With the weather forecasted to be hot and calm, and the fish starting to show up in Algoma, it was time to make the shake down trip. While at a wake for my wife’s uncle on Thursday night, I decided to make an emergency run to Lake Michigan. After getting home that evening, I started throwing stuff in the truck to survive the week-end at the Marina. With a lot of the wife’s family in town, she didn’t want to make the trip. After she got home later that evening and saw all the gear in the truck and the boat, she decided the campground and lake would be better than staying home. So the truck got unpacked from an easy “bachelor” fishing week-end, out of the marina, and re-packed to a more complicated tent camping week-end at the campground. We have been going to Timber Trail Campgrounds just out of Algoma for the last 4 years. This is a top notch, family friendly campground, with a heated pool. So yes, even those years when you get the 40 and 50 degree days, the pool is at 85 degrees. That said, this would be the first time we have been to a campgrounds without our usual pull behind travel trailer, but with the busy spring, it was still in storage, so tents it would be.
By late Thursday night, the kids’ and wifes’ gear was ready. Friday morning had me up at daylight, getting the rods rigged and leaders retied, downriggers gone over, dipsy divers checked over, and spoons, flashers, flies, and J-plugs loaded. After an hour long run to the grocery store, it was time for the funeral.
After the funeral was over we had a light lunch and some social time back at the church. Then I was off to finish the packing. Timing was about perfect, I finished the packing and hooking the boat up, about the same time as the family returned from the church. After a quick change of clothes, we were out the door for the 4 hour drive.
By the time we arrived and checked in, it was 6:30. We headed to the campsite, and unloaded FAST! After getting all of the needed camping gear out of the truck, I told the wife I would be back around 10, it was time to hit the water.
The weather was great for tenting and fishing. Time to go , I headed for the lake. Got the boat in, and ran straight out of the gap to 125 feet, started dropping lines and had them set by 7:50. At 8:15 the Starboard Dipsy fired, and I got a 9# King. Got it reset and at 8:35 the Port dipsy went, that was a 16# King. Just got him in the box, and the SWR rigger went off, 20 minutes later I netted a 23# King, my biggest to date on the lake. It was starting to get pretty dark, so I started letting the Port dipsy back out, while I was taking care of the rods and King in the bottom of the boat. Once he got in the livewell I hooked that pole up, and got it put away. Got the ball off and rigger locked up, and then the starboard dipsy went again. That was a 21# King, by the time I got it in and netted she was pitch black out. I got all the rods in, and locked down, and headed in. Never had a bite in the mornings. Found out on Sunday, that the morning bite dropped to nothing, probably because of the full moon. The evening bite was good, and I guess the after dark bite was hot, but with the family along, I couldn’t do it all. Most of my action came in the 140′-150′ range from 68′-94′ down. Flasher fly’s and spoons were fairly equal, but the dipsy’s did seem to do a little better. Watermelon and flamethrower spoons worked for me, and green flasher fly combos.
All in all, it was a great shake down trip, with some great fishing, good catching, awesome camping, and fun family time. I do have a few screen shots I’ll add in the upcoming days, and maybe even a couple pics of the campground action! Good luck and be safe.
