The Bait Shop Guy
09-02-2011, 10:19 AM
Well, despite the lack of reports here lately, the fishing has been fairly good. Personally, I've been too busy to post, or the trips were nothing special. I guess a "ho-hum" report is better than no report at all, though. Let's get this ball rolling again - here's what I've been up to over the last week, and some of the reports we've been getting at the shop.
Made one night trip with a buddy last Thursday, south of Ford River. We limited out on walleyes in about 2 hours, pulling Reef Runners in 15 to 20 FOW. Most of the daytime reports we've heard are still coming from the East Bank/ Black Bottom area, drifting or trolling with harnesses and floating jigs.
There are still decent numbers of salmon being taken at Fairport, but they are mostly smaller fish, now. I headed over there with my Brother-in-law on Sunday. We went 4 for 6, fishing the north end of the gap. Three were shakers, and one was about 5 pounds. We lost one fish behind the boat that was about 10 pounds. Took two hits on the riggers, two on the dipseys, and two off the leadcore. One of the dipsey fish hit a flasher/fly combo, the rest were all on assorted spoons.
Pulling the boat out of the access at Fairport we noticed I had a flat tire on the trailer, so we had to leave the boat there over night. My dad and I headed back the next day to pick it up. Since we were already all the way over there, we decided to fish Garden Bay for bass and pike. We saw a lot of smallmouth along the shallow inside weed edge. Many in the 18 to 20 inch range. We tried every trick in the book, but all they would do was look and follow! We consider ourselves fairly good at catching smallmouth, so this was really frustrating. We finally gave up on the bass and started casting and trolling the weedbeds for pike. No action with them, either. We didn't feel so bad about the bass not biting after that because in our experience, if the pike aren't biting, nothing is. Finally at the end of the trip, I hooked into a big bass while casting a spinnerbait in the reed bed next to the access. Got her to the boat, she jumped, and threw the bait. It was at least a 20 incher.
Perch fishing is still going good. The Gladstone beach area has been the most consistent, but the Escanaba ore docks have been good, too. I've spent the last couple evenings fishing the Escanaba harbor, looking for perch and bluegills. I've been experimenting with those Cubby jigs with no bait, and doing quite well. It's a great spot to bring the kids right now. Basic bobber fishing with worms along the weed edges should keep them busy. Good pike fishing in there, too. My dad has been doing well casting spinner baits and fishing chubs under a slip-bobber. He took 6 suckers out mid day Tuesday, and caught 4 pike and lost 2 more. Biggest one was 36 inches.
Guess that's all I've got for now. Have a safe holiday weekend.
Here are a couple pics from last nights harbor trip.
Made one night trip with a buddy last Thursday, south of Ford River. We limited out on walleyes in about 2 hours, pulling Reef Runners in 15 to 20 FOW. Most of the daytime reports we've heard are still coming from the East Bank/ Black Bottom area, drifting or trolling with harnesses and floating jigs.
There are still decent numbers of salmon being taken at Fairport, but they are mostly smaller fish, now. I headed over there with my Brother-in-law on Sunday. We went 4 for 6, fishing the north end of the gap. Three were shakers, and one was about 5 pounds. We lost one fish behind the boat that was about 10 pounds. Took two hits on the riggers, two on the dipseys, and two off the leadcore. One of the dipsey fish hit a flasher/fly combo, the rest were all on assorted spoons.
Pulling the boat out of the access at Fairport we noticed I had a flat tire on the trailer, so we had to leave the boat there over night. My dad and I headed back the next day to pick it up. Since we were already all the way over there, we decided to fish Garden Bay for bass and pike. We saw a lot of smallmouth along the shallow inside weed edge. Many in the 18 to 20 inch range. We tried every trick in the book, but all they would do was look and follow! We consider ourselves fairly good at catching smallmouth, so this was really frustrating. We finally gave up on the bass and started casting and trolling the weedbeds for pike. No action with them, either. We didn't feel so bad about the bass not biting after that because in our experience, if the pike aren't biting, nothing is. Finally at the end of the trip, I hooked into a big bass while casting a spinnerbait in the reed bed next to the access. Got her to the boat, she jumped, and threw the bait. It was at least a 20 incher.
Perch fishing is still going good. The Gladstone beach area has been the most consistent, but the Escanaba ore docks have been good, too. I've spent the last couple evenings fishing the Escanaba harbor, looking for perch and bluegills. I've been experimenting with those Cubby jigs with no bait, and doing quite well. It's a great spot to bring the kids right now. Basic bobber fishing with worms along the weed edges should keep them busy. Good pike fishing in there, too. My dad has been doing well casting spinner baits and fishing chubs under a slip-bobber. He took 6 suckers out mid day Tuesday, and caught 4 pike and lost 2 more. Biggest one was 36 inches.
Guess that's all I've got for now. Have a safe holiday weekend.
Here are a couple pics from last nights harbor trip.