Manistee July 2, 3, 4 Tangle Factor

[tltorrice]

Hope everyone had a great July 4th weekend. Here is the report from Pat (tangle factor2) and I. We got out on Saturday late afternoon around 5pm. We ran out to the north of the port to 100 fow. We ran a 6 line spread, 2 down-riggers 2 wire divers and 2 lead cores. We put a red meat rig and a Big Al flasher on the starboard down-rigger. Before we could get the rest of the lines in the water Pat landed this nice 17lb King.

We marked plenty of bait-fish and saw dead alewives on the surface. We ended the first day 5 for 5 with a small king released.

Sunday we got on the water around 1pm and fished until 7pm. We ran even further to the north out in front of Onekama. It was a much slower day we went 2 for 2. One was a smaller king that we decided would be great for dinner next to some venison tenderloin. We were right!! The other fish was a 12lb king.

Monday we got out at 7am and fished until 1pm and went 3 for 3. All fish over 10 lbs. We fished straight out of the port and a little to the south. We marked a lot of fish in the 100 to 120 fow and a lot of bait fish.

Here is what worked

Red Meat Rig behind Big Al’s flasher

UV Meat Rig behind a UV BTI flasher

Howie fly blue mirage behind blue bubble spin-doctor.

We caught a few fish on some spoons but non were consistent. The red meat rig took 4 fish. No hits at all on the lead core.

All of the fish seemed bigger this year, thicker. I got the impression they really were not hungry due to all of the baitfish. We will be back in two weeks.

Tight lines

[Nailer]

Great looking fish, and lake. Nice job Tom.

[EdB]

Nice job Tom and Pat. Stayed home on the lake this weekend, first time we didn't go north for the 4th in many years. We are hauling the boat to Ludington next weekend. Your neighbors launched some great fireworks Sat and Sun.

[Adam Bomb]

Sure was a grogeous weekend out there. Nice pics, thanks for the report.

[tanglefactor2]

Nice report Tom. Great trip and good to see nice healthy looking kings, much thicker and better fighters than the previous few years. So many alewives they're dying of old age before all getting eaten.

[fishsniffer]

nicely done tom:thumb:

[Priority1]

GJ Pat and Tom.

[2UNREEL]

Nice report and pics! Sounds like you guys had fun, that's what its all about. We have to get together in manistee this fall!

[mattmishler]

Nice job guys the fish kinda moved offshore a bit.

[A-Fishy-Anado]

Nice job guys....good to see them fat and healthy this year!!