Big Manistee River Results from 2001

Capt. John's Log

This page contains the exact results from every charter with no embellishment.  This is a "tell it like it is" standard of honesty that Capt. John King is known for.  Proof can be found in the archived links to photos that accompany every charter.  While other charter operations might give you a bunch of "pie in the sky" unfounded promises. Here, you can see and read the precise verification of the whole story when it comes to fishing with King's Charter Service, we serve the reel facts!

4/5/01  Had the father-son team of Travis, and dad, Tim Anthony as guests today on the Manistee River.  We hit 3 Steelhead and were fortunate to boat 2 fish.  The Anthony's are from Fairbanks, Alaska and are reel fishermen, believe me.  Travis unassisted hooked and landed a dandy full colored buck in the 10 to 12 pound class.  In the last hole of the day I pulled a rabbit out of the hat and Tim caught a bright wild, thrashing chrome hen in snag infested waters, I'd rather be lucky than good!
                               Click here for the father-son photo

3/30/01  The river was a whole lot better to Andy and Char Grendes than the previous two trips.  We hit 5 Steelhead, hooked up on 3 and boated 2 fish.  Andy and Char are long time favorites of Kings Charter and always do a fantastic job on the rods.  The high point of the day was the incredible battle, a handsomely colored 12 pound male put on for us in very swift current.  Andy did a great job on that fish.
      Click here for Andy's trophy buck      Click here for Char's silver bullet hen.

3/29/01  Fished today with Steve Bentley and his buddy, Brian.  We hit 2 Steelhead  in 6 hours of hard fishing and were fortunate enough to get off the river with one fish. Not many fish were available to us or anybody else.  I reel tried of beating my head against the wall to produce fish when there just aren't many there.  So far, this year is poorest season on the Big Manistee since I started guiding in 1985.  Forecast rains next week should improve the fishing, or at least let's hope so.

3/22/01  The great couple Cindy and Roger Hicks fished with me today on the Manistee River.  Cindy landed a 12 lb. hen after a extensive tussle in fast current with just the right amount pressure.  While we tried numerous prime areas, we never located the mother lode of Steelies.  In fact, we only seen one other Steelhead landed during 6 hour trip. The company of today's guests made an otherwise slow fishing day go by fast.  Incidentally, the large female Steelhead was released back to the river unharmed. 
    Roger has a 24 foot Crestliner and often fishes the plies of both Lake Huron and Lake Michigan with outstanding results on both King (Chinook) Salmon and Brown Trout.       Click here to see Cindy's well earned trophy   

3/14/01  I fished today with Steve Orr and his gracious wife Angela on the Manistee River for Steelhead.  Fishing was fair and the catching was poor.  We had almost 3 fish hooked, one cut the line, another the hooks pulled out and the third one didn't stay on long enough to worry about.  Also, there were two quick slaps that get hooked up either.
     While opportunities presented themselves, it's a hollow feeling for me when my guests don't boat fish.  I invited Angela and Steve to fish with me again when the catching is better, because they're nice folks to spend time with,

3/3/01  From a hero to a zero is what happened to me!  I had Ed Anderson and Al Mackowiak aboard today.  We fished about 4 hours with no strikes, because there was extremely heavy pressure on the river.  We cut are loses and quit early.  100 boats were launched between Bear Creek and Rainbow Bend access ramps.

3/2/01  I fished today with Ed Bratkowski and his long time friend Bill Chernenko.  We had an astonishing day boating a rare 20 plus King Salmon, a beautifully marked Brown Trout and 2 scrappy Steelhead.  Today's guests were "World Class Anglers" and just plain wonderful folks to spend an awesome day with on the Manistee River. 
    Outstanding team work was the theme of these accomplished fishermen.  All 3 of us were involved in getting the monster King to the net.  Ed helped maintain boat position while Bill fought a dogged King through a area full of log jams so I could get a net on Bill's trophy!             Click here for Ed's Steelhead  
    Also, Bill boated a beautiful Brown Trout in the 4 pound range and Ed's masterful rod handling accounted for the 2 Steelhead....................What a Trip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click here for the King photo          Click here for the Brown photo   

2/26/01  Randy Bass is going to caught some fish today with Kings Charter.  With a name like Bass, it was be a sure thing!  We had 8 strikes, 4 hooked up and landed 2 Steelhead in the 10 pound bracket, Also Randy was accompanied by Larry Burt.
    The strikes kept things interesting for us through out the day, every fish hit at an inopportune time.  Overall today's anglers were a pleasure to fish and the time flew by.  Larry had his hand full on a wild male that ran off with 20 yards of line, but Larry show the fish who was boss in the end.  Randy landed a hen in the same weight class.
Click here to see Randy's Fish                      Click here to see Larry Burt's large buck

2/25/01  Kevin Wolinski and I had miscommunication about today's trip.  I'm glad things worked out as they did, because the wind was blowing at least 50 mph.  It would have been miserable trying to control the boat in the gale force winds.  I'll see Kevin this Sunday for some "reel fishing."

2/19/01  I was on the Manistee River today with Bob Ball and his son.  From 10:00pm until 3:00pm we hit 2 fish and landed 1 small Steelhead.  We fished from Bear Creek to the Mile Run for this lackluster outcome.  We need a fresh run of fish!  Not much more to add.

2/18/01  I'm fished today with excellent fishermen, Pete Dwan and Mark Johnston.  We hit two Steelhead, a 12 hen and a 7 lb. buck and landed both fish.  The help of this duo made my job easy with the expertise of these accomplished anglers.
      The early morning weather was in the single digits and the lower river was almost unfishable due to ice, along with slush.  However, the warm and friendly company of both Pete and Mark made the trip today, very pleasurable for me.  Plus, with the speed and dexterity of today's guests Mr. Steelhead didn't stand a chance.  Two hits, and two fish boated is a testament to these fishermen's skills! ..........Fantastic!!!   
 Click here for Mark's 7 lb. buck                             Click here for Pete's 12 lb. hen

2/17/01  Artic like conditions on the Manistee River prevented Bob Ball and his buddy Tom from work, to do much fishing today.  It was decided to rebook for this Monday, when temperatures are going to be more in our favor.  
       We tried 4 holes in the stretch of river below High Bridge, because flow ice and slush had the lower river unfishable.  Overall, we spent about 3 hours on the river before calling it quits, hey there's no sense beating on a dead horse.  I'll continue this story on Monday.  It's just plain ignorant to spend a day on the river when 15 degrees and a 20 mph wind is what you have for weather.  It shuts the Steelhead down big time when the river is already frigid (just above freezing).

2/11/01  Randy McGraw and his father Randall was my guest on the river today.  In an abbreviated trip because of frozen gas lines we fished about 4 hrs.  From about noon to 2pm we hit 3 Steelhead, but unfortunately none stayed on the hook for long.  Mechanical failure was the kiss of death, causing a needless delay when the fish were willing to strike.
     While the father and son team deserved better that what I could show them, but I guess that's why they call it fishing, and not catching!

2/3/01  I was on the river today with Dave Cunningham and his likeable boss, Dave.  I had a great time with two savvy fishermen who knew how to work as a team.  We hit 5 fish, boated 3 on a day when the it never broke 20 degrees........remarkable!
   Today's event was an easy day for me with the knowledge of both Dave's aboard.  They handled everything in a professional manner, with cooperation being foremost.  They're speed and rod handling was superb, never missing a decent hit or losing a hooked up fish.
   Dave Cunningham won out in a hard fought struggle with a more than decent 9 pound hen Steelhead in fast water, and close quarters under an over hanging limb.  Good job Dave's!   

1/28/01  Fished with a great couple today, Andrea and Vaughn Siler.  We hit 2 decent Steelhead and landed a 5 lb. male and a 8 lb. hen during the outing.  Luck and the talented  persistence of the of the Siler's brought both fish to the net. 
    Vaughn got with the program with urging from his wife Andrea, when Steelhead pounded down on the number 2 rod.  Vaughn who had never landed a Steelhead before show skill and patience of a seasoned veteran.  After a lengthy struggle in close quarters, I slid the net under a hard battling 8 pound female.  I thoroughly enjoyed the company of the Silers on the Big Manistee River today.

1/27/01  I was supposed to be fishing with Bruce C. today.  A last minute cancellation on his part left me "all dressed up with no place to go," but with temperatures in mid 20's and a driving wind, I'm sure I didn't miss a heavy bite.  

1/20 & 21/01  Tried to get Jason Carlton and his fishing buddy Ted into some Steelhead on the Big Manistee River.  Cold temperatures had the deck stacked against us with slush, ice and conditions not fit for man or beast.  Jason's trip will be rescheduled to more favorable conditions when we don't have to fight the weather.

1/16/01  Rick Pritchard again was my esteemed guest today.  We had 9 strikes and boated a 3 fish limit in 5 hours because we didn't hit the river until almost 11:30am.  Rick did an extremely masterful job landing a wild, trophy sized 12 to 14 lb. hen!  After limiting out Rick said, "These fish are feisty as hell!    Click for Rick's trophy
   Rick is an avid angler how has spent the time to gain knowledge and I've seen his skills to improve to a pro level over the past 5 years.  Rick never lost a hooked up fish today and very seldom does, because he knows how to controls fish with a soft touch and patience.  

1/15/01  Today's trip on the Big Manistee River included Capt. Bud Raskey and Rick Pritchard.  We hit 7 Steelhead, had 3 hooked up and landed 2 hard fighting fish.  
Capt. Bud Raskey who caught his first Steelhead in 1932 in the Manistee River, now that's reel experience!