Does anyone fish anymore

Wow, it seems like there are very few people fishing. That or people are being tight lipped!

I fished woodburn lake on Friday. I concentrated on deeper water (during the day) and found most of the fish to be in 17 feet of water but about 12 foot down (just above a thermal cline). Pushing 1/8oz jigs tipped with minnows was way better early. Casting my 2 inch shad did better late in the day.

We managed 28 fish and threw back 8. 20 of them will be ready for the fryer at Houghton Lake.

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Been tough for me to find time this year for some reason... nice catch!

Well I got a report that the perch came back in, so off we go in search for perch. Never caught one, so out comes the trolling gear, we ended up 4 of 6 all kings. The wind picked up and the waves went from 1-2 footers to 4footers so we drove up river to a looking for some catfish and boy did we find them all piled up in a deep hole. We caught 11 cats tossed back a few ,Attachment 171228

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Hmm, I heard several times one day "that is a great Catfish spot". I'm willing to bet one of those was the ticket.

Always nice to try something different. I wonder if they eat Gobies! I know where you can find a bunch

Sweet catch Kev. always good to be able to switch hit, eh??

Sandy & I fished yesterday on a small deep lake. It's usually where we night fish, but we tried "spider Rigging" it. Didn't mark many fish and couldn't get any takers. That seems to be the story at the bait shop this summer.

Larry,

I've found a few things to be true this year unlike years past.
I go to one lake, the crappie are tight to the weeds.
I go to another lake, they are suspended over deep water, another lake and they are in the timber. Last year, what they were doing on one, they did on all of them!

Spider rigging has been good for me this year (pushing up front, pulling in the back). I changed to a heavier jig than I used to use.
The other dynamite thing (which I have wrote about) is casting a 1/16oz jig tipped with a "Big Bite" 2 inch shad (traditional gray belly, black back). I cast it to the weeds, over deep water... it has been awesome this year.

Color has also been more important this year (for me). I have been switching jigs out to find the best color. It has helped that I have a partner in the boat so I can run a little more gear. My casting jig has been the same day in and day out. It has a glow in the dark color to it. Remind me at crappie camp and I'll show it to you. Nothing special.. came in a 10 pack but it works great.

Sunday the 10th, i fished a lake i haven't been to since i was a kid. Didn't fair to well. No crappie, a couple decent bass, and some sunfish.
Wednesday the 13th, i fished the Grand River after work for Skamanians. Got skunked.
Friday the 15th i hit a little lake up by Walhalla. Was lead to believe it was a good panfish lake. Caught no panfish keepers, but did well on bass. Kept nothing.
Saturday the 16th we chartered out of muskegon. We went 9 for 13. 2 were steelhead, the rest kings. One we lost at the boat was a laker.
Sunday the 17th, was supposed to fish a lake a couple miles from home, but just couldn't find the mood. So i said screw it.

Most of my fishing this season has been jigging structure, which is good as it got me out of my norm of pushing jigs. I have a feeling that won't be a tactic to use up on Houghton this fall tho, but since Houghton isn't a lake that I have much knowledge of, I'll have to depend on second hand info.

Tonight it's one of my Allegan Co. lakes for a few hours, and I think I'll start out with one of my 14' jigging poles along some deep water lilly pad edges. If that doesn't work out, then I'll pull out the trolling rods and a samich and try some Kgalla style fishing. :highfive

who has time to fish?
7 weddings to go to this year!!!
new woman, new house, job OT, have not been in the boat in nearly two months : )
but hey life is GREAT!!!!!
looking forward to seeing the old faces (and new ones) at the fall crappie camp , need to get back in my boat!!
good to hear that some of you guys are getting into some nice crappie , keep it up!

7 Weddings? Holy Cow John. I would hope that not all of them had been married once before.
Looking forward to seeing you again at Houghton Lake.

I kid my buddy all the time. I tell him... Hey, if you think your boat is lonely, I don't have a problem taking her out for a little while!

every one a first time wedding..........next year.............. hoping for zero weddings LOL
Still have two left to go, ugh.

Probably will have to show you how to run that boat when you get up to Houghton. :Rofl

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Originally Posted by yankee doodler

Probably will have to show you how to run that boat when you get up to Houghton. :Rofl

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hope the gas is still good LOL , seems like it has been an eternity since I actually was in it !! : (
hope I can remember how to catch a crappie : )

Oh I remember the last time I saw you fishing and you caught 'em just fine. I doubt you'll need any lessons.

Being employed has really hurt my fishing time. I can finally afford a boat but I dont have anytime to use it.

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Originally Posted by yankee doodler

Most of my fishing this season has been jigging structure, which is good as it got me out of my norm of pushing jigs. I have a feeling that won't be a tactic to use up on Houghton this fall tho, but since Houghton isn't a lake that I have much knowledge of, I'll have to depend on second hand info.

Tonight it's one of my Allegan Co. lakes for a few hours, and I think I'll start out with one of my 14' jigging poles along some deep water lilly pad edges. If that doesn't work out, then I'll pull out the trolling rods and a samich and try some Kgalla style fishing. :highfive

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YD, I have a good map of H.L. shows the depths etc. I'll bring it with me and you and anyone else interested can have a look.

Eric, I remember that. Can buy a boat and other nice things but no time to enjoy them. Remember to make time. You may be tired after work but sometimes a little fishing is the most relaxing thing to do. I also understand that other people request your free time. Hope to see you at Houghton lake.

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Originally Posted by Hermin

Being employed has really hurt my fishing time. I can finally afford a boat but I dont have anytime to use it.

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know that dilemma well..............plenty of time....but no money, orrrr have money, but NO time, can't win LOL!!!

Good to see everyone is out having fun, I been on a mission this summer catching walleye and haven't even fished for crappie , kind of sad since i really enjoy catching crappie

I hit one of my lakes this morning and for the 1st hour they were biting,, the next 3 hours was dead

This guy fought to hard and wouldn't go back so i took him home for lunch

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Originally Posted by ready2fish

Good to see everyone is out having fun, I been on a mission this summer catching walleye and haven't even fished for crappie , kind of sad since i really enjoy catching crappie

I hit one of my lakes this morning and for the 1st hour they were biting,, the next 3 hours was dead

This guy fought to hard and wouldn't go back so i took him home for lunch

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Well, I suppose there's worse things you could do all summer than chase walleye, ;) ... nice catch, perfect size, :)

Nice going Jimmy..

Jim,

I have the exact opposite going on it seems like. I've been fishing crappie all summer and let go some of the other stuff.

Visited my parents over the weekend and managed to get over to Hamlin on Saturday evening. We pulled bottom bouncers for walleye and, although we marked a ton of fish, we just couldn't get them to go.

Hit the Narrows the last half hour and missed the bite completely for crappie. I managed to catch a sheepshead (never new they were in Hamlin).

They had a massive fly hatch that night and I suspect it happened the night before as well. Would explain all the fish and no takers. Such is fishing. Still better than work though

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Originally Posted by wicklundrh

Jim,

I have the exact opposite going on it seems like. I've been fishing crappie all summer and let go some of the other stuff.

Visited my parents over the weekend and managed to get over to Hamlin on Saturday evening. We pulled bottom bouncers for walleye and, although we marked a ton of fish, we just couldn't get them to go.

Hit the Narrows the last half hour and missed the bite completely for crappie. I managed to catch a sheepshead (never new they were in Hamlin).

They had a massive fly hatch that night and I suspect it happened the night before as well. Would explain all the fish and no takers. Such is fishing. Still better than work though

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Only fished Hamlin last year and really like that lake

Kevin took me out last year at fall Crappie camp Walleye fishing and I caught 2 or 3 sheephead, that was my 1st time ever catching them

you using crawlers or leeches

Used Crawlers. I should have gotten some leeches. I like trolling them this time of year.

Fish were all over the water column. They just were tight lipped. Always next time

It doesn't help that all my friends stopped inviting me to go fishing for some reason!