Posted by perchmann from 152.171.128.63 on May 16, 2000 at 09:22:36:
In Reply to: Re: Cal Harbor Report (sort of ...) posted by Striper01 on May 16, 2000 at 08:34:01:
: : Managed to sneak away from "Mom" for 2 hours Sunday morning and see what the smallies were up to. Fished Cal Harbor from 7:30-9:30. Wind was already blowing, but out of the NW, so close to shore (200 yds) was tolerable. Unfortunately could only fish one spot, tried to run up N, but the other side of the breakwall was rollin', and the wind was just gettin’ worse. Water was clearer in Cal Harbor, 4-5 ft. vis., temp was 55-56. Unfortunately (again) the smallies didn't cooperate, got 1 "spud" smallie. Marked a lot of fish, saw only 1 carp, threw lots of different stuff (in 2 hours anyway), but they just weren’t havin’ any (I know at least some of those fish I marked were smallies). Can’t complain too much, got on the water, learned a little more. Limited mobility can cost ya on the Lake, 1 day they’re there, the next day, nothin’. Fish are just a bonus. Definitely nothin’ to brag about.
: : Andy – Didn’t fish for salmon, but there were several boats draggin’ for ‘em. Everyone was draggin’ dodgers and flies.
: :
: : As for as Newatit, Daryl and his brother Daryl, et al, a little advise. I won’t claim to be 1 of the smallie gurus in Southern Lake Michigan, but I have been chasing smallies on the Lake for 5 years now. I’m still just a weekend warrior like most guys. I mean, I do need to make a livin’, that fishin’ crap is expensive.
: : So, first, a warning, the Lake is the most difficult body of water to fish I have ever encountered (I’ve fished in 3 Countries, and probably a dozen States). It’s huge to start, and from May until the Fall it is extremely clear. Those 2 factors alone, pretty much preclude any chance of the “average” guy just going there, chucking baits, and having any real chance of catching fish. Taking into consideration that the smallies are one of the hardest fish in the Lake to catch, if your not willing to do a lot of what perchman said, you’re pretty much SOL when it comes to smallies.
: : Now most bodies of water, if you do the same thing, (just chuck baits all over the place) you’ll catch a fish or 2 by accident, but that rarely happens on the big pond because of the clarity and the food supply.
: : Now, because I’m feeling magnanimous, and don’t want anyone to go away mad, I’ll let you in on a secret. Do you want to know where the honey-holes are? The reason Ed Bohn, and those other guys don’t post about the honey-holes, is because there aren’t any. That’s the secret! They change almost every day, because the fish move all year long through out the entire year.
: : During certain times of the year, certain spots will hold fish for maybe 10-14 days, then they move somewhere else (the large numbers of fish anyway, there’s a few everywhere ALL the time). That’s why you have to put in the time, because you have to be in the right spot at the right time. Just a simple matter of experience. In Lake Michigan, 99% of the smallies occupy 0.10% of the water. i.e. Don’t be surprised if you don’t even see any, it happens to the best of them from time to time.
: : Where are the “certain” spots? Any where there’s rocks. The smallies are ALWAYS in the rocks, or very close to rocks. If there are no rocks in sight, you will NOT catch any smallies. In the places where there’s nothing but rocks, look for something different in the rocks. This isn’t rocket science.
: : Baits? Here’s a good start, throw 1 of 2 things, either a crankbait or something rubber. Color? Sometimes it matters more than others. When in doubt, match the hatch! The Lake is very clear most of the year, what color are the little fish you see swimming around? That’s the best color to throw. BTW, all you “novices”, you just missed the “easy” time of year to catch smallies. We’re about to that point in the year where you have work for fish. And I don’t just mean finding them.
: : I can’t give away all my tricks, but I can tell you this, if you just go out casting and reeling, you’re in for disappointment. There’s tons more food for the smallies than there are smallies. They don’t need to work for a meal, so they don’t! If any of the Pros come in July and just throw a bait out and reel it in, they won’t catch smallies either (they probably won’t even see ‘em). The only difference between us and the Pros is, they move up the learning curve very, very, fast. These are just smallmouth bass, they’ve barely evolved at all in the last 1,000 years, they’re genetically programmed to do certain things and go to certain places. The Pros just know more about those habits than we do, nd “figure it out” faster than most of us.
: : Let me just add, if all you want to do is take your kid to catch fish, go to a forest preserve with some worms. Now for those of you who have had the stamina to read this far and still want more detailed info. about catching smallies on the Lake, see my post to Matt about 3 or 4 weeks ago. Do what I told Matt, and you WILL catch some Lake Michigan smallies (maybe not the first time, but you’ll at least see ‘em). If you go to that spot and you don’t at least see smallies, give it up, your wasting your time.
: : As far as guys being over protective, let me just say this, I have noticed a decline in the quality of this fishery in only 5 years, and especially the last 2 years. Yes, there are still tons of smallies, but it simply is not as good as the first 2 years I fished the Lake.
: : Try to keep this in mind, whether you’re the “meat” fishermen or not, the more people that know how and where to catch these fish, the better the odds of the smallie fishery going to hell. It’s a simple matter of exponential growth. You tell 2 people, and they tell 2 people, and they tell 2 people, and eventually a few of those people WILL be the “meat” fishermen. Actually if you looked up the statistics you’d find that most fish in this type of fishery (catch & release) are killed from ignorance, not poaching (fish swallows a hook and gets half it’s guts ripped out from the hook “extraction” so they can be “released”).
: : Yes, it’s a huge body of water, but it’s also a huge body of people sitting right on top of it.
: : Some final advise, go learn something about smallies, or whatever fish you’re trying to catch. Just watch the In-Fisherman, you’ll learn everything you need to know to catch these smallies from just that show.
: : Now if that isn’t enough info., I’ve got one last suggestion, sell the fishin’ gear and buy some golf clubs. Fore! And remember, fish are a BONUS!
: Excellent explaination. I dont post on the lake michigan board too often at this time of the year cause I spend most of my time in lake erie or on the Illinois river. I do give out info on the bite at the Illinois but its something everybody knows down there and there are ample fish for everyone this time of the year and most people dont like to drive that far from chicago each day there and back but believe me if it was as tight a fishery as the smallmouth on lake michigan is right know I wouldnt be giving out as much info. I would point people in the right direction and give them some basic pointers but then they are on their own. Mr. Bohn and Perchmann spend a lot of time out there and develop the knowledge to get fish which is what I do on the illinois all summer. Everyone thinks the striper bite is over after the spring run but the fish just change locations and patterns and if you go enough you stay on top of it but you cant expect to go once every two weeks and fill the cooler and that applies to any lake. Producing fish consistantly is work, albiet pleasant work, but still work and if you dont work at it your results will reflect that. Leaving for Erie saturday to spend a week for smallies around the bass islands.You get spoiled there with almost 50 fish days everyday as long as you can get out with a smaller boat. The charters cant fish 90% of the places I go so I have it to myself.
Striper01
Have a safe trip Bill! Hope you fill your ticket every day. Maybe when you get back we can hook up agian? I'd still like to get old Capt Bill B. out on the water, I think he'd get a kick out of fishing the Ill.Riv with the two of us...
perchmann