dan agnello

Fished pier heads south to Cook plant; only 3 for 3 in 35’ between chalets and Cook Plant. 2 coho on high lines on Brads red thin fish w/bk squiggles and one on mini dipsey on mini double or crush spoon. A little bumpy from nw; probably 2-3s. Water temp pretty much 45 all over except at Cook. Speed 2.5-3.

Just 3 for 3 at Cook plant . 2 browns, 1 coho. Ran 8 lines: high line, 1C, 2C and mini dipsey on each side. 2 in bubbler on gold double orange crush mini spoon on Big Jon mini dipsey out 50’. 1 on 1 color w/jointed J11 bk/chtome/wh/gold Rapala trolling north, downhill, between Cook and Chalets. At least a dozen boats down there and only saw 1 other net in the water. Not sure where they went. They could be in their other location this time of yr in 200’ eating invasive species Mysa shrimp. 200’ is about 13 miles out in SJ; around 7 miles inSourh Haven. PS: NO more fishing in the bubbler until fall; buoy boat was deploying buoys.

Going on different boat down there this Thursday or Friday.. My boat will be unwrapped in a few days and will be ready to go. Wish I had indoor cold storage place with reasonable rent around here.

Sorry for late report. On friend’s boat: Crazy, 23 for like 30 down near Cook plant in 8-22fow; 11 hos n 12 browns; released all browns n dink ho. South wind and got majority of fish on north troll aka downhill, trolled at 2.3-2.9 mph. Ran 14 lines: 2 2C, 2 1C, and 4 high lines aka 4 Walleye boards each side. 2 mini dipseys, 2 rigs and 2 cones out so far you can barely see them. Everything took fish. Best body bait was of course Brads version of the thin fin in red w/black squiggles; mini spoons: gold double or crush; gold yl/or/striped, nothing on nascar but changed to greasy ckn wing n got few on that; first two spoons had those very little oval spinners at hook end too. That’s old man, me in top pic. Looks like we’re about month earlier than usual. My boat get shrink wrap pulledwe tomorrow.

City leaves one dock in all winter unless river ices up then they pull it. Launch is free until 4/15 when fish cleaning is also open.

Went 3 for 6 on browns; north troll few miles north of Palisades Plant on north troll in 6-18fow.

I was very surprised too. Gave fish to Brian who fought it; he cleaned it at home, aka not many cleaning stations in Muskegon. I’ll text him and find out; guy at cleaning station here 2 weeks ago had a pretty light bronze colored one and meat looked pretty good. Meat on two we got in Frankfort 8/13 n 14 was pretty good on more bronze colored fish with snouts starting to curl. See FF photos here.

1-3 Line broke on king in breakwall area; on port rigger down 16' on pink glo J plug; 174' this 17lb king on mag rv happy meal on SB rigger down 78'; lost another one same area, same rigger, same depth jumped off after about a minute. Like glass out there; Big bass tourney launching out of same Grand Trunk launch as us; but no holdups launching or retrieving. Beautiful day out there. Surprised how silver our fish was.

In very good shape; line tension spring adjusts very well, rotating mount, mount screw clamp, spooled with solid copper wire. My dad used to use it Walleye fishing in Lake St Claire. $199 OBO.

Fished from pier heads to 180’; 2 rigs, 2 dipseys, 8C, 150 n 300 out. Threw j plugs at them near piers and changed up as we got deeper to meat on dipseys, flasher/fly on one rigger n spoons on rest. Last Sunday: Got 2 coho in 100; a few guys found fish in 160-180; we had a few marks in 175 area yesterday but not takers. Maybe w/almost full moon n clear skies past few nights they were feeding at night; aka don’t set lines until 1 or 2 pm for late lunch. Next trip Holland, Muskegon or my bucket list The Pent. Think what few silver were here are gone; surprised they stayed around this long; usually first of July aren’t too many around; we have no structure to keep them here. Unlike charters I do no target lakers. Beautiful day with some old mates n a newbie. ALWAYS a great day on Big Blue. Have a fun, safe Labor Day Weekend. Great for playing but boating supposed to be rough all 3 days.

Fantastic report n job. Heading out here in SoHa Friday; going to fish skinny water for hopefully some stagging kings; if not will work my way slowly out to 100-120 where there have been a few nice kings. Safe water this weekend! P.S: I too bit the bullet and repowered my 21’ Grady with a 2024 140HP, Tohatsu 4 stroke that is running great. With my 1999 130Hp Honda 4 stroke having overheating problems, aka 2 water pumps, new T’stat and motor flush, it was time.

Fished in rain Monday afternoon for 3 hrs, 2:30-5:30; just one for one; 9 lb king on rigger down 66’ on Capt John King meat rig in 120’ straight out; trolled to Herring hole and back and nothing. On sunny Tuesday, also one for one on rigger down 23’ w/2c on end, aka SWR, so bait was down around 33’. In 54’ straight out on CJohn King Ghostbuster meat rig. 1-3s, then 2-4s and getting toward 3-5s so we pulled at 11:15. Guy at fish cleaning got 4 in Herring Hole. At 7:15 guys that were coming in when we were out got 4 in 50’ area. One guy at cleaning had 23lber. Saturday is our Steelheaders annual injured vets fishing outing. After we take them fishing for 5 hrs or so, big parade in river w/100s of spectators and then we have a luncheon for them. i feel so humble to be able to honor and thank them for their service. Great times!

Maybe not the place, but near South Haven I need a good mechanic to look at the 130hp 4 stroke Honda on my Grady White. Had my mechanic at the marina put a water pump in last fall and another water pump and thermostat around 3 weeks ago. Still overheating. When its at trolling speed it pees intermittently; pees for a few seconds , stops, then starts again

Yes, after looking at it again and the fact it jumped out of the water like a silver rocket, it is a steelie. Thks.

3 for 3; 1 Ho, nice steelie and nice laker Fished 6:45 -1, all fish 11:45 to 1 pm in 85-90 ft, a few miles north of piers in 26s. Very small Coho on gr/bk/wh spoon w/wh back on slider with main down 75’. 9 lb Steelie on 200 cu on reg size uv blue jeans 13 lb laker on rigger down 85’ on mag bl/gr/silver spoon. Speed usual 2.5-3.1sog All hits were going south, uphill (against winds from SE); almost dead calm after nice 1-2s early. Chop started building up on way in.

Yes, that is biggest Steelie I’ve seen; good job n thanks for report.

Ended up 2/4; 18 lb king on rigger slider spoon (similar to bl dolphin) w/main down 70’. 5 lb king on 300cu on jordo spoon All hits in 90-95’ fow of water about mile or two north n south of pier heads. Quite a few boats out in 85-110’; don’t know where rest of boats at launch went. Waves, dead calm, trolled 2.6-3.1Sog.

5/21 I was a pro observer for our tournament; 6 for 7, north in 27s, 100-160’, all 6-9lb kings. Then they went out 31 miles, yes no typo 31, to get some big lakers, 2-17, 16 and 15; of course they won 333. Finished 2nd in tournament pro division. 5/22 We fished straight out from piers to few miles north, 85-117’; 6 for 7, all kings; 2 on 300 cu on rv Moonshine blue jeans; riggers down 50 n 70, on wonder bread and rv WB, dipsey on 3 out 170’ on yellow bikini SD w/pickled sunshine fly. Speed 2.6-3.1Sog. 5/23 friends were 2 for 2, laker n king in 100’. 5/24 friends again were 3 for 3 in 120, but another boat got 10 in 220’.

Don’t know but FBD said his was smelt. I didn’t check their guts. Sorry usually do.

Oh forgot speed, run hot: 2.7-3.0 most of the time except for speed ticks. Do speed ticks (changes)up n down very often; got a lot of hits when we came down to around 2.5 for 10-15 seconds and then sped up to 3.0. I would also do my usual line ticks, aka while rods are in the holders grab the lines and make a few jerks on each line. When lines are at steady speeds the fish will follow them sometimes for miles. Ticks sometimes get them pissed off that their “food” is going to leave and they strike. Have fun, be safe, and good luck. Capt Dan

You are welcome. Better get to the Harbor Island ramp very early. There is only 1 dock available for use and only on the west side. Will probably be a zoo Saturday. They have rebar in and are ready to pour new concrete ramps for docks 2,3, & 4. Good luck!