Andy_from_the_CJ Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 G'day lads I was in the US on a company-paid trip last week and met up with an old Sydney mate, John. He and his wife's family are all mad keen fishos, and they kindly invited me out for a couple of days salmon fishing, on Lake Michigan. The lake is 300 miles long by 100 miles wide, all freshwater. It was quite an experience to walk along the marina arms at Winthrop Harbour and watch brown trout, perch and gold carp dart away. It was also pretty amazing to see the kind of boat ramps they have in the US- six separate lanes, with a wharf at the end of each, so you can be assured of a place to tie up while you go park the car and trailer. I took a pic of that setup and will post it here. Because where we were fishing was pretty close to Chicago I wasn't expecting much, figuring that fishing pressure would make the fish few and far between. Couldn't have been more wrong! The skipper was a champion angler who's won a heap of tournaments. He uses downriggers, paravanes, planer boards, wire and lead line, to get the lures down to 80 feet, where the salmon were operating. Strikes came thick and fast and we had up to four on, at one time. Most of the fish were around the ten pound mark but we scored a few over 20 pounds. The first afternoon 33 came aboard, and the next morning we caught another 24. We were only three miles off the marina and stayed in the same area both days, so there must be countless millions of big salmon in the lake. There's a big wreck offshore, a car carrier which went down in a storm fifty years ago. Because it's in fresh water it hasn't rusted away and some big trout (10 to 15 pounds, or more) have made their home there. There's a charter dive boat in the marina, and its skipper gives our guy a call on the mobile when he's taking a party of divers to the wreck. The activity moves trout of the wreck and our skipper trolls around the perimeter. He picks up some huge trout in that way. Salmon fight hard and taste great. The bag limit is 5 per person per day. Nothing was wasted. We had some big fish fries and the rest was frozen for winter. There was no surface action whatsoever and it was a real eye opener to see just how effective downriggers can be. Hopefully we can put what was learned into practice on next summer's Pittwater kingies. Cheers to all, Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_from_the_CJ Posted August 16, 2005 Author Share Posted August 16, 2005 (edited) more pics Edited August 16, 2005 by Andy_from_the_CJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 WOW!!! What a fantastic report. Well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 Andy that was interesting reading, it looks as though your out at sea. 300 miles X 100 miles its huge and they call it a lake. Top fishing also, looking forward to more photos Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_from_the_CJ Posted August 16, 2005 Author Share Posted August 16, 2005 WOW!!! What a fantastic report. Well done. 62531[/snapback] Thanks, mate! Yep, it really was quite an experience. I said to the skipper, 'I can't believe the fishing's so good, when there's twenty million people living around the lake.' He said to me, 'that's what happens when you ban commercial fishing.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 'I can't believe the fishing's so good, when there's twenty million people living around the lake.' He said to me, 'that's what happens when you ban commercial fishing.' 62534[/snapback] Andrew, fishing like that makes you think its a place you would not mind visiting. One of your photos looks as though they are running two rods off each down rigger. Is that correct. MORE PHOTOS AND STORIES PLEASE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byron Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 Great stuff Andy!! Those Salmon must have cooked up a treat. Big fish too!! Byron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_from_the_CJ Posted August 16, 2005 Author Share Posted August 16, 2005 Here's a pic of the boat ramp. When I think back to the time my trailer got stuck in the hole off the end of Tunks Park ramp at low tide, and I had to bash the crap out of it to get it out..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clutch Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 Andy, now thats a boat ramp Great report.......Amazing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_from_the_CJ Posted August 16, 2005 Author Share Posted August 16, 2005 Andrew, fishing like that makes you think its a place you would not mind visiting.One of your photos looks as though they are running two rods off each down rigger. Is that correct. MORE PHOTOS AND STORIES PLEASE 62537[/snapback] hello Martin, in that pic, the two rods on the right are running off two independent downriggers. The rod on the left uses wire line out to a planer, what they call a 'Walleye Board', which pulls the line out to the side of the wake. I'll post a pic of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest iain Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 I loved that report Andy. Thanks, mate! Yep, it really was quite an experience. I said to the skipper, 'I can't believe the fishing's so good, when there's twenty million people living around the lake.' He said to me, 'that's what happens when you ban commercial fishing.' Can we get this framed and put on the wall at DPI? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damariboyz Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 I loved that report Andy.Can we get this framed and put on the wall at DPI? 62558[/snapback] My thoughts exactly Iain Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Tremendous report Another location added to the list of "must visit" Cheers Windy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spizza Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Here's a pic of the boat ramp. When I think back to the time my trailer got stuck in the hole off the end of Tunks Park ramp at low tide, and I had to bash the crap out of it to get it out..... 62541[/snapback] Great stuff. How good is that ramp system.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_from_the_CJ Posted August 17, 2005 Author Share Posted August 17, 2005 Andrew, fishing like that makes you think its a place you would not mind visiting.One of your photos looks as though they are running two rods off each down rigger. Is that correct. MORE PHOTOS AND STORIES PLEASE 62537[/snapback] hello Martin, I've tried a few times to post further pics, but get an 'internal server error' message when 'add this attachment' is clicked. Will keep trying, cheers, Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_from_the_CJ Posted August 17, 2005 Author Share Posted August 17, 2005 Geez Andy - can I carry your bags next time you travel . Looks like it was a very memorable experience. 62532[/snapback] Pete, it was a real eye opener. The skipper's parents live in Sarasota in Florida. He started out fishing there as a kid, and still has a 19 foot centre console kept at their place which he uses, when visiting. He told me he fishes for king mackerel (which is our narrow-barred Spanish Mackerel) there. Knowing the incredible number of fishermen they have in Florida, and thinking of how our east coast (and especially NSW) mackerel population has collapsed in the last 20 years, I said something like, 'it must be hard to catch a decent one these days.' He replied 'there's more than ever, since they banned pro fishing for them.' He caught a couple of forty pounders the last time he went out! It really blew me away, as to how good they have it over there in terms of number and size of fish, great boat ramps, and the price of tackle and boats. We Aussie anglers put up with so much crap from government bodies, it just boggles the mind! The only downside I saw from my quite short fishing experience there is the license fees. Two days fishing cost me a $14 US license, but I think that was higher being a non-Illinois resident. For locals, it's cheaper. Cheers, A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outnumbered Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Top report Andy those pics are amazing and that one of the ramps should be forwarded to every council that owns a ramp. it would be interesting to see what the revenue figures from rec fisho's that fish that lake are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robthefisherman Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Amazing stuff Thats the type of company trip I wish they'd send me on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharky Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 MMMMMMMMM..... SALMON thats awsome can i get a job at your work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_from_the_CJ Posted August 17, 2005 Author Share Posted August 17, 2005 PB salmon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_from_the_CJ Posted August 17, 2005 Author Share Posted August 17, 2005 here's a pic of the boat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest johblow Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 YUMMYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jocool Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Holy Crap...Thats awesome! Great report Andy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weiry Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Thanks for sharing the experience Andy... good to see they use the funds and out it to good use e.g decent boat ramps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MarkD Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Excellent report. Officially green with envy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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