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]

20180708- Kicked Butt with the “Between the Docks”Strategy...

I love the summer period!  Extended sunlight and some of the warmest temps just around the corner got the fishes metabolism jacked up with food generated in abundance in the shallows and flats. Today I Fished with my son Kenny taking advantage of that situation timing the activity periods of the fish with some great summer weather, hungry fish and a great body of water.

We fished the minor period during the early afternoon and continuing till the upslope of the major periods before dusk.

The main strategy was using ultra light spinning equipment with ultra light jigs.

I hoped the plethora of waypoints recorded on my sonar from a successful fishing history on this lake would help and it did.  We found active fish in most locations mostly from the shallows to the deeper flats not exceeding 9 feet.

Kenny found active fish hitting his jig set-up ... 1/8 ounce and 2 ½ inches long.  He finally settled on pink and white swim jig in color.

I found good bluegill and Lepomis activity on the micro jigs and waxie tips.  I even tagged a bonus rock bass 10 inch class.

We concentrated our efforts with The "Between the Docks Strategy" and it worked great for us today! found many active fish even in the busiest locations. This is one of Gladwin Counties most popular lakes with tremendous fishing pressures and boat traffic. Kenny and I mastered it all today!... the extremely hot weather, boat traffic and a low activity solunar day for the month.

We ended up the day catching multiple limits of panfish each but no trophies.  Still a great day on the body of water.

 

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

[Slip Sinker]

20180709-~~<")))))><(-*Summer.Peak*--54%/80°

[Slip Sinker]

20180709-Fishing, Swimming, Kayaks and Family!

My grandson Kayden just received his birthday present of 7 years … a sweet little ride of a kayak. We all agreed to spend the time at the beach with 3 boats… 2 kayaks and my jon boat… swimming, boating and fishing.

Surprisingly nobody wanted to fish out of the jon boat… so I soloed.

I kept the 3 year streak on micro-jigging alive with some quality fish especially a nice mid-8’s P.Seed…@ 94% Master Angler Rating would bring a smile to any anglers face.

Quite a few Lepomis above the 90% rating were then tagged in short order. I never tagged a 10” plus B.Gill out of these waters but came close this afternoon!

All fish were tagged shallow, between the docks and up against the bank.

Great family outing

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

[Slip Sinker]

20180710-~~<")))))><(-*Summer.Peak*--68%/80°

[Slip Sinker]

...missed the major.period today... back and shoulder/neck really sore this morning.

try again tomorrow

[Slip Sinker]

20180712-~~<")))))><(-*Summer.Peak*--97%/84°

[Slip Sinker]

20180712-The Day’s rod bundle included a Fly Rod!

…the days solar daily activity level at 97% and I needed to be out on that water.  The new Moon has always been a considerable positive asset for a good day out on the water for me.

With above normal temperatures in my area has kept the water in the low to mid eighties for most of the month.  Higher water temperatures mean more food production in the shallows and higher metabolisms for the fish… this equals great fishing.  It’s part of that equation that I fished by…  “fishing for the numbers by the numbers”.

What I’ve noticed the past few years is that the majority of the fish are not out deep they are in the shallows at the bank extending to the weedy flats to 9 feet of water.  Don’t get me wrong I counted and caught many fish out in the deep water and at the thermocline during the summer months.  The majority of the fish I’d been catching are in the shallows that the greater parts of the fisherman are passing up.

The idea of following bluegill out to the deep basins after spawn is a popular story base for the fishing magazines.  I just don’t see it.  There is always a set population of deep water panfish that just does not stack up to the numbers in the shallows.

When the shallows and the weed flats start heating up in the summer that’s usually where I am.  

The water was calm and flat and it didn’t take long for me to tag a Lunker bluegill on the foam spider.  I tagged a few more B gills before my shoulder started to ache.  No matter how addicting fly fishing is I had to put it down for awhile and divide my time between slip floating and micro jigging.

The fish activity was constant on the flats and between the docks with little activity in deeper water past the first break.  I spotted few targets out in the deeper water with sonar.

One of my best fishes of the day was a 9.75 inch hybrid that took out sweet drag.  This fish like many of the quality fish of the day took the pink waxie tipped on a plain 1/16 oz plain jig head.  My most popular big fish bait.

The totals at the end of the day were huge... I was nearing a three man limit of eaters and quality fish tallied for the trip.

 

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

[Slip Sinker]

20180713-~~<")))))><(-*Summer.Peak*--96%/84°

[Slip Sinker]

20180713-Family Fish and Swim day... F.A.L at 96%

 Just one day off the new Moon the fish activity level at 96% the family headed off to the lake for a fish and swim…  They met me there a little late later while I warmed up the waypoints.

I started off the trip on a depression in a large flat at 8 foot. Casts could reach the 4-6’ level. I immediately began tagging some quality black crappie on the micro jigs… 0.016 oz plain head jigs tipped with cream or pink waxies.

Katie and Lucas’s rigs were equipped for light bass fishing so I set them up with one 16^th ounce jigs with power minnows and they were on the crappie straight away.  The largemouth bass tags were generously spread throughout the trip.

With the many Crappie tagged 13” was my best for the day. They were generally above 11” on avg and taken from water less than 8’.

Young Maveric had his most action casting off the dock landing a junior N.Pike and nice LMB on a swim jig.

All fish were tagged on artificial bait long-casted.

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

[Slip Sinker]

20180714-~~<")))))><(-*Summer.Peak*--81%/84°

[Slip Sinker]

20180716-~~<")))))><(-*Summer.Peak*--53%/84°

[Slip Sinker]

20180717-~~<")))))><(-*Summer.Peak*--39%/82°