Weather Radar
 - Enlarge Radar -
   New Users
 Members List
 Disclaimer
 Problems?
 Member Pictures
 Back to Homepage
Outdoors Chat Page  

  Status: Open Chat
Displaying 60 most recent
American Tackle Outfitters -- West Michigan's Fishing Experts



 Gear your Trip!
   Plan your Trip!

 Show your Trip!
 User Name:   This must be exactly correct. (case sensitive)
Your message:

First time here? Join Now!  It's free and takes less than 30 seconds!
  
Newest Members:
mike south
Larry Judy
angela gencur
KELLY ARNOLDINK
Bob Roe
[ Show All ]

New News: Check out our new ebay store
Members can now Post Pictures - show off your hunting/fishing success!

  Chad Hop
Fri Jul 3 16:27:30
Fished Manistee this morning, went 4/5 with a nice 17# king, a 6# brown, a 2# king, and a 1# king (that was released). Water was 56 right out of the pierheads, so work that area, taking the smaller fish. Worked out to 80-200 FOW both the king and the brown came in the 150-160 both on 3 colors with a DW SS Tequila Sunrise. The smaller kings came on 5 colors with a DW Blue Dolphin. Talked to one boat that went out into 300+ and they took all steelhead, with a couple of nice 10# fish.
  Kevin Lastacy
Fri Jul 3 13:39:12
Perched today in front on spyglass..very slow but nice size to the ones we caught...26 FOW was best water this morning...got into gobies in front of channel 18 fow, they disappeared as we headed North..
  scott soodsma
Fri Jul 3 08:03:18
wondering if there is a report of salmon out of port sheldon
  bob mccambridge
Fri Jul 3 04:55:25
thankx matt i will let you know we done
  Matt Schipper
Thu Jul 2 22:18:52
Last report I got was south haven in 27 fow. N.of the pier. they have not done as well north yet.
American Tackle Chat Room Sponsors...
Advantage Marine Repair (616)748-9235
Have your business be a sponsor!   Send an email to:   ooste1aj@cmich.edu
  bob mccambridge
Thu Jul 2 22:10:30
has any body been doing perch jerking have some friends from out of state would like to take them fishing out of grand haven or sh please reply asap
  Kelly Vongsavath
Thu Jul 2 22:02:42
yo chans i'm next in line right?? hahah
  Matt Schipper
Thu Jul 2 15:11:45
Got out to baseline lake today with Laos Charter crappie fishing. Left with our two man limit with in 4 hrs. Nice work captain Chans.
  nacho Mancilla
Wed Jul 1 20:23:35
I went perch fishing with my daughter this a.m. on the holland pier and we only caught goby`s. A few perch were caught by some guys but nothing worth bragging about.I did eat some steelhead for supper today ,thx`s to the guys who gave me there fish.Steelhead were being caught this morning on shrimp.
  Philip Arendsen
Wed Jul 1 17:47:19
Heading back to Michigan this weekend one more time. They just don't fish the same down here in VA. Any news of what is happening out on the big lake would be helpful. Last time out my 4 year old caught his first salmon. The Army is great but nothing can beat the feel of a king out on Lake Michigan. Thanks in advance for the help.

SFC Arendsen, Philip J. II

  Erv Deweerd
Wed Jul 1 16:05:40
No pier reports? With all those lures going through the water out there this am somebody must have at least snagged a fish. Is this a secret spot?
  Brad Orsted
Tue Jun 30 17:13:38
how do you rig the weight and bait line below it? thanks kevin.
  Kevin VanDam
Tue Jun 30 16:07:26
Brad, thill makes nice slip bobers, they usually come with adjustable line stops. You can also buy the line stops seperately.

For fishing off of the piers you may need a larger size bobber in order to add enough weight to your line to make up for the current. This will take some of the bow out of your line and make it run deeper. Unless your using really large live minnows I think you can rig it the same way for spawn or live bait.

  Brad Orsted
Tue Jun 30 10:47:00
can anyone tell me how to rig a slip bobber for fishing off the pier? is there any difference if i'm using spawn or live bait. thanks!
  Kevin Essenburg
Tue Jun 30 09:36:17
8# 15 ounces. Not like the pig we had last time. Fish took a silver / green spoon off a 2 color lead core in about 40' of water.
  michael stitt
Tue Jun 30 09:18:44
the wife and i are in for the walleye tourney
  Joe Bredeweg
Mon Jun 29 22:42:35
How much did the winning sheepie wieght?
  Kevin Essenburg
Mon Jun 29 20:33:51
Steve:

watch the wind forecasts. Looks for a day or two of big east or north winds. Also watch the beach temperatures on the news.

Last year when the lake flipped the fish didn't come in very often. The year before that I pulled a lot of 2 man limits in my 14' never getting more than 1/4 mile from the piers.

  steve braunschneider
Mon Jun 29 19:58:59
that sounds pretty sweet, how do I know when this happens
  Alexander Fergus
Mon Jun 29 18:44:57
Regarding Kevin's "right now" statement & I hate to agree with him. . . LOL. We went tubing out of Port Sheldon Saturday afternoon. Surface temps were in the high 60's past 40 FOW. However, when we went to get close to the beach, inside the closest 2 sand bars, the water could not have been higher than the mid 50's. The kid's had to play with life vests on the 2nd sand bar, to stay warm.
  Scott Achterhof
Mon Jun 29 17:20:44
Harold you can count on me for a walleye tourney!
  Ryan Devries
Mon Jun 29 17:09:37
Stephen,I talked to my dad in the u.p. today and the hatch is still going he's going to check around and I can give you a report on the herring tomorrow.
  Kevin Essenburg
Mon Jun 29 16:06:19
Steve:

first the lake has to "set up" or have the temperature of the water set up in layers. The warm water (pretty much anything over 55) will be on top of the cold water (55 and lower - where the kings will be). This is happening right now.

Any time we get a big eat or north wind the warm water will get blown out to the middle of the lake, and the cold water will up well. I've seen 46 on shore in August. When this happens the fish should come into shore. Last year in Manistee we were taking kings off planer baords in August in 5' of water pulling rapalas.

  steve braunschneider
Mon Jun 29 15:54:06
what does it mean or what happens when the lake rolls over. Thanks for everyones support I took the son-in-law out for his first boating adventure we didnt catch anything but had a good time. I think I'll just try getting him into non trout fishing.
  Chad Hop
Mon Jun 29 15:47:09
Steve, was up in Big Rapids a few weeks ago and there was a major hatch on the Muskegon.
  Nate VerHoef
Mon Jun 29 12:11:02
stephan, was up at indian river last week and the hatch was going on.
  Chans Siharath
Mon Jun 29 12:04:56
I'm in for the walleye tournement, Harald.
  Kevin Essenburg
Mon Jun 29 11:34:55
Andrea and I talked about it - we'll be sitting out the next sheepie tournament. But if there's another one, we'll send in our entry fee to help support this web-site, as long as the $20 for pay out goes to a random place. Say pay it to 4th place. Kind of keeps the weigh in interesting when people do stuff like that.
  Harald Kronemeyer
Mon Jun 29 09:48:26
For those of you who seen the nasty posts Im sorry about that. My computer was down with a virus and I couldnt do anything. A big thanks to Aaron O. For helping me out with that.
Congrats to king sheepie Kevin Essenburg he won again. Nice job it was tough fishing sat AM.

Is anyone interested in doing another one please let me know. Also we had talked about a Walleye tourny after the fourth in the k-zoo. Is there any interest in that as well?

  STEPHEN TULS
Mon Jun 29 08:40:25
Has anyone heard, or know if they have had a mayfly hatch up north yet, or if the Herring are biting yet! Steve.
  jimmy vanbrocklin
Sun Jun 28 15:28:58
John good job sat. we went 2 for 3 we went to 90 fow and almost had a triple got 1 king and a laketrout and lost a steelhead at the back of the boat.i will call ya some time, I go on tuesdays or thursdays in the eve. after work.
  john selter
Sat Jun 27 20:15:24
Went out of P.S. Fri night 3 for 3 145 to 165 fow 2 small kings released unharmed 1 15lb king 50 down on a flounder pounder. one of the small kings had a lamprey attached. I saved it for you taste testers. lol.

Sat went 3 for 4 all kings. 150 to 160 fow. Lost a monster on the rigger. Marked a ton of fish in 150 fow but not many takers. Looks like the lake is going to roll this week.

Jimmy look forward to getting out fishing with you. I'm usually free during the week. call anytime 616 366-6995.



  Kevin VanDam
Sat Jun 27 19:06:29
I was wondering if anyone has fished Eagle lake in Allegan county? The lake is almost 60' deep. I wanted to know if there are musky, smallmouth and trout in there. Any info would be great!
  Dave Smith
Sat Jun 27 18:54:47
Nice scum line today.
  Steve Morrow
Sat Jun 27 15:07:25
any pier reports?
  Matt Schipper
Sat Jun 27 10:21:13
and we all know that 20-30 lb. carp taste the best!!!
  Jeff Gaul
Fri Jun 26 21:52:04
Went 2-4 this morning. One SMALL coho released, 50 down on NBK and 1 nice 8# steelie 170 back on blue dolphin. Nice morning out though.. Slow fishing, but nice morning... 120-150 Fow... Good luck sheepie fishing!
  Harald Kronemeyer
Fri Jun 26 20:36:52
Tarek,
I think you miss read Charles post. I read it as him asking everyone to have an open mind especially if you have never tried it. I think you need to read a little more carefully before shooting ones mouth off. By the way I agree with him dont knock it before you try it!

  Josh Atman
Fri Jun 26 17:25:07
Well i hope you can make it. I am hoping to make it back to mi before the end of the year to maybe do some salmon fishing!!! i really miss that

  Drake Green
Fri Jun 26 12:38:05
Never ate a sheephead before. Can't imagine they would terrible. They aren't a bottom feed. Their diet consists of pretty much the same thing as a walleye.
  Rick Higgs
Fri Jun 26 07:48:55
Hey Josh, I plan to, just have to figure out when. Trying to do it all spreds a person kinda thin. Moose, bear,deer, turkey, fishin etc.Spoke with your dad a while back, good to hear your doing good.
  jimmy vanbrocklin
Thu Jun 25 23:46:57
went fishing out of holland thursday night went 6 for 10 in 130 fow.fish came on 150 ft. of copper with a glow blue wonderbread jp slammer,and on 150 copper on a NBK jp slammer,and on riggers 35 to 45 down on mixed veggies slammer and killer green glow slammer and one laker on bottom on a tin can dodger and green flie.the total was a 13lb steelhead ,1 salmon 8 lbs, two small salmon 3 lbs (released unharmed)and 2 lakers 1 about 5 lbs and one undersize also released unharmed.A fun night for June for sure! jimbobber
  Doug Schoten
Thu Jun 25 23:20:00
Ok gobies! Put an alka-seltser in them and throw them on the pier for the dumpster chickens.
  Kevin VanDam
Thu Jun 25 22:55:56
I heard rats taste like chicken....
  Charles Williamson
Thu Jun 25 22:25:32
When talking about eating fish- One SHOULD keep ones mind open- Spec- if one has not eaten the Said fish !!!!!! :)
  Greg Vander Ploeg
Thu Jun 25 19:21:35
I've had sheephead a few times. Like any fish the smaller ones seem to taste better so I usually keep around 5 pounds or less. They do lose flavor and taste bad if you don't keep alive in a live well or on ice and fillet them as soon as you get back. I fillet them just like walleye by bleeding them out and removing the lateral lines from the fillets. I pan fry them in batter just like walleye or perch. I wouldn't rate the taste as high as a perch or walleye but tastes very similar to pan fish. I even heard they are cooked in restaurants and served as perch.

Perch report from last Sunday, Very slow: fished 60'-7' down from south of castle park to spyglass. hardly marked a thing had a few bites and lost one at the boat. had best luck in front of spyglass in the first trough you come across where it drops to 19'

  Benjamin Lubbers
Thu Jun 25 16:17:25
Has how have the salmon been out of Holland, I might go out saturday morning
  Josh Atman
Thu Jun 25 15:39:21
hey rick hows it been going havent heard from you in a long time how you been?? you gonna come hunt with us out in wyoming again??

  Tarek Jammal
Thu Jun 25 11:12:05
Thanks for the gift, Kelly :) I opened my bag and found the surprise, now my wife thinks I'm hiding stuff from her. If I get divorced from this, you better have a bed for me to sleep in!

Sheephead..... Any fish that takes that much preparation and soaking and dissinfecting is not worth eating. Walleye for example, you cut the filet off and cook it just about any way possible and it melts in your mouth and tastes amazing.

  HunterAlan Jachim
Thu Jun 25 10:22:22
I have heard they have to be small caught out of lake michigan and the filet has to have all the meat cut off below the lateral line and u have to cook them right away dont freeze them


ok new fish how about goby ??????

  Martin Schroeck
Thu Jun 25 09:28:18
we ate a sheep head last summer when family from arkansas were up here and could not stand to throw them back. it was the worst fish I ever had (oily fishy). cut it up and breaded it like the gills we were also having. Maybe if you put it in a salt water bath and left it in the sun for a month it would taste better.lol
  Rick Higgs
Thu Jun 25 08:31:14
Went perchin yesterday with my 15yr old son. We were out all day off Holland and Castle Park. We only caught 6, all above 10inch. We caught 1 and lost 1 in 40ft straight out of the channel and the rest in 29ft straight out from Spyglass. Schools were small and spotty at best. Hope this helps someone find them.
  Steve Tuls
Thu Jun 25 07:48:32
How do you prepare them???? How do you FILET them? I thought they couldn't be that bad because they eat like a bass or other game fish eating crayfish, fish, etc. I took 2 approx 14 inch fish home. I couldn't even stomach it after the first filet was off. Man do those things stink! How do you do it!? I can't even imagine the smell frying.
  Kelly Vongsavath
Thu Jun 25 00:38:49
sheephead fryin' party at doug's?
yo tarek... what's good?? i left my mag. in your backpack.. you can toss them out or something... hhaha

  Doug Currier
Wed Jun 24 23:28:51
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freshwater_drum
o.k guys this is a link you should check out it has FACTS in it.
I must apologize I was only having some good fun and did not expect that anyone would take it seriously after all they are sheep head. and a lot of us fish them for the fun of it. SO once again sorry. Oh by the why Karl my Brittney been savin a little somthing for ya if ya ever get invited to a sheep fry

  HunterAlan Jachim
Wed Jun 24 22:46:33
in town for the weekend where are the fish!?!?!?

  Tarek Jammal
Wed Jun 24 17:17:26
Karl, I agree with you!

Anyone that talks about these great Sheephead recipes that they have, good for you, not for me, never for me. I have never tried it and I never will.

  Karl Marlone
Wed Jun 24 16:46:53
Doug, I would eat a pile of dog poo before eating a sheephead. Better tasting than walleye....how do you prepare them?
  Harald Kronemeyer
Wed Jun 24 12:08:37
I havent been doing any forms for the sheepir tourny. Just call me and I just need your name and phone #. Its just a big fish tourny starts at 7-12 weigh in by 1:00 at dunton park by the launch.
Give me a call at 616-291-2688
Please dont email im without a computer for a few days. Darn virus.

  Matt Dilley
Wed Jun 24 11:32:46
can someone email me the entry form for the sheepie tourny to dillgonefishin@yahoo.com
This chat site scripted entirely by Aaron J Oosterbaan.
Best viewed in Internet Explorer 6