The sixth event on the Lake Michigan Tournament Trail, the MCSFA Budweiser Pro/Am took place from the ports of Manistee, Onekama, and Arcadia Friday, June 22 through Sunday June 24. As always, the MCSFA did a great job organizing the event and ... Read more...
Grand Haven Tournament
The Grand Haven Offshore Challenge was held on June 1st, 2nd, and 3rd out of Grand haven, Michigan. This is one of the premiere events on the Lake Michigan tournament trail and despite the price of gasoline had a very well attended tournament...
We do it all the time. The fishing is hot and we put down the standard
bread and butter baits, catch our limits, and head in. It’s easy to do
and it’s easy on gas. But maybe there’s something else we should be
d... Read more...
Structure: Thermoclines?
The so called intellectuals in the literary world have lost a lot of respect in my eyes today. Not a single dictionary that I resourced had a reference to fishing in it’s definition of the word “structure”. Looking to the sanity o...
Downriggers were invented on Lake Michigan. Manufacturers like Big Jon, Invader, Riviera, Cannon, and others can all trace their roots to Michigan’s fledgling salmon program back in the late 1960’s and early ‘70’s. Downriggers... Read more...
The June Challenge
After recently losing a close relative it had me thinking of the impact you can have on a child’s life. I had two grandpas that used to take me along fishing and I think I can blame them for getting me hooked. Some of my fondest c...
20 years ago most Great Lakes anglers wouldn’t have known what an in-line planer board was. Today, side planers have become one of the most important pieces of equipment in the big-lake angler’s arsenal. But not all side planers are created equal. Some are better suited for pulling heavy lengths of lead core line, a hot tactic for summer kings. Others are perfect for targeting brown trout in shallow water or steelheads cruising near offshore scum lines. Truth is, no one in-line plane... Read more...
Keeping the Faith
Just a few short weeks ago I experienced three skunks in a row and
was getting down on myself. I second guessed my every move and was
thinking all kinds of gloominess. It was the end of my career, good
heavens! Three skunks in a row? How on earth had I come to this lowly
station?
I guess part of the fault of my thinking was spawned
from the prior three years running when I had no polecats at all.
Hubris? Maybe I was starting to think I had it all figured out. Oh how
the mighty have...
There are a number of speed and temperature devices on the market today. Their purpose? To give you a sneak peek at what is really happening down where your lures are. Speed and Temp devices can give you feedback on temperature, speed, underwater currents and in one case, even light levels “at the ball”…in other words, down at the depth where you are fishing. Since those numbers can vary quite a bit from surface conditions, it is important information y... Read more...
The Tournament Experience
Have you ever fished in a salmon fishing tournament? It is an amazing experience, requiring organization and preparation, strategy, mid-course adjustments, skill, and of course, some luck. Throughout the course of a tournament, you will probably experience almost every emotion, high and low…anticipation, competitiveness, relief, despair, satisfaction, disappointment and excitement.
The Onekama Marine Memorial Weekend Shakedown took place in Onekama over the Holiday weekend. The event got off to great start with a 20 percent increase in participation over its inaugural year in 2006. The Shakedown is a 5-fish-limit tournament with no Pro/Am split. Boats could fish out of Onekama, Manistee or Arcadia. On day 1 the fishing was hit or miss. About half the boats competing were able to bring their limits to the scales. A few boats, however were... Read more...
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