WILD Trout and Walleye - Michigan

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Singing Bridge
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WILD Trout and Walleye - Michigan

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Mon Jul 27, 2020 2:51 am

I just wrapped up a week long camping trip and my focus was on wild trout and walleye that live in big inland lakes. Michigan has a massive fish stocking program and it is a little mind boggling how many rivers and lakes have planted fish... no complaints, I fish them a lot and many of the fisheries would not exist without the stocking program. But this trip I planned to focus on wild inland lake fish... rainbows, browns and walleye. These fish are naturally reproduced and no stocking takes place. This is somewhat rare for the lower peninsula of Michigan. The lakes I targeted have blue-ribbon Michigan trout streams dumping into them which creates the natural reproduction of the trout, and a rocky shoreline on one of the lakes which enhances natural walleye reproduction without stocking.


These lakes were deep and crystal clear which would present a real challenge as the trout and walleye are ultra-spooky. With the invasive zebra and quagga mussels filtering everything out of the water, I don't know that it is possible for these lakes to be any clearer than they are. To further complicate things, my fishing partner is a teenager that was not brought up to fish a lot and he can tolerate a couple of hours or so and usually in the middle of the day with bright sun.

I tailored my fishing program to account for all of these factors, and planned to hit the trout on one day and the walleye on another. The first trip lasted 90 minutes and he landed a limit of steelhead (big rainbows with anadromous tendencies). The second trip lasted 2 and half hours at high noon and he landed 4 walleyes, 1 rainbow trout and a cisco.

I thought it went pretty well with the conditions presented. A final note, because these fish are wild I most often release them. But I also keep some for the pan and the smoker. These lakes are not even designated as trout lakes in Michigan.

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greenhorndave
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Re: WILD Trout and Walleye - Michigan

Unread postby greenhorndave » Mon Jul 27, 2020 3:07 am

Awesome.

They look like they’ve had no trouble finding food. :D
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Re: WILD Trout and Walleye - Michigan

Unread postby oldrank » Mon Jul 27, 2020 3:14 am

Beautiful !!! How deep did you hit the rainbows? Ive kinda switched over to these lakes too. I have found I can avoid the crowds of the steelhead runs. Really been researching technique. Image

My father in law with a couple we got.

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Catch clean cook....Oh My !!!!
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Re: WILD Trout and Walleye - Michigan

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Mon Jul 27, 2020 3:51 am

greenhorndave wrote:Awesome.

They look like they’ve had no trouble finding food. :D


Definitely no trouble... they chow on Cisco's, smelt, shiners, Goby's and more. The Cisco's (Tullibee's / Lake Herring) are primary right now.
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Re: WILD Trout and Walleye - Michigan

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Mon Jul 27, 2020 3:54 am

oldrank wrote:Beautiful !!! How deep did you hit the rainbows? Ive kinda switched over to these lakes too. I have found I can avoid the crowds of the steelhead runs. Really been researching technique. Image

My father in law with a couple we got.

Image

Catch clean cook....Oh My !!!!


Great looking steelhead camp you've got there !!

The steelhead were about 40 feet down and my lures smoked them at 32 feet. We had one steelie clear the water 3 times flipping like a circus routine... line just peeled off like we were insignificant. What a blast !!

There were some walleye fishermen on these lakes... I don't think anyone was targeting the trout. Fine by me !!
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Re: WILD Trout and Walleye - Michigan

Unread postby Uncle Lou » Mon Jul 27, 2020 4:58 am

good stuff bridge
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Re: WILD Trout and Walleye - Michigan

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Mon Jul 27, 2020 6:45 am

Uncle Lou wrote:good stuff bridge


Thanks Lou- get out on that lake when you can !!
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Re: WILD Trout and Walleye - Michigan

Unread postby Uncle Lou » Mon Jul 27, 2020 9:58 am

Singing Bridge wrote:
Uncle Lou wrote:good stuff bridge


Thanks Lou- get out on that lake when you can !!


I've been getting out on my little lake letting the crappies teach me lessons. I have never understood how to do precision trolling and going after trout species doing such, even walleye. Just never learned that. I grew up fishing farm ponds and the Mississippi occasionally, so catfish, panfish, and bass basically. Then I moved to Michigan 30 years ago and just never learned the other side of fishing. Cool stuff bridge. Keep it up.

Hitting Lake St. Clair on Tuesday. Booked a charter for smallies at a fishing show back in Feb. So got a couple of my buddies and Ellie (and her boyfriend, yeh she grew up) is going to do some picture taking. Hope they get us on the fish.
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Re: WILD Trout and Walleye - Michigan

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Mon Jul 27, 2020 11:26 am

8-)

Great work SB :clap:
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Re: WILD Trout and Walleye - Michigan

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Tue Jul 28, 2020 7:53 am

Uncle Lou wrote:
Singing Bridge wrote:
Uncle Lou wrote:good stuff bridge


Thanks Lou- get out on that lake when you can !!


I've been getting out on my little lake letting the crappies teach me lessons. I have never understood how to do precision trolling and going after trout species doing such, even walleye. Just never learned that. I grew up fishing farm ponds and the Mississippi occasionally, so catfish, panfish, and bass basically. Then I moved to Michigan 30 years ago and just never learned the other side of fishing. Cool stuff bridge. Keep it up.

Hitting Lake St. Clair on Tuesday. Booked a charter for smallies at a fishing show back in Feb. So got a couple of my buddies and Ellie (and her boyfriend, yeh she grew up) is going to do some picture taking. Hope they get us on the fish.


Huge smallies in St. Clair, looking forward to some pics!
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Re: WILD Trout and Walleye - Michigan

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Tue Jul 28, 2020 7:54 am

Jackson Marsh wrote:8-)

Great work SB :clap:


Thanks JM !!
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Re: WILD Trout and Walleye - Michigan

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Thu Jul 30, 2020 8:08 am

My next steelhead trip I plan to video and offer a lot of instruction. Steelhead fight so hard they are masters at getting off the hook. I will demonstrate the best techniques to keep them from getting off. Even the pro's on TV are making big mistakes and oftentimes only catch 50% or less of the fish they hook. I will show the mistakes they are making and how to correct them.

For example, anyone I coach on my boat will testify that I yell, "no slack... no slack!!" and I will show the various aspects of not giving the fish any slack as there are multiple ways that fishermen screw this up. Fight these fish like a salmon... and you can color them gone!! Fortunately no one has punched me for yelling at them yet! :lol: The trip I posted here we landed 100% of our hookups.

For the record, I am a former steelhead guide here in Michigan (drift boat guide).

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Re: WILD Trout and Walleye - Michigan

Unread postby stash59 » Thu Jul 30, 2020 8:40 am

8-) :handgestures-thumbup:
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Re: WILD Trout and Walleye - Michigan

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Sun Aug 16, 2020 10:17 am

Had a great morning that included a Triple Header and managed to land all 3. Ended the morning with 4 steelies and 3 walleye. Looks like the smoker and frying pan are going to get busy again.

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