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2006
Fishing Reports |
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NEXT TRIP: May, 2007 |
| Sept. 15 |
It was such a nice day on Friday, that I decided to try the afternoon
fishing. Scott and I fished from 2:00 to 4:30 and caught a nice 10
lb King. It came on a white magnum spoon in 45 feet of water and 40
down on the rigger. We marked fish all over from 35-115 FOW, but the
action was very slow and we were only 1 for 1. |
| Sept. 2 |
I fished Saturday morning with Captain Jim on his boat. We headed
South to Saugatuck to fish the Pier heads. We circled outside the
channel from 6:00-9:00 and between 25-45 feet of water and got plenty
of action. Bites came on everything: Spoons, J-Plugs, Flies, Dipsies,
Lead-lines, down-riggers, and rubber worms. Well we didn't actually
use any rubber worms, and for that matter, we didn't actually catch
any fish. We ended the morning 0 for 11! Fish were usually off the
hook in seconds and none were on longer than 20 seconds. Oh well. |
| Aug. 26th |
Capt. Jim reported: Fished for a couple of hours on Saturday evening.
Water warmed up significantly over past week and had to go deeper
for fish. Had trouble keeping the hooks in the fish and ended up going
2 for 7 for the night. Lost a nice fish on swivel failure which is
a rarity. Water was bumpy and finally found fish in 100-115 FOW water
was in the mid 60’s at the ball. Fish came on flies and spoons
55 to 70 feet down. Looking forward to getting out this weekend. |
| Aug. 20 |
We decided to do a family fishing trip early Sunday afternoon. You
know, when the fish aren't supposed to be biting. Well, at 1:30 we
started with 5 poles in the water, and after a fish would bite, we
put that pole away. Just after 3:00 we were 3 for 3 and only 2 poles
left fishing. Kris, Ryan, and I each caught a good sized King, all
were around 6-10 lbs. We called it quits just after 3:00 and I took
a swim to get the fish blood off. Fish were in 115-130 FOW, and 2
were on dipsies and flies back 125 feet, set on 3, and the other was
down 55 on a white magnum spoon. |
| Aug. 18-19 |
Capt. Jim reported from Manistee that between all day Friday and
Saturday morning, they caught 25 and lost several more. The fish in
Manistee only wanted to bite on Flies. He wasn't alone up there, as
approximately 300 boats were around him! 2 big kings over 18 lbs. |
| Aug. 17 |
Capt. Jim reports great fishing and 11 Kings caught Thursday night
off Holland. They were biting on anything in 100 FOW. |
| Aug. 16 |
Super great morning!!! Cliff (C-10, Roger (E-34), and I called it
quits at 8 AM after less that 2 hours of fishing. We ended 9 for 14
and got our 3 man limit on Kings. We started with a few small ones
and ended with several between 10 and 15 lbs. For most of the morning
we were the farthest West and South of the large group of boats out
fishing. We caught everything between 125 and 150 feet of water, but
there was very little time to care where are location was because
there was nearly always a fish on or a rod to be reset. We only fished
5 rods. My home-made, light blue and green flies were on one downrigger
and 2 dipsys. We had a white magnum spoon on the lead core and a green
and white on the other down rigger. All 5 were catching fish and there
was no need to switch up the bait. 55 and 65 down on the rigger and
125 and 175 back on the dipsy. Such a great morning... |
| Aug. 11-13 |
Fished Friday PM and Sunday evening and Saturday & Sunday in
Saugatuck tournament on friends boat in waters off Holland and Saugatuck.
Allot of fishing and ended up 14 for 28. Fish were hitting spoons
and flies in 85 FOW and deeper on dipsey's, riggers, copper and lead
core. Fish hit different rigs and colors from day to day but blues
and greens still working best. Strong undercurrents made fishing interesting
(frustrating) on Friday PM but lake seemed to calm down through weekend.
Fish are scattered and hard to find at times. Plenty of cold water
down deep and boats were catching fish all the way out in the 200's.
Biggest fish was 22.4 lbs. Capt Jim - The Fishing Poles |
| Aug. 3 |
Waves were coming from all directions this morning and we were marking
fish everywhere. We took one early in 155 FOW but that was the only
action all morning from 6-10 AM. We were all over trying all directions
and were between 80 and 180 FOW. The fish were there, they just didn't
like what we were offering. |
| Aug. 2 |
The Lake was angry that day my friend. No, not that angry, but enough
to make the captain sea sick. Coming out of the channel it was about
2-3, but with the heavy south wind, it was 4-6 off shore. We fished
from 90-165 feet and the from 6:30-7:45AM. The fish were in 160-165
and biting. In this short time we were there with just a couple of
poles dragging, we got 2 kings before calling it a day. The new fly
I made took one king, 185 back set on 1 behind a green fish catcher.
The fly has three different light colors to it and a glowing green
head and glowing beads. Its almost too pretty to fish with. |
| July 28 |
I fished on Captain Jim's Boat last night with his friend Shane
and we ended 5 for 7. 4 Kings and a 10 lb. laker. The down riggers
were slow, with most action coming on dipsys and lead lines. An orange
and silver spoon and other green varieties worked well. We were all
over, 80-160 feet, and the fish seemed really spread out. |
July 26 |
Fished 7:30 PM to near dark on 7/27 and ended up one for one…15.0
lb female king. Water rough and warm all the way to the bottom out
to 115 feet. Washed spoons and flies all night long in waters 55 to
125 deep with riggers and Dipsies running at all depths down to 95
feet. Never set any lead core because of two man rod limits. The one
fish came in 105 FOW slightly north of the channel. Did mark schools
of bait periodically. Capt Jim – The Fishing Poles.
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| July 25 |
Kris and I fished late this morning for about an hour on our way
back from Port Sheldon. Tried 80-135 FOW but nothing happening. The
fish finder showed several marks up high, 15-25 FOW and many around
50-60 FOW that were right in my junk, but no biters. Called it quits,
0 for 0, 10:30-11:30. |
| July 19 |
The fishing was great last night. "Big E" and I fished
from 6:30 to 9:30 and there was a lot of action and fish were everywhere.
We ended 4 for 11, and were fishing mostly between 110 and 145 FOW.
A lot of boats moved in shallower as it got later, but we still were
getting fish deep. Downriggers down 65-80 with Green Dolphin Magnum
was best, and a light blue fly 200 back on the dipsy was 2nd best. |
| July 18 |
Fished Tuesday evening. Water was bumpy enough from the day before
to get one crew member sick. Ended 2 for 6 by time we had to head
for the pier heads. All hits came on downriggers and spoons 60 to
70 feet down in 100 to 125 FOW. Best spoons were the usual chrome,
green and white. Capt Jim – The Fishing Poles |
| July 12 |
I took the afternoon off to see if the fish were biting and ended
2-5, fishing from 1-4:30 in 80-125 FOW. All action was between 100-120
FOW. Possibly the biggest salmon of my life took a home-made light
blue fly and dipsy, screaming 150 feet out before it shook the hook.
Other action was on a silver and white, green dolphin glow, and a
bloody nose. |
| July 11 |
Had guests in from out of town last night and fished in the rain
and fog. Lake was flat and showers were on and off. Put eleven fish
in the box and lost at least 15 (we lost count). Nine kings with three
in the 12+ pound range and two steelhead in the 8-10 lb. range. It
was a Chinese fire drill the entire evening. Fished 85 to 100 FOW
50-75 feed down. Most fish came on spoons off dipsys, lead and riggers
in the usual green, white and chrome mixes. Did pick a couple up on
flies. Good redemption after disappointing results in Holland tournament
last weekend on friends boat. Capt Jim – The Fishing Poles |
| July 7 |
A 7-10 PM Fishing trip was slower than we expected, but we ended
2-4 with a nice 14 lb King in the box. The dipsy and lead lines too
all the action. It was completely calm water. White and Green all
night... We had are action and marked a lot of fish between 65 and
100 ft. |
| July 4 |
Fished 7/4 early AM and went 7 for 10 with a big 8th fish lost off
the back of the boat after a long fight. Combination of Kings and
Steelhead. Fished 75 to 110 FOW and fish hit riggers, dipsys and lead
core. Spoons and flies in combinations of green, chrome and white
still are the best producers and fish were most active 45 to 65 down.
Water was warm top to bottom. Sea fleas were the heaviest we’ve
seen in years and made it tough fighting and changing lines. Capt
Jim – The Fishing Poles |
| June 29 |
Made it out last night and ended up 5 for 8. Put one steelhead and
three kings in the box and let a smaller one year old go to fight
another day. Hits came on lead, riggers and dipsys in 70 to 105 FOW
running mid depth to deeper in water column. The usual combinations
of green, blue and orange spoons were working best with no hits on
the two flies we were dragging around. Capt. Jim – The Fishing
Poles |
| June 28 |
I joined Captain Jim last night on his boat. In our brief trip,
cut short by sea-sick crew (the kids), we went 1 for 4, between
7:15 and 8:00. Setting up in 55 feet, we just had one pole down
when we hooked a 13 pound king on a Blue Dolphin Magnum. The other
spoons later taking hits were all of the green or white variety.
We never made it any deeper than 65 feet. |
| June 27 |
One Shipyard customer reported a good salmon catch (big and many)
once they started fishing in 100 FOW or less. He said that they spent
some time out deeper and couldn't get anything to go until they came
east into 100 FOW and continued on the east troll. |
| June 26 |
Tried again this morning (6:30-9:30)and went back out to the the
85-90 range and nothing happened. One boat reported 2 for 3 in 50-60
FOW so we moved in and didn't get anything there either. Hopefully
my luck will change soon... |
| June 25 |
Took a quick family trip from 10:30 to 12:00. Heard there were fish
being caught around 85-90 feet but we couldn't get any bites. Tried
70-105 and had most marks around 85-95 FOW. |
| June 24 |
Fished Saturday 6/24 AM. Got out early and ended up going 3 for
4and off the water by 9:30 AM. Two kings and one steelhead. Fish hit
on dipsys and lead core (full) in 75 to 110 FOW. One solid release
on a downrigger but no fish to show for it. All spoons with combinations
of greens and whites working the best. Flies did not produce. Hope
the fishing will pick up. Capt. Jim - The Fishing Poles. |
| June 20 |
Fished off Holland last night and ended up going 6 for 4 with three
kings (2, 6 & 12lbs) and one jumbo steelhead that weighed in at
exactly 15 lbs. Fished 65 to 90 FOW and all fish came off dipsys with
spoons and flies. Water flat and warm with bottom temperatures in
the mid 50's. Not one release on riggers and lost one on lead core.
Lighter colors working best on spoons and one fish caught on green
fly. Capt. Jim - The Fishing Poles. |
| June 6 |
The only thing biting on last night's father-son fishing outing
was the black flies (and there must have been a thousand of them).
We fished from 5-7:30 in 80-215 FOW but didn't get anything to happen
using a variety of spoons on downriggers and a lead line. Fish were
mostly marked between 90-110 FOW and 190-210 FOW. There weren't any
other boats on the water that I could see. My luck hasn't been so
good this year and its getting a little frustrating...Perhaps its
time for a trip to the bait store--more tackle never hurts. |
| June 2 |
Not much happening this morning. We fished from 6:30 to 9:00, 150-215
feet deep, and only had one fish on. It was good one and got itself
into the dipsy and then shook the hook. Oh well. The hit was 80 down
in 185 feet of water. We had a lot of marks around 30 feet and also
below 100. Strong Current, but smooth water. |
| May 29 |
Fished Monday 5/29 AM. Beautiful morning with nice light chop on
the water. Set up in 185 FOW with all spoons. Fished 185 to 205 FOW
and ended up putting six kings in the box with several releases and
lost fish. All fish nice two year old fish. Fish came off riggers
56 to 100' down and off dipsys Spoon colors were green, white and
orange combinations. Capt. Jim - The Fishing Poles. |
| May 24 |
I Tried a little deeper last night, but we were fishing a little
shorthanded since we had some equipment difficulties. Fished mostly
between 170 and 210 and 30-60 down. Went 2 for 2. We had some good
marks and I think we would have caught more if we weren't dragging
"Tiny" around for 2 hours. I gave Tiny mouth-to-mouth and
resuscitated the little guy and hopefully we'll meet up again in 3
years. A Blue Dolphin Magnum and a yellow and orange got the hits
off the riggers at 50 and 60 down. It was the "Deadliest Catch"
last night as my first mate almost fell in while wrestling a piling
(before we even left the slip). Later, we had to shelter ourselves
from the pea-sized hail. |
| May 22 |
Caught 1. 90 FOW, 73 down, Magnum Blue Dolphin. Fished 6:30-9:30
and ended 1 for 2. Fished between 70 and 140. Not much happening. |
| May 19 |
We freed 45,000 King Smolts into Lake Macatawa at 9:00 Friday Night,
from their net-pen at Eldean Shipyard. After feeding them for 4 weeks
it was sad to see them go. Many thanks to the DNR and the Lakeshore
Discovery Center for running this program. It will be really interesting
to see them return in four years! |
| May 3 |
My first time fishing this year was unsuccessful. Oh well, it was
a great night to be on the lake. The fish were NOT biting or being
marked regularly from 65-105 ft of water. We had one release in 95
feet. I fished on Captain Jim's boat and we were out from 6-9 PM. |
| April, 2006 |
Report from Captain Jim: Made it out a half dozen times in April.
Began season trolling close to shore and did well on Kings and lakers
off dipsys and long lines with spoons and body baits. Fishing has
slowed down considerably over the last couple of weeks and the fish
appeared to have moved into deeper water. Had no luck last weekend
off Saugatuck on friends boat in the shallower water (<40FOW) hiding
from the strong easterly winds. Hearing the same from those who fished
Holland in recent weeks. Will keep sending in reports as get out there
and find 'em. Capt. Jim |
