[ETW]

Any reports out of and around Ludington would be greatly appreciated. I'll be adding mine here as we go through our week in town (5/16 - 5/21). I'll be out every morning or evening (or both) that the weather allows. Possibly with an open seat if the wife wants to catch a break, haha.

Kind of surprised that there are literally no reports out of Ludington since 4/18 but that's why I'm asking now.

As always, thanks for the help and support.

E

 

[zfishman]

Freestyle Charters will usually post reports frequently.

 

[ETW]

Yes, usually. I look for them daily on his site. We're fishing with him on the 20th. Great reports but he hasn't been out since the 2nd.

 

[plugger]

Lake trout is about all that is happening. Yesterday the fish checker said he has not seen or even heard of a king out of ludington. He had seen two out of Manistee.


Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman

 

[riverman]

The pro weigh in today says they are not in st joe either!!!!

 

[mdj]

The pro weigh in today says they are not in st joe either!!!!

I was watching that, not good at all. They weren't in Mich City last weekend either, and haven't made much of a appearance down here all spring. Sure, there's a "few" around, just not a lot

 

[John Hine]

Up here we havnt had enough warm days to even warm the shallows up properly yet. Not sure of the water temps down there compared to last year but we’re not warmed up to where we need to be yet. I bet some warm days with sunshine will kick it off.

 

[Gone Coastal]

Up here we havnt had enough warm days to even warm the shallows up properly yet. Not sure of the water temps down there compared to last year but we’re not warmed up to where we need to be yet. I bet some warm days with sunshine will kick it off.

You’re right John, comparing my fish logs to last two years everything is colder but at least water levels are good. Right now planning trip to St Clair river for walleye but am too wimpy to freeze in the boat. Panfishes yesterday and few fish just off the beds. Last year at this time it was game on

 

[gatorman841]

Up here we havnt had enough warm days to even warm the shallows up properly yet. Not sure of the water temps down there compared to last year but we’re not warmed up to where we need to be yet. I bet some warm days with sunshine will kick it off.

2 weeks ago it was 45 here in NY last night it was still 49 didn’t come up near as much as I thought. Chrome bandits did their job last night I just suck at landing fish solo lol. 0-3 2 kings and a laker in 29-31fow 2.6 mph only fished 7-830pm. Back out here in a few with better numbers hopefully

 

[SJC]

If you're using bandits, or about any walleye crank out of the package for kings, you are going to get your heart broken- a LOT.

 

[ETW]

If you're using bandits, or about any walleye crank out of the package for kings, you are going to get your heart broken- a LOT.

Straightened hooks or just bad hook-ups?

 

[gatorman841]

Straightened hooks or just bad hook-ups?

The hooks are not strong enough and need to be switched out other then that they work great and hook up well.

 

[ETW]

Talked to my charter buddy this afternoon and he said a 25lb King was weighed at the cleaning station today. Only one he's seen or heard of though. One is slightly better than none.

 

[Dangerous]

Other than little jacks, I know of three kings caught this spring out of Ludington.. all around 8 or 10 lbs! Gotta be any day now and they’ll show up though. Here’s outbox out of Ludington on May 17th last year. Big king was 25 pounds

 

[ETW]

So I'm probably jumping the gun on this but my extended weather forecast for next week in Ludington is not starting out great. But, it's a forecast and probably not worth the grain of salt to take it with. Needless to say, I want to begin to work on my Plan B. If the big lake is too rough the next likely approach would be PM lake but is it way too early in the season for any hopes of jigging or trolling in it? I ended up grabbing a transient slip at one of the local marinas just so I can get out early and back in late since the early mornings and late eves typically have a little bit flatter water. At this point I've resigned myself to running mostly a trout program since that's what's biting but honestly, I can't seem to work up any disappointment. Lakers are fine with me. I realize I got into this game a little late and have a fishery that is on its decline but I'm going to make the best of it and target what's there to target.

I'd welcome any suggestions as to what the PM lake action might be. I'm also thinking (hoping) that if the wind is up then maybe it will at least have an east component to it and I can work some nearshore action. Other than that my Plan B is a work in progress without too much experience to go on other than reading a lot of reports from the last couple of years.

 

[Slimits]

So I'm probably jumping the gun on this but my extended weather forecast for next week in Ludington is not starting out great. But, it's a forecast and probably not worth the grain of salt to take it with. Needless to say, I want to begin to work on my Plan B. If the big lake is too rough the next likely approach would be PM lake but is it way too early in the season for any hopes of jigging or trolling in it? I ended up grabbing a transient slip at one of the local marinas just so I can get out early and back in late since the early mornings and late eves typically have a little bit flatter water. At this point I've resigned myself to running mostly a trout program since that's what's biting but honestly, I can't seem to work up any disappointment. Lakers are fine with me. I realize I got into this game a little late and have a fishery that is on its decline but I'm going to make the best of it and target what's there to target.

I'd welcome any suggestions as to what the PM lake action might be. I'm also thinking (hoping) that if the wind is up then maybe it will at least have an east component to it and I can work some nearshore action. Other than that my Plan B is a work in progress without too much experience to go on other than reading a lot of reports from the last couple of years.

Cant help you with pm lake this time of year. Might be some walleye or perch in there but not sure. I wouldnt worry about getting into the game late. In some ways the fishing is more exciting now then it was 10 years ago. Sure 10 years ago it was easy limits and everyone was getting lots of kings. But getting a fish over 20 lbs was truly rare. Everytime you go out now in 2021 you have a real potential to land a monster trophy king. Theres 30 lbers out there (or will be a little later this year). Theres no match in freshwater to the power these fish have and if you land on a pod the cooler fills up fast cuz they are so big! Im fine with low numbers of kings as long as the fish are huge, seen huron go down the drain first hand with the dnr planting it to death. Embrace what we have now and try to make the most of it. Hard to beat a smoker full of lakers either!

 

[plugger]

P)M Lake will not have any silver fish other than a rare drop back steelhead. At this time Ludville is a trout fishery with any thing else being a fluke.

 

[Far Beyond Driven]

PM has walleye, bass, and lots of pike.

I know me and my crews would rather be busy than hoping to catch 1 25# each trip. It's a lot easier to put 150# in the cooler with a bunch of 10-18# fish than a couple 20# fish.

I haven't had a #100 pound cooler in years. I think I had one double last year. Zzz.

Labor day 2011 we went out in the afternoon ended up calling anyone who had a license and a cooler to join us, ended up with 27 kings and three coho. Benefit for kids 2012 three man limit in an hour and a half.

Those trips I remember. Landing two kings on the fourth of July last year, not so much.

 

[Slimits]

PM has walleye, bass, and lots of pike.

I know me and my crews would rather be busy than hoping to catch 1 25# each trip. It's a lot easier to put 150# in the cooler with a bunch of 10-18# fish than a couple 20# fish.

I haven't had a #100 pound cooler in years. I think I had one double last year. Zzz.

Labor day 2011 we went out in the afternoon ended up calling anyone who had a license and a cooler to join us, ended up with 27 kings and three coho. Benefit for kids 2012 three man limit in an hour and a half.

Those trips I remember. Landing two kings on the fourth of July last year, not so much.

Landing solo limit last year with all fish between 20-30 lbs last year was memorable for me. 30 lbers are hard to forget! I know the taxidermists are happy with the current situation!

 

[ETW]

P)M Lake will not have any silver fish other than a rare drop back steelhead. At this time Ludville is a trout fishery with any thing else being a fluke.

Understood, but can I find Lakers in PM lake this time of year? In case I run into another week of high wind and it's too rough on Michigan? I've got the wife with me and her tolerance for 3 footers is a little different than mine, haha.