On the trail

[Tadmdad]

Last week stop on the tournament trail was Ludington MI....July 14-17

Our group was running 3 boats this year....starting with the kids day on Friday 7/15. We fished with 10 kids on the 3 boats, and they did well. All kids got to catch atleast 1-2 fish, some large and some small, but watching their excitement makes the effort worthwhile. Tournament pays for the top 25 fish, and each kid only gets to weigh 1 fish. We had 6 kids in the top 25, and they won $1700, placed 2nd,4th,9th,11th,13th and 16th, all the kids had a great day, ended with a fish fry for dinner with 35-40 people, good times shared by all.







Then the weekend tournament.....2 boats...and 12 people fishing. Every year this tournament kicks our a$$, this year would be no different. My middle daugter and roommate flew up from Jacksonville FL to fish, and 4 buddies for the weekend. As usual we invented new ways to lose fish, we got the bites to make a respectable showing, but just didn't make it happen. The general concenses was that it was the captains fault....OK....I just SUCK.

My buddies boat did very well...they missed 1 bite on Saturday and 2 bites on Sunday....and got it done. With a 3rd place in the amateur division, and a 5th place in the 333, and their 2 day weight would have taken 1st place in the pro division. Not very often do the average guys beat the pro's, but every dog has it's day. Congrats to captain Mark and his crew on the "it's me" way to get it done.

This week the trail stops in Manistee MI, off to Manistee tonight for a 4 days of big lake fishing, another chance to redeem myself.

[dan]

Wow sounds like a great time!

[adrenalin]

Nice job tad. I got a full weekend of charters with nice weather in the forecast so hope our fishing improves over here.

[Tadmdad]

Understand adrenalin....got to make hay when the sun shines in the charter business
Conditions been changing over here. Best bite has been offshore, big NNW blow on wednesday. And thursday pushed in cold water, backed by ESE wind on friday and the lake flipped, 55 degrees surface 50 fow, 42 degrees 25' down. Had to adjust to stay on fish. Hoping with more stabile weather manistee should be better this weekend, we will see.

[dan]

I was thinking that during a tournament you guys would probably welcome a nasty change in conditions... When the bite is good everybody is getting limits and its luck who catches the biggest, but when a weather change comes only those good enough to adapt survive...

[Spysar]

I used to fish Ontario, but I got rid of my big boat.

Nice catches Tad, that's great for the kids!!!

How do you guys get them? I used flashers and flies, flashers and meat, spoons, J plugs.....I had this fish hawk thing that was a speed and temp probe at the lure. You guys do the same stuff? I used to like late August when you didn't have to fish as deep and the salmon came closer to shore.

It kinda got to the point where I could great lake fish, or hunt a lot.(good boss, but not that good ) I love fishing, but whitetails won out.

[Tadmdad]

I was thinking that during a tournament you guys would probably welcome a nasty change in conditions... When the bite is good everybody is getting limits and its luck who catches the biggest, but when a weather change comes only those good enough to adapt survive...

Your right Dan.....changing conditions make the fishing tougher, but it puts you to the test, sometimes you make the right call and sometimes you don't. Comparing notes with other people and sharing information helps,
One of the few constants, either you adapt or you don't survive, whether fishing, hunting, in business or in life, is a key to being successful.

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[Tadmdad]

I used to fish Ontario, but I got rid of my big boat.

Nice catches Tad, that's great for the kids!!!

How do you guys get them? I used flashers and flies, flashers and meat, spoons, J plugs.....I had this fish hawk thing that was a speed and temp probe at the lure. You guys do the same stuff? I used to like late August when you didn't have to fish as deep and the salmon came closer to shore.

It kinda got to the point where I could great lake fish, or hunt a lot.(good boss, but not that good ) I love fishing, but whitetails won out.

Thanks Spy .... Look forward to the kids tournament every year, the joy on there faces when they are reeling in a fish and then it hits the bottom of the boat, and they realize the size, priceless.
We pretty much fish the same way as you did in lk ontario, just that lk. Michigan is bigger and more variables, lk ontario probably has better quality, and lk Michigan more quanity.
Understand that you can't do everything, with limited time, but we do our best. Not 6' under just yet though.

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[magicman54494]

Congrtats with the kids and better luck with the next tournament. Ludington is where my kids come across on the SS Badger when they come to visit. I keep telling my son to drop in a line and troll across.