The warm weather hasn’t been good for walleye but really keeping things going on the Big Pond. We started setting lines in 120fow off the filtration plant heading NE a little before sunrise and like the other days they didn’t get going right away. Maybe in part due to fullish moon. First blast was a dipsy in 143fow and both 1.5 set wires were the best rods the first hour or so and then the boards started going and a couple of rigger bites. Kind of surprising how slow the riggers were at 95, 115 and 125′ and considering the dipsys were working shallower than last week so changed riggers to 75, 95 and 120′. The 75’ took right off. Found the temp colder than previous days with 54 down 75 and 52.5 down 100 in 135fow. Current was not too bad, not as much bait compared to last week but a good number of hooks. Had one triple that turned into a quad so glad autopilot was working. I kept the Depth Raider speed at 1.7-1.9 in both directions.
As the morning progressed riggers started working and the active 75’ had a teaser so added one to the deep rigger and it started to fire. Every rod took a bite today. Two drive bys and only 2 lost fish and one was the 300 copper getting into the 250 copper but thanks to great help it was salvaged. 175 Copper was quiet but busy enough with everything else so we didn’t check it and of course dragging a shaker. We turned at 180fow both passes and best action 145-160fow and direction didn’t seem to matter. I didn’t run anything but garlic tunain Brad’s cut plugs today. I put out 2 of the other Great Lakes colors on coppers, Glow Bloody Nose and Glow Ghost with Black dots(I’ll call “Holstein”) and maybe should have given them attention earlier as they worked well.
Sets today:
1.5 set wire 140loc LBB teaser, white dodger mini Spotted Cow 3 for 3
1.5 set wire 130loc LBB teaser, white dodger Black Jack 4 for 5
3 set wire 120loc mini Wonderbread 1 for 3
75’ rigger LBB teaser mini Spotted Cow 3 for 3
115 rigger and later 160 Wonderbread White dodger 2 for 2
120 rigger and later 140 LBB/glow teaser, white dodger/mini Purple Frog 3 for 3
200 copper LBB teaser Brads “Holstein” 3 for 3
300 copper LBB/Glow teaser Glow Bloody nose 3 for 4
175 copper mini Black Jack 1 for 1
250 copper LBB teaser Purple Frog 2 for 2
We couldn’t have asked for nicer seas with a chop on the surface until heading back in around 11 AM when the SE wind capped a little. Another day of great hook up rate going 25 for 29 releasing a 19+# LT. Very surprised to take a small brown on 250 copper in 155fow. Boxed 1 LT, and 19 chins and if 5# is a small 3 yr old had 12 between 5 and 12#. Many of these chins are as big as the ones that made us happy this year in early June. If they find food this winter should be some bigguns next yr.
Tight lines and full coolers,
Grey Beard
Very nice Michael!
Thanks for the report.
Those sure are some nice 3yr old fish for this time of the year.
Wish I could find some extra time to fit one more salmon fishing trip into my schedule.
Hey!!! Any new reports from the harbors? I’m interested in coming over that way for some Walleye and Salmon fishing but if the fish aint bittin’, I don’t really want to drive that far to get skunked…I can do that here.
Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks…Ken
BTW, thanks for the report.
We had a big NE blow that dirtied the water past 100′. I dont’ think there will be any salmon shallow until we get some westerly winds to clear out he sediment or until enuf time has passed for it to settle on its own.
It is likely there are browns in the harbor this time of yr. Typically they are the small 2-4# but the occasional larger fish. The bigger fish will start showing again soon as they recover from spawning efforts. Then they fish browns until the harbor freezes over. Some jig near the discharge but those fish start to taste like discharge. Some are caught trolling.
The best eaters are caught trolling the temp breaks from the Oak Creek power plant via boat launch at Bender Park. That fishery can be good all through the winter. Walleye cranks off boards in 10-25fow is typical. On some days pitching jigs in the power plant discharge is good and a lot of fun to get browns in the teens on walleye gear.
Grey Beard
Thanks for that report. I’ll probably make a trip in November then. Sounds like it could be a blast. Never tried this yet, but I have seen it done on TV before.
Thanks Grey Beard.
L8R…Ken
Great report and pic’ too. Are the Browns in that way how has it been fishing for them?
I have not targeted browns because the salmon fishing has been so good. The browns I caught were incidental and quite a surprise as that was the deepest water I’ve caught them in over 25yrs on the Great Lakes. The more consistent harbor bite for browns comes when the lake water is colder than the harbor.
Grey Beard