8th Annual Fowler HS Charter Outing/Grand Haven Report

[Playin Hooky]

If it's tough to get your kid out of bed for the start of a school day, especially the last school day of the year, set the alarm and tell them you're headed to Grand Haven for a charter fishing trip!

20 students came to school for the 0340 departure for GH. We made it to North Shore Marina with only one missed direction and boarded the boats HILLBILLY (the boat I chaperoned), DEVIL DOG, HOT SPOT and FISHIN ADDICTION for a quick trip to the big lake. For many of these students it was their first time on the lake in a boat if at all!

We set up in 70 fow and trolled west. A 100 CU with Craig's SH bait fired first but a nice steelie came unbuttoned after an aerial display. Shortly afterward a low wire diver with meat 70 back fired and our first fish, a chunky 10#+ steelie, came to the net. We fished out to 160 with nothing else to show, then turned eastward again.

120 fow gave up another steelie of about 4# on the 100 CU setup as before, then a 200 CU with a mag blue dolphin hooked up a 7# king. A short time later a 75 Cu with Hog Wild went and another nice 10+# steelie put on a show and came to net.

After turning out from 95 fow the Craig's bait fired again with a fish bound for Spring Lake that came off after a long screaming run. Last fish of the day was the biggest, a king of 16+# on a 150 Cu with Craig's bait and took a tag-team effort to land. The look on the kids' faces when that fish came over the transom and hit the floor? Priceless!

100-120 was best. Many marks but nothing going on riggers for us and 2 of the other boats. Overall it was a slower morning than some years past, but that's fishing. 4 boats finished with 21 fish (8,6,5,2) but all the kids (and adults) had a fantastic time and each took home a bag of fresh fillets.

Thanks again to Captain Chris of Hillbilly, Captain Butch of Devil Dog, Captain Brett of Hot Spot and Captain Jason of Fishin Addiction for the fantastic time they showed all my students. There is no better way to bring home the lessons learned about the Great Lakes fishery than through this amazing opportunity!

[ruder]

120 fow gave up another steelie of about 4# on the 100 CU setup as before, then a 200 CU with a mag blue dolphin hooked up a 7# king. A short time later a 75 Cu with Hog Wild went and another nice 10+# steelie put on a show and came to net.

I was trolling in with you on your run in. I was wondering what you were running that we wernt Nice trip for your students!

[Captain Jason]

It was great having the kids on board and for it being the first time fighting chinooks on Lake Michigan they did awesome,every big fish we hooked they did their job and put em on ice! Great job guys and hope to see ya next year.

[jeffsisson]

Eric,

I think it's fantastic that you expose the kids to the great lakes fishing! For many this wil be a once in a life time event. When I was young (like 5 or 6) I remember watching the boats go in and out the channel in Holland with my mom, and she said to me " I wounder what all those people do for a living to afford boats and go out on the lake fishing? Must be nice!" I never forgot that! When I got my boat about 30yrs later,and took my mom and dad on it for the first time out of Holland.She had long forgotten that day watching the boats. So when we where in the channel I turned to her and said " hey mom do you think those people on shore are wondering what we do to be able to have a boat going fishing on Lake Michigan?". She laughed! She didn't remember that exact time that I did but admitted she had wondered that many times, and reminded me of course how truely blessed we where to be! Taking those kids out, one day may just be the same when they grow up and they say "hey you remember when" truely priceless! Just fantastic of you to give them that and education to boot! Thanks!! and Thanks for sharing!

Ps. no grading my spelling or grammar!