New "hot" spot experience

Thanks to Brandon and Chris from 'Kayak Fish the Great Lakes' for showing me a new spot yesterday.  The Lake Erie warm water discharge is quite a "Time Machine" of sorts.  We arrived on a 40 degree day to the shallows off of Lake Erie in 39 degree water.  A winter chill was in the air as we paddled a good half-mile to "the hot ponds". 

I was amazed at the surface action of spawning bait-fish and a variety of other fish like carp, gar-pike, sheephead and bass.  The water was literally boiling!  Surface temps in the pond were in the mid-sixties and it mirrored a mid-May trip out on one of Michigan's many other small lakes.

The action was spotty, as Chris, Brandon and I managed a few small bass and sheephead.  The winds picked up and blew at quite a good pace, making the fishing experience in a kayak a little tough. But hey, late December kayak fishing anywhere is a blessing in itself.

 I do plan on heading back out this week to another spot, but the weather looks like it is going to make it tough.  I think winter is about to officially arrive.

                                      Not your "typical" late December experience for Michigan.

I had a chance to try out the new Quantum baitcasting reel, works perfectly!

Christmas Kayak Fishing in Michigan?

Well now, isn't this a perfect gift this holiday season.

Our awesome December weather, combined with a week off from work, will lead to cold weather kayak fishing.  I plan to get a few chilling trips in this week in search of Michigan's most willing winter biters.  Thank you mother nature.

Fall of '11: One for the Ages

When you have a need to fish for Michigan's bounty of trout and salmon like I do, you just can't be satisfied with the type of season I started off with.  I only had a few short opportunities to chase the fish I love to pursue, and my luck was running very short.  Trips to the far reaches of Michigan's Salmon Hot-Zones had only resulted in a few hours of frustration and insomnia.  With the Autumn season getting short, and my patience too, I was ready to call it a year. 

That changed when I had a premonition.....HIT THE THUMB!

15 Pound Lake Trout taken on a Challenger lure, trolled

Three awesome Lake Huron Brown Trout and a Steelhead

Lake Trout can be taken on "the jig"