Sept 8, 9, 10 Traverse City, Frankfort

[Turfwrench]

Wow, what a tough weekend to head to the west side. Set up camp in Mesick on Friday night in the rain. Rained all evening and into the night. Wind and wave report prompted us to hit up Traverse City West Bay on Saturday morning. Launched out of Elmwood and starting setting lines, second rod set and bang first fish on, 10-12lb king 56'down on rigger. Kept heading across the bay and worked towards the north, had another good fish on the wire diver 190 back that ran me out to 330' and hit a loop in the reel, couldn't give it any more line and snap went the leader and fish. By 8am the fish quit but we continued in not so pleasant weather as the rain clouds and squalls continued to pound us several times in the morning.

Went back up to West Bay Sunday morning to get a double going first thing in the morning, one on rigger 90' down and another on the wire diver 190 back. While I was fighting the one on the wire my grandson was battling the one on the rigger rod. Unfortunately his fish wrapped under and over the other wire diver and got cut off. I was able to land this brute on the wire. Fishing again shut off at 8am. All fish seemed to be quite deep in the bay, surface temps were in the 70's. The fish we caught were all bronze.

Monday morning was able to get out of Frankfort in the morning, break was at 30'. First light bite was good then immediately died also resulting in 1 for 2 before the sun came over the dunes. Wind and surf picked up putting us off the water by 10am. Just some real tough conditions, wishing the weather would have been more cooperative.

[JWheeler]

Story sounds familiar to me.....

Nice chatting with you! Hope to catch up with you next time.

[Turfwrench]

I hear ya Jason and thought we might be able to get together over there but the brutal winds left me with fishing Traverse. Good luck on your next trip. We are done for the west side this season.

[Grant Sadler]

Good Job Bill:thumb: you made the best outa bad wheather maybe we can get something going over here yet:grin:

[Nailer]

It's great you where able to fish with your Grandson, it really means a lot to them.

Nice job.

[walleye621]

I was also up in T.C. but Fished only east bay and Frankfort.. Friday morning 4 for 10 and off the water by 9am or so....alittle rough for the wife. Sat morning I took out my f-i-l and went 2 for 10. FIL kept dropping the rods back. Saturday nite back with the wife 3 or 4 for 7. Sunday morning 3 for 5. Sunday night 2 for 3. Monday 5 for 8. Most came on j-plugs, cut plugs, or scarface plugs without meat. Thursday /Friday moonshine and nitro spoons. Rest of weekend all plugs.

[Just Hook'n]

Wow, John, that's a lot of time on the water.

Great job Bill in tough conditions. It's always awesome to get out of family.

[Turfwrench]

It is always a pleasure to take my grandson out on the water. He calls me every week to see if we are going to go fishing. Even after we got off the water he would break out his pond pole and fish at the campground. He certainly is hooked. This is a pic of his first fish of the trip out of Traverse City. He was awful proud.....and so was I.

The king in the original post was a story in itself. I thought I had it pretty tired out and close to the the boat. So I handed the diver rod to him so he could walk toward the front of the boat so I could net it. (Yea, I run a long leader) I had the fish in the net and started to lift it and the dang thing flew out of the net and took off. He held on to the rod for dear life and the fish started to drag him. My wife grabbed him so he wouldn't go overboard but he never let go of the rod. A real trooper.

[Boblo]

Great stories Bill, Thanks for sharing. Memories I'm certain your grandson and yourself will never forget.