Lake Michigan Rocks!

[outdoor ran]

After returning from a 3-day fishing trip to Lake Michigan last week, I learned that the myth, the hype and the stories are true. What an unbelievable fishery! Similar to other reports on here, the fishing was just non-stop. All 3 boats returned maxed out with fish. Managed to get some steelhead and cohos with everything else being kings. Gotta love how just about every rod set would go off when you hit a pack of salmon. Just total chaos.

I am totally sold on lead core (Thanks Cheffrey) We caught fish on pretty much everything we put in the water- flasher flies, j-plugs, glo spoons and thundersticks. It was just unbelievable, lots of high fives and smiles.

After returning from a great fishing trip, I may have ruined myself. All I can think about is returning to Lake Michigan. Lake Superior now seems like a dead sea with little fish

Small Steelie

Why do they always take the picture the second you're not smiling

Wyldewal and I with some kings at the slip

Sunset king

[Northlander]

NICE Ran!

Ok that does it. Next year Im heading down there with somebody.

[Tom Linderholm]

Quote:

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NICE Ran!

Ok that does it. Next year Im heading down there with somebody.

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You think you can hang? These aint walleyes Steve.

Nice work Ran, Glad it all worked out for your crew. I am with you on being ruined. I went bass fishing tonight just for something different.

[Nate McVey]

Me too!!!! Might have to give up elk camp in CO for it...........nah, I'll have to figure out a way to do both!!!!!!!

[Tom Linderholm]

Shiner, you need to figure out a way to talk Shannon into allowing me to come to Elk camp, and I will talk your work into allowing you to come to Algoma.

[tunrevir]

Nice fish Ran, Yes, it truly is an awsome fishery! I can't wait to get back out there again, just a couple weeks now! Any colors more productive? We really didn't find a specific pattern except the leadcore seemed to turn quite a few fish.

Tunrevir~

[bwtrout]

Quote:

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Why do they always take the picture the second you're not smiling

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It looks to me that the reason your not smiling is because that King is giving you a serious evil eye!!!

Nice job, that would spoil anyone!!!

[evntam]

Ran:

Great job. I am 76 hours from pulling the pin and heading to salmon heaven myself, and I can't wait! Man I love when people post pix.

[Daze Off]

Just got back from a weekender over on Lake Michigan - first time for me and it was truly awesome - limited both days and have way more salmon in the freezer than I ever thought possible. Got a nice laker in the mix too.

We went out of Sturgeon Bay.

Daze Off

[BUSHWAC]

Yes to all above!! I was out in Salmon Harbor and had pretty much the same type of fishing. I pulled my 16ft boat out there for my fourth year and just keep the fingers crossed for mellow wind. I can't take it and decided last night I am heading back this weekend!!

Duffman, if your reading this I won't be able to make your party this weekend!! Sorry, but the Salmon continue to call my name!!

[Sutty]

We were out of Kewaunee this weekend as well with a group of 7. Great action. Everyone came home with a limit.

[tunrevir]

Sutty any specific patterns you saw? Not looking for areas but just patterns. I have a few things I want to experiment with and am planning on 2 more trips if time and money permit. I am intrigued by the crank bite we had for the steelhead and plan on ttrying a few things that have worked on Great Bear and Great Slave to see what will happen. Thanks!

Tunrevir~

[Sutty]

I did best on spoons. probably at least 60-70 %. I only had one hit on a stacker and that was after we had caught one on the ball so it was the only lure on that rigger.

In the dark I always worked 70-90 feet and moved out deeper during the day. the furthest I went out was 160. I set my downriggers to 55 feet and than moved them deeper during the day.

As for colors I did well on greens, blues, and whites but the other two boats had differant stuff and we all caught fish. I put my brightest glows on in the dark and mixed it up during the day. I was going to experiment a little with some plugs and other stick baits I had bought to try but never go around to it. I did better on my blue dipsey/flasher/fly's than the green by a little bit.

The best morning I had was sunday before we came home. My plan was to go about 10 miles before setting up because there was soo much boat traffic on saturday but on the way I saw a big bait cloud so I dropped on top of it and couldn't get more than 2 lines in from 4:30 to 7 that was fun!

[outdoor ran]

For set ups- the first day we couldn't get more then 3 rods set. We had a blue flasher/green fly set on the rigger with a bloodynose glow spoon on the other rigger and then a j-plug down the chute on a full core. All three were hammering fish. The next 2 days they got a little ball shy so we kept the full core/ j- plug out and added a 5 core/red needlenose and 2 core with a pink thunderstick off the boards and they were hammering them. Then we went to all glo when it was dark.

Has anyone fished Algoma/ Kewaunee on Labor day weekend? I've done the whole fall river fishing before but was wondering how the fishing is on the lake trolling beginning Sept. Are the fish shallow staging? What could a person expect other then the fish will be darker? Thanks

[Sutty]

I have never been out there that late

[OUTDOORNUT]

A lot of guys will run offshore and find the 3 year olds and steelhead that late in the season. Plenty of fish to be found.

[tunrevir]

Yes the fish stage shallow and can be caught just longlining out in front of the harbor. Still alot of fish to be caught and there are some bonus fish like walleyes that sometimes show up as well as some pretty large pike. I an heading back over again in a couple weeks to try some experimental setups along with the standbys, if it works out I'll have another tool to add to the arsenal and a little to share with you all as well.

Tunrevir~

[Joel Taylor]

Oh Man! You guys are right the salmon are going nuts this year! Me and a buddy fish a 9 day tournament every year since we were kids and it wasn't even fun this year because we CAUGHT TOO MANY FISH!

The salmon are over populated and the food is low so if you've got the right stuff you can slam them all day long until your arms fall off, no talk we were getting 40-80 fish a day, 2 guys in an 18 ft boat!

Guys from over in MN can get into it for not much money and have good success as dipsey divers work better than riggers if the thermocline is above 100ft!

Take advantage of it now because they have cut stocking way back because of over population!!!!!!