John's Tuition

It's a good idea. I think I will try it. Most of those days that I noticed better action with the big paddle, the paddle itself didn't get much love anyway but was probably just acting as an attractant.

I've had a day where I was getting bit with an 11" paddle on rigger and then took it off and they dried up. Put it back on and started getting bit again. I've also had days where I struggled to get bites and put one on and started doing well. Other days it doesn't seem to make a difference.

Nice work, Ed!

We found them in 110 this morning. We launched at 5:30 and ran straight out of PS to 100. We were 2 for 3 by 6:30 am and ended up 4 for 8 by 8:00 am. Bite shut off and couldn't get anything else to go after that. Black Hulk Moonshine on 350 and 8" Showtime spinny on 225 were best. Had something big break off a 10" Black Jeans meat rig on wire dipsy 140 back, and Blue Flounder Pounder RV on 300 took our biggest fish (22#). The water temp was 55 on surface and 50 degrees from 50 down to bottom. South troll was best w/2.6 @ the ball.

They were working on the cleaning station this morning when I was there. It was up and running and the water shut off seems to be working fine now.

Somehow we avoided the skunk (5/31)...Launched at 6:30 am. Lost my net at the drawbridge!! I was so mad at myself. I ran out to 60 FOW and set lines and started trolling WSW. Set riggers and as I started setting out my long lines first I got our first bite on a the Bloody Nose RV on rigger down 60. Lake Trout. 2nd bite came on a 10 color with a stinger blue veggies (small king) no sooner then I got it out there. Took a decent sized king on glow white blue ladder back Moonshine spoon on 300 copper not long after setting it out. Got another Laker on the 10 color w/ stinger Blue Veggies. All bites were between 70-100 FOW. Trolled over dead water out to 120 and picked up a steelhead on the 150 copper w/ Jager Bomb. Trolled back into 105 and tried a N troll for a bit but didn't get any other bites. SOG was 2.2-2.5. Speed at the ball was 2.9-3.1. Current was ripping pretty good. Tough morning but didn't lose any fish even though we had no net. There was another boat at the cleaning station that did similar to us but with bigger fish.

.5 to 1.3 waves

Blue Moonshine

Left the city launch at 6:50 am and proceeded to 130 FOW straight out of the harbor. Turned North with waves to set lines and Immediately got a rigger bite @ 60 down with a mag Flounder Pounder but didn't hook up. Had a small Lake Trout hit a Spin Doctor (Atomik Chrome Killer)/fly (green) on wire diver 135 back but came off near the boat. Boated a nice laker on the Flounder Pounder down 60 before turning to the South. Took another bigger Laker on the spinny/fly wire diver. 300 copper fired with a good King on a Jager Bomb. No sooner then got that in the boat and the other wirediver with a super slim Get er Done spoon got crushed and bent one of the hooks straight. Nabbed and released another nice Laker on the spin/fly combo. Removed rod from lineup. Took a 20lb. King on the Flounder Pounder before the bite shut down. Pulled lines and ran North a couple miles but only managed one more small Laker (dragger) when reeling in one of the riggers. SOG was all over the place but best down speed was 2.9. Returned to dock at 11:40 am.

Good eye, Tyeell. Yes, it is! I searched all over for something that I could securely mount a rigger on a narrow gunnel boat and still be able to quickly remove as needed. It works like a champ. I only have very light-weight manual riggers on it because I ended up having to use wellnuts in the top bolts that attach to the gunnel. I'm considering upgrading to electric because I think I actually put more stress on the mount by cranking up the ball then an extra 10lbs. of motor weight would.

Great report, JD. Do you remember what the surface and down temps were when you were out in that deeper water?

Awesome boat, Tarrey! Here's some pics of how my SH is rigged. Finding space for all my rods has also been a challenge I was able to find some narrow tracks and had some trees custom made.

Ha! Some colors make or break the Challenger and that lime green looks sweet, and I'm usually not a fan of that color at all. Overall, I'm very happy with my 2013 SuperHawk 1650. If I would have waited one more year to order it I could have gotten one with the SureTrac gunnel system. That would have saved me a lot of headaches with rigging for salmon. The narrow gunnels are a pain but it's the biggest boat I could fit in my garage (I live in a condo so parking outside is not an option) and still have my wife be able to open her car door. Bert's tracks won't fit on the gunnel so I had to get creative in mounting riggers, trees and dipsy holders. Since it is a fish/ski boat at heart I wanted to be able to remove all my rigging if and when we used it for watersports. The 115 efi fs does great for tubing, kneeboarding and skiing (one person) but I switch out my prop with an aggressive pitch stainless when I need a better punch out of the hole (like for wakeboarding). I get a little wet running in chop on Lake Michigan but it does the job on most days. What model is your Crestliner?

@Sea Eagle LOVE the Challenger! Also, very nice Crestliner. I have the same graphics on my Super Hawk.

Thanks for the updates, Ed! Much appreciated.

Weekdays are soo much nicer regardless of the outcome. :-)

Great report, Ed. I need to get a Fishhawk next year. I did good early morning running 1.9-2.1 SOG on a SW troll in 160 but as soon as the sun came up I struggled. I see based on your data that I should have been going a lot faster. I tried speeding up a couple times but was running a J-plug most of the morning so I didn't want to go too fast. Not knowing exactly where the temp breaks were, and not marking a lot of fish, I thought I had over-shot them. I ran in to 130 and was getting good marks but couldn't get much going. Scott