GLF

Sounds like you had a GREAT day on the water. I wish I did not have to be at work this weekend

This report was so good, I had to give Nick a call on the phone! Nice job Nick!

Ken, Do you see in the upper blue bar(NAVBAR) where it says "Water Temperatures"? Give it a click and I believe you will find what you need.

I run my wire straight to my divers. There are several things that could be limiting why they are getting them and you are not. You say you have the same things as the charter guys. Are you fishing the same spoon sizes and colors also? How many riggers are you running? How many feet behind the ball are you running your baits? Are you running sliders? Fixed or Free? What are you using for line and swivel sizes? Line and swivel size will have an affect on how your bait performs(action in the water). It could be the angle into the current.

I am one who runs the extra 100' of backing off before I attach it to a board. Like Frank said, "You need to run this backer out a ways to get the full 5 ft per". A lot of people attach the board right after the lead core. The depth achieved is also dependant on what you have on for a bait. ie....crankbait, dodger/fly, plug, spinner/fly or spoon. Most people start off with a 40-60' leader. The long leader gives you extra line for retying without having to replace the leader. In this post here written by Sixshooter(Jim), it shows how to tie a Willis Knot. This is what most people use for attaching leaders and backing to the lead core. I am using Okuma Catalinas CT-45D's. I have 2, 3, 5(half core), and 10(full core) color lead core set ups. I have not convinced myself to switch over to copper or add core and a half set ups. What I am doing is using Dive Bombs instead. I use 27lb lead core on all my set ups. On my full core set ups, I have 200 yds of 30lb Fireline backing. On my half cores, I have 250 yards of 25lb mono backing. On my 2 and 3 colors I have around 300 yds of 20lb test backing. My 2 and 3 colors are converted down rigger rods. This is why I have 20lb backing on them. Too get enough backing on a full core set up on a reel this size, you will need to use a super line for a backing. I am only running Church Walleye boards. They have a spring loaded pin that you pull for putting the back line in. This prevents the board from popping off the line in case it releases. I lost an Offshore board in the Spring WMFL event when it popped off The one thing you will run into with a super line backing, is the line releasing from the board. If it is choppy and I am having releases, I will wrap a rubber band around the release 3 times to prevent it from releasing. Giving the time of year that it is, I would recommend a half core and a full core. If I was going to do it, I would purchase a double core of line, and spool up a full core and a half core. With the remaining 5 colors, I would make a 2 and 3 color set up also. You can also use the 2 color set up as a SWR rig. Getting extra depth out of your cores. Michigan Stinger came out with Dive Bombs this year. These are an add on planing weight system to get extra depths out of your lines. They work with copper, lead core, and mono. A 4oz Dive Bomb and a full core will get you down to 68-75' range. The exact depths achieved with each weight Dive Bomb is not known yet. That being said, a half core and a 4 oz Dive Bomb should get you as deep as or a little deeper than a full core. I am sure others have different set ups, and views.

Nice catch Phil! What was the hot colors?

Saturday is suppose to be the "Luckiest Day of The Century" 07-07-07, and I have to work Looks like I will have to wait for the next 07-07-07 to come around again to get my 53lber! I will be 139 on the next one. I do not think I will be around to see that day.......

I run my full cores on 8' Shimano Talora's. On half cores, 2, and 3 colors, I have 8'6" Shimano Talora's. I think they are medium action. My boat is 1.5 hours away, and will not be up there until next week. I do not have any issues with getting the rods over the riggers. Some people run 7' rods. This is going to come down to one's preference. Go out fishing with a few different people and see how you like what they have. Where do you live?

For those that need directions to Fisherman's Landing, here is a link to it on Mapquest. Enter in your starting point and hit enter. I will give you the directions you need and tell you how long it will take to get there. Any questions????

Anyone else interested in getting in this event? Everyone has until 25 July to get the money to me. If you are planning on paying me at the next West Michigan Fishing League event, please have a check, or the exact amount of cash. I will not have change.

Nice catch Terry! Looks like the big one flopped around on the carpet on the bottom of the boat.

I only run stingers, so I can not say how the other brands run. I have run all 3 Stinger sizes at the same time. Stinger spoons are light. This allows them to be trolled at a slower speed, along with the faster speeds without loosing action. In the spring, it can be pulled at 1.7 without any issues, and during the summer and fall, you can pull it over 3.2 without any issues.

Great Points Tim! Now if only I had a side finder Then I would know which side of the boat the shallower fish are on

Nice pictures and report Nailer. Jason, There is a lot of cold water in shallow. With the cold water in shallow, there may be some Skamani's in close I saw a lot of pier fisherman, and boats fishing the ends of the piers in Grand Haven on the web cam this morning.

I went up to the boat and upgraded the firmware on the fish finder and worked on my antenna issue Saturday. I am still having issues. Looks like its time for a new antenna. After I finished working on the boat, I went out in the afternoon with my two sons. I ended up 1 for 2. I caught a nice steelhead in 80FOW on a 1/2 core with a 3oz Dive Bomb, on a Stingray craigs x-mas. I lost a nice king at the back of the boat when it got wrapped up in the wire diver. This was on a fixed slider in 135FOW on a rigger set to 80'. This was on a Stingray Green Parrot. The water temp in 85FOW was 51 degrees.

I have to work till 6pm today.

Nice catch Bill! What time is dinner?

Is there a way to calibrate it?

Ever have one of those feelings like a car is going to pull out in front of you without looking? I have to drive a country road on the way home from work. The speed limit is 55MPH. As I was driving home today, I see this car backing down a drive way ahead of me. Right away, I had this feeling that it was not going to stop. Right before I get to the drive way.....out in the road she came. She never stopped or looked to see if anyone was coming. I had anticipated this happening and had already taken preventive measures. I had already been slowing down and went around this car in the passing lane giving her a wake up toot with my horn. As I tooting the horn, I saw her put her hands up to her face. I think she realized she screwed up! There was someone in the driveway that she was paying attention to instead of what was coming down the road. In the back seat of the car was a toddler. Wake up people! We were lucky I was paying attention.

There was a set of nets straight out from Mona Lake. They go from around 70' to around 135'. There is also a set almost straight out. Maybe slightly to the North. These nets run from around 115' to around 135'. I have heard there are more to the North, but I have not been up that far to confirm.

WOW! Talk about luck! Maybe you should play the lottery this week

My 53lb king will not fit in my car. Maybe if I strap it to the roof of my car :D Make it any launch besides Snug Harbor and I will be there. I do not want to pay to get into the park just to weigh in Moby Chinook.

Good recovery! You left the door wide open

I should have asked where it will be at before I put my name in the hat. I can not get my boat into Snug Harbor. If you have it there, I will not be at the prefish tourney.

For those that have a unit(does not matter what make), what size ball are you using with your probe to minimize blow back?