Any fish at the pier heads or channels?

[instincter06]

I'm hoping to make it out this weekend with some friends if the weather cooperates and was wondering if there have been any fish in the channels yet? I usually fish Holland but was thinking of trying Ludington for the first time. Any advice or biased opinions would be greatly appreciated!

[mrhookup]

Not sure about other places, but they've been just out from the pier heads in Grand Haven for the last few days, 40-60 FOW straight out and to the south. They're a bit out of temp during the low light conditions meaning they're itching to run, so I can't imagine they wouldn't storm the channel this weekend if we get the big North blow they are forecasting and the water cools to their preferred range. The difficult part will be getting out if the lake doesn't lay back down before Monday. I can't really speak for the ports up North but I know the Pere Marquette and Manistee rivers haven't seen nearly as many fish as they usually do by now, so there's either less fish this year or they're still in the lake.

[Rascal Trophy Fishing]

Fish-ludington.com and freestylecharters.com. Good fishing Josh.

[bellyripper]

my reports are fish now at southaven pier now try glow spoons at night

[DiverDennis]

... try glow spoons at night

That sure would be fun during this full moon.

[Rascal Trophy Fishing]

The FULL MOON actually presents more problems usually. Fish can keep feeding all NIGHT! So, keep on trying, irregardless the port.

[danthebuilder]

my reports are fish now at southaven pier now try glow spoons at night

I've been out the last 4 nights. I haven't seen a fish landed well besides catfish.

[chandler]

Lots of kings in the mud 40-60FOW this Sunday. They're ready to go in grand haven. I'll give a report after Saturday because it's salmon festival. With these strong winds coming in changing to an east wind I can bet they'll be in there Friday for sure. shoot me a pm if you need some info I can't blast everything on here right now with the tournament coming up.

[2MD]

wind and waves already half the size they were this morning - going to go troll the inside part of the channel and the west side of macatawa in a couple hours - might be premature - hopefully cold water and currents are pushing down the shore and into holland harbor

[instincter06]

wind and waves already half the size they were this morning - going to go troll the inside part of the channel and the west side of macatawa in a couple hours - might be premature - hopefully cold water and currents are pushing down the shore and into holland harbor

Someone has to be the first! Good luck!

Thanks for all the info guys! I'm going to gear up for Sunday and hope the weather cooperates. I'll keep checking back to see how everyone has been doin and let you know how we do.

[2MD]

went for about an hour - sleeting sideways rain - north waves busting over top the north pier - kids were complaining and rightfully so - conditions resembled those the Fitz went down in - ran a couple riggers and a few orange but the current in the channel was something fierce and water temps were still too high - they were 70 degrees way back in the channel when we setup and by the time we left they had dropped to 68 degrees - it is gonna take another 6-12 hours for things to get right with the bite in the channel - will go late tonight or tomorrow morning i guess - good luck all - this is the cool off we have been waiting for!

[Just Hook'n]

Check out the surface temp map.

[2MD]

can you paste in a link to the surface temp map you use?

http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/michigan/m42.html = the one I use and the thing is worthless on days and nights like this because it picks up on the clouds instead of the water temps. Hey all it is 40.7 degrees along the shore in Holland right now - yah right - anyways, it is going to be cold come morning and if it isn't the steady and more mild N and NE we have this weekend will eventually get her there.

Edited September 12, 2014 by 2MD

[JVanderVennen]

There are a few that have already trickled up to sixth street, so I would imagine its gonna happen soon!!

[2MD]

The kids and I trolled Holland starting late morning today and through the afternoon on our 18 foot jon boat. Went 10 for 14 on all mature 4 year old kings. Everything worked really it was just spotty as to when the bite would appear and then disappear again. All fish taken came from between the entrance to the channel on the Macatawa side and the pierheads. Absolutely nothing biting beyond the pierheads today and nothing shaking in Mac yet. Water was 47 degrees outside the pier. Best bait was size 5 chrome redhead J-plug on orange board with drop weight about 100 back. Riggers also smoked em being set about 8 feet down. Dipsey bite only came once but when it did it was a double on both dipseys we had in and we managed to land both. Dipseys run with mono dialed to 3 running back 44 feet. Observations: not too many other guys getting em too well out there and everyone yelling to us asking what we are using and how we are manage to get em so well and my conclusion is most folks are trolling way too slow in the channel. It was brutal because we'd caught up waiting behind these guys going 1.8-2.0 when every single release we took required us to go 2.8.-3.2. This is fall fishing. I guess unless you are running body-baits crank up the speed guys these kings are aggressive and J-plugs troll great at faster speeds. INCLUDED is a photo of the kings my kids & I managed to land today. 20 real nice fillets going in my neighbors smoker tomorrow...

[SUPERTRAMP]

The FULL MOON actually presents more problems usually. Fish can keep feeding all NIGHT! So, keep on trying, irregardless the port.

This has always been a misconception, that when the moon is full fishing improves, and the truth of it is a full moon kills fishing. As Ed said they feed all night and are indifferent during the morning and daytime hours. This week end, the 13th and 14th should be a lot better than last weekend.

[DiverDennis]

The kids and I trolled Holland starting late morning today.....20 real nice fillets going in my neighbors smoker tomorrow...

Very good report. Great time with the kids.

[2MD]

kids and i bagged a 18 pount 34.5 inch lake trout of all things on dipsey mtn doo flasher in 23 fow just off the south pier yesterday. then we missed a couple dings in channel. in general we have struggled a little with the pier and channel bite. buddy of mine crushed em in saugatuck pier this morning. anyone else feel like reporting or is it all a secret this time of year? kevin tell us the scoop man

[Whatahoot]

Nice fish! No secret here this morning, fished Holland to Saugatuck in 50-65 flow, 1 for 2 with an 8lb steelhead. Radio was silent except for a fish caught in 20fow?! and a couple out in 180fow. The PS buoy surface temp was 56 early this morning and 42 by the time we got out there... It's 5pm right now and the surface is back up to 56. Take a look at the last 5 days chart @32fow temp! The water has turned over at least daily this week... The fish have got to be confused?!

We'll Keep Fishin'!

[sparky30]

Went 7-8 this morning, best water was 50-60, All kings, only 2 mature fish and they were small 8ish lbs, all others were 2-6lbs. 3 on white paddle and fly 40 down on rigger, 1 green splatter plug on a 6 color, 1 on a glow green eye spoon 50 down on rigger, and 2 on divers and meat, 1 low set at 70, and 1 high set at 120.

[King Salmon 1]

GH 9/14/14 AM

Fished 6:30-10:30 this morning in 40/45 fow off GH pier.

Ended up 6 for 6, all Kings 14-18 lbs. 3 were reel screamers.

3 on riggers 23 & 27 down, chrome red head J-plugs.

1 on Dipsy 45 out set on 2 1/2, white Spin Doctor with mirage fly.

1 on 50 copper, Green Spin Doctor with green glow fly.

1 on 75 copper, Wonderbread glow J-plug.

Fun morning in the shallow water.

Anyone know how the boats that went deep did today ??

[Rascal Trophy Fishing]

Nice job and report Bill. Btw, what's the surface temp. at the pier heads there? Thanks.

[instincter06]

0/0, and didn't talk to anyone that did good. Saw 3 fish landed in Pere Marquette lake and 3 fish on stringers on the North pier. Trolled the channel and out to 70 FOW and back, then the channel and lake for what seemed like days! Tried everything I had. Maybe we should have anchored and jigged...

All the big local boats from the marina went way out deep, out of sight. Forgot my radio (it's always something, LOL) so didn't hear how they were doing.

DNR surveyor said one boat had 5, another had 3, and the rest had 0 or 1.

Everyone was too excited to sleep the night before so we left at midnight and started fishing at 2:30 a.m. Needless to say, we won't be doing that again! It's weird being the only vehicle at a huge launch site....