TOPIC:

Decided to go way out( for me anyway) and see if there was  anything hanging out in front of Pastrick's.  Went out about 16-18 miles  up the state line . Wasn't much bait and occasional fish on the sonar,  no takers on a all spoon offering 40-65 ft, 6 lines. Boy it was alot rougher out there than i thought it would be. It was calm at about 7:30am going out but mid afternoon there was a steady diet of 3's,4's,and occasional 5's. Long slow trip in, lol
Okay my question is when i was coming in I slowed down at the hole in the wall, say 100 yards off the wall and my graph was filled with marks all the way in.  What was i looking at??? If i was in Erie I'd swear I was on a mother load of walleye. These were big nice arches and they were everywhere- predominantly 25ft to the bottom- anyone have an idea what those fish are? 
 

Just a guess but probably Drum
 

I'd say it's very possible that the big fish followed the bait in. It's not to early for the kings to start checking water temps in the rivers. I've seen Kings run up the river and turn around and go back out in the lake several times before they decide to stay in the river and get ready to spawn. That being said, as long as water temps and baitfish are in close to shore the kings and Coho will fallow. Not all the time but its definitely been tested and proven many times over the years.

As a matter of fact I talked to a friend of mine that went out of St Joe this morning and caught a king before first light the a laker then nothing for the rest of the time they fished. I asked him if he checked inside because I noticed that the water temps at Michigan City Bouy were 47 degrees at 60ft Friday evening but he said he didn't.

The Kings are going to follow the bait this time of the year. That's all they are thinking about, eating and getting ready to spawn.

Definitely need to start checking shallower waters.

Probably gizzard shad.  

Gizzard shad sounds about right, BN...

Trent, that water was 74°.... that's why i ruled out any salmon species gamefish......I was almost tempted to drop the rods back in for a pass but after a 1.5 hr drive back in,  I had enough, lol

We fished same morning out of ec and seen the same I’d assume shad as well. We actually had the same marks as we came into the harbor mouth In precisely the same depth, as for fishing we ended up with a nice mix of lakers and couple steelhead and lost two kings. We called the trip at 930 due to building waves an boy surely glad we did, it took us a little under 2.5 hours to get in! Fish were in 140-160 fow. 

Pannie wrote:

We fished same morning out of ec and seen the same I’d assume shad as well. We actually had the same marks as we came into the harbor mouth In precisely the same depth, as for fishing we ended up with a nice mix of lakers and couple steelhead and lost two kings. We called the trip at 930 due to building waves an boy surely glad we did, it took us a little under 2.5 hours to get in! Fish were in 140-160 fow.

 

Wow , out to 140 to 160,  kinda wish i would have went the extra 4 miles.  Were you seeing good marks and bait out there?  Waves really built up that's for sure.  I forgot my fish hawk td but thought i was picking up thermocline on the graph at around 50ft,  was that consistent to what you were seeing? Also if you don't mind what were you running, I'm still new at this offshore thing, thanks
 

I totally understand!

It’s mostly laker land with a random silver mixed in as far as lure selection spoons on the long lines 2,3 and 400 copper, paddles and spin docks on the wire divers. Water was 44.5 degrees 45’ down 

Pannie wrote:

Pannie nut post=35581 userid=3727

It’s mostly laker land with a random silver mixed in as far as lure selection spoons on the long lines 2,3 and 400 copper, paddles and spin docks on the wire divers. Water was 44.5 degrees 45’ down

 

Okay, thanks for that, good to know i was picking up the thermocline on the graph. I'm fine with lakers and the occasional silver.  Was kinda hoping they would be in closer but i know that's the nature of the beast. Appreciate the info, thanks