9/30/14  Fishing off the Port of Manistee, MI improved when the bait showed up.  Marked several schools of bait suspended during the middle of afternoon, well before sunset.  Seeing large pockets of fish food sure perk ups the fishing!
              Today's featured pic, courtesy of Green Bay, WI's Steve S. shows a juvi King that ate a 12" John J combo deal (flasher & meat rig) 140' down over 400' of water. 
               What a coincidence? ...cuz this rig working was working on my chute rigger at 100' down this past weekend too.  Last Sunday evening, the JJ combo fired 4 times on my boat at 100' down, but we only cashed in once.  6 fish on Saturday evening with lines in the water for 4 hours. 3 fish Sunday evening (missed more hits) for 4 hours effort is better then I did last August during pm outings. Click Steve's recent WI meat rig King

9/29/14  Sometimes in the quest to catch fish, the things that are the most magnificent, might be over looked.  Lk. MI has been absolutely gorgeous for the best part of last week.  Especially, last evening's ultra calm, mirror-like water that caused the hours to melt away to fast.  Fishing was OK too!  Click for a tranquil Lk. MI sunset
              This is from the MDNR creel census taker: Ludington trailer boat fleet, 0-7 fish per half day.  Manistee's trailer boats did a slightly better at 2 to 10 fish per 1/2 day.

9/28/14  Fished Manistee, MI yesterday from 4pm until 8pm.  We boxed 5 kings and 1 Coho.  So, for fishing this season? ...was pretty darn decent!  Kings were all fresh silver fish and the Coho was just starting to mature. Click Todd's King
              I had a sneaky suspicion the fish would show up late due to the record setting cold winter and chilly spring, putting everything a good month behind schedule.
              Seen this exact same thing with Frankfort, MI's Coho run in 1981 when the best fishing for Coho in E and W Platte Bays didn't take off until early October.
              More on this breaking news, as next week progresses.

9/27/14  Did something yesterday I have not done since 1988 when I fished Lowrance big deal summer tournament in Ludington, MI.  Being: launching my own boat out of this port.  Fished aboard other Ludington vessels since, but not often.
              After me whining about the 10 bucks to launch, (cuz I get a seasonal pass in Manistee), Ludington took mercy on me when I found a wet 20 dollar bill on the launch ramp.  There was no one in the immediate area I could return this money to.  So, I'm 10 bucks to good for fishing Michigan's number one port.  Click lucky 20 dollar bill!
             How was the fishing?  What did we catch? ...tune in tomorrow for the answers!

9/26/14  Betcha I had a better day than many of you yesterday!  Lk. MI was placid, temps were in the 70s.  And we didn't get skunked!  Click Todd's Steelhead
               Fished late morning 11am thru 2:30pm for the high sun to shoot underwater video.  Which was a great success, mostly due to the fine filming conditions.
               Fish we did catch was a surviving buck Steelhead that had been in river.  Probably, this spring, cuz it's tail was rubbed off from fanning gravel.      

9/25/14  String of beautiful fall weather continues.  Sunny with pleasant temps 70s just makes things better.  Lk. MI is extra calm for the time being too!
               Coming in October, my webstore will again offer die cuts for flashers, meat heads, spoons and general purpose ladder backs in 3 sizes.  Click for lure tape die cuts
               During season we just don't have time to offer lure tape.  Some of it is cut to order, cuz I never know what the public wants and do not inventory Mylar, or lure tape.

9/24/14  Yesterday's Lk. MI fishing trip was not a joyous event.  3-4' S lumps with a SW cross chop made trolling miserable.  My Sea Ray 22' boat has a hard vee hull and is not stable platform in these conditions.
               OK, now for the fishing vitals.  Started in 350' of water.  Temp was 59° on the surface, thermocline with 65-70' down it was 54-53 degrees.  Marked only 3 fish during a 2 hour uncomfortable grim NE troll.  Got one of them to bite a promising 2015 prototype rig similar to our King Kobra pattern.  Needless to say, missed our only chance at keeping the black stripped kitty away.  There's a big-big-big difference between 1 & none!
              My boat did redeem itself on the 5 mile rough ride back in, as the hard vee hull sliced thru the lumps at 16 to 22 mph without smacking/pounding often associated with other hull designs.  Sea Rays are great on plane, but tend to rock and roll when trolling.  Especially, worse without a trolling bag ...that does help some.
             I've learned unlike some, just because I own it? ...that doesn't make it the world's best and use a critical/objective eye on rating performance.

9/23/14  Going fishin' finally!  Here's why:
Tuesday: WSW wind around 10 kt becoming SSW in the afternoon. Sunny. Waves 2 ft
Wednesday: S wind around 10 kt. Sunny. Waves 1 to 2 ft.
Thursday: S wind 5 to 10 kt. Sunny. Waves around 1 ft.

9/22/14  Fall is going to be kind to the late season Lk. MI fishermen.  Beginning tomorrow we're in for a stretch of fairly calm water if the predictions are right.  Having 3, possibly 4 days of doldrums in late September is highly unusual, but so is the 2014 season ...right?  I think you can guess where I'll be for a few days this week.

9/21/14  Another good day to take off and let my mind unscramble from the pressure packed months of July and August.  Stepping back to go forward is a wise move.
              Tomorrow evening summer 2014 is a done deal and it's officially fall.  Still lot's of opportunity to wet a line before winter 2014-2015 makes it's debut.

9/20/14  Good day to take off and accomplish chores left on backburner too long. Looks like there's a window of tolerable sea conditions beginning by the middle of next week.

9/19/14  My thanks to Chris C for sending in a couple of links concerning the flow being increased in the St. Marys River at the soo. Click water reference article
              This is part of the reason we have higher water levels now.  Far more then we did in October 2012 when many boat launches and docks were high and dry.
              Common sense fills in the rest of the story with higher water levels.  Record snowfall last winter, lake being frozen over, plenty of rain, and a cool summer are all partly responsible.  Evaporation is how the Great Lakes lose water and that was not a problem in 2014.  From extreme low water in 2012 to more water in 2014 shows how much and how fast lake levels fluctuate. Click dry boat launch, Onekama, MI in 2012
              This was the first year my tackle shop went without air conditioning.  The few mornings it was warm? ...we just started earlier and avoided afternoon heat.

9/18/14  There's close 20" of more water compared this time last year and that's as far as I got on today's original thought theme.  Need more research on this most important subject that effects us all.  Click water reference article
               Extra busy designing a diver and flasher problem solving accessory I know you'll see the merit of ...when it's introduced.  Mechanics of design are a challenge.

9/17/14  Published a photo from Kim A. showing what he caught yesterday.  Yes, they're still catch catching some Kings off the Port of Manistee, MI.  Don't like to offer conjecture, but we could be seeing, ...what we didn't see in August?  Factoring in the late spring & the record cold from last winter. Click Kim's 9/16/14 Manistee Kings
             The back story is hens, or female Kings making up the majority of the catches according to pics I've posted here & what I've seen on my boat. 
             This is a ballpark estimate: 2/3 being natural, non-fin clipped Kings and a 1/3 being of the stocked variety.  Many will say this is good, I say it, shows DNR planted, or stocked Kings are not having a good survival rates.  This will be discussed again after the MDNR weir numbers come in, usually in later October.

9/16/14  Looks like a decent window this coming Thursday to wet a line on Lk. MI.  If I do get a chance to sneak out of the tackle shop? ...my focus will be 300' & deeper.
              Good of the fishery is something I'm very mindful of.  Posting free .stl tackle files on the web will benefit all.  Even though you don't have a 3D printer yet, this tackle will live on forever.  Extra monies generated by the message board goes to a CAD designer who does excellent modeling work at a reasonable price. Click completed plugs
               Out of pocket expense for the "free to the public" jaye Plug designs was 150 for 3 plugs, being #3, round #4, and the special #4s with inserts for Mylar/vinyl lure tape.

9/15/14  Today's photo is supplies used to make 3D printed tackle. Please note the hair spray. That's to get the glass build bed tacky so the print sticks.  Stuff in the small can is used to fuse the 3 parts of the jaye-plug together.  Click 3D build supplies
              These parts are a nose, tail section and centering pin to align the nose to tail.  Can of spray paint is a thick glaze to help the infill support matrix of the print to become 100% water tight.  At 100' down the water pressure is 44 pounds per square inch.  Lures of this type? ...the action depends entirely on buoyancy.  Leaking is a no-no. 
              I have 2 styles of plugs in 2 sizes that's story on it's own and will be discussed later down the road when I update my Thingiverse account. 

9/14/14  Updating my Thingiverse account with number 3 & 4 jaye-Plugs is something I hope to get done soon.  Open sourcing these free to the world 3D models is not for financial gain on my part.  It's to show we do not have to purchase China made tackle!

9/13/14  Today's featured pic of a 32 lb. jumbo sized Lake trout is courtesy of Matt R.  he neglected to say what port they were fishing.  From the looks of the shoreline, the horizon bears a strong resemblance to Manistee, MI.  But this is only a guess on my part.
               This Laker is the largest fish to grace this website during the 2014 season thus far and a worthy trophy to be proud of.  Hard to guess the age of this fish in photo.  Saying it was 30 years old is not a stretch. Click Matt's 32 lb. hogasaur Lake Trout

9/12/14  Triple T.G.I.F!!!  This has been my hell week when plans are being laid out for the 2015 season.  Had 30 hours in two days getting a handle on what needs to be done.
               Recent cold snap is probably the last call for the 2014 crop of adult Kings, as far as open water trolling on Lk. MI goes.  A cold rain followed by strong N winds, then E wind draws Salmon in the parenting rivers and streams like a magnet.  This is great news for the river fishermen, as we transition towards fall.
               Fishing on Lk. MI? ...weather allowing, will now turn towards juvenile Salmon and Steelhead when the lake settles down.

9/11/14  Probably the brightest spot on the 2014 season for Manistee, MI is the amount of Steelhead that showed up this year.   Click 9/7/14 WI Steelhead
              While this is only speculation, record cold temps last winter and a very chilly spring contributed to a good survival rate this year's class of spawned-out Steelhead.  Steelies, unlike Salmon can survive the spawning process, but have a high mortality rate.
               This is evidenced in today's featured pics showing the tails are rubbed off on 3 of the 7 'bows website member, SteveO caught 4 days ago.  He had 3 juvenile Kings too.
               SteveO, aka Steve S is an above average smart fishermen, opting to go out deep and forego the struggling for a few closer to shore adult Kings.
               Unless I miss my guess, this fall will offer up some of THE best fishing of 2014 when Steelhead will make up the lion's share of the catch. Click 9/7/14 Steelie catch
               Only issue is wind.  Fall the wind blows and blows hard.  Making this fishery great for the locals, but it's hard to schedule for the weekend warriors when travel is involved.  My plan is to fish Lk. MI well into October when the weather allows.  Gone are the crowds & an unmolested late season fishery awaits us ...that's big fun!

9/10/14  Must forego today's scheduled chat.  Too many emails, lots of P15 design work, and regular admin stuff has the fingers on my paws locked up and sore.

9/9/13  Posted a pic of Todd, aka "Todd the Rod" and can prove it to you how he earned his nickname when a medium sized King swam into, then around a rigger cable. 
            Todd unstitched this cunning rascal by passing the rod over, then under the rigger arm so we could land this tricky fish. Click Todd the Rod's trickster King.
             Best part? ...I have the whole show all on video via my POV hat cam.  This video is on hold until the snow flies when we can all use a thinking of spring picker upper!

9/8/14  Fished yesterday am in a variety conditions.  Overcast, flat with pea soup fog to sunny in short choppy washboard 2 to 3 footers made the morning intertesting.
            Fishing, or should I say catching?  The reel-story was missed opportunities that would have made a decent box.  Deep, 100' rigger was kinda active, just not hooking up.  But that's why they call it, ...fishing, not catching! Click 9/7/14 Firedot proof!
           Old school Firedot pattern, a color I've caught 1000s of fish on back when I chartered (1983 thru 2003) proves it still works 4 decades later!

9/6 & 7/14  Fascinating bottom trawl video in 2013 Lk. MI bait survey:

 

 

9/5/14  This weekend is off-time for yours truly.  This will be the first weekend going back to June when making/shipping tackle is not on the front burner.
             Tools at hand nowadays are immense if you use them.  It always amazes me when I speak with those who have not checked out my You Tube videos when it comes to running meat.  If you haven't? ...now's the time: My YouTube videos

9/4/14  Some boats that fished out of Manistee, MI did OK yesterday by going deep with meat.  Lk. MI was tolerable too.  I was stuck in shop laying the ground work for the 2015 season and working on current orders.
             Today, Lk. MI is not going to play nice ...according to the forecast, but the upcoming weekend's prediction is really good with seas at 1'.

9/3/14  Not going fishing yesterday turned out to be a good move.  Know of a couple boats that fished out of Manistee, MI and they both said it was lumpy 3 and 4 footers.
             Also, mentioned the fish were coming deep (as expected) and it was not limit city.  Just going to have to bide my time until favorable conditions are on my side.
             Posted several of my jay-Plugs on my Facebook page and will be sharing the files soon on Thingiverse for those with 3D printers.  Have the sizes in 3s and 2 versions of the number 4s.  One has inserts & the other more traditional plain rounded sides.

9/1/14  "Old One Eye" is a nickname I gave an Undertaker Super Mag Head a good 5-6 years ago.  Fish ate the eyeball off and did a transplant to repair this oldie, but goodie!
              Suspect we all have pet, or nicknames for certain things on our boat.  Nicknames denote, differentiate, and are usually earned in fish battles.  Old beat up lures got that way from hard service and always earn a special place in my heart.
              I know this head is no longer in pristine shape, being in several brutal King Salmon wars.  The cracked ice, over glow makes WTP 830 glow tape.  As you can see the cracked ice has shrunk over the many seasons.  Click "Old One Eye"
              Vinyl, or Mylar lure tape is made 2 ways.  First method is cast, an expensive poured process that results in a thinner vinyl.  Second, is called, calendared that is rolled out like dough and will shrink over time.  WTP tape, the tackle industry's standard is mostly calendared.  Which is said to be most flexible and ideal for lure applications.

8/31/14  Gonna save the epic tale of "Old One Eye" 7 years in making until tomorrow and say, the Labor Day Weekend crowd got disappointed with yesterday's nasty weather.
              Scattered rain and wind to 23 knots from the S made fishing Lk. MI miserable if your were brave enough to try.  Good news is? ...today Lk. MI will be behaving and give the fleet a shot at the fish before tomorrow's predicted S blow with 4 & 5 footers.
              This time of the season wind seems to become our constant companion!

8/30/14  Fished Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this past week.  During these 3 mornings we had lines in the water for about 10 hours resulting in 10 bites amounting to 7 fish boated (2 Lake Trout, 2 Coho, & 3 adult King Salmon.  My trips end before 11am, having to be in the shop by noon to ship orders.
               What I did notice was fish marks were OK until fleet pressure caused fish to vanish.  Only to re-appear when the fleet thinned out about 9:30am.
               Sonar has grown with the fleet.  What used to be a 200 watt machine is now a 500, or larger.  50kz is the preferred wide angle transducer beam preferred used by most.  Add up each sonar machine bouncing 1000s of watts off the fish and it has to effect something.  Swim under your transducer like I have and you'll feel a strong pulse, or thump hit you.  Active fish we caught were well below the thermocline too.
                Most productive hours were 9 to 10:30am when most of the boats went in.

8/29/14  Yesterday morning's trip out of Manistee, MI was both bad and good.  The bad was from 7am thru 9:15am.  That part was as exciting ...as watching Herring thaw. 
               Then, it was good in the next hour and 15 minutes (thru 10:30am) John J and I boated 4 fish (2 Kings, 2 Coho) in a mid morning butt saving flurry.
               Area fished was slightly N of the harbor in 125' to 225' of water off Orchard Beach State Park.  E wind pulled temp up in the 50' down zone.  Our bites came at 66' to 90' down.  John J combo at the 90' depth took well fed, thick bodied male over 18 lbs.  That fish was just short of 35 inches.  Coho were 5-7 lbs.  Click chunky male King
               Fished 3 mornings in a row and have some very interesting observations to share with you tomorrow.  Sonar shyness will be part of the subject matter.  Scheduled for Sunday's chat? ...a cute bonafided reel-tale about "old 1 eye."

8/28/14  Wished I'd have worn a bag over my head to sneak away un-noticed from the boat launch when we put the boat on the trailer around 10:30am.  1 small Lake Trout was the only thing kept the plague of dreaded black striped kitty away. 
              It was a tough struggle yesterday morning for us to get a hit.  Missed a diver tug on a Mojo BTI and the tiny Laker was the end sum of the short morning.
              14s to the 11s was dead water in the 125' to 200' depths for us.  Temp started at 85' down, then came up to 75' as E and NNW wind began pushing cooler water in.

8/27/14  Escaped from the shop yesterday morning and fished Lk. MI out of the Port of Manistee, MI.  Rolled the dice and it came up 6, so we headed back to the last place I wanted to fish, down by Big Point Sable in the 6 numbers.
               Swing and a miss at 95' down (that was the temp break) on the Manistee Mojo over 160' of water.  Had John J aboard, and it's a given we'd fish with combo named after him.  Chute rigger down 140' over 150-200' of water took a decent Lakers and planted, fin clipped King.  This was the total sum of our efforts during a short morning trip, 7:45am am thru 10:30am, for about a bite an hour.  Click for our 36" planted King
               Issue with the normally great area we were in?  There was no comfort zone for the fish and bait.  Water broke from 62 degrees to 49 degrees in a short 5' layer.

8/26/14  Hope to get some water time soon weather permitting.  Reports I have from Manistee, MI are very confusing.  One day is good, next day, ...not so hot?
              Mike M sent in today's featured pic.  He fished out of St. Joe, MI a couple of days ago and did well on an evening trip, boxing a 2 person limit.  He was using attractors, flies and meat.  Mike is a long time website member.  Click St. Joe catch

8/25/14  This website is on autopilot for the time being.  Should have some news about Manistee, MI's fishing by this afternoon.  Waiting for the reel-facts beat speculation.

8/24/14  Manistee, MI's thermocline has went deep according to website member, Roscoe.  He fished straight out of Manistee to the north a few miles and said 44 degree water is now 140' down,  Farther you get away from the drop off, or shelf temp will come up shallower.  On a mission to build tackle today.  So, I can have a day off this week.
             If the current wind patterns stay the same, those that can adjust to 100' plus down fish and pull attractors will have good opportunities over the upcoming Labor Day Weekend.  Especially, fishermen who have confidence at pulling meat deep!

8/23/14  Going on an experiment for the next year beginning today.  I'll let lady luck's toss of 4 dice decide which N-S lat/lons to fish.  4 number would be Big Point Sable and 24 would put me up N towards Onekama.   All within easy reach of Manistee, MI's harbor which is in the 15 N-S numbers.  Click for my 3D printed dice
               Fished this past Thursday morning with a 3 aboard, 8 rod spread.  Only had 5 bites that doused my sugar plum fairy dream of a 10 fish box.  That was about 1/2 the action a 2 person 6 rod spread produced the previous day.  Once again proving more rods does not mean more fish.  It sucks big time to lose more then we boated!
               Good news on this trip? ...the 12" Manistee Mojo combo took 3 of the 5 hits.  1 rod pulling 60% of the load is note worthy.  This new mojo pattern was discovered strictly by accident in a reverse test session that will be explained later this fall.

8/22/14  T.G.I.F!!  Have a great and safe weekend.  Gonna grab some R & R myself.
               Did figure out a no brainer way to fish Manistee, MI that will be explained tomorrow.  4 to 24 is part of the math equation to find a place to fish.

8/21/14  My prayer to the wind gods on 8/17 for S wind is being answered.  Fishing in Manistee, MI is showing signs of life.  S wind and warm temps is beginning to work!
               Was on "work release" from the shop yesterday morning.  Fished S and raised mediocre to an art form in flat calm conditions.  2 Kings, one big guy that was 38 inches.  30" &  34" Steelhead were our best fish. Click Mojo BTI & big Steelie
               Manistee Mojo is no joke!!  Had 2 in a 6 rod spread with the Mojo taking 4 of our 8 bites.  When 33% does 50%? ...it grabs your attention!
               New cupped diver ring hits bottom in 95' fow with 150' of line off the Ocuma Catalina 45 series reel with a regular Dipsy dialed on 2.  Factoring counter error, this equates to 180' actual with a lot less rod strain than the obsolete huge super mag rings.

8/20/14  Jim B sent in a pic from his double from yesterday morning while fishing out of Arcadia, MI.  2-fer came on a BTI Kevorkian and a 12" White Mamba.  Both had matching meat rigs.  Fishing has improved off Manistee, MI.  Click Pat's B's double
               First batch of Manistee Mojos will be at Tangled Tackle in Manistee, MI by Friday.  The soon to be available Mojos are in 10" BTI flasher & 2 Fly Meat rigs for now.

8/19/14  Another next gen angler, Daniel D is featured in today's pic.  Always great to see young men catching fish!  Click Daniel D's Manistee, MI King
             There's good news on Manistee's fishing horizon.  Know of website member who took 8 Kings yesterday morning.  7 were on meat with 1 fish caught off the surface on a J-Plug.  Yet to be released, Manistee Mojo BTI combo on a diver with 155' of line out led the way.  All the rigger hits were in the top 40' in 80' to 200' feet of water.

8/18/14  Today's featured photo speaks for itself.  Next generation fisherman, Alex K hefts some pretty decent fish!  Perhaps you remember when you were first smitten with the love of fishing?  Click Mr. Alex K's King & Steelhead
               Here's what his dad, Mike had to say, "Good morning John, here is a couple pictures of my son. I am amazed how both steelhead and kings are smashing your meat rigs this year. The bite in the morning has been ok, but the only thing that is working after the normal bite in deep water is meat!!!! Thanks for an awesome product!!!!"

8/17/14  Want you fish photo posted?  Just email me your picture and it will be featured now, or in the future.  Click Adam L's respectable Brown
               Wind this week is going to be a yoyo of combinations of E and N for the most part.  This does not do much to shift the biomass of Lk. MI to central Lk. MI ports.
           My prayer to the wind gods, "please give us a week of sustained S wind!"

8/16/14  Good news is S and SW winds for Manistee, MI finally.  The past 3 weeks of N wind has made fishing tough and catching even harder.
               Tested the new 3D plugs around Manistee's harbor last night.  Plug action looked reel good, but there weren't any fish to be found.  Seen 30-40 boats on harbor patrol and those within eyeshot pulled nary a fish.  Let's hope for a turnaround soon!

8/15/14  T.G.I.F, tech difficulties prevents today's scheduled chat.

8/14/14  Couple of featured pics for you today.  First one is the .stl file to make Plugs-the J.  Have a 3 piece model where you can print the different colors, then glue the lure together with a tight fitting center pin. Click 3D Plug minus the J
               Second is Larry T's catch from last Sunday out of Manistee, MI.  Please note, 2 of the larger Kings have adipose fins.  Meaning these are naturally spawn fish.  The smaller one, a juvenile next year's fish has a clip.  Click Larry's catch
               Be prepared for next year when the far-reaching cut in stocking levels all but removes fin clipped fish from your catch.

8/13/14  Working on a plug minus the J for home 3D printing.  You can keep your money in the USA rather than paying the criminals that shipped our jobs to China.
               Sending jobs to China is NOT a sustainable business model.  Besides, it's ignorant for manufacturers to move to a communist country when the not to be trusted Chinese government pays the bill for health care and retirement. 
               This is not a level playing field.  This is the true high cost for low prices & one I'm not willing to pay when there are alternatives! Click prototype USA plug model

8/12/14  Steve E. aka Chaos was kind enough to email in a pic of a respectable Leland, MI King at, or pushing 20 lbs.  Please note the adipose fin clip, so this is a planted, or stocked King and not a naturally reproduced fish.  Steve said catching was 1 to 4 a trip.
              Going to ask all website members to record their Kings in their ports reports, the number of clipped vs. non clipped King in an informal tally in the natural vs. wild fish.  The DNRs hypothesizes the Lk. MI King fishery doesn't need many stocked Chinooks/King Salmon & has drastically cut back on their stocking program. Click Steve's Leland King

8/11/14  Port reports, I trust say fishing is mediocre at best.  2 to 3 fish from the sports fleet is what I'm hearing.  We're supposed to get a NW blow tomorrow and that will changes things in 3 possible scenarios:  1. the fishing will remain slow.  2. the fishing will improve.  3. the fishing will get worse.  Let's all hope for number 2!
              The only word of wisdom I can offer, if it's slow action inside of 200'? ...go deep.  Back when I chartered (1983 thru 2003) had good catches of adult Kings over 450' of water plus.  Especially, down towards Ludington's Big Point Sable.

8/10/14  Lk. MI's long string of fairly calm continues Mostly N wind this past has the fish high and skittish.  S wind possibly could make the fishing easier.
             Post a photo of Todd with King we took out of Onekama, Mi last Thursday.  Onekama is one of those overlooked ports with good fishing. Click Todd's King

8/9/14  I C (icy) Blue is introduced to the world today.  This special powder blue-ice Mylar is done in-house.  This unique pattern has taken fish, or hits every trip out since last June.  I know it's close to the blue bubble, but couldn't get the same results with the existing WTP blue bubble tape.  Colors that produce action 3 months and counting makes the I C Blue a reel winner!  Click I C Blue stuck in the jaw of a King
            Both the I C Blue and Manistee Mojo are my 2014 "go to" colors thus far.  If you have something that works day in, day out, ...why switch?  How many of you have lure patterns/colors that produced action on every trip since last June?

8/8/14  Fun time out of Onekama, MI last evening.  Used Portage Lk. to tune the new carb that worked better than expected.  Idle and mid-range is mint!
             While we were setting trolling rpms, Todd the Rod put out a Thunderstick behind the boat in Portage and caught a jumbo 10 lb. plus Freshwater Drum/Sheephead.
             Moved to Lk. MI around 7pm and took 3 fish (2 Kings & a Steelhead) is pretty short order, then the bite died.  Click Manistee Mojo Steelhead
             The new color Manistee Mojo once again proved it's worth, taking a decent Steelhead on a 1/2 copper.  P15THV2.2 put a King in the box.  Click big sheepie
            The new powder blue ice earned it's name.  From now on that pattern will be known as the I C Blue, a spin on icy blue.  "I C Blue" enticed the largest King of the evening when that villain hit a wire diver dial on 2 with 55' of line out.
            N wind has moved the temp up in the top 50' of the water column.

8/7/14  New Edelbrock 600 cfm marine carburetor is installed and ready for a water test, or shakedown this afternoon.  Quadrajet 750 cfm that was replaced was a good carb until I sent it to a rebuilding outfit in Florida.  They shipped me back junk, not even my carb, because I filed 3 notches in the base.  New carb is actually a detune at wide open throttle, but idle and mid range will be better. Click new Edelbrock boat carb
           Many thanks to "Todd the Rod" for his expert help in getting this job done.  His new custom bent 3/8" fuel line is a work of art.  The charter business taught me the importance of first class equipment in keeping a boat running everyday, all season long!
    Important safety tip: make sure you flame arrestor/air cleaner is squeaky clean.

8/6/14  Overwhelmed with orders, but found the time to post Derek's catch pic from 8/4/14.  He was fishing out of Arcadia and put a good box together.  He said it was best in a 140' of water.  His custom Mountain Dew flasher was reel-hot.  Wire divers were working with a 100' to 175' line off the reel.  Click Derek's 8/4/14 catch pic

8/5/14  Wayne N's 23 pound King is the largest reported from our website members thus far in 2014.  Wayne took this fish off Arcadia, MI on my tackle on a pm trip.  To date, this is Wayne's biggest King!  Click Wayne's big Arcadia King
             Posted a pic of the Manistee Mojo pattern mentioned a few days ago. The Mojo is the most contrasting piece of test tackle ever made.  If it keeps on producing? ...it will add it to my lineup.  Gotta admit, the name is a reel winner!  Click Manistee Mojo

8/4/14  Manistee, MI's popular small boat, big fish event was won with a 19 pound King Salmon off the Port of Onekama, MI this past Saturday.
            Started the carburetor swap yesterday.  Issue was the secondary's with not closing fully and dumping in raw unmetered fuel.  Replacing the 1779 Quadrajet with an newer model Edelbrock will cure low speed idle trolling issues.  Click new carb
           Lk. MI has been very fishable for a number of days beyond what you'd expect.

8/3/14  Going back to June of this year, I only have 2 colors working.  One is a spinoff of a Blue Bubble, but it's ice powder-blue Mylar.  2nd one is a black blade, silver backside and SUV Mylar on the front.  Giving this pattern a copper/gold tone hue.
             The black/silver/gold/copper needs another trip on the pond.  If it proves itself again, the name is going to be quite appropriate for my port, the "Manistee Mojo!"

8/2/14  Word from fleet that fished out of Manistee, MI yesterday evening it was a pitiful slow go in the 80' to 150' depths.  Not many fish being caught in the 8s to the 14  numbers.  This stretch of water is traditionally the hot zone for August Kings.
             Working today so I can have time off next week for more P15 testing.  Tomorrow my boat will get an updated Edelbrock 600 cfm carburetor.  GM motors have came equipped with Quadrajet carbs dating back to 1960s & it's time for an upgrade.

8/1/14  Double T.G.I.F. today!  After yesterday's bout with Murphy's Law, I welcome this coming weekend.  Hectic off the wall stuff usually happens on Mondays.  Not so this week when the thorny stuff came on Thursday.  All is better, fixed, and made progress!!

7/31/14  Are you ready to turn the calendar page to August 2014?  This is the big deal month when it comes to King Salmon on the Great Lakes.  Gone are the days hunting for these critters, because now, ...these fish are hunting for their home port!
              I'm light years ahead of last April/May in lure/tackle design in 3D printing.  Discovering the idiosyncrasies that goes with this amazing technology has been a journey into the unknown,  Yes, there are some limitations, but if you can think it? ...you can make it!  This will all be explained this fall when I debut P15s that will be a game changer.
              Yesterday morning, went N to stay out of the crowd that usually fishes S out of my home port of Manistee, MI.  Was sure glad I did when we got socked in by fog and had to navigate troll direction by radar.  Radar is one of the instruments that once you have it, ...you'll never go without it.  Even though you don't use it a lot.  Mine is shut off most of the time due to the heavy draw it puts on the boat's electrical system.

7/30/14  Honesty in fishing reports? ...hard to come by!  OK, on a scale from 1 to 10, Manistee at this time last year was a 4 at best.  This year Manistee deserves at least a 7 for the varied species that lie in wait off this port.  Steelhead, Coho, Lakers, and Kings are all here for the taking once you get dialed in.  Click today's Steelhead pic
              In our case, this morning Todd the Rod and I fished from 7:30am and pulled rods at 11:30am, having close to 10 bites.  For most part, on the yet to be revealed P15.HV2.4.0.  This is a code/numbering system for reference down the road.

7/29/13  Big fish award winner in last weekend's Salmon Splash Tournament held in Manistee, MI was King that weighed 23 and change.  Big fish leading in WI's long running KD Tournament is pushing 30 pounds.  Cold water is inshore.  I'm sure there's some mature adult Kings being caught in Manistee's harbor.
               Too busy for anything else today.  Between staying on top of orders and P15 design projects leaves little time to gather intel. 

7/28/14  Posted a photo of a Salmon you don't hear much about in the Great Lakes States, that being Kokanee Salmon.  Kokanees are smaller version of a landlocked Sockeye Salmon.  Size-wise these fish are more like our spring Coho with 5 pounders considered a large fish.  Way back the 1970s the MDNR planted Kokanees in Cass Lake, MI.  That program bit the dust after a few years. Click Kokanee Salmon
              The back-story on today's topic Tony F was having a hard time getting his boat down to a 1.8 trolling speed and purchased a set of trolling bags from me.
               Here's what Tony had to say:
"John - the sea bags came in and the drop to 1.8ish made a big difference! See attached photos.  Thanks SO much for your help - Tony"

7/27/14  Taking today off after order prep for tomorrow.  Working the weekend allows me to take a morning off and go fishing without feeling guilty about neglecting business.

7/26/14  Posted a photo of a well fed, beer belly Laker with seven 6" Alewives in it's stomach.  This fish was taken on a diver equipped with our new P15 diver ring.
              This tournament time for my home port of Manistee, MI.  From now thru Labor day fishing pressure will be increasing big time.  Click beer belly Lake Trout
               Lk. MI is predicted to have tolerable seas this weekend.  Hope to gather diver depth data tomorrow.  Along with how much force is exerted with my cupped diver ring compared to the oversize jumbo rings that require a tighter drag.

7/25/14  Today's focus is about yesterday's test mission to prove the effectiveness of the P15 cupped diver ring.  In works, after 2 weeks of design, redesign, and engineering tweaks ...we have another tool proven to help us catch fish.
               Don't have exact dive depth data, because Todd the Rod and I spent a lot of our time over deep water out to 400' depths.  Click color matching ring & rig
              Strain on the diver stick is minimal compared the now obsolete massive jumbo rings that pull extra hard.  This means the diver's trip tension and the rod's drag are set tight to hold, then when a fish whacks it, lack of drag causes the hooks to tear out.
               Can't really call what I do anymore fishing.  My goals are to test prototype tackle. Yesterday everything we had in the water were projects under development.
               I do know it's big fun for yours truly to keep doing world firsts!  Sure it's a reel-challenge and a lot of hard work, but you gotta love it, when a plan comes together!

7/24/14  Seas permitting, hope to gather diver depth data for my newly invented cupped diver ring on Lk. MI.  Been concentrating on increasing diving hookup ratios, because losing diver hits is unacceptable.  Super Snubbers help a lot, let's see what the new rings help solve diver 101 issues.
              3D printer files known as a .stl, is posted on Thingiverse.  Free for the private use, those who copy this for mass production will be in a world of hurt violating the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial Act.  Did this to protect my original design and share it with the 3D printing world for free. Download diver ring .stl file

7/23/14  Near-shore wind and wave forecast for Manistee, MI:
Southwest winds 15 to 20 knots veering north to 30 knots after midnight. Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening...then partly cloudy overnight. Areas of fog through the night. Waves 3 to 5 feet subsiding to 1 to 3 feet late at night...then building to 3 to 5 feet toward daybreak.
               This means a jumbled mess a fluctuating water temps.  Finding fish will be like playing "pin the tail on the donkey" blindfolded, when the fleet does get out tomorrow!

7/22/14  Manistee, MI offered up some pretty decent catches on the shelf yesterday.  Adult Kings, 14 to 21 pounds was reported by Sue Lee's Capt. Tom R.  He was in double figures with the fish coming at 55' to 65' down on meat.  This is great news for all of us after last season's tough row to hoe.  Wind is going to be out of the S and that should keep the Salmon pegged on the shelf.  Look for the best depths to be deeper as S wind stacks up more warm water at central Lk. MI ports.

7/21/14  Devoted most of yesterday (Sunday) printing out test P15 cupped diver rings. Finally, thru trial and error have the correct sizing for Dipsy Divers.  Next, is to have one fit a Slide Diver which has a slightly larger diameter.  Click P15 ring V2 .0070
               My boat, SR1979 has a new outdrive thanks to John J and "Todd the Rod."  My fishin' buds were kind enough to help with this job this past Saturday.  Mercruiser outdrives installs can be easy, or very difficult without knowledgeable help.
              What little I did hear about my home port of Manistee, MI fishin'?  I'd say medium with a few adults, along with a mix of juvenile Kings, Lakers and Steelhead.

7/20/14  Closing in on the final .stl file for the new cupped diver ring.  This is a difficult part to make.  Mostly, due to the tight tolerances several trial and error rings were made.
               2014 prime time for King Salmon is underway.  Mid teeners, with an occasional 20 pounder looks like the norm for this season's crop.  This is the time of the year all big water Great Lakes fishermen eagerly await.  So, stop wishin' and go fishin'!

7/19/14  In about 2 weeks, on August 2, 2014 the Manistee County Sport Fishing Assoc. will be hold their annual big fish/small boat tournament. Click for entry form
              Tournaments get a bad rap for improprieties.  Like rule infractions, or possibly cheating in one form, or another.  Not so, with the small boat/big fish MCSFA event where it all comes down to having a big fish to win.  This is, as level as the playing field gets!

7/18/14  Happy Friday!  Here's a customer testimonial for today's focus:
 "Hi John. Just wanted to let you know I've been fishing Lake Ontario this last week.  Lake was snotty and in the 3 days I fished I got blown off after a couple hours at least once each day.  Anyhow I had a great deal of success Co side ring.  I was alone and could only run 2 rods.  Mixed it up a lot and as a result enjoyed better catches than most of the boats that were out. I landed 19 kings in 3 days including 12 between 18 and 24 lbs.  I've attached 3 pics of these which were caught with your bti and meat rigs.  I apologize for not thinking to take the pics with the baits showing but I'm going back down this weekend and will include the baits in any pics I take.  Anyhow, thanks for a great product."  ...Capt. Jason M.

7/17/14  Extra busy in the shop trying to keep up with tackle orders.  Summer rush came a week early this year.  Central Lk. MI tournament season is part of the reason.
               Pent up demand is good, as long as when the dam breaks, you don't get swept up in the current and flushed downstream in a raging torrent.

7/16/14  New diver ring is a work in progress and will soon hit the drink for dive tests.  There will be NO plastic tabs that break off!  Click P15 super diver ring v1JC
               Ring will be held securely to the diver with small stainless steel fender washers and screws.  Making tackle to me? ...means making something to be proud of that sets the gold standard in tackle and tackle design.  No brag, just fact!
                Open sourcing the .stl build file for public use sure beats buying China specials.  Before this season done, you'll see more open source files from yours truly.

7/15/14  Debuting one the several P15 projects today.  Been working on the nagging issue of losing diver hits.  I know you'll immediately spot the relevance of having a ring that adds depth without increasing drag on the rod. Click P15 cupped diver ring
              Additional drag on the diver with an oversized ring translates a tighter drag to keep line from creeping out.  Then, when a fish does hit the diver, the snugged up drag actually works against you.  Resulting in a lost fish that becomes a missed opportunity.
              Having the ability to 3D print test built working prototypes in-house gives me a leg up on the competition that lags sorely behind in this nowadays technology!!
              Now, here's where it gets tacky in the monkey see, monkey do, ...copy everything in sight tackle business.  To those that want to remarket my original idea?  Let them fight with the Creative-Commons-Atribution-Non-Commercial licensing rights, cuz I open sourced this ring to anyone for individual use with a 3D printer.  Yes, it's on Thingiverse for all to use for free.  Click for my diver ring on Thingiverse

7/14/14  Today's topic is about the great photo that was sent in by website member, Mike G. aka Grand C.  Click Ben and Mike with this King
             Pictures tell a story and this one says volumes about a happy-happy times aboard.  Ben, the youngster in the pic just landed his first Lk. MI King fishing out of South Haven, MI this past Friday on a short 2 hour sunset fish.
               This fish was caught on the ever popular, Black Mamba with a whole herring trimmed to fit our Super Mag Heads. 

7/12 & 13/2014  Today is a sick day for me.  Summer cold has me laid low.

7/11/14  Fished out of Manistee, MI last evening from 6pm till 9:30pm.  Ran W to the 31 line (600' fow) with 49 degrees on the surface (shelf was 63°). Click wife's Laker
              Hit a Laker and a Steelhead in 250' on the E troll towards port on hush-hush P15 on 150' of copper (fishes about 40' down).  Nary a hit on the riggers, or divers.
              There was 15-20 boats out scattered over hell's 1/2 acre scouting for fish.  The fleet was  in 600' to 60' in what I call search mode.  All looking to find fish.
              Best thing about this trip were the flat calm seas that made it a wonderful time on the water.  Even though my wife, Merlene and I didn't set the world on fire fish-wise!

7/10/14  Last year's Lk. MI seasonal water flea infestation was terrible in July.  Worst seen in many years depending on the port you fished.  Water bugs jamming the rod guides when you have a fish on is a mess.  Unless you resort to unsportsmanlike hand-lining.
              Water bugs bloom when the water goes over 70 degrees.  We probably won't see that until August.  30 lb mono can make it thru with some bugs.  Braid will not.
               Cortland's Flea Flicker, the ultimate solution is no longer being made.  Their old extruder that made this line for 30 some years broke down & the new machine will not make the same quality we've came to expect.  So, Flea Flicker mono is no more ...forever.
               I do have a few spools of Flea Flicker left at my webstore.  20 pound FF test will be in most demand for those that rely most on artificial lures like spoons and plugs.
               Last year in a pinch, I had to use FF from my charter days in the early i2ks and it held up until I ordered a fresh batch for the webstore.  So, shelf life is excellent.
               If you're looking for a fishing insurance policy?  Click here for Flea Flicker

7/9/14  Typically, June and July is when Lk. MI is on it's best behavior.  If you like calm water? ...this part of the season the big pond is fairly docile.  Click for proof 
            Wind has went full circle since yesterday.  Due W of Manistee, MI there was a 14 degree temp break from the 25 line to the 30 line that was worth investigating.
            The 25 line of the drop-off, or shelf out of this port.  Waiting for the next satellite temp map to see if this break is still there. Click 7/7/14 Lk. MI temp chart
                    Tomorrow, Lk. MI water flea season is approaching.

7/8/14  Posted a pic of Jeff V. hoisting our 4th of July P15 double.  This was Jeff's 1st Salmon fishing experience and he did a fine job. Click for Jeff's P15 2-fer
            Good news for this year?  There's all year classes of Kings in the mix off central Lk. MI ports.  Smaller Kings foretell what to expect in the future.
            We're a couple, 3 weeks away for prime time adult King Salmon.  Are you ready?

7/7/14  Today's featured photo is from website member, Larry M. who fished on Lk. Huron's Port of Harbor Beach, MI this past Sat.  Larry's daughter caught a respectable 12 pound Laker on a Click BTI Kevorkian w/matching clean meat rig
             Please note the long lead (close to 4') on the clean Kevorkian meat rig and BTI Flasher.  I ran clean meat rigs behind BTIs last August at 24 to 36 inches with equal results.  So, length you tie the our clean meat rigs isn't all that critical.
             More P15 testing is on tap for this week.  Have 3 different versions that have shown promise.  Now, the task is to find out which design is best & goes into production.
             Having 3 styles of working prototypes would not be possible without my journey into the amazing world of 3D home manufacturing.  Learning curve took a while.  Found out there are material strength limitations on what you can do with a 3D printer.

7/6/14  Today's photo is about measuring King/Chinook Salmon for MI Sea Grant's Salmon Ambassador Program.  King shown is 29.5 long.  This fish has no adipose fin.  Making it DNR stocked fish.  The other fish caught on 7/4/14 had it's adipose fin intact.  Which means it was a naturally reproduced fish. Click 29.5" being measured
             It's far too early to form a strong consensus, from limited amount of Kings I've seen: it's running 50/50 on natural fish vs. planted King Salmon.
             This could put us in deep doo with the slash in Lk. MI Salmon plants if this trend continues.  Next year will tell the reel-story.  That's when the big cut kicks in.  Good news is? ...plenty there's of small, juvenile Kings that are mixed in with this year's crop!

7/5/14  Yesterday morning it was chilly 41 degrees when I left my place to fish out of Onekama, MI.  This was to avoid the carnival jam-up at Manistee's 1st Street launch.
             Hit a double with P15-TH.V2 at 730am.  One was 88' down on a rigger, the other guy was on a regular Dipsy Diver, dialed on 2 with 111' feet of the reel.
            Even got video of this event that will be on You Tube this fall.
            To my friends in WI who are socked-in with a lot of cold water: surface temp was 63° over 150' of water.  54° water was at 55' down.  43° temp was at 100' down.
            What does P15-TH.V2 stand for? ...this is my way to keep test sessions in order.  P15 is for project 2015, TH is the initials of the cad engineer, and V2 is version 2.
            Designing P15? ...learned hundreds of ways that do not work.  Wasting tons of time on evolutionary dead ends.  Today's double proves I'm on the right track.
            Absolute perfection in tackle design will probably never happen.  Having the ability to 3D print scores of prototypes will sure as hell, ...bring me a lot closer to it!
            Assessment of fishing in my area?  If you drive across the right fish, they'll bite reel good while the sun is at low angle to the water.  Click 7/4/14 P15 double

7/4/14  Happy-happy 4th of July!!  Recently, rolled 6 million page views, or hits on the web.  6 mil is an impressive number.  Even though it took 13 1/2 years to do.
             Beware, you can set hit counters at any number you wish to falsify.  I have verification with a background stats program to prove the 6 mil and counting number.

7/3/14  Have a safe and great 4th of July Weekend as we celebrate our nation's Independence Day. 

7/2/14  Weather for the soon to be here 4th of July Weekend is going to be absolutely gorgeous for central Lk. MI ports.  Highs will be in the 70s, partly to full sun, and nary a drop of rain is predicted until next Monday.
             Wind and wave forecast is on our side too!  Seas on the Friday the 4th is 1' or less, same for Saturday and 1' to 2's beginning Saturday night.
             Hope to get out for testing in the next few days and enjoy MI's summer.
             Note to self: 6M tomorrow.... 

7/1/14  Manistee's National Forest Festival is this week.  There will be a carnival in the boat parking lot at the 1st Street launch.  This annual do will take up most of the parking area.  Making parking a boat trailer in, or out not easy.  Look to Onekama, or use the Stronach launch if you plan on fishing Manistee this 4th of July Weekend.
            Stole a pic from test video I shot last week.  The photo shows my 1979 22' Sea Ray on full plane cruising 33 mph (GPS speed) with a tach reading of 2900 rpms.
           This is EZ cruise speed being done on a 21" SS 17" pitch prop with 1.52 gearing in the outdrive.  Not too shabby for a boat that's 35 years old! Click for this pic

6/30/14  Looks like about a 8 degree temperature break off the Port of Manistee, MI and other central Lk. MI ports.  Good thing is? ...this temp differential is close to structure, or the drop-off/shelf where Lk. MI rapidly gains depth.  Click 6/29/14 temp chart
              Essentially, this is a double fence that helps concentrate fish.  Another fact is?
The way the lake has setup now, is a month behind normal.  If, there is such a thing!
              Tomorrow? ...why you should avoid Manistee MI's 1st Street Launch?

6/29/14  Happy-happy Sunday!  It was hot and sticky at my place in Manistee County yesterday with temps approaching 90 degrees. 
              South winds have formed the first thermocline according to what I seen last Thursday evening on the big pond.  Lk. MI stratifying will drive the Kings deeper.  Deeper is good, cuz fussy Kings are the most light sensitive Salmon we have in the Great Lakes.  If you're an attractor/meat fishermen? ...the deeper the fish are, the dumber they get!

6/28/14  Came to the wise conclusion I'm a whole lot better at making/shipping tackle than I am at fishing nowadays.  Anyone can do Great Lakes fishing and become fairly accomplished at it.  All it requires is time on the water to gather intel.  My 3 to 4 hours a week I get to fish Lk. MI is just enough to mount a serious threat to the fish any longer.  Nowadays, if I do hit the fish? ...it's more a matter of luck, then skill.
               In the beginning? ...we just want to catch one.  Then, catch our 1st limit and increase our fish producing skill sets to get others into fish on a regular basis.
               In my case, developing a line of tackle that's so deadly all the above goals are met by those who use my tackle.  By "those" I mean: charter skippers, tournament fishermen, & the UTMOST important to me? ...the sport fishing public at large!

6/27/14  Congratulations are in order to message board member, Verdict aka Tim P for winning last weekend's long running Manistee Bud Pro-Am in the Pro Division. 
              Verdict III had the heaviest catch the first day by an ass-kicking 30 pounds and the second best on weight on day 2, just few pounds from the top spot.  Tim & team had the heaviest King in his division at 19 pounds too!  Click for tournament tally
              I know several of the pro side boats/teams Tim competed against from my charter days and they were ALL top notch teams.  Comprised mostly of past winners!
              Yesterday, fished a short afternoon out of Manistee, MI to aim video cams and test prototype P15-V.5s.  Numbers are for my reference when this all comes together.
              Hours on the pond of actual trolling? ...5pm thru 7:30pm.  Didn't see much around under my boat in 100' out to 300' of water straight out of port.  Didn't feel like beating on a dead horse was the reason for pulling the plug early.

6/26/14  Made new hardtop action cam mount with my 3D printer.  Extension mount is from GoPro modified to fit Sony cams.  You cannot buy this custom part.  It has to be printed out.  Raising the cam higher will facilitate better downward/overhead angle to see the riggers go off.  Maybe the divers too. Click 2014 hardtop cam mount
              Another good thing about this new mount? ...it's easy on and off with a tripod head scavenged off an old light duty camera tripod no longer used.
              Last season was my first reel-effort capturing onboard video, in real-time, exactly as it happens.  Yes, it's a major challenge.  The whole video making process is. 
              Modifying mounts and aiming rigger cams time consuming to get it right.  Learned from my mistakes in 2013 that will not be repeated this year.  This is ultra important when water time is hard to come by ...when the fish are on the hard bite!