Bad News for Frankfort/Elberta!

[Blueump]

Looks as if they have started dredging between the pierheads. :( Not sure how this will effect the pier fishing, or the big lake for that matter.

In my mind the fish may do one of two things:
1. They may simply shoot the river as they have been the last few weeks without any pause at the pierheads.
2. Or they may now be forced to stage on the flats on the lakesides of both piers.

Either way - the pier fishing with either be totally "dead" over the next few weeks, or it may be exactly opposite and turn on because of this.

Only time will tell!

[malidewd]

Someone needs to go find the person who scheduled the dredging, and find out why in God's name they would wait till now to start dredging. "Frickin Idiots":evil:

[Michigander1]

Looks as if they have started dredging between the pierheads. :( Not sure how this will effect the pier fishing, or the big lake for that matter.

In my mind the fish may do one of two things:
1. They may simply shoot the river as they have been the last few weeks without any pause at the pierheads.
2. Or they may now be forced to stage on the flats on the lakesides of both piers.

Either way - the pier fishing with either be totally "dead" over the next few weeks, or it may be exactly opposite and turn on because of this.

Only time will tell! Where did you hear this ? Mich

[Fisherman6]

This is true they started dredging tonight. Im very pissed about this who does that during this time of year? really why not wait a few weeks? doesn't makes since to. But anyways I fished from 5-11 tonight and not a single fish caught on the Bankfort pier and the pierhead was full!!

So as bluebump stated this could help the fishing or hurt it, as of right now it is hurting it bad. They were dredging about 200yds off the pierhead. wouldnt recomend fishing it right now.

[quest32a]

They dredge down here at St Joe late spring early summer. Doesn't seem to make a lick of difference in the fishing. If those kings are coming esspecially this time of year they are going to come. A small dredging operation is not going to stop them.

[Fisherman6]

I see what your saying and i do agree to a certain extent with you, maybe last night was just a bad night but i have never seen that pier so slow in the last 4 years this time of year. There were fish around last night they just never turned on like they normally do. who knows could of just been a bad night. I will try again tonight and report back.

[BTC]

Looks as if they have started dredging between the pierheads. :( Not sure how this will effect the pier fishing, or the big lake for that matter.

In my mind the fish may do one of two things:
1. They may simply shoot the river as they have been the last few weeks without any pause at the pierheads.
2. Or they may now be forced to stage on the flats on the lakesides of both piers.

Either way - the pier fishing with either be totally "dead" over the next few weeks, or it may be exactly opposite and turn on because of this.

Only time will tell!

They are dredging within casting distance of the Frankfort pier, as of this morning (9/12).
This fishing was very slow overnight and thru this morning, with only three fish caught total from the pier.
The barge is working between the pier heads currently, that coupled with the warm water temp = slow fishing.
I did pick up a nice 9.5 King at about 6:30 this morning on a 3/4 oz moonshine casting spoon though, so there is a few around.

Brian

[LuckyChucky]

they still waiting for a good wind and rain I think,anyone who fishes there alot have the same opinion?

[Willie Tippit]

I dont think that dredging will effect the fishing like you think,the weather will tho Its just plain slow is all ..There is fish around ,I know someone caught a few the other night south of the piers if 40 fow 2 for 3 , there was a big push of fish in the river a few weeks ago too...Good Luck

[BTC]

I dont think that dredging will effect the fishing like you think,the weather will tho Its just plain slow is all ..There is fish around ,I know someone caught a few the other night south of the piers if 40 fow 2 for 3 , there was a big push of fish in the river a few weeks ago too...Good Luck

The dredging really isn't an issue at all, especially since they are only sucking up sand and piping it north of the Frankfort harbor all the way to shore along the bluffs.
They will be dreging a couple more weeks here probably, as long as the weather stays good, one of the workers told me that they shut down the operation if there is anything more than a two foot chop because the boom they use will make contact with the bottom and could damage it. Additionally they have had to shut down the barge several times in the last couple day's for repairs, several boats have ran accross the boom/tube that runs to shore and caused damage to the equipment and the boats (damaged props).
They also will be getting closer to the south side, they are currently working a pass down the middle, but the next couple of passes will bring them closer to the Elberta side, and outside that pier head before they are finished with the dredging in this harbor.....then they're off to Manistee for dredging there.

Brian

[Greenbush future]

Someone needs to go find the person who scheduled the dredging, and find out why in God's name they would wait till now to start dredging. "Frickin Idiots":evil:

Not that I agree but boat traffic is a revenue generator and us fisherman on the piers are not, the season is winding down on tourism for use of the harbor?? Just a few thoughts as to why, now.

[Jigster]

We were out there (Frankfort) Fri,Sat mornings at 4:30am this last weekend.
Nobody was at the end fishing at all and we were the only ones
out there on Friday morning until around 5:30am. My buddy hooked up
with a 14lb Kng, at the first bend, and I missed one. Not too much action after that.
Other than the annoying Light and sound, things seemed about par for
an 80deg weekend in September! If I had it to do over again I would have gone right out on the end and pitched a few off the sides.


Jigster

[wdf73]

Myself and three other guys were on the Frankfort pier Friday night/Saturday morning from about 10pm until 7am. A grand total of 2 fish. I don't know if the dredging was a factor or not, but it sure was annoying!

[LuckyChucky]

the crazy nice weather is more of a factor then the dredging,where's the cold rain :(?

[BTC]

Myself and three other guys were on the Frankfort pier Friday night/Saturday morning from about 10pm until 7am. A grand total of 2 fish. I don't know if the dredging was a factor or not, but it sure was annoying!

wdf73, I think I talked to you and your buddy on your way off of the pier Saturday morning.....were you and your buddy carring the two fish across your net handle? I had the only other fish caught off the pier that morning.

Brian

[Willie Tippit]

These ports are safe haven ports ,and by law they have to make sure that these ports have a certain depth in them...And we all know that the silt and sand will collect right there...The last time out i marked a spot there that was 11 fow so with all the blow we had in august it really did fill in and they needed to do this by law.. Its really not about the money rather safety...I think the fish will go again soon there and they should be raped up with the dredging soon Good Luck all u pier fishermen ....Mark

[Fishslayer5789]

Where did you hear this ? Mich

I'll confirm that I saw it out there this weekend as well. I couldn't figure out what all those buoys and a massive raft were for that were laying right between the pierheads. It looks like a dredging setup anyway...

[Captnbobb]

I went out Saturday late afternoon and was glad I was not going out in the dark. The main dredge is marked but the pipeline to shore can only be seen in the daylight. It has little marker buoys that were not lit up at all. I used a lot of caution coming in and stayed well clear of where I knew the pipe was but still might have hit one of the large red buoys around the dredge had it not been for a larger boat with a searchlight that spotted the buoys first. Seems like they've waited this long they could have waited another couple weeks until boat traffic is a lot less and / or marked their stuff for night time boaters (of which Frankfort has a lot this time of year).

[wdf73]

wdf73, I think I talked to you and your buddy on your way off of the pier Saturday morning.....were you and your buddy carring the two fish across your net handle? I had the only other fish caught off the pier that morning.

Brian
I was the one pulling the wagon; let the two young guys carry the fish.:lol:

[wintrrun]

Any chance there going to take that dredger back up to dredge the mouth of the Betsie????
I'm all for a 12' deep channel from the 22 bridge out into the Lake.

[BTC]

I went out Saturday late afternoon and was glad I was not going out in the dark. The main dredge is marked but the pipeline to shore can only be seen in the daylight. It has little marker buoys that were not lit up at all. I used a lot of caution coming in and stayed well clear of where I knew the pipe was but still might have hit one of the large red buoys around the dredge had it not been for a larger boat with a searchlight that spotted the buoys first. Seems like they've waited this long they could have waited another couple weeks until boat traffic is a lot less and / or marked their stuff for night time boaters (of which Frankfort has a lot this time of year).

I was wondering why they didn't have all the buoy's that went from the barge to shore marked also, seemed like an accident waiting to happen.
Then Monday morning while fishing the pier I noticed they are now marked with flashing lights. When I talked to one of the workers he said the buoy's and the tube running to shore will sink below the surface while running the rig because it fills with sand.....so watch out.