[Lucky Dog Charters]

Well as you`ve been reading from all the other posts that pertain to trolling the big pond, it`s spotty. One day it`s good the next day it`s fair. Some days you can`t loose a fish, the next they all seem to shake off. It`s a far cry from last year which was one of the best (up until September)where we were frequently coming in with 15 plus fish, many in the mid teens. We are all scratching our heads trying to come up with theories as to what and why... but it`s fishing. We can`t make them bite, only try to intice them, nor stay on the hook once they do. This has been both a mentally and physically trying time for most of us that run a lot. We want you to catch fish, but most of all have a good time. I`ve heard "Last year and the year before we were going in with our limit by now" and other such comments. Yes, we`ve had very good fishing the past few years, heck even the Cubs don`t win the World Series every year.

I`ve almost gone back to chasing the radio when I hear "We just took a fish out in"...or "They are hitting on"... Grant it it`s good to have an idea where the fish are and what is working, but as I`ve said in the past, I`ve come in with mostly spoon bites while another boat in the same area is catching them on dodgers and flies. Stick with what you have confidence in, and work your own program.

This past week or so charters have been out well past 200` while others are in 80`. For the most part we`ve all come in with basically the same numbers of fish and or hits. Those that do better were able to find an active area and work it for a while. The next day the shoe is usually on the other foot and someone else has a good catch.

On Sunday afternoon I was working an area between 120` and 140` trolling Southeast and then back Northwest. On my third pass in, the water 50` down went from 49 to 61 degrees, needless to say the action then stopped.

There are more 4 yr. olds starting to show up and they appear to be healthy, as of now not long and thin.

We`re also seeing quite a few steelies in the 6-10 pound range with this one tipping the scales at 13 at a length of 33".



The bottom line is summer is flying by and if you`re waiting until you read reports about it being "Lock`n load" you might miss it.

Get out, have fun, and enjoy the great natural resource we have right here in our backyard.

"Wet Nets"
Captain Jim

[Reality Fish]

thanks for the report. Been a while since we've had one from you and they're always useful.

I was out of NP Sunday from 4-9pm. I ran into some of that same temp change you described. We did get 4 nice kings on spoons.

Had a scary moment after dark when some circuit breaker popped and every electrical device on the boat went out (lights, GPS, radio, autopilot, sonar,...). The motor was still running. It happened when I turned on the washdown pump. Interesting thing was that after about 90 seconds the power came back by itself. Must be some kind of thermal overload breaker that resets itself? I didn't know my boat had this. Have to call the dealer.