|
After some dismal wind forcast for the weekend I was happy to hear
from buddies that the salmon are stacked up in the channel and in Muskegon Lake. Because of the protection of being inside the piers, we decided to fish anyway and try our luck on the "running" salmon. Firday morning found a crew of 5 on board and also high winds and very high waves outside the piers. We set up by the sand docks and trolled the sand docks, channel and by the clipper. We had about 8 bites and managed two nice fish to the boat. Plugs seem to rule the roost this time of year and some fish are also being caught on flasher/ fly rigs. Firday afternoon, the wind continued and I had a crew of two. We trolled the channel mostly as the fish we loaded in there. We also managed two more nice kings to the boat and also a big sheepshead that we threw back. Saturday morning the front had passed and the wind and waves were settling down. I had a crew of 4 on board and we took advantage of the calmer seas and set lines outside the piers in 40 fow. As the lines were going in, we started getting fish. within short order we had 5 fish in the boat and a couple more that got away. The sun popped out and things slowed a bit. We pecked away at the fish, working the river plume and in and out of the channel as boat traffic thinned out. We finished the trip with 9 kings in the box. Plugs caught most fish, but we did get one on a Nailer and one on a fly. Saturday afternoon I again had a crew of 4 on board and we started out with a full assault on the end of the channel. the were still stacked in the pier heads and we took advantage of the reduced boat traffic to set up our attack. With a 7 rod spread for tight manuevering and all plugs on the lines we started out strong and kept hammering the channel to get our 12 kings in about 3 hours. Pearl tomics in 4 and 5, and J plugs in 4 and 5 were the ticket. As the big fish kept hitting the deck, the cooler got more and more full. The final fish hit the deck and into the cooler he went. After high 5's I started picking lines and whammo another fish on. I handed off the fish to grab the net and fish #12 in the cooler flipped and flopped his way out of the fish box, off the swim platform and back into the lake. Yup, he got away. It was pretty darn comical, so we got serious about landing the one on the line and into the box he went to still finish with 12 kings! So if you have been waiting for the fall salmon run, the time is NOW! Friday's front had the fish screwed up, but they were there. Saturday things settled down and the fish cooperated. Get out there while the getting is good! |
Fishing Reports 
