12/31/13  Happy New Year is an understatement.  Happy New Season better fits what I have mind.  2013 was a tough year for the fleet and I'm glad to see it go.
                Last season ranks at number 3 of the all time worst returning numbers of Kings to the Little Manistee Harvest Weir in Manistee, MI at a woeful 6427.  Only 2008 and 2010 had less numbers of fish!  Click for harvest weir numbers
                All time average is 17,634, but 17k number is skewed by the early days 1968 thru 1987. WI fared better on returning fish then us on the MI side of the pond.
               OK, in the last 5 seasons we had 3 of the poorest numbers of returning fish to the LM harvest weir ...ever.  What don't make any sense to me? ...is why the MDNR chose to gut Chinook/King Salmon plants by 60% from 2013 on.  Then, ask for a major increase in fishing license fees where the lion's share of the hike goes for pure pork!

12/30/13  Great Lakes fishing is a lifelong learning experience.  Added to my knowledge base this past June shooting deep video on my rigger cam 140' down. 
                 Exploded the myth fish only feed upwards when a decent sized Salmon dove a 5' down to investigate our bait.  Then, this fish took a couple ill timed of "hit and miss" swipes at the meat head/flasher combo during last light.  Click for this pic
                 On this same trip proved the superior natural light reflection off the hyper hyper holo™ tape on the Super Mamba flasher being visible 140' down at dusk!     

12/29/13  Sea Grant's Ludington Regional Fishery Workshop happens on Saturday, January 11, 2014 from 9:00am until 3:30pm.  It's being held at Baymont Inn & Suites (old Ramada Inn) located at 4079 West U.S. Highway 10, Ludington, MI 49431.
                Sea Grant requests pre-registration.  Email them at: frein@anr.msu.edu
or call 616-994-4540 with the number in your group.  Click for agenda

12/28/13  Happy New Year is a traditional greeting at this time of the year.  Well, how do you clearly define happy? ...found a great example in photos Bob K sent in.  Happy is how to describe Bob's pics of his Manistee, MI fishing trip last August.
                 Like any fishing trip there's a lot of behind the scenes planning beforehand that can succeed, or fail.  Grins and smiles holding big fish after the trip is over proves all the efforts were worthwhile & a huge success. Click decoupage of Bob's photos
             My easiest and most rewarding job is sharing happy photos with you!

12/27/13  Happy last Friday in 2013.  Soon we'll turn the calendar to 2014 with the hopes and challenges a brand new year always brings.
                Holiday rush crushed UPS.  This proves how comfortable the public is ordering online.  Seen this trend in the early i2ks.  That's when I decided to get into a web based tackle business.  Online shopping with prompt shipping will only become larger over time.

12/26/13  The new page focusing on the fish caught in 2013 is a work in progress.  Added Bob K's 26 pound Manistee, MI King yesterday.  Still have a more photos to post in the future. It's not too late to get your fish added.
                 Acesulfame potassium?  Probably like you I never heard of it before.   Acesulfame is an artificial sweetener (used in diet drinks) that is unaffected by sewage treatment plants and flows into the watershed.  Click for more info

12/25/13  Have a safe and very Merry Christmas.

12/24/13  81 degrees at my place?  Yep, it's not a dream, but it is 1280 miles S of Manistee just N of Ocala, FL where I'm at now.  Never been S for Christmas before and it seems more like a warm day in July then anything even close Christmas Eve Day.

12/23/13  Today's message is Merry Christmas to you and yours!

12/20/13  Happy Friday!  Noticed "The Weather Channel" on cable TV is giving winter storms names.  Gemini is the 7th winter storm of this season and winter does not officially start until tomorrow.  With only 19 letters left in the alphabet ....we're going to run out of names well before winter 2013-2014 is over!

12/19/13  Learned a few things in putting together the new page showcasing the fish viewers/members of this website sent in.  First, it will be a lot easier to build this page as a work in progress during season.  Second, from now on ...every season will have a page like this to document what's been caught.  Click Fish of 2013

12/18/13  Finally got a handle on the new page showing the fish that were caught in 2013.  The majority of the photos on this page were sent in by viewers/members of this website.  If you want your caption, or byline changed?  Please contact me by email for the desired revisions.  Click Fish of 2013

12/16/13  Fish of 2013 page is almost done.  Installed bylines help explain photos.  If you have sent me pics and want your byline/caption changed?  Contact me by email and I'll make your desired revisions.  Majority of the images showcased on this new page were all sent in by viewers, or members of this website.   Click for Fish of 2013
               Weather has been an issue for trying to publish updates.  Satellite internet does not work well when it's nasty outside.       

12/12/13  For about the last 3 years December in Manistee, MI has been just dreadful with temps close to 20 degrees below the norm.  Used to run a fair amount of guided winter Steelhead trips on the Big Manistee River 10 years ago and cannot recall Decembers being this nasty. 

12/9/13  Winter begins Saturday, December 21, 2013 if you go by the calendar.  If you look at the thermometer it began about 3 weeks ago in Manistee, MI.
              As a group fishermen dwell in the here and now.  Bad effects like the 10 year trap net fiasco off Ludington, Whitehall, Manistee, and Frankfort has ended.  Last year at this time it looked like low water in the Great Lakes was the big story.  It's amazing how fast we forget and move forward.  Fishermen are always highly optimistic when it comes to the future.  Isn't that a great thought?

12/8/13  Made major progress on the new page showcasing what we caught in 2013.  Photos sent in by the viewers of the website made this page.  This shows how connected we all are in the society of Great Lakes fishermen.  Click new page progress
               It's entirely possible after the 1st of the New Year I could be chasing shoreline Brown Trout out of Manistee in 12 weeks, or less.   The 2014 season is not that far off. 

12/7/13  Pearl Harbor Day when we lost about 2500 US service men in a surprise attack from the Empire of Japan.  This country mistakenly thought they could defeat us.
                  Hopefully, ...on, or before Christmas the new message board will be online.  Parts of this forum will be open to the public in areas requiring customer support.
              Most common questions include, how fast do we ship? Questions about speed and leader lengths always popup too.
              I'm importing all the topic/threads and the existing member list.  Long time non active members will be deleted.  Haven't figures out all the details yet.

12/4/13  Fast forward a decade, or two from now. You order fishing tackle and a drone will deliver it to your door.  This is not science fiction.  Amazon and UPS is considering this technology.
                Upside will be amazingly fast delivery.  Downside will be cut electrical, phone lines, a lacerated cat, a chewed up dog from these helicopter-drones.  Or? ...even worse ...your new graph is let loose from an altitude too high.  Bringing a new meaning to drop shipping!

12/2/13  As we enter the last month of 2013 it's a good time to reflect on this year's accomplishments and set goals for 2014.
                Building my own computer earlier this year? ...major accomplishment.  This new box can handle gigabyte video files with ease.  This makes the editing process with sound and text overlays go a lot quicker then my previous attempts in 2012.  Only fly in the ointment was the few times I was able to fish this year, there were not that many fish caught to make exciting footage.
                Had a great opportunity slip by last July out of the Port of Pentwater, MI.  Sea fleas ruined this event.  We should have boated 5 fish, but only got 1 to the boat. 
                         Click 7/12/13 Pentwater King

11/30/13  While researching the cost of fishing licenses in various states ...seen some states actually charged extra for purchasing fishing licenses online. The MDNR does not.
Having purchased my MI fishing license online, I can recommend this. Print out extra copies and you're all set.
                MI fishing licenses are a bargain at any price. But I'm 100% totally against big hikes in 1 day & non resident fees after seeing little of the "new monies" in a proposed increase actually go towards fish rearing, or hatchery improvements.

11/28/13  Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!  This holiday always make me think about how fortunate I am.  Not for the material things, but for my pets, wildlife, fish, people in my life and that I'm still sucking wind under my own power.
                   I'm happy you stopped by today to share this special day with me as we look towards 2014.  Gonna climb out on a limb and predict next season on Lk. MI will be an major upgrade over the Lk. MI fishing, or lack thereof in 2013. 
                   Weather in Manistee is full blown winter.  Cold and lot's of snow with a slight warm-up next week.  I'm grateful to live in Manistee County where today's featured photo of wild turkeys was taken in my backyard.

11/25/13  It's no small secret I've tried unsuccessfully to sell my turnkey tackle business for the last 2 years. 
                  This is hard to understand? ...because the Great Lakes tackle manufacturing business is the most level playing field I know of.  Where else can you compete against the largest there is and make a go of it without investing billions like in ...the auto industry.
                  I've had the pleasure during the last 30 years of being my own boss and not an indentured servant working for people I didn't like ...in a job that's difficult to tolerate.  Sound familiar?
                  The tackle business is entirely based on 110% customer service and support.  I challenge you to find any other Salmon-Trout fishing manufacturer that goes to the lengths I do ...to make sure you're time on the water is the most successful possible!

11/23/13  It's officially long-john weather in Manistee, MI.  Yesterday's high was 19 degrees at my place with a couple of inches of fresh lake effect snow.  The Great Lakes are capable of creating their own weather systems laden with moisture when the wind is from the right direction.
                  2012 was the year when I went into testing to improve diver technology.  Looked at every way possible make this essential part of Great Lakes trolling advance.  Increased diver vs. strike ratio to fish boated with Super Snubbers™ a bunch better.  Diver depth per foot of line off the reel was upgraded with our 10 oz Diver Diggers™ without adding much rod strain.  Click Diver Diggers™
                   Diggers never had a chance to reach their full potential. Lk. MI defied history and cooled off in early August 2013.  If 2014 is more traditional? ... look for diggers to be hard to come by and sellout early.

11/21/13  Been limiting my computer time to around 30 hours a week for the sake of my eye sight.  30 hours is a 1/2 to 1/3 of my former routine.  To make best use in a limited schedule I'm hard at work updating the code for my phpBB forums aka message boards. 
                   Existing board here? ...the old code is from about 2003.  This must be updated to bring you the best board my knowledge base allows.  Data bases at the upper end of my skill sets.

11/19/13   Big storm rolled thru and knocked out my power recently.  Was on generator power most of Sunday.
                   I've been hoarding my web work and have a lot of irons in the fire.  2013 Big Fish will be done first.  Hope to piece together another You Tube video before 2014.
                   Have new products in mind for 2014 that were tested on a limited basis  this past season.  So, I know they work.

11/16/13  Test publish wi-fi

11/15/13  Called Rep. Franz's office and spoke to his secretary yesterday.   He was in session and couldn't be reached.  I made my point clear about not hiking DNR fees.
                 You can't be against something just for the sake of obstructionism.  Raising the cost of 1 day licenses will hurt the charter fleet.  Huge increases on nonresident licenses will keep out of state fishermen & hunters, ...out of our state!
                   We need a lowball priced 3 day fishing license for the charter customers and occasional angler.  This is a great doorway introduce new blood to the MI outdoors and waters.  A certain percentage of my charter customers, after seeing what the Great Lakes has to offer, went out and purchased boats to chase the fish on their own.  This is big financial gain across the board for our state in other tax revenues.
                  Government officials are too insulated & do not see thru the eyes of private business who must proceed to succeed.  In closing, I've always considered the cost of my fishing license the best bargain in the world.  Let's hope it stays that way for ALL!
    Good luck on today's firearm deer season opener.  Have a safe & successful hunt!

11/14/13  I hate politics and anything associated with them.  However, today I'm calling my MI State Rep. Ray Franz (R) about the hikes in MI hunting & fishing licenses.
                The MDNR admitted their license sales have been flat.  So, lets raise the price to keep the flat-line MDNR license fees going instead of attracting more customers? 
                When sales are flat, or contracting ...private business innovates to increase value to their customers.  Not our MDNR!  They decrease King, or Chinook Salmon plants by 60% and still want more money?  Factoring in, the inshore Salmon fishing during 2013 was the worst season for numbers I've seen since probably 1988.
                101st MI district is comprised of Leelanau, Benzie, Manistee, Mason Counties. Franz can be reached tollfree at: (855) 347-8101, or by email: RayFranz@house.mi.gov
                If you live in another district, please find your house representative by starting your search by clicking here
                The 4 counties I've mentioned depend on the Salmon fishermen's dollar.  More so, than another other area in MI.  With only 1/18 of the new revenue going towards fish rearing this is not a good deal for Michigan fishermen, or hunters.

11/13/13  3 inches of lake effect snow happened yesterday.  This is the 1st measureable snowfall this season and with any luck? ...it might hang around the firearms deer opener this coming Friday.  Click 11/12/13 snowfall
             Tomorrow focus will be on the Great Lakes Salmon tackle industries and the multitude of opportunities this business presents ...and why?
        My Manistee snowometer stands at 4 inches total for the 2013-2014 season

11/6/13  Had planned on discussing our MDNR issues with public relations, but ran across a far more important story.  I will revisit this topic in the future 
               Asian Carp DNA has been discovered in WI's Sturgeon Bay.  This is in the N part of Lk. MI a long ways from the Chicago, IL lock system.
               The government has been dragging their feet and has yet to do anything meaningful about separating the Mississippi watershed from the Great Lakes basin.  While the powers that be sit idle.  Click AP ABC News article

11/5/13  Best thing about yesterday's update?  Larry is still carrying enthusiasm for Great Lakes fishing well into November.  Having dedicated fishermen is what we need to keep our sport going.  Having passion about what you like to do? ...priceless!
              Larry's Mamba testament putting fish into the boat is going to be in the eye of the beholder.  Possibly, he just moved over a wad fish and got lucky.  I prefer to think not, because I've heard this same exact story too many times before.
              Tomorrow's topic: does the MDNR have a public relations problem?         

11/4/13  "John, This is Larry T. Fish!Fish!Fish! spoke to you a couple of months ago and I place a couple of orders with you this year.  Very impressed with your tackle.
                Can't wait to get my hands on your new MJ Mamba!  It looks like a take off on the Black Mamba, the flasher that I absolutely smoked the fish on this year.
                For example, I was fishing a club tournament in Frankfort first weekend in Sept. & was having a tough morning until I switched 4 rods over to Black Mamba 2 w/black and 2w/white heads & proceeded to catch 6 fish in 45 min. I even put one of your stickers on my boat for the Fish OH Huron Challenge. Click for Larry's Boat

11/3/13  Ritual of "fall-back" your clocks one hour to adjust for EST happened last night at 2am.  Daylight Savings Time will begin again March 9, 2014.

11/2/13  Recent rains of about 3 inches will swell the Big Manistee River watershed.  In turn, raising the water, flushing the river clear of leaves, and bring Steelhead upriver. 
             High water is always a godsend for those that love fall Steelhead fishing.  Probably by next Wednesday the entire big river will be holding fish. 
             Hotspots will be Pine Creek, Bear Creek, Mile Run, and above.  Traditionally, all these areas are always good after a gulley washer that will pull fish upstream.

11/1/13  Happy November, as this year speeds towards 2014.  Been reel-busy with pre 2014 production since the webstore closed a while back.
             New projects are just over the horizon that I'm eager to start on ASAP.  Looking forward to next season.  2014 will mark my 10th anniversary in the tackle business.

10/31/13  I'm sure you've heard, "opposites attract."  Swapped colors around and came up with the new 2014 MJ Mamba aka Michael Jackson Mamba. Click new MJ Mamba 
                This new addition has world exclusive black Hyper Holo™ tape on the bottom,  white Mamba spots on the top half, and a silver Hyper Holo™ backside
         With today being Halloween, I'm sure the 2014 MJ Mamba will be a thriller!

10/30/13  2014 MDNR estimated new monies from license fee rate hikes reveals only 1/18th of the MDNR budget only $977,000 will be allocated towards fish rearing.
                 This is out of an estimated new revenue in the tune of $18,100,000.  The MDNR will pay out $2,444,400 on marketing and outreach.  Then, being pennywise and pound foolish the fish rearing department? Click MDNR source page to confirm

10/29/13  Asian Carp have been confirmed in OH's Sandusky River as of last summer!
               Bad news part: these were naturally spawned fish in a river once thought not favorable to provide spawning habitat for Asian Carp. 
               Good news part: the specie is a Grass Carp that does not feed mainly on plankton like the looming plague of Silver and Bighead Asian Carp do.
"The Sandusky River has about 15 miles of flowing waters accessible to the grass carp — a shorter stretch than experts previously believed necessary for spawning.    This is further evidence that we can't underestimate the flexibility that Asian carps have to become acclimated to and even adapt to environments outside their native range," said Reuben Goforth, a Purdue University scientist who has studied the carp but wasn't involved with the USGS project." from AP news wire. Click AP Carp article

10/28/13  Below is what happened at the WDNR Strawberry Creek harvest station.  Wire tag fish had to be planted.  You can see for yourself how important stocked King/Chinook Salmon are to the overall count.  I do take issue with the Oct. 14 & 17 lowball round numbers of wire tagged Salmon.  Could this be CYA concerning the ratio of stocked compared to Kings that are spawned naturally after the DNRs cut the plants this year?
             We all appreciate the transparency of the WDNR in sharing this info.

10/27/13  2001 was the best year for MI Master Angler Kings with 243 over 27 pounds.  Add 4 years to 2001 = 2005, then 2005 = 2009.  This brings us to 2013.  Another year of respectable sized King Salmon.  Is this an every 4 year occurrence, or just a coincidence?
    Tomorrow, I'll post the WI data from their Strawberry Creek egg taking facility.

10/26/13  Major flaws were exposed in the states surrounding Lk. MI about estimated natural reproduction of the 2013 crop of King/Chinook Salmon at WI's Strawberry Creek egg harvesting facility.  Approximately 60% of the September Kings were planted fish with coded wire tags.  This blows holes in the DNR's knee jerk theory about natural reproduction being enough to sustain a fishery.  This is after the fact of an ill conceived major slash in ALL Lk. MI King Salmon plants in 2013 with no hard data beforehand.
                As not to put the horse in front of the cart, 2013 was the first season all Kings had wire tags implanted in their snouts before being planted.
                Later run fish (October) there were more naturals.  But how do late running Kings help the summer fleet that has long since went home?
                Final tally from Strawberry Creek was 5401 captured, 2138 were planted.  While data says naturals were more, it was not until mid October when non-wire coded fish (possible naturally reproduced fish) appeared in strong numbers to tilt the balance.

10/25/13  The MDNR cutting back 60% in King plants in 2013?  This is a large over correction if the numbers of the fish taken at the Little Manistee River Weir stay in the 5 to 6k range over the next few seasons.  My memory says we need plus 10k returning to supply the summer fleet with respectable chances at good catches.
                 If you look at the long term return numbers fluctuations are part of the Chinook/King Salmon fishery.  Anything less than 10k (returning Kings) has happened only 5 times since 1968 and forebodes a declining fishery that needs help.

10/24/13  Numbers from this fall's harvest of King/Chinook Salmon captured at the Little Manistee River Weir are a dismal 6427.  Click MDNR weir data
                That's about half the Salmon of the previous 2 seasons.  In 2012 the tally was 12,327.  In 2011? ...it was even better at 14,124.
                Smaller harvest numbers do not equate to larger size either.  In 2001 the harvest weir had 18,279 Kings show up. 
               The 2001 season produced 243 Master Angler Kings (Kings over 27 pounds).  The high water mark in the years of 1993-2013. Click Master Angler data
                The point that needs to be made is ...that it's a foolish over-reach to think anyone can manage our Lk. MI fishery with the amount of variables involved.

10/23/13  First snow and ice of the 2013-2014 winter season happened last night.  This is only a sneak peek of what's to come.  Click first snow of the season
                Missed opportunities are only missed if no corrections take place.  I kick myself in the "you know where" for letting mountains of useable info fall by the wayside on our old outdated message board's port reports section. 
                Port reports section must improved with an EZ to use and fill out basic questionnaire concerning wave conditions, light, depth, speed, time of the best bite, etc.  These are some of the tangents that effect outcome.

10/22/13  Concluded the poll sampling yesterday and not much has changed.  Cut bait and whole bait combined overall at 31% was the most popular. 
                 Keeping in mind, these poll numbers are skewed, because the majority of the visitors to this website tend to fish meat.  Click poll page 2003 thru 2013
                 J-Plugs are the most volatile with 10% swings depending on the year. 
                 About 1/3 of the fleet use some form of reel-bait now.  Back in 2002 meat users were closer to none.  Until I shed light on the virtues of this system.  Doing stuff  like this meaning 10-11 consecutive years in polling shows I'm committed to the long haul.
                 What will next year bring? ... that up you and history to decide.

10/21/13  Time for my long running poll about "your best method for adult Salmon."  Began this poll back in 2003.  This is the consecutive 11th year for this poll. Please vote.

10/20/13  2014 is going to be an especially hectic year for yours truly.  Just keeping up with our existing lineup of tackle is challenging enough.  Throw in the new product design, testing phase, and production is a massively huge job. 
                For this reason, ...to get my head clear, ...this website will be going on hiatus in sometime in December.  I'll still update it weekly, or possibly bi-weekly.  So, I have plenty left in the tank when the push of 2014 is upon us.

10/19/13  Lack of shooting enough video in 2013 is my biggest regret.  To make a fishing movie? ...you need a few fish under the boat and that didn't happen often.  Video is a tough nut to crack, ...if you want anything close to a pro level. 
                2013 was another learning year.  I experimented with lighting in the rigger weights and different colored lens filters.  Used 2 types of focus elements to gather more light on the underwater housing.  Figured out how to review footage onboard and charge batteries with 12 volt boat current.  Learned GoPro action cams as seen on the "Good Rush" TV show are highly modified with custom lens and super high end video editing programs to take the bend out of the horizon. Click reviewing footage onboard

10/18/13  T.G.I.F. as October rolls on.  Plans for this weekend is to finally get a firm start on the new big fish page of 2013.  Shutting down the webstore does not mean free time.  In fact, entirely to the opposite as I rush to build enough inventory for 2014 while the weather is still decent to make progress replenishing the popular Mambaville lineup.

10/17/13  Today's reel-story is about a 16.5 WI Steelhead caught with a BTI/2 Fly Meat Rig® in the Super Puke pattern.  This jumbo sized 'bow was taken 80' down. 
                Any Steelhead over 12 pounds is a fairly rare fish for this specie.  In MI you need 17 lbs. for a Master Angler Award.  Click 10/6/13 WI 16.5 lb. Steelhead
                I envy late season fishermen.  These died in the wool anglers are smart to fish after the crowds go home.  Plus, there's an eager herd of fish to bend the rod.

10/16/13  Promising is how I'll rate the crop of 2014 Kings.  More late season Salmon are being caught now compared to last year at this ...when any Salmon were scarce as hen's teeth.  Trying to predict the future is as we all know is impossible, but outliers look good.
                Thanks to website SteveO member SteveO for today's pic of a 3 year old caught on a BTI/2 Fly Meat Rig in the Super Puke pattern.  On 10/13/13 they caught 8 Salmon, 2 Steelhead and tossed back an Lake Trout while fishing out of the Port of Kewaunee, WI over 450' of water.  Click SteveO's 10/13/13 WI King

10/15/13  Spawning Salmon are fascinating to watch and always seem to draw a crowd.  Today's pic shows Salmon spectators at Manistee County, MI's Pine Creek. 
                  Pine Creek offers up it's own beauty and sound effects of bubbling stream water that has a soothing effect for anyone that's not too broke to pay attention. 
                              Click last Saturday's Salmon spectators

10/14/13 Saturday's trip to Pine Creek, here in Manistee County, MI is always worth the effort.  Fish there this season were mid to high teen Kings for the most part. 
               Reflecting back, these fish were a good 6 pounds larger then what I've personally witnessed going back to 2007. Click Pine Creek photo study page
               Also, there were far more dead spawned out Salmon then in previous years.  Numbers for Pine Creek were up over the past couple of years. 
               This does not mirror what we all went thru during the course of the big lake season 2013.  I know now, ...there was a bunch of fish that stayed out deep (5 to 15 miles offshore) and didn't come inshore until very late in the season.
                    We all need to remember this lesson in the future. 

10/13/13  Made my annual  pilgrimage to Pine Creek that's classified as a Trout Stream in Manistee County, MI.  With this being a Trout Stream fishing closes at the end of Oct.
                Been visiting this stream for many years and have a photo study that will be shared with you tomorrow.  Click dead, spawned Kings as of 10/12/13

10/12/13  "Morning Captain, I hope it's not to late to have my pic (King 26.11 lbs) join the rest of the big fish crowd, this was taken in Frankfort in August on your green glow froggy bti  & meat rig combo, presented on a digger diver mono set up.  Thanks & enjoy your time off as we will be looking forward to next season!"  Dennis D
              Fish of 2013 page has another big King to post.  Every time I display a new big fish photo ...it's already on the web ready for the new page.  Click Dennis's 26.11 King
Hopefully, free time will happen soon so I can get to work formatting this new work.

10/11/13  Have a super great weekend!  Lots of loose ends to tie up. Please standby while I get some of it done.  Then, I can share it with you.

10/10/13  "Hi Capt, A photo for your library….this was just a hair under 25# as weighed by the DNR lady conducting surveys at the docks in Petoskey in July. The diver this was caught on was using one of your snubbers which I absolutely believe made a difference in allowing us to land it. Kept the treble hook on the Meat Rig tight in corner of the fishes mouth till it hit the deck and then fell out. I had 7 fish over 20# this year (another over 23#) which is not bad for this weekend warrior and 5 were caught on divers using your snubbers without one lost!!!!"  ....Michael B.  Click for his photo

10/9/13  Thanks to Chris C for his hard work devoted to today's chart/graph.  It shows the size of Kings/Chinooks from 1993-2013 entered in MDNR Master Angler program.
              These are hard facts beyond dispute.  Top of the chart is the number of Master Angler Kings (over 27 lbs.) per year. Click for this fascinating data
              2007 & 2012 no Kings made the 27 pound cut for an award.  In 2001 243 Kings were entered.  Making 2001 the best year for Master Angler Kings going back to 1993.
              We'll have to wait & see what the numbers are for this season.   

10/8/13  Whew, just completed my 9th season in the tackle business.  Webstore is now shutdown until I make up my mind ...to reopen in 2014.  Right how, I'd say never, but after some time off for RR plans for 2014 will happen.
               Nobody likes to admit to getting old, but it's an inevitable fact of life.  Age and how you age depends on the person.  In my case, demands on my time must slow down.  And that's exactly what happened when the webstore closed last night.
               One of my most difficult jobs is maintaining the mich-angler online tackle store.  This takes a lot of time to keep this site in working order and all items in-stock for same day shipping.  It will be reel-good having this burden lifted from  my shoulders.
                Lot's a great stuff on the horizon.  1st up is the new "Fish of 2013" page. After a steady diet of sub-20 lb. Kings ...Lk. MI surprised everyone with the size of the Salmon in 2013.  Sure, numbers were down drastically, but size was way up.  Making 2013 a tough nut to crack when trying to go over the main points ...either good, or bad.
                           Tomorrow, my hits and misses of 2013?  

10/7/13  Thanks to all for making the 2013 season a success with the tackle I offer.
Tonight at midnight I'm closing www.michiganagler.com
               What will the future bring?  ...your guess is as good as mine!
               If you have fish that were caught with any of my tackle, being diggers, snubbers, flashers, flies, meat rigs please send them to me via email.  In the email mail please list what you want for a caption.  Boat name, port, 1st name/last initial etc.

10/6/13  2014 will be a new product/tackle development year for my tackle operation.  Startup takes 50-75k to bring new tackle to the market place.
               I have enough inventory on hand to satisfy 2/3-3/4s of what we sold this year.  Clearing out existing inventory will fund the new project/projects.  There are no plans to order additional base items like heads and flashers for 2014.
               There's a possibility we could introduce new stuff for next season.  Depending on how well the design process goes.  This I can promise, whatever I come out with will render existing tackle obsolete.  As is should, because the ALL the tackle used now has not be upgraded since the 1970s.  I'd say it's time to move forward ...how about you?
   Shut down for tackle sales ends midnight tomorrow at: www.michiganangler.com

10/5/13  When time allows, efforts will be directed at the new photo page, Fish of 2013. Lk. MI hasn't produced this many large Kings since probably 2000-2002
               I forgot how brutal the strike was when a 25 King explodes on a diver rod.  Line peeling off the reel like crazy, rod pulled down in the water, and the drag clicker singing tune that's music to a Salmon fisherman's ears.  Adding up my years on the Great Lakes since 1968 & 20 years as a charter skipper my reel-thrill has not diminished one bit!
          2 days left before I close up shop and take some well deserved time off.

10/4/13  Happy Friday!  Still lots to do before I close up shop this coming Monday at midnight.  This website will still be maintained daily for now.  Thanks to all that visit and a special thanks to those that honored me by purchasing tackle.
               Got a start on the Fish of 2013 page.  But that's all it was ...a start.  Then, web-server issues at www.michiganangler.com had to be fixed.
               Fixing server problems took up most of my day.  Diving deep inside web-work will fry your brain.  There's no stopping once you start working html codes & design.

10/3/13  If is a mighty big word, ...that's a given.  "If" we didn't have a cool down in mid-August 2013? ...a couple of things would have happened. 
               1. Fish hook and spiny water fleas populations would have increased to the worst infestation in 20years.  Making Flea Flicker mono a super absolute must!
               2. Salmon would have went deep to and down past 100' like usual.  Instead, the chilly part of August's N winds kept the thermocline relatively high (70' and above).  Being able to get your divers 125' down, or more is only going happen with add on Dipsy weights called Diver Diggers™ ...designed by yours truly. Click for 10 oz. Diggers
               Being prepared for all eventualities requires forethought.  Only 4 days left until  I close up shop and shut down my online tackle store.

10/2/13  The Platte River Campground located at M-22 and the Platte River Bridge has been closed by the government shut down.  I spent many happy weeks at this place in the 1960s and 1970s.  The Platte River Campground is part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore that was began by Sen. Phil Hart (R-MI) back in the 1960s, as a way to preserve this piece of God's earth for the public domain.  Feds bought back all privately owned lands/properties to revert the surrounding lands to it's natural settings. 
               Which, brings me to the point of today's chat: ...let the Bozos in Washington D.C. (both sides) do as the wish to score political agenda points, but do not let them take away a place for us fishermen to camp, fish, and enjoy what the USA offers. 

10/1/13  2004 copper price (pertaining to brass rivets) pound : 1.48  2013 : 3.32  Note that base material drives prices.  The smallest piece in my flashers is brass rivets.  Thye've doubled in price since I went into the tackle business in 2004.
               Working off stockpiled inventory keeps my pricing low, but that won't last forever.  Guess what I'm trying to get at, nearly everything purchased to make tackle in the last 9 years has went up at, or over 100%.  While my tackle has not doubled in price.
               White Mamba number one best selling 12 incher.  Old school Mountain Dew pattern rose to 2nd in 2 Fly Meat Rig® sales.  That's a huge leap for the old standby.
               My tackle store will be closing at midnight on 10/7/13.  13% off 2013 is still valid until I shut down.  Closing for 3 months of the year lightens my work load.  I'm approaching my later 60s.  With age comes wisdom, but age limits the time to use it!