dan agnello

Looks like MDNR sold us out again. The information I have says they’ve approved 2,000ft of GILL nets. Yes GILL nets NOT trap nets as per 2000 Consent Order. Worst case would be 12 nets between Ludington and Manistee. Just like 2000 Order w/1O-12 Trap nets in this area Plus state is giving them $17 million. Think in 2000 it was $10 million. This won’t officially be announced until rest of agreement is done soon. Someone needs to ask for a stay so this can be worked out better.

Learned this quite a few years ago from a fisherman at the Manistee fish cleaning station. To get rid of fish smell on your hands wash them with shaving cream or toothpaste. I use both. If they are really bad sometimes you have to wash again..

Sloooow today on south pier. By 11:30 six fisherman caught 3 whitefish (1 myself) and 4 steelhead, 3 were very small 10-14”, but guy next ro me got a 7 lber. Going to try next Monday.

Should have been there yesterday; Caarazy day catching on S pier; of 7 guys on the S pier by 11:30 around 38 whitefish and 3 steelies were caught. I got 6 whitefish (2 were a double), 1 small steelie and 1 sucker. Latter 2 were returned. Almost all w/3 single boiled salmon eggs in each hook. Have never caught a double except for perch. Nuts. Peak is usually around Halloween, but think it’s delayed till now due to water being so warm. So get out n get ‘em. 3 small steelies caught were probably ones planted here in the spring. But, good sign they are starting to come in. Finally, lakers are in the river heavy; guys by the clock on north side and across on the south side of the river are slaying them.

Yes, not a good yr for fasher/flys for me. Meat did pretty good in May n June but not much after that. But, meat would have done well in Frankfort, but had to cancel that annual trip this yr.

I did an unofficial non-scientific count on this forum and another forum and here are the spoons that caught the most fish: 1.(7 times) Dreamweaver blue dolphin and rv bl dolphin. 2. (5) Moonshine (MS) bloody nose. 3. (5) MS Bad Toad RV 4. (5) MS Raspberry carbon and RC rv. (Rasp C caught record 46 or 48 pd king last yr) 5. (4) MS green flounder 6. (4) MS dancing anchovy. All with 3 times on list: Flea 4 All by Fuzzy Bear Lures MS 5 eyes MS Green knight MS wonderbread MS blue jeans. Notice a pattern here? Moonshine glow spoons almost all. We always have a bloody nose and blue jeans rv down. And, some non glo that that I use a lot: Bl or gr dolphin Carmel dolphin Double or crush Bl or gr mixed veggies Jagger bomb MS flounder pounder Rasta goose (gold in spring); silver later Gr toad w/white back (spring) Jordo n gold Jordo MS happy meal Whammy (by Warrior, this is usually down mid morning) NBK , aka nat born killer Watermelon Any one called alewife: gr, pk, etc. Very few guys post reports, so results could be skewed, but gives a good idea. And, when none of the above don’t work I look in my boxes for stuff they haven’t see in a while. Lol.

I go worst case and always look at open water even if I plan on fishing shallower. With all their technolgy, satellites, radar, software, etc how can they be so wrong. A joke!

Skunk in a few hours. Noaa lied again; supposed to be 1-3s coming down to 1-2s. By the time we set lines in 60’ 2-3s; got to 100’ n 3-5s; trolled back in to 60’ n pulled lines. The Reel Woman, my 21’ Grady, needed a new water pump so she unfortunately went into storage 6 weeks early. Wanted to work 130-150’ at least, but not today. From reports from 2 boats in the river today and yesterday the kings aren’t in the Black River yet.So they should still be staging up in Big Blue. So we’ll try to get in another trip or 2.

Fished 120-220 pretty much straight out. 1 for 2; nice steelie in 188’ trolling west on 290’ copper on Warrior whammy spoon. Backing line broke on nice fish on 225 copper in 210’ on MS bloody nose spoon.

1 for 3; laker on dipsey on 3 out 171’ on yellow bikini bottom SD flasher and pickled sunshine fly in 136’. Hit it first, got off, reset it and hit it again to finally hook up. Had fish on in 126’ on way in on 300 copper w/mag Warrior Whammy spoon, but got off. Easy nw 1-3s w/some whitecap’s, very fishable and was actually settling down as predicted. Usual 2-3.1Sog

1-2; small steelie on 290 copper in 142’ on MS carbon 14 spoon; nice king got off in 194’ on same 290’ copper with mag Warrior whammy spoon. Fished 100-220’. 1’ waves, speed 2.3-3..1.