SCR Tips for the NOOB

[NittanyDoug]

We'll be camping at Algonac this weekend and want to fish the SCR nearby. We hope to catch enough for supper on Saturday. Are there any tips that anyone can pass along? I've never fished the SCR. We have a marine radio, what's the best chance of getting some help on 68 if we're striking out? Thanks all!

[WALLEYE MIKE]

All I can say is try drifting down along past the State park, north channel by the ferry, south channel from Russel Is. down. Might also want to try Marine city. If nothing shallow (30-35ft) try deeper 40-50 ft. right in the middle of the shipping channel. BTW, watch out for freighters, they don't stop for you. If you hear thier horn blast 5 times it means "get the hell out of my way".:lol:

[Get_Outside]

I will probably be out on the river this weekend. You are welcome to call me on channel 68. The best colors of harnesses lately have been firetiger, gold/gold and silver/silver. Good luck.;)

[NittanyDoug]

If we run harnesses, are we still using a bb? What speed is working lately for drifting?

Thanks G.O. I might take you up on the offer.

[Get_Outside]

Yes on the bb. The rule of thumb for me is 1 oz for every 10 feet of water. I try to troll downstream just fast enough to just spin the blades on the harnesses. Slower seems to be better than faster. :fish:

[Dialtone]

I have said this a lot on this forum and I think these guys are getting sick of me but here I go. I live in Algonac and my buddy and I will drift either jigging with 3/4 oz tipped with minnows, or chugging. Chugging (in case you didn't know) is using a handlining rig with a minnow rubberbanded to the treble hook. You keep the lure right on the bottom and lift it up about two feet off the bottom, then back down again. Even on a crummy day we seem to get at least 3 in the boat doing this.

[NittanyDoug]

Do you just add weight to your standard bb? I think most of mine are either 3/4 or 1 oz ... I typically like the regular drift and hope the wind works with me. It lets me concentrate on the fishing instead of messing with the trolling motor....

I have never handlined before...

What else might we find or get in the scr? I mean if the eyes are not cooperating, we could make a meal out of perch or bass. Any suggestions there?

[Dialtone]

I have caught sheephead, smallmouth, rock bass, perch, salmon, and walleye there. Your best bet is to go after the eye's. It's a perfect place for it. I haven't heard of people catching enough perch there for a meal. It's usually an accident when catching walleye. :lol: When you put in, go up the river past the campground near the Buscemi's and drift from there until the Big River Grill restaurant.
My opinion of adding weight to BBs is that it fouls them up and makes them not bounce the bottom as well. Ed Minnich's Bait and Tackle (about 1 1/2 miles south of campground) sells BBs in heavy weights.

[Get_Outside]

You can find the heavier bb's at some of the local bait stores. Anglers up in St Clair has them. Also there is a guy in New Baltimore that carries them. He is on 23 Mile road west of downtown but the name slips my mind right now. Worst case ...just use pencil sinkers....but be prepared to loose a lot of them.

Not sure on the perch.

Last night the boys and I saw a nice sized pike break water in the river while fishing for walter.

[NittanyDoug]

Thanks guys. You're getting me excited. I hope we do well enough to feed the 4 of us. I've been known to be the one boat that gets skunked when everyone else has them jumping in the boat.

[Get_Outside]

You wont catch em unless you get out there!

[beagle 1]

I have been jigging that same area for about 5 weeks and continue to get limits of walleyes. I haven't been posting much because it seemed everyone was catching fish. Went out today just about 1/4 mile north of the park and got 12 with a freind of mine by 9:30. If you go out early you should do better than us. My freind is not an early bird. All fish came on 3/4 ounce jigs in either chartreuse or pearl with various colors of zoom flukes in about 39 to 41 ft. of water. Hope that helps some.

[NittanyDoug]

Are you using just plain jigs without a skirt (bucktail or rubber?) Are you just jigging them off the bottom? I don't know that I'm a good jigger. I think I vary my jigging too much. one time I'm up 12" then 24" then 18" then ....