The Steelhead are Biting

It was a perfect fishing night Paul, Marc, and I on Thursday - EXCEPT for the FLIES. We had small flies, big flies, horse flies, bees, wasps, and a few other varieties. Fortunately, the good fishing overshadowed the fly factor.

We ended the night 4 for 8, 2 kings and 2 steelhead. The largest being a 15 lb king. We lost 2 more steelhead behind the boat. Well, we actually lost 3 of them - let me explain: The first steelhead we had to put in the box and net twice. After putting it in the cooler, I turned my head for a second and it jumped out, right back into the water. Net in hand, I looked for it behind the platform and saw him about 2 feet down lingering and dove the net down and netted this one for a second time. The interesting and lucky detail was that this fish was fresh as it had hit a down rigger and was brought in pretty quickly. It was incredibly lucky he didn't swim away immediately after hitting the water.

We took 2 hits on both Lead and Dipsies, and the Riggers were the hottest with 4 hits. A homespun, gold fly took two hits and a variety of spoons did the rest. We were straight out and a little north of the Channel in 90 to 110 FOW. The air shows that the Steelhead put on were amazing!

After the lines were in, we took a quick swim. 68 degrees on the Surface.

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Wednesday on JD Charters

Wednesday was a three person charter with two very experienced anglers and one novice. The fish had moved out to deeper water and the top
temperatures in 110 FOW was 60 degrees, with 52 degrees at the ball set 50 down. There was a better breeze and by the end of the trip, waves were running 2-3 feet from the south. Pretty much the same program, but mostly on the boards and
a few steelhead on the riggers and dipsey rods.

Our best set up again for the 4 year old Kings was a boardline with full core and a blue dolphin spoon. We ended up 12 for 14 and Kings weighing 15 lbs and Steelhead about 10 lbs an one small
Lake Trout. J D Charters is running from slip R-8 (next to the Piper restaurant) at Eldean Shipyard.

Captain Steve Orosz, J D Charters

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Tuesday, June 26 - JD Charters

There was cold water near shore, due to strong east winds on Tuesday 6-26 and the
J D Lady had a full 6 person charter consisting of one adult that had done some
fishing with me but not for several years, two of his children and two of their
friends that were on their first Lake Michigan fishing charter. We had very
little wind, but a strong north and/or east current with surface temperatures at
90 FOW in the mid 50's and down temps of 43 degrees off the center rigger set at
50 feet. We hooked 13 fish but only brought 5 to the box. Fish came on dipseys
80 feet back and full cores with blue or orange spoons. No small fish for the
day, with 4 year old Kings at 13-15 lbs and the bigger of the two Steelhead at
11lbs.

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Fished Saugatuck

I fished with Capt. Rich last night on the "Corner Office" (slip C-50) and also the Mike and the Boyz from C-10. We shot down to 100 FOW off Saugatuck and were fishing 4 down, 4 dipsys, and one lead line mostly in 100-120 FOW. It was a very slow start from 6-8pm and we ended up switching up the colors to try get something going. We put on White and white small ProKing that has been working well for me lately. This spoon was down 90 Feet and it then proceeded to get hit after hit, probably 5 in all. We ended the night with a weak 2 of 8, both kings and not very big. I missed a nice king at the net after the fish got tangle in the lead core and then got into a line on the rigger.

It was flat on the water and there were only 3 other boats fishing Saugatuck. It was little strange to see so little fishing activity on the Lake on a calm, Saturday night.

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Net Overboard!

Jon, Marc, and I fished from 6-9pm yesterday. It had been the first time out for 2 weeks and there weren't any boats on the water that we could see, so we were guessing where to go and what to fish. We started in 90 and went as deep as 140, but we seemed to get the action in 100 to 120 FOW straight out from the channel. We ended the night 5 for 7 on fish and 0 for 1 on nets. The net went over the rail as the wind and waves picked up a bit; probably 2 - 5 foot waves last night.

After the net went over, the real fun began. After a long fight Mark reeled the tired 15 lb King to the platform and I pulled it up and in by the leader and then wrestled into the cooler. I merely turned my head to request a needle nose, and the King open the cooler and jumped back out. Fortunately, I was able to wrangle the king in my hands before he slipped back in the water (I nearly slipped in the water myself, but Jon got a grip of my waistband as precaution - remember it was pretty wavy and rolly out there). The next 15 lb king hit the port down rigger so hard, and the rod buried downward toward the bottom, then it swam right off the starboard side of the boat crossing lead, dypsy, and the other downrigger. We avoided a major mess, and there I was again, on the edge of the platform, trying to whisper (fish whisperer) this fish on the boat. First I tried to get a finger in the gill, but he shook me off, then, since it worked before, I grabbed the leader and hoisted. Unfortunately the leader or knot broke and this one swam away.

Besides three, 15 lb kings, we also caught a 10 steelhead that ripped 300 feet of line off the dipsy, and also a small laker. One King and the Laker came on a dipsy set on 1.5, 160 back, with a homemade blue mirage fly. 2 kings and the steelhead came on downriggers, 70 to 90 down, on a spoon with blue. We had one hit on lead, but the 3 lead lines were silent most of the night. The water temp was 63 nearly top to bottom and there was a strong current.

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On Wednesday night, we did another Father-Son outing x 2.  Ryan & I went out on the "Fishing Poles" with Capt. Jim and his son Brennan.  We went out again to the 55 to 65 FOW.   I heard that JD Charters had limited out on his afternoon charter in those waters.  We stayed mostly south of the pierheads.  It ended up being a slow night and we finished 3 for 4, all kings, with one big fish at 14 lbs. 

I heard from one of the other fisherman at the marina that his boat went North and was in 120 to 130 FOW and did better catching 9.

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It was a father and son trip last night.  After Ryan & I saw the cooler of Steelhead that JD Charters brought in from his morning charter, we were really excited to get on the water.  Capt Steve said to stay in close around 50 to 60 feet and tha small orange & red spoons was really working for Steelhead. 

So, at 6pm we set up in 55 FOW, with 2 downriggers and 4 leadlines. And sure enough, the first fish on was an 8 lb steely.  We took another King, then Ryan had his work cut out with a 14 lb steelhead on leadline.  The fish worked so hard that on its final leg it came in Laketrout style, mouth open, surfing the rest of the way.  After that, it was mostly small kings.  We ended the night at 9:30, going 7 for 9.  We probably would have cracked the double digits, but we had 3 shakers that we dragged along for quite some time.  A lemonberry magnum spoon took 4 of the fish, including the 2 steelhead.  We didn't run any flies or dipsys.  We didn't mark many fish all night, but they were there.  Also, on the way in, the bait fish were jumping in Mac Bay. 

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From Capt Jim: Fished Sunday evening on friends boat from 6:00 to dark in a steady east wind. Went 7 for 9 all kings and all on spoons off dipsey's and riggers. Spoons with silver/chrome worked best in both mag and medium sizes. Riggers set at 55 to 90 and dipsey's 175 to 200 dialed at 3 and 1. For what its worth, first six fish came off port side of boat. Four lead lines were quiet all night, no copper fished. Fish Sonar was not working so we had no idea how deep of water we fished. I am guessing we started in about 90 and at one point after a long fight with a stubborn fish got pushed out past 150. Capt. Jim

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This just in from "The Fishing Poles": Calm evening on Wednesday night with little or no wind. Fishing was great although catching was a bit slow, went 3 for 4, all kings with one weighing in at 15.8 lbs. All fish hit mag and medium spoons with allot of silver off riggers, dipseys and lead... No copper or fly hits. Set up in 90 FOW and worked all the way out to 160 and then back in to 90 by end of night. All hits came in 120 to 150 FOW. Flies were as bad as we have ever seen, although they were not biting they were thick! Capt. Jim


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This in from JD Charters: Thursday, 5/17, they went 12 for 12 in just 2 hours.  They found the most fish in 170 FOW and dipsys, lead, copper, and riggers all worked well.  4 cohos and kings.

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WOW!  Yes, WOW!  What an amazing morning on the water!  Jim (D-26), Mark (A25), and I fished from 6:30-11 and went 12 for 15.  We fished all over from 80 to 150 FOW.  We had so much happening that we weren't really paying much attention to water depth and direction, just trying to stay clear of the other boats.  Early on, the 2 down riggers with magnum spoons were very hot, then the lead core heated up, and finally, we took one on the one dipsy fly combo.  At most, we had 7 rods out, but most of the time only 5 or 6, and that kept us plenty busy. 

We had multiple double headers and ended with 1 Laker, 2 Coho, and 9 Kings.  The biggest king was 15 lbs and most were 5 to 10 lbs.  I had a small pro king, silver and white spoon that took 3 fish.  A magnum lemonberry took 2, a blue and white magnum took 2, and another blue & white with little spots took 3.  There was no need to switch up any baits as everything was working that we started with.  We were fishing 40-75 down.

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Well I finally got out fishing on the Rhino this morning.  Bill and I ended up catching 4 good kings (5, 8, 12, & 14 lbs) and we missed 3.  The fish were scattered all over the place as we fished mostly between 100 and 170 feet.  However, with one line still in the water, we caught our last King in 63 FOW on our way in.  Bill was actually moving for the pole to pull our last line when the Fish hit.  The fish came on a light blue fly on a dipsy, a silver cotton candy magnum spoon, and two other Magnum spoons.   Most hits came on the lead core.  The lake was flat, the fog was thick, and fishing was fun. 

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I rode along with Capt Steve on JD Charters this morning. It was a quick trip because of the early storms so we only fished betwen 8 and 11. We ended 4 of 6, all kings & some good weight to them too.  The copper and lead took 5 of 6 hits and spotted lemon ice was pretty hot too.  Even thought the storm seemed to calm the fishing down a little, the Lake is pretty flat and its a great day to get out on the water.

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It was a Big Tuesday and a great May start for Salmon Fishing.  Two boats from the marina went out in the AM and had a great moring.  JD Charters went 17 for 21(mostly kings and some nice size - see photo) in 145 -170 FOW. Mostly spoons in yellow or green and they said they caught fish on all equipment but most on riggers at 75-90 down.

"Lean Machine" also was out in the morning and returned early with their limit. They fished a little shallower, so it sounds like the fish are everywhere, between 100-200.

Capt. Jim made it out for the first day of the season on Tuesday evening and went 12 for 16 in 150 to 200 FOW. All salmon (5-14 lbs.)on flies and spoons 60 to 100 feet down. Fish were hitting everything we threw at them with no special pattern or rig working best (but we did fish allot of white, blue and green). Took fish on copper, lead, downriggers and wire dipseys, braid dipseys were the only rods that did not have any action. Capt. Jim

I can't wait any longer! Hopefully the Rhino will launch tomorrow...


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It's time to go fishing again!

Looks like the fishing has been pretty good lately.  I've heard from several fisherman that they are catching their limits.  Most are in the 130-180 feet of water and are having success on spoons and flies.  I hope to have my boat in the water in the next few days and be able to post a report of me own.

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30 boats fishn the holland piers in the fog tonight. We took the trifecta: 1 brown, 1 king, & 1 sheephead. Spoons & j plug.

Gishing is pretty good right now.

 Well, Captain Jim has been catching a few fish this week.  Including 5 on Monday, 4 on Tuesday, and by the looks of this photo, 11 fish this morning. 

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We were 6 for 10 in the gold coast tourni, finishing in the middle. Most fish were straight out & in 120 FOW. Spoons & flies. Lead was slow.

A few Reports from Capt. Jim

8/15/2011: Fished Thursday PM and Friday. Storms kept us off the lake on Saturday. Went 7 for 8 on Thursday and 17 for 25ish on Friday (lost track of lost fish). All Kings and Steelhead and no lakers. Biggest fish was 21 lbs and two were smaller and released. Fish were biting just about everything including white, green and blue flies on white and glowing paddles/spin doctors and mag spoons. Amazing what less than a week will do for fishing after a slow Big Red Classic. - Capt. Jim

8/20/2011: Fished Saturday PM in rough seas out of the north. Put one in the boat when a junior fisherman started turning green and we decided to pull lines. While pulling lines, out six more in boat for a total of seven kings. All on flies and spoons between 110 and 130 FOW. Green, white and Blue colors were working best. Fished about 55 to 75 feet down on riggers and dipseys 125 to 200 feet out. - Capt. Jim

8/22/2011: Fished Monday PM in calm seas and went 3 for 8 with one fish breaking a line and another biting a fly off. Fished same zone and depths as on 8/20 with the same exact rigging..... Smallest fish was 14 pounds and biggest was just under 19 pounds (on the scale). Two that broke off were nice size also! - Capt. Jim


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Gold Coast Outfitters Tourni

The Gold Coast Outfitters fishing tourniment is this Saturday.  Call to them to sign up.  It should be a bunch of fun!  http://www.goldcoastoutfitters.com/




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