Fishing with Mike and Billy 8/27/2021

The sunrise is later now...and, today, it was at 6:57am, so I had my crew meet me at Mazurik's at 6:15 for a 6:30 launch. Mike and Billy fished with me last year, so I knew we were going to have fun today. It was still dark when they showed up at 6:00, so I got things ready, while we waited for a lighter sky. 

We headed ENE out of the launch at 6:30, and fished out in 41-43 feet of water with a plethora of baits.

The dipsies were in use, of course, and were set on the usual settings...

Zero settings were running anywhere from 40 to 60 back....numbers used were 40, 45, 50, 54, and 60.  A "Nascar" Stinger Spoon was the hot bait today, so we put out two. But, it was the zero dipsey that ran it on the starboard side that got all the hits. The other one didn't do as well. Other dipsey baits used successfully were the Boogie Shad, Scorpion Spoon, and the Ripplin Redfin.

The two setting was at either 70 or 75 all morning, and did well enough to not want to change it. 70 was probably best.

The three setting was between 70 and 91....at 70, 75, 80, and 91.  80 was best.

Rippling Redfins ran behind the Off Shore boards, with 2oz weights at 50/80 and 40/80 on the starboard side. (For the new guy reading this foreign language for the first time, it means...let 40 or 50 feet of line out, put a 2oz snap weight on the line, and then let out another 80 feet, (for a total of 130 feet of line out), and then put the inline planer board on the line).

We started out with Reef Runner Mag 44's on the port side, with 2oz weights, but they didn't produce today like they did earlier in the week, so they got changed out to Spro Madeye 120's (unassisted/no weight), at 120 and 80 back... and, the Golden Perch was the only one to catch a fish...so, they got changed out to the #7 Flicker Shad and a Yaleye Mooneye Minnow with 2oz snapwieghts at 40/80 and 30/80 back, respectively.

Speed today was, 2.5mph.

We were on an easterly troll, when we spotted nets up ahead, and a commercial boat getting fish out of them, so we turned and headed north for a bit. We hit a flurry of bites going that direction, and had a couple of keepers and the rest throw backs to show for it.  The ratio of keepers to throw backs this morning was probably 4:1.

One lucky fish escaped our cooler by wiggling out of the hands of Billy, who was trying to measure it. I had already told him, "It's a keeper" (over 16"s and a fatty), but it slid over the back of the transom in one smooth move and was gone. Oops!

Then, that last fish seemed to take forever, but it was worth the wait for it. She was a nice 23 or 24 inch eater. 

It was a hot and humid kind of morning, so I took my neck towel to keep on ice until I needed it. As it would turn out...I would need it a lot! Whew, it got steamy with no wind out there today! I'd still rather be hot than cold, but that was a little too much, even for me. lol

Mike and Billy had a great time, and are looking to get back here in the spring again, so that makes me happy. :)

Tomorrow, I get to go perch fishing with Jack and his two boys. I can't remember if they are his sons or his son's sons. I'll find out tomorrow. 

Stay tuned....

Capt Juls