Saturday, September 1, 2018

So, In hopes of being able to cook Salmon for our annual picnic, we went out fishing last night, despite all the bad reports.   Unfortunately, this report is that good either...   Craig, Kent, Ryan and I fished from 6:30 to 9 pm in 80 to 120 FOW and ended 1 for 3 and did catch a nice 8 lb King.  It was 80 down in 90 FOW on a Mag Glow Flounder Pounder. 

If you have a Salmon Fishing Report for Lake Michigan please click on the "Comments" link below. Fish On!

Monday, July 30, 2018



Sunday July 29th:  Cleared the pier heads just before 6:30am to hunt fish till lines up at 1:00pm.  Steelhead – could not find one.  Downrigger bite was happening and the kings were back.  Didn’t bother with 300’ copper since the water was so warm.  Worked my way outside of the fleet to about 155 FOW.  Pick up a young king on downrigger 60’ down with a fish flash / spoon combination at about 7:30am.  Took another hour before getting bit again in 145 FOW on SWR down 80’ with a holographic spoon on the business end.  Waited until 12:30pm for the next bite.  On a SW troll in 135 FOW passed a boat going North dragging a yard sale but fighting a fish on one of the lines.  Wishing that was my boat, I bumped SWR off the bottom and boom, tip up and at the end of the battle, I was rewarded with a 20lb king, hook out in the net no less.  Belly was full of bait fish.  Dipseys were silent and not a factor in the hunt and the water was warm on top.  Everyone is running long lines, some managed well and others not so well.  Need to have patience and avoid running over lines this time of year – unless of course, you must.

Capt Dick
Fin Warrior

Saturday, July 14, 2018

I committed to fish at sun up rain or shine and the weather & waves were perfect.  Not hot, no flies but lots of nats.  I also was reminded why I like fishing the low traffic evening bite.  Sun up is akin to government cheese being handed out at the trailer park.  Boats roaring by throwing out wakes as your setting lines, vessels not understanding who is stand on and who is give way in a crossing situation, 360 loops to get the boat running <150' off your gunnel out of harms way.  But that's OK, I will be back out tomorrow.  The bait fish are sparse and bite has slowed down.  My last three trips produced fish with empty bellies.  Went 2-for-3 this morning.  Banged a steelhead as I was setting lines in 100 FOW on 3-set dipsey 130' out with a evil alewife on the business end.  Then nothing for hours till the other 3-set 125' out dipsey roared to life with a 13.5lb king.  Black spinny with a black/gold fly did the deed.  That same rod got spanked about 20 minutes later however, the fish broke off the fight very quickly.  As I was pulling lines, double orange crush on a 2-color copper, 10' down on a rigger, the last rod in the water popped but it likewise was gone as I picked up the rod.  Coming in, there were still small pods of bait fish inside 100 FOW at about 20' down.  Likely why the steelhead are still in the skinny water.  Need to pick up ice for tomorrow morning :)

Capt Dick
Fin Warrior

Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Dropped lines at 4:00pm for a few hours of pre-Fourth of July fishing.  Worked the 120-180 FOW north of the harbor with the action coming in 135-155 FOW.  Landed 3 steelhead, one last year adult at 12+lbs and one modest coho.  No kings on this trip.  Steelhead appear to be be big and abundant this summer.  All the action was on riggers, 65-80' down.  Proctologist fly on a 8" chartreuse spinny  and magnum holographic spoons continue to work well.  Just one drive by on an orange crush dipsey and no action on the full copper line.  Top water is beginning to warm up.  Water flies are back but not too bad - get the flea flicker line out.  And of course the biting flies are always around when its hot and flat.

Capt Dick
Fin Warrior

Thursday, June 21, 2018

Got out Wednesday evening with Tom and Jeff.  Went 5 for 7.  Initially set up out the the harbor mouth in 120 FOW on a north troll.  For the evening, worked 140-115 FOW both north and south half way to Port Sheldon and short of the sliders.  Boated two 12.5+ kings, steelhead 11.6lb and 8.6lbs and one small laker.  Proctologist fly on a 9.5" chartreuse spinny 55' down on the SB aft rigger got hit 3X.  The tail gunner holographic spoon set up the SB side rigger with light line, 65' down and  70' out got hit 3X.  And one runner, likely a steely hit a double orange crush spoon on a dipsey about 40' down - we did not boat that one.  Surprisingly, port side SWR was untouched all night.  And no action on 100' and 200' of copper.  The only action on 300' of copper was a massive tangle (thank you Mr. Steelhead) that decommissioned the set-up.  Figure the spinny was doing the heavy lifting most of the night.  Chatter seamed to be slow.  Believe we had a lucky night coming in better than most boats.

Capt Dick

Saturday, June 16, 2018

Friday was a beautiful night to be on the water. Got 5 of the 6 rods to go. Wonderbread J-Plug on 300' of copper, SWR 70' down w/ green dolphin hologram, down rigger 80' down with a watermelon hologram spoon took a 10lb steely, and both dipseys fired at 50-55' down on a 2 set with a UV green dolphin and a mag black fin tuna that took a 10-12lb king. Little to no chatter on channel 68 other than a few comments on washing lures.

Capt Dick

Monday, May 21, 2018

I've heard the fishing continues to be good for Kings.  My boat is having engine work, so I won't be out fishing for a while. 

If you have a Salmon Fishing Report for Lake Michigan please click on the "Comments" link below. Fish On!

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

I've talked with a few customers and the fish are biting.  Big Kings are being caught west of Holland   Good Lake Trout and Coho reports too from Holland to South of Saugatuck.  Get out there for some good may fishing!

If you have a Salmon Fishing Report for Lake Michigan please click on the "Comments" link below. Fish On!