Archived Results from 2016

9/30/16  Bedliner in my 1979 Sea Ray has been sprayed on.  Final results exceeded my expectations.  Sprayed on 2 coats in about a 1/2 hour.  So, it went on quick.  Initial outcome is an impressive total transformation any boat owner can be proud of!
               Had to wait for the right opportunity to take on the massive job of getting rid of the carpeting.  There is no way this task could have happened during the busy time of the tackle season.  Then, the right weather window was needed to let the bedliner dry properly.
               We used a 2 part bedliner system with a 60 minute recoat window for the 2nd coat sprayed at 50 psi.  Bedliner cost was less than 150 bucks based on 4 quarts of bedliner.  Throw in sanding belts, wire wheels, & masking materials total cost is under 200.
               This job would have been a lot easier, if an extra thick layer of cheapie latex carpet glue was not used (a former owner re-carpeted most of the boat).  I suspect latex adhesive was used, because it's many times cheaper than contact cement.  This meant a lot of unnecessary grinding to get down to bare fiberglass.  Click progress on new floor
                   Tomorrow? ...the reason I fish out of a vintage 37 year old boat.

9/29/16  Spraying the bedliner today.  Guesstimate there's close to 40 man hours in this project.  Most of it being spent on surface prep work.  Worst part was grinding off the latex carpet adhesive that was a nasty job. Click masking for spray
              The white spots in the floor are to cover the holes where Sea Ray pumped in expanding foam floatation.  All boats 22' and under are required to have floatation.

9/28/16  Today will be spent getting my boat ready to spray bedliner tomorrow when it breaks 70 degrees.  Lots to do, end is in sight!
               Began this boat project a about week ago tomorrow.  Good news is? ...if all goes according to plan, spraying the bedliner will happen tomorrow.  Then, let the liner cure for a few days and reassemble the boat early next week.

9/27/16  Plans for 2017 and finishing the boat project last week has most my time spoken for today.  This boat remodel job is at the drudgery stage today & tomorrow.  Surface prep will be over by Thursday when the bedliner is sprayed on ...finally!
               Need to fill out my catch data forms for the 2016 Salmon Ambassador program that's more encouraging compared to the dismal 2015 report I turned in last year.  2016 Salmon fishing was very poor until late July/August in Manistee, MI.  Then, fishing improved!

9/26/16  Standing inventory has been put on spreadsheet to firm up plans for 2017.  Low on meat heads is the immediate concern.  Need to order colors we're low on.
              Looking forward to 2017 with exciting new tackle enhancements.  This is the process of trends that were proven this year.  I know, I have reel-winners on the way!!
              Interior project on my boat is time consuming.  Should be putting my boat back together by this time next week.  Will be spraying bedliner later this week when the temps climb to 70 and above.  Only delay is the time to let the bedliner cure properly.  According to the manufacturer full cure is 7 days at 68 degrees and above. 
              So, that sets me up for chasing October Steelhead on Lk. MI well into Nov.  This year, with enclosed an cooling system can fish Lk. MI into December with the right weather.

9/25/16  More progress on removing the carpeting from my 1979 22' Sea Ray.  Moved to prep the all surfaces to be spray with bedliner.  Progress is slow.  Reward will come when this diffgicult project is completed by next weekend (hopefully). Click boat Day 2

9/24/16  Day 2 on the boat project has moving towards surface prep.  Part of the floor has been sanded & all the old carpet is gone.  Time consuming chore is removing a thick layer of latex adhesive that should never be used on a boat.  Click boat interior pulled
               Sea Ray rightfully, used contact cement, not gobs of cheap latex carpet glue by one of the previous owners looking for a quick/cheap cosmetic fix and sale.
              Bait has moved in off Manistee and that's super good news.  Some next year's Kings are being caught with a few Steelhead.  Look for this to improve a lot in the next couple 3 weeks.  By then, my boat will be done and fishing again!

9/23/16  Day 1, 3 hours on interior upgrade for my 1979 22' Sea Ray.  Pulled the seats, rods, dinette, cockpit cushions, motor box, and a pile of fishing tackle incidentals.  Enough stuff was removed to fill-up 1/2 a bay in my fairly large pole barn.
              Yanked up most of the old nasty carpeting out that covered the floor and ran up inside the gunnels.  This was a job from hell with adhesive that had 40 some years to cure.
              Today's task is to finish removing all the old carpet, batteries, and get the vee berth cleaned out entirely. Click, pic 1, the beginning

9/22/16  Fall fishing opportunities abound for the Great Lakes and river anglers.  From Salmon fishing in the rivers, streams, and soon be be here, Mr. Steelhead.
              Let's not forget Lakes MI and Huron with less fishermen, there's more fish available for the dialed-in late season diehard fishermen.  For me? ...the best is yet to come.  Lessening the time devoted to making and shipping tackle with more reel-time to go and concentrate on fishing.  When decent weather/sea conditions allow.
              My boat is laid-up for the next week, or so for carpet removal.  A spray job with pickup truck liner is in the works.  My next Lk. MI trip with be in quest of the leaping silver beauties of the fall, Steelhead in October.  Then, picking the right weather window.
             There are a few juvenile Kings being caught off my home port of Manistee, MI. according to Kim A.  A 'few" is a heck of a lot better then this time last year.

9/21/16  Last official day of Summer 2016 and it was a good one for Manistee, MI weather-wise.  Lk. MI for the most part cooperated with the with Salmon fleet.  Boat traffic was down after the dismal 2015 season and that's to be expected.
              August 2016 was a major uptick over last season, but silver fish were scarce until then.  August was like flipping a switch with more Kings available.
              Fall my work load from the tackle business lightens up.  Allowing for time for projects like re-doing the interior of my boat by removing the carpet and spraying on pickup bed liner.  Carpeting does not belong in any reel-fishing boat for sanitary reasons.

9/20/16  The WI side of Lk. MI is producing good to fair numbers of juvenile, or future King Salmon.  According to my resident contact for Kewaunee and message board member,
Steve S. shared, the young Kings are way ahead of last year's (2015) catch rates.
               This is tremendous good news.  After the dismal 2015 season it was hard for me to get excited about 2016.  To my surprise, 2016 turned out a heck of a lot better than expected to all I've spoke with.  Now, my fire has been rekindled to come up with new ground breaking tackle for 2017.  The wheels are spinning and going forward ...on to 2017!

9/19/16  Research for my possible trip to Alaska to fish Salmon in 2017 has suffered a setback.  If I read the regulations correctly? ...non-resident can take only 1 King for the season and that has to be accompanied by paperwork where you caught it.  Unless, you're in a special management zone specified by the AK Dept. of Fish & Game book of rules.
               AK fishing licenses for nonresidents for 14 days is $80.  Plus, a $50 King Salmon stamp for the same time period.  Nonresident annual is $145, plus $100 for the King stamp.  This makes us realize what a reel-bargain Great Lakes fishing licenses are!
               An Alaska rule that should be looked at to cover ALL species in the Great Lakes states, "Operators and crew members working on a charter vessel may not retain king salmon while clients are on board the vessel."
              This would prevent overharvesting by charter skippers that want to send their customers home with fish from their licenses.  Something I never did when I ran charters.
It's a slippery slope when customers come to expect more fish than legal daily bag limits.

9/18/16  The MDNR has articles on predator-prey (bait fish) subject, stocking info, and a Lk. MI King/Chinook fisheries update.  See all these articles by clicking here

9/17/16  Plan for today is to begin dismantling my boat.  Removing everything attached to the floor in prep to rid my rig of all carpeting that does not belong on a fishing boat.  Know this is a big project, but not on cost.  Investment will be in time to complete it.
               Done fishing Salmon for 2016.  My next trip will be in October.  Target species wil be fall Steelhead on Lk. MI.  Fly in the ointment is weather and heavy seas.  So, picking the right days is paramount.  Late season fishing is something I look forward to.
               This is when I reap the rewards of the 100s of hours spent in the design phase of my Salmon Buster™ spoons.  Making a high to low speed spoon was challenging!
                I chose to make my spoons out of Lexan™.  There's no paint to fade, or get chipped/peel off.  Spoons I've used for a couple of seasons now? ...still have that "new" look.  Except for the teeth marks in the lure tape their appearance is pristine.

9/16/16  Made the 40 mile road trip to Frankfort, MI yesterday.  Plan was sound, traveling 17 miles N on Lk. MI to to once "money in the bank," East Platte Bay in search of Coho.  Execution was poor.  Seen 20 boats fishing & 1 fish caught.  So, this was all for naught with nary a bite.  I admire the perseverance of this small boat fleet for their efforts.
              Next boat project is to remove all the carpet from my 1979 22' Sea Ray and spray it with pickup bed-liner.  I'll keep you posted with photos on this undertaking.

9/15/16  My featured pic is the camcorders that will be in use this afternoon.  Each one requires attention.  SD cards must be formatted, or emptied for maximum record time.
               All batteries must be charged. Reusable Ni-cad batteries discharge during storage.  Having full batteries is absolutely essential. Click today's cams
               It will be interesting to see what line I chose to put the Waterwolf inline camera on.  Drawback with this cam? ...the resolution is only 720i and not full HD1080i.
               720i is what YouTube allows me to publish as HD.  So, this will be OK.  Just not my 1st choice for video on want to see on my home TV when I review past fishing events.

9/14/16   Tomorrow it looks like the stars will lineup to go fishing.  Wind is down and the weather is on my side for a long awaited afternoon afloat.
              This will be a video event with the emphasis on underwater filming.  Have an idea that could make this work.  3 underwater action cams will be used in an effort to capture fishing hitting on my tackle.  This will be shared with you, ...if the fish bite?

9/13/16  Left a loose end when it came to deep 200' plus trolling with the Stealth rigger cable I offer.  Braid direct to the lure/attractor will wind up.  There's no stiffness to braid. 
A 30'-40' section of mono, in 25 to 30 pound test range is a lot stiffer and is not apt to get spun up.  This is especially important when it comes to rotating flashers.
              Don't know how to tie a bloodknot?  Click here for instructions

9/12/16  Added dedicated message board forum about trip plans to AK.  I'm not sure this trip would be possible without the internet.  Being able to see what you're planning is a valuable resource.  Only glitch is being able to book space on the ferry that runs from Prince Rupert, BC to Ketchikan, AK.  Click MV Matanuska Ferry
              If you're interested in my research and ongoing plans to fish AK in 2017?
May I suggest, you join our new message board by Clicking Here
              Everything in AK is expensive compared to what we pay in the lower 48.  Federal employees get a 25% cost of living allowance to cope with the high prices.
       Topics saved for later this week: Why I chose Ketchikan. Time spent in design heaps big rewards.  Blood knot to braid leader info for deep 200' down rigger program.

9/11/16  15 year anniversary of the tragic 9/11 attack that was our 2nd Pearl Harbor wakeup moment.  Let's all take a minute, or two today to remember the victims.

9/10/16  Part 2 of yesterday's chat begins with speed and long leads the 4.65 Salmon Buster™ spoons perform at.  2.7 plus 3 mph with 50' to 80' rigger leads in 60 degree water were the ticket for a good box of Lk. MI fish in the UPs, Port of Manistique.  Steelhead and Kings were feeding on massive clouds of 2" to 3" Alewives during mid-July 2016.
              Testing lures requires fish and the Salmon were in short supply during this time span off my home Port of Manistee, MI.  Hence, the reason for the trip the UP.  Plus, had good intel from the fishermen that use my lures there.  Click for 7/20/16 fish box

9/9/16  It's the time of the year when I begin to look back on my efforts for this season.  Which by the way, was a heck of a lot better than 2015.  Great Lakes Salmon and Trout fishing is a lifelong learning experience. 
             And boy, ...did I learn a lot, or rediscover past methods.  Made major inroads & confirmed my spoon program's wide speed variance.  Caught big Kings from 1.2 to over 3 mph on the Salmon Busters™.  Proving the effectiveness of my patent pending design!
             Part of this transposed to my meat program.  Rewards were gained from the exclusive line of matching tackle I make. Ghostbuster 4.65 Salmon Buster spoon turned into the Ghostbuster flasher meat rig that produced my best box of Kings since the middle i2ks!
             Everything I make, or sell is tied together.  From my Stealth rigger cable, Super Snubbers™, Salmon Buster™ spoons, flashers and meat rigs™ ALL work!

9/8/16  Restocked with the hard to get Stealth Rigger cable.  Jobber I was purchasing from dropped this as a product and had to go factory direct. Click to purchase
             This cable cuts the water better, because it's a tad thinner, don't hum, and has tighter twist than the cable that comes stock on most riggers.
             There's no enhancement that will do so much for your rigger program.  If you're results do not mimic to mine, perhaps you should consider this cable for an upgrade.
             Not to mention you can fish to 200' with only a 12 lb. ball.  Yes, it cuts blowback that much when you use super braid with a 30'-40' mono leader to absorb shock.  Attach the braid with a bloodknot to the mono and you're all set!

9/7/16  Rain and last night's wind will definitely curtail fishing off Manistee, MI today.  Good news is the wind is favorable from the S and W.
             In doing research for my possible trip to Ketchikan, AK in 2017 found there's a 3 hour window during slack tides.  This is when the bait comes off the bottom to feed.  This is when these W coast Salmon become most active.  Sounds like suspended bait to me that runs a close similarity to what happens the bait fish in the Great Lakes during low-light.
             Presently 60/40 chance to make this trip that will require me trailering my boat 2900 miles thru Canada to Prince Rupert, BC.  Then, you get on a ferry for the last leg into Ketchikan.  Ferry cost with a my boat in tow is steep.  Like a grand for the round trip.

9/6/16  Prior to the recent N blow, fishing was decent at Manistee, MI.  The N wind really messed things up for a few days.  Good news is yesterday's strong S wind should improve fishing a lot.  Having a thermocline to work with puts the odds in your favor.
            Looking at a window later this week to go fishing.  Between tackle sales and long neglected outdoor projects, ...need a break from all work and no play!

9/5/16  Word from Manistee, MI is Lk. MI flopped over and there's cold water on the beach.  This means fish are hard to locate without a thermocline to concentrate the fish at a certain depth.  So, catch rates have fell off the cliff.
             My Labor Day Weekend is laboring on long neglected outside projects that were pushed back by the July-August busy tackle season.  In September, tackle sales slow down allowing time for personal projects.

9/2/16  Have a great and safe Labor Day Weekend!  Save link for update

9/1/16  Heard about this a couple of days ago, but wanted to confirm before breaking it as news.  This has been a major fish kill on the Big Manistee River at Tippy Dam.
            Crews were applying lampricide, TFM at Tippy and the mix was a little rich for the water flow.  Resulting in major die-off in Kings Salmon, Walleyes, and summer run Steelhead.  While this is a tragedy, it's a small price to pay to rid this river system of lampreys that can destroy entire fish populations ...if left untreated.
            In my river guiding days (1985 thru 2003) I've snagged more than a few of these nasty adult spawner lampreys at Tippy Dam in April that were the best part of 3' long!

8/31/16  Forecast for the upcoming Labor Day Weekend is on the side of the Great lakes Salmon fleet.  High 70s, then 80s for daily high temperatures. 
              No rain is predicted until next Tuesday.  Wind and waves at least thru Saturday look to be manageable in the 1 to 2 foot range. Click Manistee wind & waves
              Fishing at Manistee, MI was on an uptick yesterday, as these waters reload with fish.  Heard decent reports from Guerney Creek to Onekama.  That's about a 10-12 mile stretch with Manistee right in the middle.

8/30/16  Fishing reports I was privy to about the fishing off my home port of Manistee, MI got progressively harder as the weekend wore on.  Heard Saturday was decent, but there was a big fall-off in catches that lasted thru yesterday (Monday).  Best depth seemed to be over 200' and deeper, but a lot of this depends on who you talk to.

8/29/16  This is the big week of Lk. MI Salmon fishing.  Labor Day 2016 falls on the 6th and look for fishing to be decent thru about the middle of September.  Right now everything depends on the weather and if Lk. MI rolls to bring up cold water off your favorite Salmon port.  Add that to a heavy rain and the Kings will scoot up the rivers first, with Coho not far behind.  Seas conditions this week looks to be with the trailer boat fleet.  So, go catch!

8/28/16  Have a great Sunday.  Should have some fishing news for you tomorrow.

8/27/16  Traditionally, when it comes to Lk. MI Salmon fishing the last week of August and the first week in September show the best numbers of the season. 
               Gone are the days of searching for elusive, scattered fish.  These fish are homing- in on rivers to spawn.  Putting the odds in your favor of intersecting them.
               With any luck, early this coming week should be able to escape from the tackle manufacturing business long enough to get some lines wet.  It's been 17 days and counting since I put a good box together and that's way-way too long!

8/26/16  Double/triple T.G.I.F. today!  Just concluded the busiest week of the 2016 season for my tackle shop.  Shipping orders has kept me out of the loop when it comes to meaningful fishing info from my home port of Manistee, MI.

8/25/16  Salmon Buster™ spoons catch a variety of fish.  Know these Lexan™ spoons are deadly on Lk. MI Kings and Steelhead.  That's an established reel-fact.
               Now, these spoons are making a name for themselves on Smith-Lewis Lake/impoundment not far from Birmingham, AL for freshwater Stripers! 
               The 2016 hot pattern has been the GhostBuster that was named long before the movie came out.  Seems Mr. Striper likes it ...as much as our Kings.
               It's wonderful to see what universal fishing communities do and catch.  From Salmon in Alaska, to Lk. Erie Walleyes, to Lk. Ontario Kings & all points in-between, my patent pending spoons are catching fish! Click Alabama Ghostbuster Striper

8/24/16  All the Lk. MI DNRs are proving they're playing politics in the fullest measure.  Meaning you come out with way more than you want and settle more towards the middle.
              They have walked back the proposed MI's Lk. MI King Salmon cuts from 64% to 46%.  OK, all well fine, and good.  Click for MDNR webpage on the subject
              What I do not understand? ...is why WI gets the largest piece of the pie, while MI has a lot more shoreline of Lk MI.  This is wrong.  Everyone should be treated the same.  Showing preferential treatment to any one state is pure unadulterated BS!

8/23/16  Have no current fish reports to work with.  This past weekend's high winds, rain and thunderstorms kept everyone I know dockside.
               Did a little more research about Ketchikan, AK.  It's the southern most area of Alaska to fish.  Several hundred miles S of Anchorage.  This port has a 3 weekend Salmon Derby with caveat qualifying Kings must be caught during specified weekend time & days.
               The winning King in their 2016 derby weighed 48 pounds & change.  30 pounders fairly commonplace.  This is what my dreams are made of.  Big Kings in their native ocean environment is a new horizon for me to conquer!  Click 48 lb. King Salmon

8/22/16  Been doing research for my dream trip to Ketchikan, AK next year.  The State of Alaska has different zones to protect spawning King Salmon with different creel limits.  Some areas are entirely closed off when their Chinooks return home to spawn.
              The Great Lakes DNRs have dropped the ball when it comes to protect the highly prized money fish, our King Salmon.  There are no special regulations in place to protect these fish during spawning ...other than the Trout season that closes certain rivers and streams after the last Saturday in September.
               If our DNRs were serious about sustaining a Lk. King fishery? ...it's about time special regs are put in place to protect spawning fish and do it now!

8/21/16  Recent rain, wind and thunderstorms have curtailed Lk. MI fishing.  So, let's talk about fun stuff!  And part of the fun is trip planning.
               Seriously considering a trip to Ketchikan, Alaska in 2017.  It's about 2900 miles and I'd trailer my boat for extended fishing for the last 2 weeks of Ketchikan King Derby in early-mid June.  Guess everything is timing and do have a contact for this area to make sure I hit this west coast port on the Pacific Ocean when the fish are in.
               This would be my ultimate 70th birthday gift to myself!  Can't think of anything better than this to top off my Salmon fishing career that began way-back in 1968!

8/20/16  This weekend is probably worst one we've had in long time to fish Lk. MI.  Up until now, seas and weather have been on our side.  Today is iffy with t-storms. Tomorrow is just flat out nasty with WNW winds to 30 knots that will surely shake things up.  Throw in the chances of thunderstorms and you'll see why the wise staying dockside.
               My new message board is loaded with features my old board didn't have.  While pricey to operate, you get what you pay for! Click here to become a member

8/19/16  Had to call Woodrow A. who lives in Metlakatla, Alaska to straighten out some issues with his order.  Besides, this was a good chance to talk to him about the many Salmon Buster™ spoons he's purchased.  Woodrow orders up to 6 spoons of the same color.
               I asked him how does he like my spoons, his reply was a rave review and said, "love them ...the paint don't come off like metal spoons."
         My spoons are ideal for the harsh saltwater of the Pacific Ocean environment!

8/18/16  Trolling speed is always a critical factor when it comes to fishing the Great Lakes.  What's been working for me is 2 programs.  My Salmon Buster™ 4.65 spoons at 2.7 to 3 mph when the fish are in the top 50' of water on long leads (50' to 80') behind the ball with Slide Divers 50' behind the diver. Click Ghostbuster pattern glowing!
               My attractor/meat program is 1 mile an hour slower at 1.8 with fairly long leads too.  Like 40' to 50' behind the ball.  Long distance stuff from the boat such as coppers and divers has out-fished the riggers when the temp break is at 50' and deeper.
               OK, with all being said, the last fish we caught on 8/10/16 came on a 4.65 Ghostbuster spoon while we were fighting a double that turned into triple.  Trolling speed was crawling along at a whoa slow-down of 1.2 mph.  So, nothing is written in stone!
               For now, ONLY message board members can purchased the new 2017 GhostBuster flashers and meat rigs™.  Want to join?  Click here to become a member

8/17/16  Good time to take a day off from the normal routine and skip today's chat.  This is "push comes to shove time" in the tackle business.  I'm wore out, talk to ya tomorrow!

8/16/16  Grins were not hard to come for fishin' buddy, Dylan B last Wednesday when he landed a King pushing 20 lbs.  Dylan has fished aboard my boat since 2006 and it's been a joy to watch him grow into a major asset. 
             He's alert, fast to the rod, and has the right approach to land big fish with ease.  Dylan does not get excited during 2 and 3 fish fire-drills.  He keeps his focus and does what needs to done for a successful fishing trip. Click for my fishin' bud, Dylan

8/15/16  The 2016 season is on pace for the largest crop of Kings since 2011.  High teener Kings with fish over 20 pounds have been common place.  Numbers have exceeded the last 2 years too.  So far, 2016 has been reel-good to me!
              One of the reasons and they could be many, is record cold winters of 2013 and 2014 prevented King Salmon from maturing.  Essentially, holding the fish back until this year.
              Seen this very same thing in 1999 when the Coho were 12 to 17 pounders. That year Coho ran up a huge tally in the MI Master Angler Awards Program (fish over 12lbs.).

8/14/16  When you're ready to take the training wheels off your meat program, you'll use whole rather than strips.  Whole Green Label fresh from the package with the head snipped off, a 45 degree shoulder cut, belly opened and cleaned ...far is better. 
               This is a cost effective, reel 2-sided presentation with super mag heads that out-produces any other way to fish meat.  No  brag, just fact!
               Not to mention, it's easier and eliminates the use of brine.  This is a much simpler and faster method.  Leftover herring?  Just refreeze it and use it the next time.  Here's more info that makes this a no-brainer.  Click for clip and snip method

8/13/16  Last Wednesday evening was the 1st time this season out of Manistee, MI we marked suspended pods of bait.  This is wonderful news.  Bait means fish!
               My most productive way to fish meat is Green Label fresh from the package with my Super Mag Heads.  Whole bait can be trimmed and tuned to run at any speed.  The bend we use is perfect for a slow troll at 1.8.  Strip users will probably need to troll a little faster.
               Our biggest King on 8/10/16 came in at 28 pounds according to message board member, Dimitri.  While I've taken larger to 34 and change on other boats.  28 is tops for my 1978 22' Sea Ray trailer boat I've owned since 2006.  Sea Rays from this era are bulletproof as long as there's no dry rot and a worthy investment to refurbish.

8/12/16  Follow-up to yesterday's fishing report from Manistee, MI is today's topic.  Best action was N of the harbor in the 16 to 17.5 numbers in 110' to 150' of water. 
              Temp break was at 55' down 52 degrees.  Most of the hits came 60' down.  300' coppers were hot with the new 2017 Ghostbuster flashers.  Divers with the same were good too.  Almost forgot to mention troll speed which was 1.8 SOG. Click for our best rig
              Plan was to hold onto the GhostBuster pattern in flashers and meaty rigs.  Then, debut this color for 2017.  But the fish had other ideas and I wanted to PROVE to you Manistee has Kings.  Not showing you what we caught them on wouldn't be right!
              BTI 10" XG Frog was good too.  Along with Super Silver Bullet BTI 10" flasher/2 fly meat rig™ combos.  Ghostbuster 4.65 Salmon Buster™ spoon took a dandy towards the end during a 3 fish flurry.  I do not have Ghostbuster flashers and meat rigs™ made up.  So, buying these is a ways down the road. 

8/11/16  Fished out of Manistee, MI last evening.  Big Kings were on the prowl and ready to whack, ...big-time.  Not sure of the final count, but pretty sure we had a 200 pound box.
              Broke the lid off the cooler trying to stuff the last big pig in total darkness.  We hit triple at 10pm when we were trying to clear lines to go home. Click big box of Kings!
              Will elaborate further after a good night's rest.  Didn't get home until midnight and what little ambition I had left? ...went into this update. Click Todd's Hog King
              If you look at the below update, you'll see I practice what I preach.  We missed one hit on a rigger.  All the rest of the bites were turned into prisoners, not escapees!

8/10/16  Timely tech-tip to keep your hooks extra sharp when dealing with adult King Salmon.  Adults have a tough hide and a strong boney mouth.  Making good hook penetration crucial to your success. 
              As a sport-fisherman, you should be capitalizing on 75-80% of your bites.  Any less is unacceptable.  Firmer rigger releases, sharp hooks, and paying extra close attention to drag settings will bestow huge rewards, even on marginal trips.
              There's a 25% chance depending on sea conditions I'll be able to fish this evening.  Forecast is all over the place and stiff very iffy at the time.

8/9/16  There's a net in the 11s S of Manistee, MI.  Thanks to Mike S. for this info. Treat this area with caution.  This could be a test gill net that will soon be pulled. 
              Feature photo the day comes from Steve S who fishes out of Kewaunee, WI.  This King hit a Black Mamba Combo down a 100' in semi warm 58 degree water.  Bill, the angler holding the fish has a black and white shirt on.  That kinda matches up with Black Mamba flasher.  Last week he had on a brown shirt and caught a brown.  So, he's color coordinated again with a mighty fine fish!  Click Bill's goodie King

8/8/16  Net is gone, probably a test gill net as commercial fishermen look for the best place to set up a trap net which is a lot more work. 
             Gill nets kill everything.  At one time I'd have been mad as hell.  Now, I look at it as cutting down on the overpopulation of Lake Trout.  Lakers consume a lot bait from Lk. MI & are active feeders in 36 degree water.  Bait has been in short supply off Manistee, MI.
             How do I know Lakers feed in this cold of water?  In the late 1980s caught boxes of them during May in Alaska Bay close to Port Austin, MI's part of Lake Huron.

8/7/16  Thunder Bay, Ontario on Lk. Superior has Kings.  Last weekend Alexis and Dan went 7 for 10 on Kings along with box of Lake Trout.  It's worthy to note: Alexis's hat matches the the purple Kevorkian Ice Salmon Buster™ 4.65 spoon.  It's wonderful seeing anglers enjoying fishing, ...no matter what Great Lk. they're on! Click Alexis's Kings
             Rumor mill says there's a trap net in the 13.9-14 line that starts in 60' of water and runs out deeper.  This came from a reliable source & I thank Mike S. for contacting me.  I will triple confirm this & get exact lat/lons locations early this coming week.
            At this point in time, treat this location with safety in mind, because I've heard so many conflicting reports that don't jibe.

8/6/16  Can neither confirm or deny any new nets off Manistee, MI ...yet. All I get is radio rumors not confirmed by trusted sources.  I'm still looking into it.
             My next window to go fishing is this coming Monday evening if I get a light work load.  Then, I could motor thru the 14s where this net is "supposed" to be.

8/5/16  Follow up to yesterday's fishing report is good news for all.  The few boats I seen fishing within eyeshot all caught fish.  Witnessed one boat pulling what looked like a double header too.  So, we were not the only boat catching.
             I know my pounding the fish skills leave a lot to be desired nowadays from lack of water time.  But if I can wander around without a clue and get 5 bites in 3 hours, those that get, or are dialed in ...can do far better.  Have as great and safe weekend!
             Hearing rumors of a net in the 14s of the Port of Manistee, MI.  Will research and confirm by Monday with locations if there is a net in this location.

8/4/16  Fished out of Manistee, MI yesterday evening.  Late start, never left home until past 5pm.  Figure lines went in the water well after 6pm.  Long ride out to 400' in a sloppy 1-2' chop 3 miles S of the harbor.  Click Todd's teener King
             Put our 1st King in the net around 8pm on 300' copper with a prototype secret flasher/meat rig combo.  Then, hit a goodie Coho 8-9 lb. ...she was a fatty about a 1/2 hour later.  Followed by a chubby Laker in the 9-10 lb. range.  Finished the evening a little after 9:30pm with a smaller King.  We hard a hard rip on the port diver while dealing with our last fish.  Temp was 50-60' down and that's where we took our bites.  New, yet to be revealed secret rig took 3 of the 5 bites. Click for hush-hush flasher/meat rig
             4 fish with 5 strikes in 3 hours is enough to keep anyone interested.  I was crushed to see only 5 boat trailers at the launch.  Fishing is better this year, but there's not many wise enough to take advantage of it.  Negative publicity has reel-e taken it's toll!!

8/3/16  Today's featured pic is a spoon caught Lk. MI Brown Trout caught last weekend on a Salmon Buster™ Gold Orange Crush (GOC) 4.0 spoon on a 300' copper.  Port was Kewaunee, WI.  Bill's matching tan/brown shirt is a match made in heaven.  Making him the most color coordinated fisherman I've seen a long time!  Click Bill's Brown & spoon
             It's nice seeing people catch fish on my tackle.  It's a bunch nicer to seeing folks enjoying our beautiful Great Lakes.  We are blessed to live in Great Lakes States!!

8/2/16  Here's what a satisfied meat fishermen had to say:

"Spoon bite has been hot in Baileys Harbor the past month until the warm water moved in and the salmon went deep this past week. Click Jeff's meat caught King
           I could not catch one single fish on spoons so no problem throw the meat rigs down and had the best action I've had since I started Fishing Lake Michigan. Caught my limit in 3 hours with the biggest being 21 and 17 pounds. Nobody else is fishing meat out here.  
           Thanks for all the help on the phone and all your YouTube video instructions. I could not have got this meat rig program going without it."  ...Jeff R.

8/1/16  New message board is off to a great start with approx. 200 members and counting.  Info is help and we can all use every inch help with the hit & miss King Salmon fishery.  Used correctly, message boards are a great resource!
             Didn't hear of anyone setting the world on fire out of the Port of Manistee, MI.  This was expected on my part with the NE and E winds.
              New message board is accepting memberships Click to join new board

7/31/16  Big deal month of August for King Salmon begins tomorrow.  The fish are bigger this season and numbers might be up.  Final outcome is a question mark?
              My evening trip last Tuesday was a shocker to see only 10 boat trailer at Manistee, MI 1st Street Public Launch.  Never have I seen so few boats the last week of July in Manistee and I repeat never.  I cannot change the public's perception, but I can tell you ...fishing was decent for us with plenty of marks on the sonar screen!

7/30/16  July 2016 has been better to me then last year.  In just a few trips my boat landed 12 Kings, 3 Steelhead, and 2 Lake Trout.  Averaging about a fish per hour.
               My Salmon Buster™ spoons took 12 of the 17 fish.  3 largest came on 12" flasher 3 fly meat combos.  For the way fishing has been, a fish an hour average is very tolerable!

7/29/16  Follow up to reel-story of the Kings Todd B and I caught 2 nights ago.  There was no bait in these fish when they were cleaned.  We never marked any bait and I have not seen any mounds of bait this year out Manistee, MI. Click 23.3 lb. King on 7/26/16
              So, these Kings had to feed and grow in another part of the Lk. MI.  Then, homing instincts brought them to Manistee.  All 3 fish were naturally reproduced too!
              July 2016 compared to 2015?  This year I've caught more and larger fish when I look back at last season.  This is a very good thing!

I know about all the negative publicity, but if you don't go? ...you don't know!

7/28/16  Here's the port reports form we use at our message board:

Date & port fished: 7/26/16 Manistee, MI
Time fished: lines in the water from 7pm thru 9:30pm
Area fished (GPS lat/lons 0ptional):  14s to the 17s
Best depth of water to be over:  200ish
Depth of hits: 80' to 100' 4 bite total
Rigger lead lengths: 10' to 15'
Number of fishermen aboard: 2
Best lures & colors: 12 inchers in Frog with same 3 fly- Pearl double glow w/undertaker 3 fly
Surface temp: Down temp for hits (if known): 72 on the surface, break was at 80 where it was 50 degrees.
Troll speed: 1.8 to 2 mph.
Number and kind of fish caught: 3 Kings, doubled at sundown, missed a goodie on the 4.65

7/27/16  Got in late last evening.  So, this is gonna be short and sweet.  Particulars to follow tomorrow.  Manistee has Kings, but only maybe 10 boats were out.  80'-100' meat on the riggers did the deal.  Took 3 & never had lines in the water until 7pm.
            Troll speed was 1.8 to 2 mph.  Best water depth was 200' to 130'.
            Missed a goodie on a 450' copper on the 4.65 Salmon Buster™ spoon in the Ghostbuster pattern just prior to our double at sunset. Click 40 pounds of Kings 2fer

7/26/16  Hats off to Steve S for the 24 lb. Brown Trout they caught yesterday out of Kewaunee, WI.  Browns this size are rare and a trophy. Click Steve's 24 lb. Brown
              If the thunderstorms stay away, I have a window to fish out of Manistee, MI this evening.  Deep fish is what I've been hearing.  So, it's time to get the meat out.

7/25/16  How to do spell relief in the fishing business?  4 letters: f-i-s-h sure takes a load off your shoulders.  That pretty much sums of the box of fish we caught last week.  We were past due to showcase what my Salmon Buster™ can do!  Click for spoons
               Best part was the larger spoons did most of the damage.  This was the 1st time the 4.65 out-fished the 4.0s on my boat.  Nice to learn both sizes have their niche.
               Plus, it's a lot easier to sell deadly proven tackle that I've seen perform with my own eyes.  Reel-confidence cannot be bought, it has to be earned ...fish, by fish.  Just can't wait to do it again ASAP with the greatest enthusiasm. 
               Hope to take some time off later this week to meet some of my relatives, you know ...the Kings!  

7/24/16  Manistee, MI's Salmon Splash tournament a 22.65 lb. King was the largest to hit the scales yesterday.  There were 5 Kings weighed in over 20 lbs.  Looks like there were around 30 boats fishing this event that ended today. 
               The winner was from WI.  This makes sense, because they've had a lot more Kings than our side of the pond.  Just shy of 20 pounds per 3 fish took first.

7/23/16  Tournament weekend in my home port of Manistee, MI.  More Kings are being caught and that's good news.  My take on the Salmon fishing is, if you find them? ...you should be able to catch them due to lack of bait.  Hence, hungry fish wanting to feed.
               Seen this happen before, but not often.  The hook went thru the nostril in the King photo that was featured yesterday.  Having the right sized sharp hooks cuts down on lost opportunities.  The 12 fish we had in the box that was mentioned in the 7/21/16 update was built by not missing bites.  Think we only missed 2 hits.
               New message board is accepting memberships Click to join new board

7/22/16  Posted a new photo of the hottest Salmon Buster™ spoons on my boat, the 4.65 Ghostbuster. There's 3 layers of glow in different intensities.  Plus, X-Glow blue and X-Glow green base colorations.  Click Ghostbuster 4.65 spoon & Mr. King Salmon
              This is a deadly low-light presentation big Kings will whack.  Best thing is about my 4.65 mag spoons is they can be pulled at high speed without twisting your line up!
              Most modern day metal mag spoons are copies of Chuck Cartwright's Silver Streak mag that was called, the mauler when it first came out in 1987.  His spoon was designed to catch Lake Trout at around 2 mph.  If you stack up mag spoons creations from several manufacturers, you'll see most are exact knockoffs of Chuck's original design.
              Salmon Buster™ patent pending spoons are not a knockoffs.  My mag, or 4.65 size is designed to pull at all speeds and do so ...quite effectively!   
       Let's face it, talk is cheap, proving what you say with a time-stamped pic is not!

7/21/16  Lk. MI is alive and well.  Spoons Buster™ Spoons were on point and put together a decent box of fish in the double figures.  Catch included 3 Steelhead, and 9 Kings to and past 17 pounds.  It was wonderful!  Click Salmon Buster™ spoons used!
              4.65 SBs did most of the damage on Kings.  The slightly smaller 4.0s seemed more yummy to the Steelhead.  Ghostbuster 4.65 SB was King stud by far, 50'-60' down!
              The mind blowing reel-fact? ...all these fish came out of 63 degree water. 
Troll speed was the hot side at 2.7-3.0 mph.  Any slower?  ...we got no bites!!
              All the particulars will be shared soon.  Our success was due to Chad G. who has won tournaments on my tackle before.  He "spoon fed" his program with what needed to be done.  So, he deserves a lot of the credit for what we caught. Click Todd B 18 lbs.
              I did fine tune it a tad with my X-Glow spoon colors.  That's how Todd B, Dylan B, and I got on the fish.  It's my job to prove my tackle works and that's exactly what we did!

July 18, 19 & 20, 2016  Refer to Sunday's post.  Going on a mini vacation for a couple-three days!  Going to fish an area so secret today (7/18/16), the fish don't know about it yet!  A few big-ins found my secret spot today!  Click for 7/18/16 "big-in" King

7/17/16  Going to take a few days off this week to go chase some fish.  This means orders received after 7am Monday, July 18th will not ship until 21st, or 22nd for sure.  This is my last window for time off before the August rush begins.  While tackle sales here in MI has slowed just like the King fishery ...IN, MN, WI, MI's UP, NY & Canada are going great guns.
              Daily updates could be delayed, but I will try to keep you posted on my progress.
   Don't forget my new message board is accepting memberships Click to join new board 

7/16/16  One of the most asinine pieces of garbage I've heard lately comes from the University of Washington.  They claim establishing cougars in the eastern states would save people's lives by cutting down on deer-car accidents.  Click for article
              This clearly shows the inmates are running the asylum.  BS like this has come from Green Peace/WWF environmental activist nuts.  Gibberish like this earns my award for one of the dumbest ideas to come down the pike in a long time. 
              Deer populations are far better controlled by hunting.  Instead of a big cat that hunts, kills, and eats people, kids, livestock, and pets!
              The Manistee fleet targeting Kings yesterday averaged maybe 2 fish per half day trip according to what I heard.
              New message board is accepting memberships Click to join new board 

7/15/16  T.G.I.F.  Looking forward to this weekend.  The 20th of this month signals the beginning of adult King Salmon.  The good news is there are a some Kings to past 20 pounds being caught in central Lk. MI waters now.
               New message board is off to a great start with a around a 100 members signed up and more everyday.  Spambot countermeasures with the new board are great.  You can sign up and know your info and posts are private. Click to join new board 
               One of the modern features on the new board is being able to share your post on Facebook if you want with a direct link.
               Another great feature (especially for me) is being able to post YouTube video with a direct link to my YouTube account.
               Technology with this new board is years ahead of my old discontinued board.

7/14/16  More questions than answers is my take on the MDNR.  They've yet to explain the outbreak of nasty green slime growing on the bottom of Lk. MI. 
             They haven't even come close to telling why IN, IL, WI, & even MI's UP is out-producing central Lk. MI ports (Ludington, Manistee, Frankfort, & Leland) when it comes to Steelhead/Salmon with catches that make us MI fishermen drool over for this season.
              The MDNR had 10-12 years to study the Lk. Huron Salmon/alewife crash in the early i2ks.  Yet, no active measures were in place to save the bait fish in Lk. MI, or so we're led to believe.  What are we paying these people for?
               There are groups aligning trying to stop the MDNR's 62% cut in King plants for 2017.  That's not the big picture.  It's DNR's internal workings where employees are trained to be yes people and not challenge the chain of command over questionable data.

7/13/16  Several groups are up in arms about the 62% cut in King Salmon plants for 2017.  It's good to see their passion and willingness to have their voices heard.
               My reel-feelings about this are irrelevant.  But know fishery management should not be done by committee, or popular opinion.  Fishery management should be based on sound science and what's good for the health of our fisheries for the future.
               With this being a MDNR political football, I predict the end game will be a 30% cut, as the DNR looks to throw us Lk. MI Salmon fishermen a bone.  Besides, in politics you always ask for twice as much as you want.  Then, settle in the middle.
                I trust very few in the MDNR.  Mark Tonello our area's fishery chief is one that I have high regard for.  Whatever he says, not effected by internal pressures from the MDNR system, I'm onboard with 100%.  Problem is ...how can he avoid internal pressure?

7/12/16  Membership is building on my new message board.  This new board has direct feeds to Facebook and Twitter.  All be in may, I do not tweet.  Best part is the mobile version that fits on a smart-phone screen nicely. Click to join new board
              Most of this board is private that non members looking for a free ride are blocked from.  Once you join, you'll see 5 or 6 subject specific forums.
              Demand for trusted fishing intel is at an all time high for Lk. MI with the slowing of the King Salmon fishery, so you're not starting with both hands tied behind your back.
              Many members are transfers from existing board that at least 10 years old.  Main reason behind the new board is I can now accept new members.  Older one was riddled with 100s of phony spambot registrations.  Message boards and a great target for spammers, because they have a captive audience where their message must be seen before deleting.  Unlike you do with your spam filter in your email carrier, when it's all flushed at once.
              Tomorrow my reel feelings about the 60% cut in King plants for 2017!

7/11/16  Rumors of an improved fishing Manistee, MI are trickling down the grapevine.  Need further investigation before I confirm this.
               Working on a new message board.  Spam bots at the existing/old has taken over the registration process where I can no longer add new members.  Lost board admin and moderators, ...they were getting 40-50 junk spam emails a day coming from these bots.
               New board is a work in progress, but you can still sign up for free, as I'm in the process of building our new home for trusted fishing info.  Click to sign up
               It's an easy sign up for until I configure more measures to keep out the spam bots.  Patience please as I work to verify and add your membership.

7/10/16  Just a good day to rest and relax before the coming week!

7/9/16  Here's what I know about Manistee: the charter fleet is fishing Lakers N of Onekama that's a 10-12 mile run.  Silver fish currently are hard to come and there's very little bait around the Port of Manistee, MI.  Except for the invasive specie of round gobies that the Lake Trout are feasting on.  Click 7/7/16 Onekama, MI Laker
            Our side of Lk. MI, or eastern shore needs the schools of bait that's off WI to breakup and migrate towards MI like they did about this time last year.  When, if, or does it happen remains to be seen.  We need a turnaround asap!
            One of the contributing factors to our central Lk. MI fishery is lack of rain.  We're almost in a drought situation that's cut the flow of our rivers pouring nutrients into Lk. MI.

7/8/16  Worked on my Lake Trout program out of Onekama, MI yesterday and it still sucks.  Years of pounding bottom sent my charter customers home with limits on Lakers most of the time in my charter years of 1983 thru 2003,  Now, the only thing I can catch off the bottom is green slime and mussels.  Click sewn goby rig
             Even rigged a goby like I do with a sewn minnow and that failed to produce with a set of cowbells in from of it.  Did manage to catch 2 Lakers in 3 hours of trying, but know I can do better once I solve the issue of debris all over the line and hooks.
             Seen more than one Manistee boat make the 11-12 mile trip to N of Onekama looking for fish.  So, know Manistee has not caught fire yet.
             Overall there's a lot to be said and enjoyed with a 2 fish trip when Lk. MI is glassy flat and gorgeous.  Most exciting happening on yesterday's trip? ...we missed a fish on a inline planer that was towing a gold crushed 4.0 Salmon Buster™ spoon  with a 2 oz bead chain keel weight while we were setting up!

7/7/16  Fishing today with gobies for Lake Trout.  Will post the outcome by tomorrow, if not sooner.  Gobies were hard to come by off the Port of Onekama, MI.  Scads of tiny yellow perch kept stealing the bits of worms we used around the pier heads.  This could be an excellent sign for future perch dinners!

7/6/16  Have some good news for central (Leland to Ludington) Lk. MI fishermen from the MDNR.  They shifted the Brown Trout plant from Grand Traverse Bays that were not providing a return on these early season fish.  Click MDNR Brown Trout article
             Beginning this year there were 67,000 yearly Browns stocked in the above mentioned areas.  It's essential for these ports to have a early season (April) Lk. MI Brown Fishery in Lk. MI.  Without April Browns to target, central Lk. MI is wet desert!
             Up to 10-12 years ago, herds of Lakers used to frequent the shallow water off the beach.  That's doesn't happen anymore since deep water gobies took over.
             My concern about of Manistee, MI's April fishing? ...is water clarity  We used to have coffee stained water that was abundant with bait and predator fish. 
             For the last 4-5 years all we get is a greenish-tinged water color.  And for the last 2 years, ...it's been nearly unfishable due to weeds/debris.

7/5/16  Bears, bears and more bears is what lives around my place.  It's even worse the closer you get to the Big Manistee River.  Click daylight cruising bear.
            The tragedy is these animals are becoming more accustomed to man and are making their presence known in broad daylight.  Once black bears lose the fear of humans things don't end up well for Mr. Bear.
            At one time, thought it was a thrilling experience to have bears on my property.  Now, I see this as dangerous.  Especially, for my dogs that go ballistic when these critters come around (mostly at night).  The MDNR needs to up the bear permits for Manistee.

7/8/16  Worked on my Lake Trout program out of Onekama, MI yesterday and it still sucks.  Years of pounding bottom sent my charter customers home with limits on Lakers most of the time in my charter years of 1983 thru 2003,  Now, the only thing I can catch off the bottom is green slime and mussels.  Click sewn goby rig
             Even rigged a goby like I do with a sewn minnow and that failed to produce with a set of cowbells in from of it.  Did manage to catch 2 Lakers in 3 hours of trying, but know I can do better once I solve the issue of debris all over the line and hooks.
             Seen more than one Manistee boat make the 11-12 mile trip to N of Onekama looking for fish.  So, know Manistee has not caught fire yet.
             Overall there's a lot to be said and enjoyed with a 2 fish trip when Lk. MI is glassy flat and gorgeous.  Most exciting happening on yesterday's trip? ...we missed a fish on a inline planer that was towing a gold crushed 4.0 Salmon Buster™ spoon  with a 2 oz bead chain keel weight while we were setting up!

7/7/16  Fishing today with gobies for Lake Trout.  Will post the outcome by tomorrow, if not sooner.  Gobies were hard to come by off the Port of Onekama, MI.  Scads of tiny yellow perch kept stealing the bits of worms we used around the pier heads.  This could be an excellent sign for future perch dinners!

7/6/16  Have some good news for central (Leland to Ludington) Lk. MI fishermen from the MDNR.  They shifted the Brown Trout plant from Grand Traverse Bays that were not providing a return on these early season fish.  Click MDNR Brown Trout article
             Beginning this year there were 67,000 yearly Browns stocked in the above mentioned areas.  It's essential for these ports to have a early season (April) Lk. MI Brown Fishery in Lk. MI.  Without April Browns to target, central Lk. MI is wet desert!
             Up to 10-12 years ago, herds of Lakers used to frequent the shallow water off the beach.  That's doesn't happen anymore since deep water gobies took over.
             My concern about of Manistee, MI's April fishing? ...is water clarity  We used to have coffee stained water that was abundant with bait and predator fish. 
             For the last 4-5 years all we get is a greenish-tinged water color.  And for the last 2 years, ...it's been nearly unfishable due to weeds/debris.

7/5/16  Bears, bears and more bears is what lives around my place.  It's even worse the closer you get to the Big Manistee River.  Click daylight cruising bear.
            The tragedy is these animals are becoming more accustomed to man and are making their presence known in broad daylight.  Once black bears lose the fear of humans things don't end up well for Mr. Bear.
            At one time, thought it was a thrilling experience to have bears on my property.  Now, I see this as dangerous.  Especially, for my dogs that go ballistic when these critters come around (mostly at night).  The MDNR needs to up the bear permits for Manistee.

7/4/16  4th of July is the day we celebrate as our birthday as a nation.  Each one of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence put as noose around their necks when this document was published, then sent to England.  This was the original Brexit.
             It amazing that 17th century statement was the 1st step in forming our government and the leaders back then, had the panache to pull this off.
             Need to work on my Laker program that's out of date.  Bottom trolling for Lake Trout has changed.  No longer can you drag riggers on the deck.  If you pound the bottom off Manistee, MI your lures are going to get all gunked up with debris and mussels.

7/3/16  Day 2 of the big weekend with beautiful weather and calm seas.  Boats fishing meat suspended are taking a few Lake Trout out of Manistee, MI in 150' of water.
            Please remember, this is the weekend when the 1st launch parking lot is all carnival rides with little room to park.  So, find alternative launching ramps.  There's 2 on Manistee Lake that will get you on Lk. MI.  As a bonus, you get to travel by water and see the City of Manistee while traversing the channel to the big pond.

7/2/16  Lk. MI waves are predicted around 1 foot for the next 3 days and temps in the 70s-80s for Manistee, MI makes for a perfect 4th of July Weekend.  Weather is gorgeous!
            Looking at developing another way to fish Lake Trout where heavy trolling gear removes a lot of fight from our much maligned native sport fish. 
            During the late 60s and most of the 70s my summers were spent chasing Lakers. 
Back then, I loved Lk. Trout fishing, because they were numerous and easy to catch!

7/1/16  MI Sea grant has a survey to find out what your thoughts are when it comes to fishing and lakes in general.  MI Sea Grant is one of the best avenues we have to be heard.  I rated them very highly.  Click for MI Sea Grant survey
                  This limited time survey/questionnaire is only active until 7/8/16.

6/30/16  This is the weekend of Manistee, MI's National Forrest Festival and avoid using the 1st Street boat launch that will be jammed up with carnival rides.  Leaving little to no room to park for those with a boat trailer attached to their vehicle.
              Manistee has been holding this long running festival for about 80 years.  There's lots of activities, including fireworks.  Click for schedule and more info