Walleye Express

Ethics: Webster describes ethics as a system of personal morale values. The standards and principals of what is right or wrong conduct in the scheme of the laws, both man made and natural. This topic alone when applied to hunting or fishing can really ignite some real arguments and anger, but that never stopped me before. Some examples: "Bow season should be with a simple bow and wooden arrow". "Compounds are not bows at all". "Cross bows (especially with scopes) should be illegal". "Muzzle Loaders when used for hunting, should only be authentic replicas, not these scoped and rifled grooved, 200 yard Bulls eye shooting muzzle loaded snipers rifles". Need I say more? But because every mans own ethics are initially formed by what he was taught during his own chilldhood and upbringing. And lastly when he grows up, by his own ideas of fair play and his own principals of what really is right or wrong. Even the law at times bears little weight to change what a man perceives as what is right or wrong once his own adult ethics are formed and set in stone. With that said. I remember watching a stunning In-Fisherman show a long time ago, where Al Linder showed some of his very old pictures of both himself and his brother Ron holding up huge stringers of dead bass and walleyes. Most were true trophys. His message and reason for doing this show was two fold. To show that both the times and he himself used to see things different, and that things have changed when it comes to keeping or killing more then you can actually use. Or at least it did for him as he got older and wiser. I found Al's own younger experience to be much the same as mine was in my younger more (show off) years. But I was taught my first ethics both by a Grandfather and Father, who both went through the great depression, when everything you caught or killed was needed and gratefully used by all the family as the next meal. Possession laws were more liberal, yet broken quit often back then. Not so much out of greed or disregard for the law, but to offset the shrunken grocery allowance forced on everybody by the tough times. So to adjust the ethics, be law abiding and conserve the resource, was hard to change and mentally reconfigure in the minds of people when the monetary times did get better. Of course the resources themselves back then seemed unexhaustable and held out for quit a while under this onslaught, but probably only because there were more of them and fewer users of it. But in today's world (even though you are legally allowed to have more then your legal one day limit of fish in the freezer) do we really have to store so much fish and game away any more to make sure little Johnny doesn't go to bed hungry? Obviously not, yet this mentality of catch and/or kill all you can while you can remains the same for a lot of people in today's world. And with that being said, I worry about all our resources, but especially about our new abundant Saginaw Bay Walleye fishery. And when I hear or read stories like we caught 500 walleyes last summer on my boat, I guess my first question is, what does one do with 1,000 fillets? Or the guys who come here or any other lake from out of town and catch their limit in the morning and then again in the afternoon. And probably do so for the whole weekend they are here. I guess if you have 50 or more friends that trade off fishing with you every weekend, the divided math would works out O. K. But if your throwing out freezer burnt fillets every spring to start over, or supplying every friend, neighbor and relative down the street (who does not even buy a license and contribute to the resource) with fresh fish, your doing more to harm to our resource then helping it. And yes, I personally caught quite a few walleyes this last summer myself on my charters. But I insist we quit fiishing and catching after the legal limit is reached and head in for the day if we do. And 100% of my clients not only buy licenses that help support the resource, but spend money in our local economy while they're briefly here. And few of the people I take and send home with limits, seldom even fish again after that one day out. And it's not my intention here in posting this to beat my own ethical drum and put a hole in anybody else's. Like I said before, everybody has their own ethics. I'm just reminding everyone (like Al did) to occasionally examine their own for the good of all and the resource.

Yupper Frank, I do love timely and spot-on observations. Can't say how many times one section of the bay will be flat and another 3 footers. Knowing the bay like I do, this tool will give me a lot more insight to exactly whats going on and exactly where out there. Heres something else they sent me this morning. Capt, Dan. As an extra FYI... The Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab (GLERL) plans to install a wave sensor, along with other water measuring equipment, on Light 1 during the spring of 2009. We expect these measurements to become available for use through the NOAA/NWS/NDBC satellite data connection and be reported along with the wind speed, direction, etc., once the installation is complete. Hopefully, updated information will become available next spring as installation of this equipment draws nearer and I will pass it along to you. Bryan Tilley Meteorologist/Marine Focal Point NOAA/National Weather Service Detroit/Pontiac, Michigan

Kyle. E-mail this Outdoor Promotion company and ask about submiting a resume or getting an appplication for their Charter Guide Service Teams. They contacted me last year and I was able to get on the Pro Teams of 5 new companies, including Power Pro line and Mustad Hooks. Both products I use a lot. I cannot gaurantee anything, but give it a try. [email protected]

Cobra. I can't honestly comment on the fluorocarbon line, as I have never used it. I've always been a (no frills) straight cat gut man. I can comment however on Pike and Tip-Ups. Few things, including line size, line color, hook size/color, and often bait type and size, can scare a pike away when he's on the feed. Your rig configuration above pretty much proves that. He is the ultimate predator and few other things prey on him, except other pike in his world. The biggest pike I ever caught (18 pounds) was on Fletchers Pond back in the late 60's, using another pike, 9 inches long on a tip-Up that the bait guy accidentally gave us with our 12 inch suckers. So I'm thinking using even a small rope as a leader would only scare away the smallest of pike. So I guess the only thing left to check and confirm would be the convenience and strength of using fluorocarbon line. And that part might only be learned by trial, error and experience. But be sure to share your experiences, pictures and findings with us if you would. Heres a picture of me holding some dandy Pike my Dad, Brother and I caught on first ice, on the backwaters of the Kawkawlin River back in 1962, when I was but 10 years old.

Kyle. Here's the straight poop. Of the 12 or so companies I Pro Staff for and get discounted products from, all of them (or their reps) approached or contacted me first about using their products. Most because they already knew I successfully used their product. Some just sent me free samples to try or experiment wiith. All either heard about me from their own reps or read enough of my posts on web site fishing boards, my fishing reports on bait shop web sites, or actual articles I wrote and had published in different papers or magazines, that they knew I freely talked about and shared with the fishing public those things that catch more fish for me personally or on my charters. Most charter captains, tournament fishermen and other experienced fishermen, seldom if ever share information freely or will take the time to do so. Some companies wanted to give me free products whenever I wanted them, but didn't want me talking about any other products related to that same type of product. I won't do that. I insist on being able to talk and write freely about any new or old product that I successfully use. I also insisted apon paying at least the manufacturing cost of any product they send me. This keeps me free to write about all products and supports the integrity readers want and expect to help them be more successful when they buy and use the products themsleves that you talk or write about. But I do support, praise, write about and display sticker or banners on my boats from all the pro staff products I use. But I do so when and because they continue to work for me. When and if they stop working, or I simply don't use them, I don't mention them. When and if you accept free products, it puts a different pressure on you to always talk about and never mention other like products, rather they've been working or not. That's what I won't do and have that understanding with all my sponsors. And I've lost potential sponsors because of those conditions and standards I've personally set. So I guess what I'm telling you is to promote yourself more in every venue you can. Ask about doing web site fishing reports for local bait shops if they have a web site. Keep them up to date with inside info, tips and things meant to help people be safe, informed and ready to catch more fish when they come to your area. Answer any personal E-mails honestly and without conditions even from strangers, and share honestly the knowledge you have with others on fishing boards while mentioning those things in detail (pro staff products or not) that works for you and every aspect of how you use them. Get your name and your reputation out there in as many ways as you can. You'll even get a few more charters from people who appreciate what your freely doing for them and others. The down side is, you will actually make some enemies for doing so and may loose your place in the Marina information CLICK. But you will make 100 times more newer friends for helping beginners or newbies, and the Pro Staff offers will start coming in the mail without your written petitions to them.

Greetings Capt. Dan from NOAA, National Weather Service, Detroit/Pontiac... Earlier this week NOAA/National Weather Service officially deployed a new marine observation site on Saginaw Bay Light #1. The new instrumentation reports wind speed, peak wind gust, wind direction, air temperature, and air pressure every 10 minutes. This new observation site will provide critical weather information for researchers, Coast Guard search and rescue operations, commercial and recreational fisherman, wind farm operators, and commercial shippers. The data can currently be accessed via the NOAA National Data Buoy Center Web site at http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=sblm4 Remember also that the latest weather and water forecasts for Saginaw Bay can be accessed at… http://weather.gov/greatlakes We gratefully acknowledge Coast Guard Station Saginaw River for their assistance. We hope this message finds you wrapping up a successful season. Sincerely, Bryan Tilley Meteorologist/Marine Focal Point NOAA/National Weather Service Detroit/Pontiac, Michigan

Slow Trolling speeds and the "Pump and Stall" is both the speed and action that most cold water walleyes are looking for and relate to this time of year. The alewives and shad that come into both the rivers and connecting lakes at this time are there to avoid the colder open water expanses. Most of these tropical warm water species will die over the fall and winter, as the waters get even colder as the season wears on. We see thousands swimming together very slowly in schools near the surface on the river during our night time trips. So a slow roll trolling speed, with pumps and pauses thrown in with that specific action, mostly reflects these baitfish's own swimming action during this time of year, and is more than a decent walleye can stand. I could not resist giving the walleye in the bottom picture a little kiss before I set her free.

The nets off palmer kill a lot of small fish during that fragil period of time.

I guess that would depend on your prefered fishing spots. I remember fishing on the close to shore ice during my life just before thanksgiving and in the cuts, rivers, lagoons, ditches and pot holes when the Great Lakes were much higher for both pike and perch. And we got some dandys during that first ice on those spots. I don't do that much any more, so the safe ice I'll be looking for will have to be in 14 to 22 FOW out on the Saginaw Bay. And I'll be happy (and surprised) if that happens by January 1st.

These particular ones are made by Berkley, so already have a scent added. It's not quit as funky as the Gulp products are, but do have a "WANG" smell all their own. I'm headed to the river in about 2 hours for some late afternoon jigging with the Realistixs, then some after dark trolling with some Raps and Huskys. Hopefully, I'll have a success report as well as some pictures tonight or tomarrow morning.

Let us know how they work out Jim.

I was also thinking the smaller 2 inch versions would be just as good or better on a perch rig, as any lifeless minnow hooked through the head would be.

Early last fall while picking up a few more Northland Mimmic Minnow bodies and jigs in the perch flavor, I seen the new (3 inch) Berkley Realistix Minnows in the handy 10 pack. They come packed with 10 seperate bodies, with 2 already pre-rigger with color matching 1/8 ounce jig heads in the pack. I've been a (Real Live Bait) guy forever when it came to river jig fishing. And Northland was the first artificial I tried the fall before, that had shown me that you can consistantly catch fall river walleyes on rubber. And with all the new VHS rules and laws, as well as good live baits scarce availabilty anymore, having a reliable fall back only makes good sense. So anyway, I picked up a package of the Realistixs in the perch pattern along with more mimmics. And even though I wouldn't call this test either scientific or conclusive I jigged with both (side by side) on my next trip to the river that November 10th day last year. I only did so the last 1 1/2 hour before dark, and at a time when the fish were first starting to come into the river. I caught 7 walleyes with only 3 being keepers and the picture is below. 2 of those 3 were on the realistix as was 5 of the 7 total. But the realistixs charm also extended to more then just walleyes. These little rascles were killer, dead fished under slip bobbers for both smallies and whites this past spring as well. So when I seen that my local bait imporium had stocked some new colors, I went kinda crazy. I'm not sure this picture can do them justice. That white one with the chartreuse tail, is actually a glow in the dark that I'll be trying this coming season a few times after dark. And the Green one at the bottom you have to see in real life to believe. Those people at Berkley seem to have to much experimental time on their hands, and I'm glad they do.

The best advice I could give a beginner Jay, is take it slow, always stay on the worn trails, GPS mark your course going out and fallow it precisel when coming back in. And stay near other fishermen. Especially if it's your first time out on the bay.

I like your simple optimism Frank.

I'm guessing this (mostly salmon/trout site) is going to get like vacant lot in about 4 more weeks. Us fall and winter walleye guys might as well circle our wagons now.

Just ordered some new type spoons for this years ice fishing season from Franks Great Outdoors. They had 2 very important things going for them IMV. They were on sale and I got that warm and fuzzy feeling looking at them. I'll replace the rubber scented minnow they come with of course with the real deal. They are from the Berkley Power Bait Company and are called Blade Dancers. So do you think they'll work on the Saginaw Bay this winter?

You can also post a comment on the bill at: http://washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_3377.html

Hi Dan. I knew you'd be after me as soon as September was over about the trawl results. All results are preliminary as of now of course. Early observations indicate a trawl catch rate of about 6 age-0 walleye per 10 minute tow (average). This makes it the 6th highest average catch rate for the trawl time series (since 1971). It means another good walleye year class for 2008. Its not as strong as the ones we have mostly seen since 2003 but still pretty darn good and solid. The 2007 year class (based on the catch rate in our gillnet collections) was the second highest we've measured since the surge in reproduction that began in 2003. No doubt you have been catching many of these little 12 & 13 inch fish. There are lots of them and that bodes very well for continued abundance of walleye in the bay. Yellow perch remain in low abundance relative to past surveys but there was definitely some there. The age-0 perch were not nearly as abundant as recent years but that may be a good thing, meaning that they will grow better and survive better. We'll see. Once we get all the lab work done (like aging the fish) and do the data analysis, we'll know a lot more. By late winter we'll have the annual creel survey results too. Check back with me on it around early March. BTW; Will you be attending the annual MCBA meeting that is being held this year in Alpena (like Oct 25th)? I'll be there for much of it, talking some about my research concerning cormorants.

You won't believe this. jr0hdY_94K8

For those of you who fish the Tittabawassee, Hot Ponds or any water with current, check out these neat bobbers. This guy also catches a few River steelhead using them. Check out some of the videos. They also seem kinda Cool for dead water presentations where obstcales or ledges are present. I just ordered 4 Small and 4 Medium. Keeping my jig and minnow or power bait in the same spot in the current should be a killer idea for them White Bass come spring. http://www.bulletbobber.com/shorefishing.html http://www.bulletbobber.com/

Don't get to excited yet Bill. I'm not sure if this Reversal is just for Michigan Charter Captains or not. Plus, I just recieved a notice in the mail from the Coast Guard yesterday, telling me the deadline for having a TWIC card has been moved back, but anybody without one after this new expiration date will not be able to get or re-new their Captains License.

To all MCBA Captains: Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) has proposed legislation (S.3377) that would do away with the requirement of small boat operators (read that: Charterboat operators such as ourselves) from obtaining a TWIC card. NACO has sent an email to its members suggesting that this bill will be acted on soon, and all interested parties should contact their senators indicating their support for this legislation. I have attached a word document which discribes the bill in more detail. You may use the information below to contact our Michigan Senators. Do it today, or do it very soon. Rich Haslett, President Michigan Charterboat Association Levin, Carl- (D - MI) 269 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-6221 Web Form: levin.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm Stabenow, Debbie- (D - MI) 133 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-4822 Web Form: stabenow.senate.gov/email.cfm From: [email protected] To: Subject: Info on TWIX Card Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:53:47 +0000 Content-Type: Multipart/mixed; boundary="NextPart_Webmail_9m3u9jl4l_29300_1221836144_2" I Just E-mailed both Senators concerning the TWIC cards and my urgings to them to retract this stupid law/rule. Do you know I still have not recieved my card. They did cash my check but lost all my paper work and don't seem very compitent to find it or even a little ancious to let me apply for another.

That was taken on Black Lake. We smoked the walleyes that year. In the 2 days I fished (1-01-03/1-02-03) with your uncle and cousin, we iced 18 walleyes. I limited twice. Derek was fishing almost every day that year and iced 78 walleye that season. They called me up at the peak of the run. Few walleyes taste better then Black Lake walleyes. Maybe if you treated you uncle better, he'd call you as well.

Wulp, Broke down and ordered another double wide Otterskin Shanty. This shanty is not to be confused with the Otter brand name Shanties. I bought one of these Otterskin double wide's, made by CanvasCraft from a friend a few years ago and it worked out great for my ice charter trips, where you might have 3 very large men in one shanty. Then I got both a generous offer to sell it and another great deal on a regular 3 man Otter 11 Lodge shanty at the same time. Well, the regular Otter 11 Lodge was to small many times when the clients were as big as me, plus floor space taken up by 10 inch holes, all the other gear, including cooking/heating equipment inside. And I really missed the room that the 6 X 12 Otterskin offered. So I went full hog this time and re-ordered the Otterskin Magnum 11, but with the Norpac R2 insulation in this one as well. Here's a picture of both Otters as well as CanvasCrafts web site address, in case any of you are looking for a shanty with enough room to set up a mariotchee band in the same shanty while you fish. http://www.canvascraftinc.com/otterskin_doublewide.html