Grand Haven 8-24 PM

[Coolchange]

Need Help!!! Went 0-0 again for the 3rd straight trip. All tips are appreciated. Didn't even really mark many fish, went from the 70 to 120 range. Some people at the dock say they haven't got much either, but not even gettin a bite in the last 3 trips is getting old.

[Justtrollin]

Run spoons and flys in the top 40 and you should pick up coho and steelhead. Also if you don't run meat then u may want to start.

[Hotdog71]

We've had luck in the 120 area. Usually fishing evening to a little after sundown. Running flies off dipsies with a 10' lead behind the dipsy. 200, 250 and 300 copper have been producing lots of fish as well.1/2 hr before sundown we switch several lines to moonshine spoons. Oceana fly behind white SD, No See Em behind Mnt Dew SD, Mongolian beef, RV Flounder Pounder, Atomic melon have worked well.

I can't get a bite on plugs or meat rigs personally, but those have worked for others in that time frame.

We were 3/5 last night using that pattern. Losing a nice one to a breakoff after a tangle on the rigger and one knock off.

Hope that helps some.

[Far Beyond Driven]

You gotta set up on fish this year or you struggle. I went 2/3 in half an hour running 3 rods on my row boat yesterday and did better than some running 12 lines, but I hit a group of active fish. Then I trolled fort wo hours wo a bump.

Part that sucks is you can run the same gear in the same depth in the same direction as another boat and get nothing while they pull them in.

[Coolchange]

Thanks for all the encouraging help and info and great job everyone.

[Blackhawk]

I am sure almost everyone here would like to help you put fish in your boat.

We need a little info on what your setup has been. Just a few tips can go a long way. It can be very discouraging reading all the positive posts about great trips but keep in mind there are a lot of guys that out there having the same thing happen that are not posting. Once we know how you fish we will be able to give you some things to try.

[SeaCatMich]

Check out this report from Big Weenie: http://bigweeniecharters.com/8-24-am-salmon-fishing-still-strong-in-grand-haven/

[danthebuilder]

You think that's bad. I went pier fishing some 75+ times before I caught a fish. I put in hours too. 4-6 hr days.

Now when it comes to salmon fishing via a boat. I can skunk better than you. Their are two things that I know that causes me the skunks. One thing is that I can't normally get out before the sun is high in the sky. The other thing is that I don't have any copper setups.

Copper accounts for 50% of the fish caught on this forum. Its not a secret. Its also not a secret that sometimes the bite dies once the sun comes up. I have spent 90% of my time fishing from noon until 7pm. I have caught 80% of my fish an hour before sunset until an hour or two after sunset. Many nights have been a skunk until around/after sunset the decision has been made to go in and that has turned into a double/triple as the rods were being pulled. The sun touching the water does magical things at night.

My advice if you wanna catch fish. Go with someone and watch them to make sure you're doing the basics right. Then go buy a couple copper setups & go at 4-5am.

[CITM]

I fished Friday-yesterday from 6:00am until 2:00 or so. Had family in from out of state, the weather was nice so we fished long days.

Every day we had a few bites around 7:00 then not much until noon or so. I'm guessing this was related to the full moon.

Friday we were 11 for 16. It didn't seem to matter where we were, we caught fish from 80-100 and from 135-200. Most bites were on boards, from 3 color lead to 300' copper with an 8" white live wire spin doctor and fly. We ran some spoons but it was mostly a plug bite, primarily pearl black dot ace high. 10" white slick spinny with a moo moo meat rig was good on a high diver 125' back too.

Saturday 4 for 6 (I think). Got 2 nice ones right away then dead for a long time. Worked mostly from 80-165'. We trolled in at the end of the day and got a king on a 225 copper with a yellow chrome 8" spinny and meat rig in 50' and two sheepshead in 30'. There were some pretty wicked currents Saturday, might have had something to do with the slow day.

Yesterday, started in 70' and trolled sw, hit one in 85' and all heck broke loose in 95' and we went 3 for 6 at 7:30 in about 30 minutes. Low diver 80' back white slick spinny with hypnotist went twice, 4 color with green ladder back, and high diver with 10" white slick spinny with moo moo 100' back, and raspberry carbon on a rigger 40' down. I saw what FBD is talking about, I had a charter boat fishing right next to me, same direction and speed, and they didn't get a bite when we couldn't keep lines in the water.... weird. Then it went dead, never took another hit until noon, on a north troll in 105', 10 color with pearl black dot ace high, raspberry carbon on rigger 40' down, and low diver 100' back with 10" green chrome NBK spinny (twice in 5 min). All big fish, went 2 for 4 in about an hour. Ended 6 for 11 I think with 3 over 20#.

See the pattern? 3 color-300' copper with an 8" spinny all run 15' to 60' down (or so). 40' down on riggers. High diver 100' back to low divers 100' back run from 30-50' down. I only took 1 fish over the 3 days out of that zone, and it was a laker on a paddle down deep.

Send me a PM with your phone #, I slip my boat in GH and am happy to help.

[Far Beyond Driven]

68 fish this year. 2 came on copper. Collectively they weighed 3#.

[WRENCHED 4 IT]

Cory my advise is learn what depth youre equipment is getting youre lures to and adjust them just above by 3-5 feet of what youre marking on youre fish finder.also you need to know what speed youre running at the lure depth.i recommend a fish hawk.this will help get you in the ball park.

[highpointdf]

The recommendations will be all over the board. Spoons no spoons, Plugs no Plugs, meat no meat. On and On. Here's the deal. I can leave all rods identical. One day it will be a dipsy bite, other days riggers and meat, some days copper and Flies. We have hooked most of our big fish on meat and flies this year. Most of those on the coppers. Our spoon bite has been non existent for the last few weeks. We may run slower than the guys claiming spoons are the only thing working, thus making the spoons run poorly. Certain days it is certain directions. Current affects which direction the fish hit better. This year had been humbling at times. The best bite for us has been right at day light and an hour before dark. IF you go out later or come in earlier, the pickings can be slim. Throw it all out there, see what they are after that day. When you see a trend, get to switching the other poles, when they quiet down, get to switching again. Good luck!