Newbie to the site hoping to give you guys a little heads up with what`s going on up at North Point Marina, right on the Illinois Wisconsin border.
Took off at North Point just after 2 and headed North of the border, taking out 3 dads and their kids. I set up in 60` and took it out to 125`, most of our action came between 100` and 120`.It wasn`t hot and heavy, as the winds that came in on Wednesday seemed to break up the bigger schools into smaller ones. If you could find them and stay on them you were in good shape, otherwise we were just "Pecking Away". I found the east west troll to work best and a speed of 1.8 to 2.3 kts. on the GPS depending on direction. The Stinger "Chicken Wing" was a good producer and has continued to be one throughout the weekend. I had it out on the lead and `its accounted for at least on hit on every trip, with occasions where it took more than any other rod. The Bo`s and Kings both found the wing to be very attractive. I haven`t been running too many flies, nor do I run "Meat". The Silver Streak "Black Fin Tuna", and "Smurf " once again did well on the `riggers and lead. The water was still cold and I ran all my baits in the top 60` of water. I stretched the spoons back from 20`-40`. Top `rigger was at 35` and took it`s share of hits. Wire dipseys on a #2 out 80` and 100` had their moments. We ended up with 11 decent fish, and a small brown that took a Magnum spoon that was almost bigger than he was. Unfortunately he wouldn`t have made it had we released him. However we released a small Chinook that was pretty peppy and told him to look us up in a few years. We came in just prior to dusk, so I don`t know if there was a good evening bite.
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On Saturday morning with the long line of boats heading in from the launch I again took it North and set up in 55`. We didn`t have any early morning bite, but had steady action for the entire 5 hour trip. I stayed in the same general area 3 miles into Wisconsin between 45` and 90`. Again the best troll seemed to be East and West at still staying between 1.8 and 2.3 . The lead was good as well as the `riggers, with the baits between 35` and 50` depending on how much water was under my boat.The Stinger "Kevorkian" was the stud for the trip, and it had to be one that was used and abused, missing half of it`s paint. I put out a new one and it never took a hit, I put out a used one and it then took added to the action. One was on the lead the other on a `rigger down 40`.We ended up with a mixed bag of Bo`s and Kings ending up just over .500 at 12 for 23.
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For the afternoon trip the winds picked up and the few marks I saw earlier were gone. I took it all the way out to 160` with a few pokes on the way. We found a few of these small pockets of fish, when we had action it seemed to be two or three rods going in quick succession. There was a long dry spell as I came back in from the depths and decided to keep it in the 70` -100` range. The highlight came when we had to bring in a King hand over hand. I saw a `rigger dancing as if I had tow of the lines tangled, I popped the rod and found another line caught up in the hooks of the spoon. I realized I wasn`t running any Ande green line and we pulled in a King just under 7 pounds with a Silver Streak Magnum Carmel Dolphin (Sister Sludge) in it`s mouth. We ended going 9 for 15, again draggin` a dink, with a mixed bag for the afternoon.
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On Sunday morning leaving at 5:30 I took it South to 42* 27` and set up in 65`. I had a good angle and set lines going into the wind and waves. We took one on the chicken wing five minutes after I had the lead out. Unfortunately the "Lake Michigan Flu" was already taking it`s toll on one of the patrons
, and the forecast was for 10 mph winds early in the day. I turned to make the ride a little easier by going with `em. As soon as I started the turn all hell broke loose, we had 7 rods go in quick succession taking in 3 kings and a 2 Bo`s. The Flu was taking it`s toll, and the group decided to try again under better circumstances. At this time I had almost all the rods out of the water and we were back at the dock by 7. Ending up 6 for 8 with less than an hour worth of trolling.
For the afternoon trip the winds that had remained calm all morning kicked up around 1, my group arrived just prior to 2 and decided that watching the White Sox game at the "Tropics" was a better option, so we`ll be out on Labor Day.
On Monday morning I had a group that came up from Missouri last year only to return home after a good steak and night`s sleep at a local hotel :roll: . The predicted 5-10 kt North Winds turned into 20 Kts plus :x . Well this time the conditions were far more favorable
. The first hour was pretty hectic as the strong winds on Sunday really blew in some cold water. The visibility was down to a matter of feet with the fog. I took it South after doing my best to read the radar and avoid near misses with all the traffic at the harbor mouth. There were a few small boats out (judging by the return size on my radar) and they were all gone when the fog lifted. We didn`t have any action until then, and the bite was once again spotty .I set up in 55` two miles South, with the surface temp at 58*. Again the Chicken Wing on the lead took it`s share of hits. The Stinger Kevorkian and Silver Streak Magnum Green Dolphin down 40` and 50` on the `riggers did well early on. It was `riggers for the first hour or so, then the lead started taking hits. As soon as someone mentioned that the wire dipseys never had any action they took the next three hits.They had an aqua flie behind a white "Hot Spot" back 80` and 100` on a # 2 setting. I stayed in the same general area between 55` and 90` circling for the length of the trip. Most of our hits came on a North West troll going 2.1 kts on the GPS. We ended up with 11 Kings, including 3 four yr. olds between 15 and 17 pounds. Here`s the 16 pound male and 17 pound female.
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We lost a couple of Bo`s, one came in easy and then started jumping just behind the boat making a mad dash under it, only to shake the spoon as I attempted to net it, the other was leaping 100 yds. back on the lead and ended up breaking the leader.
Some boats were working in the shallows in the morning, and others out 200` plus for the afternoon trips. The idea as I stated is to find the pockets of fish and try to stay on them. The spoon patterns that worked for me were dead for others. It again seemed to be a spoon with black or dark purple that took most of my action.
"Wet Nets"
Captain Jim
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