Priority1

I fished with Chuck I, Mike T, and Dean N. This was Chuck's first trip aboard Priority1. We tried to pick up where we left off about a week ago but the fish had definitely moved. We picked up one walleye fairly quick but then it was a search mission. We did find some active fish just before it was time to come in. We fished long and hard. We did have one double and some decent fish. A lot of perch fishermen out there. Nothing in the box needed measuring. Ended the trip with 7 decent eyes and 8 cats. 13-23 FOW BB and meat. Some fish high and some down and dirty. Everyone did what needed to be done. A couple of nice fish came unbuttoned within sight. 1.5 MPH. Weather permitting I'll be out Sun, Thurs, Fri. and that will end my season. Fishon!

Matt, GJ on the Sunrise Side.

Yes it's a cat. The 3 cats went home with Tom. I'll skin a couple every year but most of the time they get farmed.

I fish the weeds in Saginaw Bay for walleye and they also have the same on their fins and tails sometimes. They are a form of a blood sucker. Usually if the fish are out of the weeds they don't have these on them. There is no problem eating the fish. Some of these will detach from the fish and be stuck to the cooler bottom. I don't think they are lamprey.

I fished with Tom D, Chuck A, and Rocky D. We started in 2-2-1/2 foot waves and the bite was slow. The waves died down to about a 6" chop and the bite died. At first we were picking up some high and low fish. When the waves subsided the high fish disappeared from the graph and we took only 1 fish after that. We ended the morning with 12 walleye a couple of perch and 3 cats. The day was beautiful when we left but a chilly 40 something when we started. Good people good stories, and good times. We fished 12-20 FOW. The pics are compliments of Rocky D. I forgot my hat and camera. I always have an extra hat aboard. We ran 8 Offshore boards and two down rods to start and expanded to 10 boards as the waves subsided. 1oz bb off the boards and 3 oz bb on the down rods. I'll probably get out once or twice after the holiday and will lay Priority1 up until next Spring. It's been a very good year.

Mike GJ all season long.

Joe S, Tom E, and Fred T, joined me for a fun morning on the bay. We started out marking lots of fish but the takers were few. I decided not to run and gun but to hang tough and see if we could make it happen. The bite went from Slooooooow to Woooooooooooow and then back to Slooooow. The bite varied with the waves and cloud cover. Joe is still working so we ended the trip with 18 walleye, 2 nice perch and a catfish. This was Fred's first trip aboard P1 and I hope he'll join us again. Our best color by far was a #4 glow chartreuse tiger pattern. Speed was a critical factor. With the waves varying it was difficult to hit the 1.5 MPH sweet spot. I decided to pull one bag and troll with just the port bag. Problem solved. The boat control was definitely tougher with one bag but doable. We were fishing near the extreme W bay shore in 12-15 FOW. When we were in our target zone area the graph was covered with fish from top to bottom. The key today was speed and trying to coax the neutral fish to bite. There was a bug hatch taking place and the fish were full of bugs and minnows. 1oz bouncers off the boards and 3 oz bouncers off the down rods. The bite is a bit tougher than the mid May through Mid July heydays, but the company was GRRRR8 and the Bay keeps giving if you want to put the time in. Gotta Luv it, the Good Lord knows I do.

Way to get the skunk out with a nice King.

I had the pleasure of fishing with Jay, Mike, and Skip. Thanks guys. We got the skunk out of the box quickly and proceeded to put 3 more walleye in the box before it slowed or worse yet stopped. We went on a fruitless recon mission and then returned to where we started. We picked up 5 more quick fish, and continued to constantly pick them off. We finished up with a 4 man miscount and a catfish. If there is plus side to a miscount we were still legal. Some times less is more or better. I have a pitch counter on the back of the boat to count fish. Fish goes in the box the person who put it in is supposed to count it. One guy even had on flip flops so a 20 count should have been easily doable. It was a nice day to spend fishing with good friends. Gotta Luv Dat Bay. Best color was Glow Chartreuse tiger pattern #4 spinner blade. We ran 1oz bouncers off ten OR12 Offshore boards with Tattle Flags, and 3oz bouncers off two down rods. Best speed was 1.5 MPH with some change ups thrown in. I gave my fish away to a needy person. I'll be out again tomorrow and hope to get enough fish help someone else out. It's a tough job but someone has to do it.

When it first changed from two to three rods it was for Salmon and related fish only, not all Great Lakes trolling. The gas prices were increasing and I think the Charter Captains played a big part in this. It took a few years before it was expanded to all species. I think there was too much confusion and also legal issues that prompted the MI DNR to expand the three rod rule across the board. Just the facts. Some of the issues before expanding to all species. 1. Fishing for Salmon with 3 rods and you land a Walleye. Did the walleye have to be released? You could only use two rods for Walleye. 2. You were fishing for Walleye but claimed to be fishing for Salmon doing so with three rods.

Keep the chick pics coming.

I had the extreme pleasure of fishing with Rocky D, Mike T, and Roger L. The bite was a bit slow but the day was beautiful and we hung in there for a 4 man limit. I fished with Mike and Roger several times before, but it was the first time I met and fished with Rocky aka (Deaf Buck). We ran 10 Offshore boards with tattle flags and 1 oz bouncers. We also ran two down rods with 2 and later 3 oz bouncers. I don't think there was a favorite color and we were taking fish high and low. We also met and talked with Jay Be and his crew at the ramp.

Jeff, Ryan does it as a hobby. I'll ask him if he's interested in doing another SMB.

Terry, GJ with the gals. It was good talking with you on phone. I should have kept calling you. It was fishon right after I called.

You da man dog. Or is it you da dog man. Gr8 fishing and report.

I fished with Ryan M, his son Cody, and Travis. They got their limit but I was slacking as mine is the last to fill. We had a slow start but we were taking fish quite fast at the end but Ryan had a commitment so we called it a day. Good colors were chartreuse glow tiger pattern, and Rainbow trout. 1.5 MPH 10-19 FOW. 2oz off ten Offshore boards and 3 oz on the down rods. It was a learning experience for the boys who did most of the set up and fighting and netting fish. Ten boards can be intimidating if ya never did it before. They earned their stripes. It was a perfect morning on the beautiful Saginaw Bay. GR8 times with good people. We also got to talk with Phil a DNR officer who took the pic of all four of us. Phil was standing by @ the launch, a few weeks back, when I pulled a boat into safety and docked about mid night out of Au Gres. Ryan M, and son Cody spent 14hrs in the Saginaw Bay in 2012 when their boat took 3 big waves over the bow. TG they were rescued and able to fish again. I feel blessed every trip but this one was special. Ryan is also helping me with a replica SM Bass for my grandson Alex. TYVM Ryan.

No picture needed. I just run a rod straight out both sides with a 3oz BB and no board. Fishing like we did in the old days. I keep the rod flat and parallel with the water similar to the way a salmon fisherman runs a Dipsy. Nothing special except the catches.

I'll probably be out tomorrow also.

The weather here has been rough but It finally settled down enough to venture out on the bay. My last trip was Sat almost a week ago. I fished with Bobby, Karl M, and JJ, and we iced 20 walleye on a slow bite after the blows. 1.5 MPH with 2 oz BB off the boards and 3 oz off the down rods. Our best spinner colors were a glow chartreuse tiger pattern, A hammered pink copper, Chrome and red. The down rods did the most damage accounting for about 1/2 the fish. Two rods against 10. Karl has fished with me a number of times but it was a first for Bobby and JJ. The newcomers got with the program fast so I stayed on the helm most of the time and let them catch the fish. I did go back to stretch my legs once and saw one hit the port down rod. We only had one throwback and no trash.

I just heard on the new that he was in the early stages of Parkinson's disease. The report also stated that he wasn't drunk or high when he decided to end it. He was a very talented individual. It seems that over achievers are more prone to suicide. It does seem that he was either dirt low or sky high. Nano Nano Mork R.I.P.

Nano Nano

Guess. Adam, Try and make it over one more time. It's that good.