Ludington Last Two Weeks

[Eyefull]

I just got home from two weeks in Ludington. Our annual trip was a week earlier than normal so that comes into play with my assumptions. My overall impression was that the fish were about two weeks behind schedule and my trip was a week ahead, meaning it was much more like fishing in early July than August for me. The fish were scattered and pounding numbers was tough. The normal morning and evening whack fest on the bank was spotty and almost non existent.

No on to the results which I was still pretty satisfied with. My morning trips averaged a mere 1-3 fish per trip. I leave the dock at 6:00, so I missed the best bite by almost an hour from what my charter friends were telling me. I also got my first Lake Michigan skunk this year on a morning trip! I didn't change things up much from the past, running up to the bathouse and setting up in 50fow, trolling north to the point and beyond. I ran a 9 rod spread with the usual Silver Streak spoons, a couple plugs, and a Flasher Fly thrown in at times for good measure. I would usually pick a fish on the pass in shallow, then get another fish, maybe two fishing out deeper from the point to the west. Thinking back, all of the morning fish came on UV Streaks either off riggers or wire divers.

My afternoon fishing was much better and actually, for me at least, made my whole trip. From tips from CJ and Paul, I began to look out in 230-270 fow straight out from the harbor. A very nice mix of kings, steel, and bonus cohos were out there in decent numbers. I set up in 230 fow and trolled north, working the top 50 fow. I put the riggers at 40 and 55 feet down, wires at 50 and 85 feet back. Two 150's, two 250's and a 350' section of copper were the go to rods out there, accounting for most of the deeper fish. Again, Silver Steak Minis in a variety of UV colors took most of the fish. The afternoon trips did see plugs taking a few bites as well as an occasional flasher fly bite. Surprisingly the normal "orange" spoons didn't seem to make much difference to the steelhead catch. But having too much orange in the spread did seem to lower the kings and coho bites. My evening trips left the docks at 4:00. We averaged 5-7 fish per evening trip, with two evenings coming in with 9 and 10 fish respectively. The catches were almost always an even mix of kings, nice size steelhead, and bonus cohos and lakers.

So with all that said, it looks to me like the best fishing is still coming. It seemed like each day, there were more fish around, and as luck would have it, looked like the fleet did real well the last couple days in on the bank, after I left:lol: My biggest kings came on morning trips on the bank. The offshore kings were nice fish, but not the 20# pigs we got in close. The average size of the steelhead out deep was very encouraging, lots of 8-10# fish and one that was at or around 15#. Sorry for not giving all the details, but this novel would have been much longer if I spelled out each fish and what it came on, hopefully the generalities help. Sorry, those that fished with me can attest that I didn't have a camera along, so no photos. I am hoping to get back over there at least three more times, when the tuna wars get going in full strength.

[Priority1]

Tony, Thanks for the report. Get back after them.

[Brandon Dekker]

Thanks for the report. Sounds like you had some nice catches!

[Adam Bomb]

Thanks for the report Tony. Heading over tomorrow. I hope we can get after em.

[ALLEYES]

Thanks for the report Tony. I will be at Lud this weekend also.

[Eyefull]

One thing I forgot to mention was that the Streak Minis seemed to get bit more than the normal size or mag spoons we always use fishing salmon. Maybe associated with the bait size they are currently feeding on? Anyways, the hooks on the walleye size spoons take a real beating from kings, so we ended up switching out almost all of them to Gamis, and even then still had to be real careful when pulling a king.

[fishsniffer]

thanks for the report tony:thumb:

[In The Net]

yea we will be up their this weekend and the fishing in the morning has been rough. We were up their this last weekend and we fished only the mornings and it was rough. We got 2 fish each day but we had 10 nice fish on we just couldent keep them hooked up. Its nice to hear some guys from this site will be up in Ludington. It seems like most of you guys fish out of holland.

[mattmishler]

Sounds like you had a great time, fishing has been tough. I talk to alot of ludington guys daily and they were hurting to

[Adam Bomb]

Well, despite the tough fishing, im going in as an optimist...Its gotta happen and it might as well start tomorrow afternoon!!!

[Eyefull]

Sounds like the big blows did good for the fishing, the bank has been producing as it should the last couple days I'm told. Adam, don't hesitate to go out to the 230-270 fow in off hours for bonus steel and cohos. I set down one afternoon at 3:00 and had them going before three rods were in.

[ALLEYES]

That has been my plan. Straight out is usually good.

[Eyefull]

Good luck guys, I am hoping to get back over in a couple weeks again.