Saugatuck Fishing Reports and Communcation

[westrate]

May 8, 2006

This past week produced some very good fishing with 13 to 15 fish being caught per trip. About half of the catch consisting of 3 to 5 pound Coho, and the other half consisting of 5 to 14 pound Chinook and an occasional lake trout and brown trout. The east wind that we had for a week earlier had pushed the fish out into the lake in 130 to 200 foot of water. The water temperature is still cold (49 degrees at the shoreline and 40 degrees in 200 foot) and the fish are found where the surface temperature changed from 44 degrees to 41 degrees. This changed from day to day--one day in 180 to 200 foot and the next day in 140 to 160 foot of water. However this is where the majority of the fish where caught. Even though the water was cold the fish where caught from 40 to 80 foot down.

We Dipsy Divers at 200 foot and 100 foot of line out and dialed on 2 and 1 respectively with the new Legendary Products spoon, Raider lures and Stinger spoons with silver and orange or silver orange and green producing well. Down riggers at 80 to 50 foot produced with small Stinger, Legendary and Yuck spoons. The most consistent method was full and half core lead core and 100 yards of copper line with silver/orange, silver/orange and green and wonder bread lures. Half to two thirds of the catch can be attributed to the long lines.

With the winds back out of the Southeast today and with the forecast for more east wind, I think this pattern will hold into the coming week. I will attempt to post a fishing report each Monday or Tuesday for the previous week. Check back and keep track of the fishing in Saugatuck through out the year.

[GLF]

Thanks for the report!