Custom Baits - Forum
Fishing News and Reports => Fish Pictures and Success Stories => Topic started by: Partycrasher on 07/06/14 19:36 UTC
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It hasn't been a banner spring/summer here on Lake Michigan. Water temps have just hit 50 near shore. But this weekend the heavens aligned and there were some slob Browns around. These came on Do-It Blade baits (1/2 oz. ZV) painted fire tiger. The first one was about 20 pounds. The second one even shocked me. I believe it was probably mid-twenty pound range. Both were released. Gotta love those blade baits....(http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo209/twinsplusoneDIS/IMGP4658_edited-1.jpg) (http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo209/twinsplusoneDIS/IMGP4665_edited-1.jpg)
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WOW! Those are nice fish and you caught them from shore in July? That's a super catch!!
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slobs indeed!! very nice fish Marc, simply beautiful.
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Nice fish... I don't know the toxin potential for them there, but if that wasn't a problem I would likely have saved one for the oven.
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You are not nice and don't play fair. lol
Dandy fish my friend. Those Lake Michigan Browns always intrigue me and the colors can be outstanding. Nice job.
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Thanks guys. We catch 6-7-8 pounders on a regular basis and they are big fish. No doubt 8-10 pound Browns are impressive.....Then you see a couple of these and its a whole new level. Then you think that the record is 41+.... that got 18 more pounds on the bigger one I have in the photos.... Mind boggling.
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I know genetics plays a big part in those huge fish but the lake must have a major league forage base.
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Yes, many of these super tankers are the Seeforellen Strain. They genetically get big and spawn in the late fall/early winter as opposed to the Domestics. The domestics will push up the rivers in late summer/early fall when the water is still warm and get a fungus that would eventually kill some of them. This happens much less frequently with the Seeforellens. So they spawn, and make it back into the lake to pig out another year... and another year....
The other factor is the Browns ability to adapt to an alternative food source... the goby. The salmon wont do it. They need the pelagic baitfish population which was down for a couple years. As the Salmon were getting smaller and leaner, the Browns were getting bigger and fatter. They pig out on gobies near shore.... an endless supply and an easy target. They can also tolerate warmer near-shore waters where the gobies reside. Browns, Smallmouth, and Lakers who all feed well near the bottom are getting big and fat on a goby diet. If the alewives aren't around, they pound the gobies.
This years Sturgeon Bay Smallmouth Open saw 9 fish over 6#, one over 7# and one at 8.45#... The stage is being set for a new state record here. You catch Smallies up there now and instead of coughing up crawfish parts, they are spitting up gobies. If any of you get BassMaster Magazine, Sturgeon Bay was ranked #1 in the top 100 hottest bass fisheries this year. Incredible multi species fishery.
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Gorgeous fish. And from the bank is incredible. Thanks for sharing.
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Yes, many of these super tankers are the Seeforellen Strain. They genetically get big and spawn in the late fall/early winter as opposed to the Domestics. The domestics will push up the rivers in late summer/early fall when the water is still warm and get a fungus that would eventually kill some of them. This happens much less frequently with the Seeforellens. So they spawn, and make it back into the lake to pig out another year... and another year....
The other factor is the Browns ability to adapt to an alternative food source... the goby. The salmon wont do it. They need the pelagic baitfish population which was down for a couple years. As the Salmon were getting smaller and leaner, the Browns were getting bigger and fatter. They pig out on gobies near shore.... an endless supply and an easy target. They can also tolerate warmer near-shore waters where the gobies reside. Browns, Smallmouth, and Lakers who all feed well near the bottom are getting big and fat on a goby diet. If the alewives aren't around, they pound the gobies.
This years Sturgeon Bay Smallmouth Open saw 9 fish over 6#, one over 7# and one at 8.45#... The stage is being set for a new state record here. You catch Smallies up there now and instead of coughing up crawfish parts, they are spitting up gobies. If any of you get BassMaster Magazine, Sturgeon Bay was ranked #1 in the top 100 hottest bass fisheries this year. Incredible multi species fishery.
So, correct me if I'm wrong, but what I read into all of this is; you've got it made. :)
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LOL Jerry.... Yes I consider myself lucky to have lived here for 52 years and fishing Lake Michigan in Milwaukee for 40 of those years now. Caught my first one at 12 years old and haven't stopped since. Haven't got tired of it either. Sturgeon Bay 150 miles north and you may be on one of the best Smallie fisheries in the world. Green Bay and the Fox River two hours north and one of the hottest Musky fisheries in the country right now too. Yes, this is a hot place to be right now.
The intriguing part of Milwaukee is that we have a huge harbor. About 2000 acres of protected water and even more if you add the inner harbor system. Its all 20-35 feet deep. Three harbor gaps (gaps in the breakwall) that have current and bait in them all the time. There is something going on in it at least 10 months of the year where you only need a 14-16 foot boat to be safe. At times in the summer when the water gets too warm (not going to happen this year!!!) the fish get driven deep. That could be July and August. Other than that, there is something available. No need for a charter boat, expensive trolling gear, etc. If you want to troll, pull deep crankbaits on flat lines or a spoon on a three color lead core..... catch a fish and stop and cast or vertical jig. Its a unique area.
Marc
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This years Sturgeon Bay Smallmouth Open saw 9 fish over 6#, one over 7# and one at 8.45#... The stage is being set for a new state record here. You catch Smallies up there now and instead of coughing up crawfish parts, they are spitting up gobies. If any of you get BassMaster Magazine, Sturgeon Bay was ranked #1 in the top 100 hottest bass fisheries this year. Incredible multi species fishery.
I've fished the Sturgeon Bay area for smallie a couple times. Some of those 6 pounders found their way to my Shad Raps. They are a riot.
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Nice Browns!!!!!! Grew up fishing the Oak Orchard River a trib on Lake Ontario and they come up in the fall and they are fun as heck to catch!!!!!!!!!
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Wow those are big browns! Looks like you have that area pretty well figured out!
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Nice Browns!! I live on the other side of Lake Michigan. I have taken a Charter in Ludington, and Manistee, Michigan. It is a riot!! We have caught very nice King Salmon and Browns. It is very much an art to catch them. Good Job!!
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Marc looks like you had a great day. Hopefully you will have many more this year. Hear ya on the blades if there is anyone out there that hasn't used one before your in for a real treat when finally do.
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Be sure you check out Partycrashers video on blade baits, he convinced me to give them a place in my tackle box.
[/url] http://thelureofthefish.blogspot.com/ [/url]
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Thanks everyone. We caught some more this weekend but only 4-10 pounders. West winds are blowing out what warm water we had and things could change. A couple of them came on blades again. One was just straight reeling it near the bottom. Like I say, "there are two kinds of fishermen... Those that love blade baits, and those that don't know they love blade baits yet". Marc