The Rookie Question

[tmiderek]

Hello gentlemen, I have dabbled in Lake Michigan fishing for a couple years now and have not really gotten too serious about it. I try to monitor the reports from this site to see where they are hitting but... This fall I am trying to do a little better but have a few questions. First, what wind directions are bad and good for fall fishing? Second, when it is raining out but semi calm, do the fish bite? Is it worth going out in some drizzle? Third, does anyone have any other advice for a rookie???

[1mainiac]

If you on the East side NE or E winds are great but wind direction only matter as it pertains to your location. Wind effects many things as it moves the surface water and as such helps determine underwater currents and water temps. Colder water is always better some wind patterns will trap cold water in areas and will hold lots of fish in places you would not think they are. Second the fish are already wet so rain does not matter to them they are cycloic eaters and they tend to eat on schedual also they love low light conditions as it gives them a better chance to sneak up on their meal. As such you will often hear reports like killed em in 105 ft from 5 am to 7am then the bite died and we moved out a bit and picked up a few more till around 9am then nothing more. When they are hitting all you need to do to catch them is be there when they settle back and suspend you need to work a little harder to find a snack they will grab. When fall fishing before you move in and join the pack see if you can figure out the pattern that most of the boats are fishing esp when inside ie if all the boats are going counter clockwise in the basin then fish the same way or expect to get yelled at a lot and risk your gear. The same applies to any situation where you have a lot of boats fishing a small area I avoid this at all costs and fish elsewhere .

[Fishwhisperer]

For the next few weeks, there is no bad wind direction. The salmon that are staging for the run don't care much about the water temp. I have pounded them, in the past, in 50 FOW 25' down with surface temps in the low 70's. The fish hit in the rain too. You just need to figure out what colors to run in those conditions. My advise would be to stay away from the pack and to fish as many weekdays as possible.

[GLF]

Welcome to the website Derek!

Lots of boats will only troll in one direction. If you are catching fish in that directions, why change?

You can catch fish in any direction the wind is blowing. Most people use a GPS for their trolling speeds. GPS speed only tells you how fast you are going on the surface.

One of the keys to being successful is having the correct down speeds while you are trolling. Some people(myself included) use an underwater speed and temp probe to know what the down speed and temp probe is. The down water temp is a very important part of success. You will hear lots of different answers on what chinook prefer for water temp. I look for them in the 42-48 degree water. In the early morning and late evenings, you will get them in 54 + water.

If you do not have an underwater speed and temp probe, you can judge your down speed by the bend in your diver rods. When you catch a fish, look at the tip, in relation to the reel. Try to keep this same bend when you change directions. Watch your GPS speeds going into the current, and going with the current, and you will see your rods bent at different positions.

Here is another speed tip. If you are making a turn, and an outside rod fires, there is a good chance you may not be trolling fast enough. If its and inside rod that fires, you may need to slow down. Once you complete your turn, adjust your speed. You also need to take into account the water current.

The quickest way to shorten your learning curve, is to hop on a boat with someone who has been doing it for a while. See how they run their spread. If you have questions about something, ask. Dont just show up to fish.

[2UNREEL]

Welcome to the website Derek!

Lots of boats will only troll in one direction. If you are catching fish in that directions, why change?

You can catch fish in any direction the wind is blowing. Most people use a GPS for their trolling speeds. GPS speed only tells you how fast you are going on the surface.

The GPS will tell you the speed over ground. If your fish finder is equipped with a speed wheel it will tell you the speed across the surface of the water. I rarely look at my fish finder speed. I use the GPS speed over ground and the pull in the diver rods. If my speed over ground is 3.2 and I look back at the diver rods and there not pulling hard thats my indicator I am going with the current. Once you find the direction of the current and the rods are squared off the back start playing with the speed untill you get bit then go with it. Many people think that you can go too fast....I always think we are not going fast enought.....imo

[tmiderek]

Thanks guys. I appreciate it. I don't have the temp probe and speedo for my rigs yet but looking at getting one as soon as I can afford it. Hopefully I will be able to post some success stories this fall like the rest of you. Thanks again and good luck

[Nailer]

Thanks guys. I appreciate it. I don't have the temp probe and speedo for my rigs yet but looking at getting one as soon as I can afford it. Hopefully I will be able to post some success stories this fall like the rest of you. Thanks again and good luck

Dirk, Welcome. What port will you be fishing from the most?

[Vitalidle]

Welcome aboard Derek:D

[Priority1]

A warm welcome to you Derek. You will like it here. There is tons of information, and nice people here.