FBD

Don't forget purple nurple.

Great story. Great pictures too. One if the most impressive reel abuses I've seen was a paddle fly down 100' on a 50# braid rigger rod with the drag cranked down. Rod turned sideways in the holder and it went to 600+ on the counter before I could trip the wire diver and copper board on that side to get them to the surface, and turn on the fish. We were in a tournament and I was already spending the big fish pot. 9# coho.

When the lake flips, the options are: 1. Hit the piers for steel. The fact that you can't catch kings around the piers in the summer down here tells you all you need to know about kings in the summer in southern Lake Michigan. 2. Go far enough offshore to find water that hasn't changed in temperature profile. Those fish are unaffected. 3. Fish lakers. They're on the bottom in 80-120' regardless and don't even seem to notice that the surface water changed any.

Seen fish like that, missing gill plates, spines with a kink or even bent into a "Z". Caught a brown with no lower jaw. All seemed fat and healthy. Great story on the rod.

Jeep Grand Cherokee is supposed to be able to Ford 24". Not sure I want to try...

Is that a salmon?

Maybe several life times.

Airbags are probably not a fun way to wake up. If this happens to you, take as much of your gear off your boat as possible. Then demand that they tow it back to somewhere you have control of the situation. Too many stories of equipment and tools being taken from cars and boats that get impounded. When I balled up my car a few weeks ago, I waited until the cops left, then drove it home. Not really legal but I was getting calls from the company that wanted to buy it from me within four hours. And even after I signed the settlement and kept the car, they still call.

Nice of you to give the fish a beer.

"Action Stackers" Otherwise known as "Scooter Clips" Hopefully DW bought out the rights having learned from when they screwed over Bechold by making a direct copy of the Fishcatcher.

Probably the only time there won't be weeds there. DNR is going to have fun enforcing the new law about removing all weeds from your trailer at that launch.

Crap, early May. Please come to West Michigan. Last May was stupid for kings, and if not, there's other fish to catch. St. Joe and Saugatuck have extensive charter fleets, but any of the ports you listed will work. I would pick a port then ask for recommendations. Holland has their Tulip Time festival the first full week of May and fills up with 100k tourists. All of whom locate themselves between my house and the lake. It becomes a mess to get through town. One thing to note, it's pretty standard that the charter cleans your fish and you take them with. I'd make that a point to discuss before booking, so it doesn't get weird after the trip.

Four hours can get you well north of Muskegon depending on traffic, and west Michigan is truly a beautiful place. But fishing in early June in these parts is a crap shoot at best. I'd head somewhere between the IL /WI border and Milwaukee in that time frame. The fish migrate around the lake in somewhat predictable patterns and that should put you in the middle of it.