Rascal Trophy Fishing

Excellent post and idea Ryan. Why didn't I think of that first?,....lol. I will put that on a bucket list for our Ludington assoc. and see how they react. Thanks for the cogent input!

Al, I haven't fished Lk. Superior, so I really can't make accurate judgments about your lake there. What Ryan states is specific to Lk. Mich. Trout fishing, and of course, speed has been a very important factor in my experiences too. I've trolled from .7 mph - 1.2 mph for best results just off bottom. Unless we were in a fast downtroll, then, like Ryan stated, sometimes you can only slow down by going from neutral to forward, with seabags out. Around Ludington, best was 60-80 fow, bouncing bottom. That flatfish sounds real familiar, but it would be nice if I saw a pic. of it again to refresh the memory banks. Wasn't that a Norweigan lure? We primarily used, and still do when necessary, peanuts and cowbells, as they always worked, and still do if you can find them. Of course flashers/squid/flies have also worked well, with a 15'-20' lead off the ball for me mostly.

Thanks Ryan. Nice shot in the arm for TC this late in the season too. Glad to see the visitors had a positive impression and good time. It would be nice if the ship would allow locals a visit aboard while the customers go ashore. That way they might draw even more business for cruisers. And we could also see what a Great Lakes cruise ship is all about.

Al, here's another thing to think about. Cut open the fish stomachs when filleting them and take note of the size of the alewives. Try to match that dead bait with the current spoons you are using during that period of time. Many will usually be about the same size, that's what will catch fish. Also, I know quite a few lure companies have Super Mags, some may be bigger than 5", google it. I know Yeck makes some in excess of 5", more like 6-7" if I had to guess. I've seen some real lunkers over the years, and quite a few were taken on mini spoons too, used to call some C-5's, about 2" to match the existing quarry of baitfish around at that time.

Welcome aboard the GLF elfish. I too heard similar reports of deep warm water the last few weeks. Good observation. Fish up in Ludville are still scattered due to unpredictable changes in weather patterns and temps..

Great story and good job.

We also witnessed the Hamburg visit here about 5 years ago in Ludington. She anchored in PM Lake for about 12 hours for sightseeing and shopping from tender boats. Seems like it was late Sept. or early Oct.. Also many German people aboard exploring.

That Coastwatch guide seems to be stuck on 9/22/14, or else I'd say go by that for surface help. If you have a probe for rigger ball temp/speed, that will also be a great way to determine best temp. down, 48-53* usually best.

Wow, according to Ryan, Rudey has $200-300 in tackle that he can't use around here. That sounds like a big profit to the seller now. Good deal, wish you luck.

As much as new j plugs cost today, why not try it? Try a silver chrome and any white glow paint to see how it works and let us know. Welcome aboard the GLF.

Thanks for that informative post Stone. And welcome to the GLF forum, lots to share, and be shared by all.

One thing is for sure: there are many choices for great fishing gear nowadays, and most is fairly priced for the quality you get. We didn't have all these choices 30 years ago, nor anywhere near the quality. It's a great time to be a great lakes fisherman nowadays for sure.

Anyone notice of late, say the last 5-8 years, that cruise ships are appearing on Lk. Michigan occasionally? I have, and thought I was seeing things, but it's true. Apparently an Ann Arbor based company has three ships that port down in Chicago, and traverse the entire lake up to Mackinaw Island, then back. Some also go thru Lk. Huron and Lk. Ontario. Seacatmich also saw one early in Sept. while fishing in Ludington. I have a link I'll post if anyone is interested. I know this has nothing to do with fishing, but these 100'-200' ships are now out there. Both close to shore, and in deep water too. It's something that we'll all have to keep a watch out for in the name of safety is my main point here. www.greatlakescruising.com is where you can see those three big ships. Nice vacation if you can afford it too it appears.

Nice video Jason, welcome.

Today, the wind is steady and heavy at 29 mph from the south. Same for Sat. I heard. Cold water is across the pond in Wis., I'll bet they are slapping them good. Don't see you anymore at city marina Dennis. Did you go to Pentwater? Thanks for the report.

Good choice ns, welcome.

Fishy1, or anyone else, can you post a link of the chart for this Delta/Horn? I think someone at Chuck's sounds too technical for me. I've never heard these terms used since I started in 1983, but these days, everyone is nicknaming something, or abbreviating with initials. This area covers about 10-12 nautical miles along the shoreline, quite a span of water.