St. Joe

[Flyboy]

Does anyone have any port information on St. Joe? Want to fish the early coho bite for the first time. When do they really start biting? Techniques? Any information will be helpful.

Jake

[SPOONWASHER]

We do best from mid April to the beginning of May. We normally fish the south side of the piers, anywhere from 10-35 feet. You will definitely see the boats. As far as lures, we typically run several thin fish, and a few small spoons. A red dodger with a coho fly is always on one of the riggers. Good luck, let me know if you have any questions.

[DIRTY DOG]

Justin hit it write on the head, the only thing I do differently is I like the first 2 weeks of April the best.

[SUPERTRAMP]

St Joe is the 2nd largest watershed on the Michigan side of the Lake, Fishing is good from ice out for coho and Browns, first of May Lake trout open and are easy to find. If you want a good off shore fisher I suggest go SW fm the pier heads and start in about 100 FOW and keep going until u find the fish they will be there until the first of June then the southern lake dead time hits. July is fantastic and goes until the end of "September. The have a large run of Skamania in June and July and the kings are around too It is an under used fishery. Steelhead in the winter on the river and late Sept and October kings up river at the Jasper Dairy and up to the Dam. The MC2 will be slipped at Brians Marina on Morrison Island this year, give us a shout of PM me here and I will give u a cell#

Mike(Supertramp)Chamberlin

[Flyboy]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. It's all greatly appreciated.

Flyboy

[SPOONWASHER]

Justin hit it write on the head, the only thing I do differently is I like the first 2 weeks of April the best.

Funny you say that, just checked my logs and most productive time has been the 6th - 11th. Guess I remembered wrong!

[EdB]

first of May Lake trout open

Lake trout opens April 1 off St Joe this year when the new Lk Trout regs going into effect April 1. It will run to Oct 31st. That will be a nice bonus for the box.

Next year, it is Jan 1 to Oct 31.

[Flyboy]

What color thinfish are the best? Is light line the best way to go? Is there only one boat launch in St. Joe, and if so, does it require a permit to launch there?

Flyboy

[its an addiction]

Generally, for me it seems to be the brighter the color the better for the coho. Orange, Purple, Green, Red, Pink.

There are two launches in St. Joe. One on the Benton Harbor side of the river and one on the St. Joe side. I haven't used the one on the Benton Harbor side, but the one on the St. Joe side takes a credit card and cost $5 a day I believe. Maybe a couple bucks more. It's off of Anchors way and Anchors ct. by Brian's marina.

[Treblemaker]

Mud, Mud, and more mud at St Joe right now. Once it clears a bit the bite will be on!

[SPOONWASHER]

What color thinfish are the best? Is light line the best way to go? Is there only one boat launch in St. Joe, and if so, does it require a permit to launch there?

Flyboy

Red with black squiggles! Only way to go:thumb:

[SUPERTRAMP]

Gold red accent and red firetiger are hot u can also try some clean spoons and 000 red dodger with coho candy flies are hot for the ho's early. If u want browns remember stay tight to the beach they hang in the troughs along the beaches. Surfcasters regularly catch them south of the piers where they can get access. I RUN A LOT OF JOINTED GOLD RED RAPALAS IN J11 AND J13 GET MORE BROWNS ON THEM. THERE ARE 2 LAUNCHES 1 ON THE BENTON HARBOR SIDE RIGHT NEXT TO TACKLE HAVEN AND 1 ON MORRISON ISLAND. USUALLY EARLY NO CHARGE IN BENTON HARBOR, BUT WATCH U LEAVE NOTHING OF VALUE IN YOUR VEHICLE. ON THE ISLAND IT IS A DNR LAUNCH. THERE IS ALSO ONE UP RIVER AT THE BRIDGE.

[Flyboy]

When does the bite start? Early morning as soon as the sun goes up? Is the evening fishery productive as well? Never done this before, so before I make the trek I'd like to know as much as I can. Thanks guys,

Flyboy

[SPOONWASHER]

We have had success with multiple thin fish colors, the red and black is just my favorite. Blue and silver, and gold and orange are two other hot colors. And bite is not usually a morning bite, its pretty consistent throughout, imo.

[Flyboy]

What kinda cores/coppers work the best? or is it hard to run them because of boat traffic?

How about line, is 10lb to light, whats everyone using for line?

Flyboy

[SPOONWASHER]

2 and 3 color cores work pretty well. We normally just run 20lb mono with a clip on weight or just run it flat. I have also ran 10lb but be careful. It is not uncommon to run across some big spring kings.

[Flyboy]

So it sounds like thinfish-red and black- 2-3 color cores, standard 20lb test line, and maybe a few 000 red dodgers will do the trick. How about boat speed? Same as normal? 2-2.5? In shallow water like this, are you guys running stackers at all on the riggers? Whats the usual rod spread?

Thanks for all the help guys.

Flyboy

[SUPERTRAMP]

u got it 2 to 2.7 slower for Lakers if u go deep.

[anonymous]

Pink and gold Thinfish work well along with green, silver and orange Tadpollys along with the baits already mentioned.