grand haven

[crashx10]

Hi, I'm new to the forum and new to salmon fishing. I was wondering if anyone had some tips for Grand Haven? I was trolling just around the end of the pier from 3:00 to 9:30 tonight with down riggers and Jplugs and had no luck at all. Dozens of boats were out there catching fish one after another. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks Mike

[Dv8oR]

Welcome to Great Lakes Fisherman Mike!

By any chance did you have a radio on / hear anybody else chattin about what they were catchin them on?

Were you running J-plugs/riggers only?

Do you have some spoons, and maybe some SpinDoctor/Fly combos?

The only tips/help I have for Grand Haven is be careful and watchout for everybody else!

My point is, tell these guys a little more about what your running there and they'll help dial you in.

2 riggers, 3 riggers, 4 riggers,.....

Rod Holders......

Trolling speed.....

etc.etc.etc.

Tim

[crashx10]

I was running 2 downriggers, 2.5 mph give or take, using a silver/green J-plug, & a green & yellow plug, also tried a red and white one for abit. Tried setting lines anywhere from 15 to 25 feet down. What's a good channel to monitor for info?

Tim you are on the money about watching out for everyone else, boats everywhere, you almost need a nascar spotter out there, pretty near got ran into the wall a couple times.

[Wittingen]

Try using a green spin doctor and green fly. Thats what I have been using and catching fish out of Grand Haven.

[crashx10]

Went out again tonight with a little better luck, lost a nice one next to the boat with too small of a net, and a couple broke my 20lb test about 15ft from the boat. Caught them on green & yellow jplugs set 12ft down. I'm going to get a bigger net and some better line.

[Wolverine]

This is not the ideal time of the year to begin learning about salmon fishing in Grand Haven...but, it'll have to do.

Early in the evening or late in the morning, run a spinner/flasher and fly combo off one rigger and a j-plug off the other. For the spinner/flasher and fly combo use any color as long it's green or blue. J-plugs to use are silver/green or wonderbread or silver w/red mouth. If you get adventrous, try adding a stacker line using an Elberta Clipper (available @ most tackle stores!). It clips onto your main line and stays where you put it until a fish hits. Make that anywhere from 7' to 10' long. Run a spoon off that no less than 10' above the spinner/flasher and fly combo or above the j-plug. Any closer and you'll risk lots of tangles. This will get you another 2 lures in teh water. When you're in close combat fishing like now, run tight to the downrigger balls -- say 15' to 25' back.

Before the sun comes up til about 20 mins after sunrise or about 30 - 45 mins before sunset, switch your lines over to glow spoons. I prefer Moonshine...use a 1,000,000 or 2,000,000 candle watt spotlight ($20 @ Cabela's or Dick's or MC), it'll blast those glow spoons so you can see 'em 15' down! You can also use the lighted j-plugs. Again, use wonderbread or mostly white.

Run 2 dipseys set on #3, one off each side of the boat. Use the Magnum size -- blue, green or a crystal color with a white ring. Run a spinner/flasher and fly combo on the side with the j-plug on the rigger and a run a magnum spoon on the other.

Get a copy of the Big Lake Edition of the Precision Trolling Guide by Mark Romanack. This will give you accurate info on how deep your dipsey's are running and other ideas for line types, weighting systems and diver tools to use.

Last, say a prayer as you make your way out the channel for safety, courtesy from and to others and that you'll have tight lines and doubleheaders...it works for me!

Go Blue,

The Wolverine