On Friday afternoon, after rescheduling the morning trip (like most of the other charters ) I had a sort`a late 2 O`clock start, we left at 3:45. I headed out and set up on marks in 100` just South of the harbor. There were only 5 charter boats out of North Point for the afternoon so we had the lake to ourselves. The lake was beautiful and I believe the weather man may have been part of the reason for the lack of boats. The `riggers took the first couple of hits with a Silver Streak "Smurf" and "Green Dolphin" 60` and 72` down bringing two nice kings to the box. I brought it out to 110` and circled from that depth back into 95`. The rest of the hits came on dipseys and a full core of lead. The banana rig 200` out on a # 3 wire line dipsey took a few hits as well as a "Smurf" 200` back on a #1 wire dipsey. The lead with the Fishlander Electric kool-aid striper took 5 hits on the lead. We ended up 8/13 all Kings with a break off. Six of which were between 10 and 14 lbs.
On Saturday morning, it was crowded a day out on the lake. I set-up in 90` at the same 42* 28` N as I did the afternoon before, zig-zagging south between 90` and 130`. I basically ran the same spread as Friday. We landed the first 6 fish and it seemed like we were off to a great start, then I wish I knew what we did to change our luck as we lost the next 6. The spoons seemed to work better for me with the Blue Dolphin, Smurf, and Gump striper leading the way. The `riggers were getting hit 70`-100` down, and the wire dipseys were back 180` and 200`. I pulled the shallow dipseys and lead as the fish all seemed to be deeper in the column and it made it easier to maneuver the boat through the maze of boats. We ended up the morning breaking .500 9 for 16 all kings with a few in the mid teens.
On Saturday afternoon with another late start (1:30 instead of noon) I stayed on the line and trolled between 90` and 125`. By far the best bait was a blue/ pearl thin tinsel (Flashabou) style flie a full core out behind a white "Hot Spot" flasher. It took the first two kings then we lost it on a "Bite off", I found another one and it took 4 more hits landing two more kings. A banana rig down 180` on a #1 wire dipsey brought in a chunky coho,and the "Smurf" on the other dipsey same depth and setting on the other side took a few hits with brief fights leaving a few fish with a sore taste in their mouths.We ended up 6 for 10 with 5 kings the biggest at 15, and a 6 lb. coho.
On Sunday morning, I know you`re not going to believe this, another late start, I recommended we head out at 5 they said 6 (I`m not the boss, it`s their trip) and we waited for a few stragglers until 6:45 . So much for the early bite. It was a little hazy and I turned on the radar to find a pocket to set up in. I counted 25 boats on my 3/4 mile screen on the line in 90` of water . Dropped lines in 110`.The surface was 74* and I found 458 water 75` down. I set my `riggers from 75`-100` and ran 2 leads and 2 wire dipseys. Trolling from 110`-135` or wherever the boat traffic allowed me to go. I had one hit on the `rigger, it was a "Smurf " (I told you guys to order some) down 75` and it was the only `rigger bite for the morning. The banana rig still 180` on a #1 wire took king and then it was the lead that took the bulk of the hits. I had to be in by 11 for a family gathering and as I was pointing it West in 100` we had a double on the lead landing an 18 and 7 pound King, then the dipsey with the Smurf gave a brief fight and shook it`s way free. We ended up 7/12 with a break off, all kings with the second largest at 15 pounds.
There was a strong current from North to South and if you were able to adjust the dodger flie presentation may have worked for you,but the spoons would be a little more forgiving, I chose the latter especially with all the maneuvering I had to do with all the boats engaged in the hunt. I tried to stay between 2.0-2.2 all weekend.

"Wet Nets"
Captain Jim

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"Fishing`s like a box of chocolates, you never know what you`re gonna` get!"
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