Lake Michigan Port Washington

Sunday looked like the best day of the weekend for wind so considering the slow fishing at Milwaukee and all the detours getting to Racine I headed for Port Washington. First time there in awhile so called Red Rider for a heads up. Water was very cold inside and rumors of some decent action for bows in >400fow. We started south of town in 30fow finding 46+ on the surface and 43 down 25 with no bait and a couple of hooks. We made a gradual SE troll to 190 and only one drive by on Brad’s Wonderbread 55loc Dipsy. Radio reports sounded quite slow so pulled and ran to 390. Have not been that deep for a long time.

Shortly after getting set 6 color Wonderbread fires and the bow did their famous jump a few times and throw the hook. It’s well after 8 and still the box is empty but did have a shaker king on Wonderbread SWR down 30. We finally got the skunk out with a double on bows 4 color Red Hook Dble Orange crush and 5 color reg Dble Purple spook. Then 80loc 1.5set Dipsy and reg dble Purple Spook. Glad Reed told me black and red working out there for other people so figure black and purple close enuf. Put out another 5 color and Dble Purple Spook and that fired and again on the other side. 8 color and Brad’s shamrock had a decent LT that fell of ¾ of the way in and 4 color dbl orange crush had a bow escape. Small king came on 50loc Red Hook Orange Muffin and another on SWR Wonderbread down 30. 8 color held another small LT when clearing lines and lost a nice LT on the Orange Muffin at the same time.

Action didn’t kick in until after 11 so lucky the wind stayed down and crew wanted to stay all day. I was amazed at the amount of bait out there and surprised we didn’t get bit more. Best action came when I finally went back over the first bite of the day and never left as 5 color fired as the cursor covered the icon. Should have returned sooner. Surface temp in 430 54.2 and as warm as 50 down 30. I pushed the speed with Depth Raider at 2.2-2.4 and SOG most of the time >3 and pulled off the flashers. Late morning saw two boats come from long way east and wondered how deep they were fishing.

I’ve had a lot of birds visit the boat over the yrs but the little sparrow that landed when we were 11 miles out was really tired. He sort of crash landed and Nicky pulled it off a reel and the little guy rested in her hand for a least 10 min. Then on various rods for another 20 min before it flew off. I hope westerly. Ended 115 PM (there goes my fish/hr) with 6 bows, 1 LT and 3 small kings.

Tight lines and full coolers,

Grey Beard