake fish for my buddy that was with me. Picked up lines at 9:45. 1 for 2 was better than I expected after the messy way we started, but overall a little bit of a let down, better than a skunk!!

First time ever on open water in the Bay, and it was interesting. After trying to use the Public Launch just North of Linwood, a kind fellow stopped us from destroying my boat and running it up on rocks. Next we launched at Pinconning and that was an interesting taxi out that also almost wrecked the boat but eventually we made it out. We pretty much went due E from Pinconning, lines down in 20 fow at around 8:30am. Started slow as we were trying to run PB in 3 footer waves so didn't even know we were getting bites. FINALLY figured out after a couple hours of just losing crawlers to get them off and let the mini divers on the PBs. Pretty buszy all day with little perch. Ended up getting into the Wallys and had a really nice strech around 1:00pm, on a N. Troll, 19 FOW by Essexville, yea, we trolled a long way. Trolled N to the plug and had 10 in the box by 2. Everything went dead so we pulled lines and tried to relive that N. troll that was hot, but no avail. At around 5, as we picked up lines, we took one more nice one on a diving shad rap. Chartruse harness with graphic fish pic on it was crazy hot all day. Took 3 nice ones on trolling FT rapala and shad rap. Mini divers with spoons produced nothing, which was pretty disappointing considering all the great stories I've heard about them. It was an awesome day and deemed successful as none of the 3 guys on the boat had done this drill before. Threw a lot of little ones back so ended the day 4 short of a 3 man limit, 3 keeper perch and a great racoon sun burn.

What a beautiful day on the lake!!!! Took a rookie and my brother out. Lines down by 6:15am. Took first one on MJ, DD 130 out in 110 FOW, 11lb COHO at 7:15. After the rookie netted that one for me he was hooked, on salmon fishing not literaly hooked. 10 minutes later he bagged a 4lb COHO on flounder pounder, 60 down on rigger in 110 FOW. About 10 seconds after putting that rigger back down it hits again and my brother brings in a 7 lb king. All on a south troll. Slowed down after that and we ended up bringing in a really small laker on our North troll back, released. Overall, 4-6 by 9:30 and got a new fishing buddy!!! Praise God and our brave soldiers for our freedom!!!!

Lake was like glass this morning, an awesome sight indeed!!!! Went out to 80 FOW, SW troll and landed first small king by 7 on Miami Dolphin, rigger 40 down, 2nd small king on watermelon, on dd 125 out. Had one swipe at Miami Dolphin again on rigger but no hook and one swipe at copper, 200 out with carmel dolphin and no hook. About 8:30 Miami Dolphin on rigger popped and bagged a small Laker. So, 3-5 overall on a beautiful day at the lake. Not big fish but definitely good eaters.

Got lines in by 6:15 and headed south. Nothing until about 8:30 when we found a skum line. Immediately took a hit in 68 FOW, Orange Diver out 105 with Blue and Green Dreamweaver, took in a nice coho. About 5 seconds after that one hits, we get another hit on the copper-planer on the other side of the boat and lost that one amidst confusion of board removal, pretty sure it was a coho as well. Nothing else after that. Even trolled back north and tried around bubbler. Didn't hear much on the radio going on out there either. Should've went to Holland as my co-pilot suggested.

Went out to 50 FOW on a south troll. Stayed between 50-60FOW most of the time. Ran spoons on copper and divers, downriggers with flasher-flys. Started right around 6:30, had one hit at around 8:45 and nothing else. Slow day, only saw 3 other boats out don't know if they did anything.

Thanks a lot, will give it all a shot, AS LONG AS THE WEATHER LETS ME

Do you think it's still worth fishing shallow there or should we stay deep?

I'm going to wander out there on Friday morning and I'm looking for any advice on what to run trolling around the bubbler. I'm not targeting anything specific, just whatever is there right now. I have two riggers, two dipsy rods and can run HL and PB as well. I'll take anything anyone is willing to offer as I've never tried the bubbler. Thanks.

Sorry this is a couple days old but got to SH at 4:30pm and we were the only ones there(worried us a little bit). Got out of the channel at 5 and were welcomed by 2-3 footers(Dang you NOAA, YOU LIE!!!!). Bottom line is we had lines down by 5 and 2 man limit by 6:15pm all COHO. Overall 10-13 and everything worked, perch rapala, orange and white hot n tot, white dodger with white and green fly on riggers. Only boat on the water and it was a nice short run, stayed in 10-15 fow.

Me and a buddy started out about 7:30, had 3 in the box by 8, had a couple little dry spells but boxed out at 11:20 so a great day. Overall 10-12 on Jointed Fire-Tiger, Perch Husky, Firetiger Hot and Tot. Beautiful day and calm waters.

nice job, I think we're getting out there tomorrow.

Thanks for the tips, will do and hopefully I make it down there Friday morning for a couple hours.

Hit it right at day break and went south of the pier in 12-23 FOW, went 6 for 11, 5 coho and 1, 7lb, steelie. Lost 4 of the 5 on busted lines, needless to say I'll be modifying my equipment as this was my first time out. Everything we used was orange and something else but they all had orange, mostly Rapala's so yea, it bites losing $50 in lures but at least it was on fish and not on snags.

I'm going to try, for the first time ever, to go after the early Browns and I am looking for any advice out there. I'm planning the first or second week in April out of New Buffalo. Is it necessary to wait that long if the ice is off sooner?

Thanks for all the suggestions, FYI, KC-1 is done for the year but very cool guy and shared a bunch of advice.

I know we're at the end of the season but I got a buddy coming out from Iowa who'd like to go out for some lakers and steelies, and of course anything else. I'm in GR so I'm looking for a recommendation for a charter out of Holland or Grand Haven for probably Thursday morning. Any help would be appreciated.