Well, made the first cruise out for salmon this year solo. For the big pond and my rig ya gotta watch the weather plot for days on end to be safe so thursay AM looked prime. Got up early to join the parade of rigs on the highway to Lake Michigan. And yes, driving in at 330 AM there are a line of boats similar in size heading to the lake when the weather cooperate. Set out from McKinley and headed northeast to the towers and filter.
Had lines in the water at 430am in about 65 ft east of the filtration plant. Set up with dodger with E chip on dipsey, another dipsey with blue silver spoon and a home made super snap weight rig with green and white. Works like a combination lead core/downrigger. First fish came on the dodger in five minutes of the full troll. 10# King. Replaced dodger and the home made rig goes about 10 minutes later 8 pounder. Gotta love it when something you make yourself works! 
30 minute later the other dipsey (slide version) goes. 5 pound King or coho (still trying to figure that one out as it marinates right now 
).
Marked bait in the morning and stayed with them for three passes = three fish.
Was solo and action definitely stopped after sun came full up. Had one drive by at 9ish. Continued to drag lines out to 100ft and back. Stopped trolling by 900AM
Headed in to putz around in the harbor. Off the water by 1000am
Good day for the first time out this year.
Will post some pics if I can ever find the usb cable for the camera 
.
Good fishing
Derek
1st picture is my setup with dipsey on both sides my home made rig in the chute.
2nd speaks for itself
3rd running across the harbor before the cement tanker gets the main gap.
Getting out there before the sun peaks up can certainly keep you hopping, especially solo. Haven’t been out yet myself, but soon, I hope. don’t know about the 3 am start, though.