SLIP’S 2018 LOGS, STATUS AND STRATEGIES

[Slip Sinker]

As I turn the last page of the “SLIP’S 2017 LOGS, STATUS AND STRATEGIES” log book on an astounding year of angling… I think back on the initial strategies and goals for the year. I wanted to tag at least (4) Trophy Master Angler Panfish and that would include one thru the ice which would be a PB using that method. I ended up with 2 trophy P.Seeds thru the ice with a PB at 9.8" as well as(13) total Master Anglers thru the rest of the open water season!

To accomplish this feat I would greatly scale down my presentations to micro lite equipment… rods, reels, lines and baits. Careful considerations of lines were incorporated into my methods which would not exceed 2# mono diameter…and super lines that would approach 8# test or above to handle the trophy quality of fishes sought.

I would also aim to make my time on the water more productive by timing the trips with solunar periods… majors and minors on New and Full Moons. I've discovered big fish follow the moon… period! 2017 proved that especially considering the hard water Ice Period. I was on the big fish spots on the peak periods and it paid off!... BIGly!!!

I think I coined a phrase “Fishing for the Numbers by the Numbers” by incorporating all methods and strategies to gain my odds on the water for numbers as well as numbers of trophies. By the end of the day and all the numbers were tallied for 2017 I broke many records for the Master Angler Program in at least 2 counties.

I’m hoping for an even better season for 2018 and success for the fishermen following BBG!

Ken

[Slip Sinker]

20180410-~~<")))))><(---*Cold-Water Period*--40°

 

[Slip Sinker]

20180410-Spent some time backing up 2017 logs to .pdf files

 

Filled in many days of missing memos and pics… hey it was a busy season! Spent more time fishing then posting in 2017… so glad I take explicit notes and many pictures.

 

Really anxious to get back on the water… local reservoirs at -2-0’ below normal levels… near winter draw-down levels.

my local launch shown below... it is normally 2-3' deep thru this bay...

[Slip Sinker]

20180412-~~<")))))><(---*Cold-Water Period*--45°

 

[Slip Sinker]

20180413-April weather continues to deter the fishermen...

...with cold blustery winds near 30° below normal for the year… I just cant catch a break yet a fish!

Yesterday I scurried out with near normal temps but blustery mid 20 mph winds. Launching a light aluminum boat at the launch without the docks in is like a sparrow in a hurricane… just short of nightmare conditions.

I was determined to test some new equipment and thought once I reached the windward side id be ok. I brought some long-cast spinning rigs just in case I wanted to test some areas.

the intentional purpose of the trip was to get used to the sonar unit in real working conditions then just on the bench.

After spending a few hours I’ve become very familiar with the unit and should look somewhat competent using it once the fishing season starts kicking in with seasonal weather patterns.

[Slip Sinker]

20180413-huge negative weather impact...

 

[Slip Sinker]

20180412-with favorable above normal temperatures for the day I set out…

On one of the local reservoirs. The main goal was to become familiar with Side Imaging and how I will implement into my methods of panfishing.

The new tools have Chirp Sonar electronics a huge performance gain in deciphering objects and distance between… fish and structure with better detailon the screen. This will greatly produce productivity with vertical jigging on the fish once they are located this upcoming season. HMMM… jigging the thermocline break comes to mind… I cant wait! In my books there is no better tool out there for vertical jigging… Chirp Sonar.

I spent most of the time playing around with the controls and using the Side-Imaging. Typically while out fishing I am investigating the wide open flats on the local reservoirs. One could easily compare these expansive flats as massive deserts as a rule void of fish. Remember the popular saying “10% of the lake holds 90% of the fish?… this holds glaringly true on the flats. Finding the isolated rock piles, brush piles, weed pockets and clumps, log jams, road beds, culverts and stump fields that fish are attracted to, have recently become keys to my success lately. These are the gold mines or oasis’s in the expansive desert. Find these areas and you are on the fish. Covering up to 400 ft (200’ range each side) of water in a single pass is an awesome time saving tool.

Traveling up and down my home lake on the familiar waypoint areas revealed many secrets with Side Imaging on as to the why these areas are that way. Most of these spots showed some type of structure that attracted and kept the fish in those spots. Brush piles, logs stumps etc. were easily identified like a photo on the Side Imaging screen … mark a waypoint with the cursor on a remote rock pile 200 foot away will now be easy to do. What a time saver this will be on the water discovering new hot spots.

While familiarizing myself with the sonar I honed in on a few areas and made a couple casts with no bites… the water was a cold 44°. Certainly not prime time for fish activity. Things will certainly change shortly in the next couple weeks when water temps break into the 50’s with normal season temps.

Once mid Michigan gets past this severe polar vortex in the next 10 days my numbers hopefully will get back on track. Looking on the calendar and comparing last season to the current I am hundreds of quality fish and (2) Master Anglers deficient.

Looking ahead into the short term weather forecast reveals a winter storm with ice and snow accumulations of 4-5” and a week or two of recovery to normal temps will soon get me back on the water playing catch-up. Putting the new tools to work and using previous seasons as knowledge base will get me there quickly… hopefully. Fingers crossed!

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the stump that is normally 4" just below surface... finally has a buoy on it shown 2' below normal water levels

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snow and ice laden shoreline...

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composite sonar snap showing Side imaging scan 100' both sides over GPS contour mapping

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[Slip Sinker]

20180417-~~<")))))><(---*Cold-Water Period*--41°

[Slip Sinker]

20180417-Garden pond frozen solid with 1” of ice.

Local boat launch up to summer levels… just waiting on the weather!

[Slip Sinker]

20180417-forecast graph for April 2018...

[Slip Sinker]

20180419-~~<")))))><(---*Cold-Water Period*--46°

 

[Slip Sinker]

20180419-Tweaking the slip/float setup and methods…

I spent quite a few hours tweaking spinning rod setups for slip/floating and long-casting over some idle time this past winter. Back and spine issues kept me on the sidelines thru the hard water ice fishing season. Some of the changes I made were very minor in nature with no extra purchase in rods, reels and lines.

Since May and early June are just around the corner I concentrated most efforts on the slip/float set-ups realizing they are under the most use during those weeks with long-casters a close second.

The lines were all braid in the 6-8# test range with less than 2# mono diameter. For maintenance I simply swapped the line end for end which I normally do every one or two years to compensate for wear.

I noted one set-up is going on its fifth season with the red power pro line of 6# test. That is an incredible statement alone in itself. Significant durability and economy is well noted each and every time I use these rigs out on the water.

The line of choice is braid for the slip/floats systems. The main reason is its insane ability to cut thru weeds and stalks better than any other line type. On two separate occasions I landed 2 30” class fish in the same shallow lily pad field. I was simply amazed after landing the fish and noting the floating stems and pads in the battle zone. The braided line literally weed whacked thru the field… cannot do that with mono. Slip/floating and braid combinations has certainly earned my confidence. Then consecutively… it is thin and durable and casts like a dream.

The rods used varied from 4-0’ thru 5-6’ all UL action. The set-ups have the capacity to launch a slip/float in excess of 75-0’ fully loaded… not bad for short rods. I very rarely make casts over the 40-0’ mark … the floats are small and casts further than that are tough to see and detect the light bite.

Of course slip/floating set-ups are always changing preferences with me… but at a slower pace… I feell im actually getting close to the perfect set-ups matching my methods

Will always keep ya posted on any changes… good fishin

ken

[Slip Sinker]

20180419- one year ago today Earl and I were on the fish in 58° water

One year ago today Earl Connor and I were tagging the fish right and left long–casting/.032 UL jigs with 58° water temps. Checking normal avg water temps for this time of year would be within that range… we are currently -15° off that mark…. Water temps in the low to mid 40’s.

Checking the weather we art at the turning point where winter will finally be loosening its grip for near normal temps.