Lobi

My knee-jerk reaction to this "preference" was to think, ya, the fishes preference. If we don't fool them we don't grin and eat. I thought I remembered something like 1-2 revolutions per second. Remember we are trying to mimic a wounded/disoriented bait-fish that a salmon has just went slashing through and will come back for the easy pickings. The Pacific north west guys have been using cut bait for a very long time. Lake Ontario, here in our Great Lakes chain was using it way before us on Lake Michigan. Both of those areas have things we can learn from. I tried googling for cut bait spin speed and found lots of great information and quickly burned up 45 minutes that I don't have right now. Here is a little piece I liked from Captain Dennis Hull of Bite Me Guide Service.. " My saying on this is that their is no perfect roll since no two baitfish die in the same way. Many fisherman believe that perfect roll - often referred to as "that slow roll salmon love" is of utmost importance to the point of being obsessed with it. I believe if its fresh, spinning and shinny its good to go and you will always catch more fish with your bait in the water than in the boat with you while you screw around with it looking for that perfect roll. " I started using herring on Lake Michigan before most because of my reading on the Lake Ontario forums. I often found our biggest kings came on meat and that dipsey/meat rigs seemed hot. When tuning your meat rig at boat side don't forget about the currents down deep. Bend that head so that you have a roll that you like but pull it into a current and it's spinning like mad. Conversely, troll with a deep current and your meat is dragging along lifeless. I'm not sure either if there is a perfect spin speed. I am sure however that a dying fluttering spinning hunk of herring will catch more fish than one that is imitating some type of turbo helicopter.

I'll be monitoring this thread as I hope to hit big blue next week. If they are not in you can still launch along the wall on the river side of the launch at st joe if they are not yet in there either.

Like Tom, I'm old school using the big boards on the planer mast. I love to have them pop free and fight just the fish.

I say ditto to many of the preceding comments. You can never troll faster than a fish can swim, if he wants it, he'll get it. Your hits upon speeding back up after a slow-down make a lot of sense. There are lots of cool salmon videos of the fish following a bait for a long long time just checking it out. As soon as it speeds up (getting away) they hit it. This also happens to your outside boards that speed up on a turn. Why not slow down (like when fighting a fish) when you are not getting bit just so you can speed back up again. One more thought, remember how much action your long (copper n lead-core) lines have with speed changes. they should get bit too.

Thanks and congrats on good report. What is 40 down off board? Planer board with full core out?

If you clip the dive bomb on at the lead core end of your leader wouldn't that kill the hypnotic rise/fall that the lead core seems to be good at? I would think you would want the dive bomb on after the lead core (or at least some/most of it) is deployed? I've also heard the dive bomb can assist in a charging fish to help eliminate slack line. The bomb drops and takes up the slack.

Did you find one yet? I have a good one off a '96 ocean runner (150 hp 25 inch). It lost cyl #2, rest good. Would work on same year Rude but might not on the newer models. If it would work and you have yet to find one let me know.

this will sound like a major rookie question maybe but here goes.. I have big boards / mast / reels. I, like others have mentioned like fighting just the fish after hookup/release. I understand the way you can re-set your shallow line out over the deeper ones with the inline boards by just sliding over the top of them. Here is my question.. Why can't I just let a little line out on the other rod(s) on my big board line and just re-deploy the high (shorter copper) out inside the deeper copper that I just let out further on the big board line? I mean, why does the 200 copper HAVE to be further out from the boat than the 300 copper? Just because the 200 just took a fish being furthest out doesn't mean if I let the 300 out further and put the 200 on the inside that it won't catch a fish does it?

guilty thanks for the reminder

Got out just in time to see sun get sucked into the water last night and eeked out one. Should have went home but had my brother with me and it was his first King off the lake. We goofed around all night trying to sleep in the truck, terrorizing wal Matt employees, eating, etc. Got out early.. FIRST! .. at the launch. Took first off rigger 55 down, 90 fow, with 8 inch green n glow hootchie momma and glow green fly. Nice 3 year old. Bro was pumped. Again.. Should have now left for home. Next fish came in 140 fow on 300 (30 lb) copper with 11 inch paddle and uv fly. Weber screaming across my core and was gone. Really should have gone home now. Two hours later, full core with uv flasher / uv fly starts bouncing. My brother grabs it and starts reeling like mad. Keeps reeling like mad. I say you got a fish or what? Then I see all eleven inches of it flopping on the surface. Cutest brightest salmon I've ever seen. Shot out of sight like his trail was on fire upon release. Now we really really should have gone home. Nope, washed stuff until after noon with nothing else to put in the box. congratulations to all you guys loading the boats. We got our butts kicked. Someone give me a way to send you the pics (2) and post them for me? I can't post yet. You have to see that little dude and the size of my brothers smile with first good king. Thanks

Drove across from east side of the state and didn't have lines in the water till close to 9 pm. Better than staying home right? Dropped a few lines at 60 foe and picked up one king at 90fow on a full core with a flounder pounder. Couple of crappy hours of sleep in the truck and I'll see you guys out there in the morning.

Anyone trolling at night for salmon? I've heard of it but don't know anyone who has done it. What to do? Same game? Lots of glow? Shallow? What about just starting an hour or two early instead of just before first light. Ramp traffic would sure be light. You might be able to tell that I don't get out enough times each year and want to get more time on the water when I can. If I'd just be using gas and washing lures I guess sleep would be more productive. But if I can put a couple extra in the box...

All I know is launch to open water n back. I'm guessing the place mentioned is off to the right at the fork just before I have to turn a little left to go around power station? Hmm, public or not? Sort of but not advertised? I remember seeing it listed on a brochure about things in Grand Haven area and even looked for it on foot one time. Waked as far as the big ole train engine but didn't find it. Nice town great fishing port, pronto pups... Asking to much for a station?

Thanks Jeff. I'll be running out at night just to get there then grab a couple of (very not comfortable) hours sleep in the truck before hitting the water. Anyone hitting the shallow bite or should I run out and set up deep right off the bat? I'll be running copper, wire, n riggers. No meat going on , hmm. But I like getting stinky before daylight

I've fished out of grand Haven for many years and never have found the fish cleaning station. I keep hearing that there is one but don't know where. Is there one? Available to public? Where? I hate bringing home whole fish. In bags is much nicer. Thanks!

Coming across to big blue Thursday night / Friday morning. Is there anywhere to buy herring late at night or first thing in the morning (and still get lines set in the dark) ? Willing to pay a premium if need be. Someone put up one of those vending machines with frozen herring in it and be prepared to keep filling it. Oh, headed to Grand Haven.

I'm ready to try longer leads between my dipsey and flasher this year. Going to start with ten footers but want to try running one at 30 feet. What do you think of this logic.. The flasher on a short lead can only spin out so far. A longer lead will let it spin a larger circle. Heard of one boat running 30 ft leads and doing well. Hope I'm not letting someones secrete out of the bag.

All I've been hearing about is deep fish. Sounds like you found them in shallow. Only at first and last light? Thanks