SLIP’S 2017 LOGS, STATUS AND STRATEGIES

[Slip Sinker]

[Slip Sinker]

...fly hatches since Labor Day on a couple BOWs

no unusual bubble activity... 

[Slip Sinker]

20170912-made plans to fish a local private lake with a decent panfish population to get 2 of my G’kids hooked up with some fish on the ULs.

The weather was fantastic!... probably the best of summer…. Calm, hot and sunny.

Water conditions were glass smooth, 72 degs surf temps but a significant algae bloom going on.

On an 18% Solunar slow bite day we caught few fish that reflected that percentage.

Brenden ended up with the largest LMB at 12” which was his first and PB tagged on the Long-Cast/.016 oz Jig/Apex Minnow in pink and white. Brenden is hooked on the Long-Cast/tiny jigs method.

I caught a few chunky B.Crappie up to 11” on the Mid-minnow mounted on a .032 oz jig.

My BFOTD came on the Long-Cast/.016 oz jig/Pink Waxie… a nice B.Gill in the upper 8’s

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[Allen Morgan]

I've been noticing algae blooms on a couple lakes down here in my area.  Is this normal for MI?  I do know that we didn't get a lot of rain this summer, and a couple chains of lakes are all down about 12", and even the streams are that low.

[Slip Sinker]

Yep typical Michigan lake congested with homes around it’s perimeter with septic systems on small lots… nutrients leach into the BOW and causes excessive weed growth to absorb those nutrients. Weeds are harvested and chemically removed with herbicides and nutrients build up. By late summer early fall some of the annual weeds die off add a few calm sunny days and the algae growth takes off.

[Slip Sinker]

20170913----~~<")))))><(---*Post Summer Period*--14%/mid 60's

[Slip Sinker]

20170913-on a 14% solunar day one doesn’t expect to set the waters on fire with fishing efficiency and production… however I use the slow period to expand by exploring alternate areas on the BOW. This trip was no exception… expectations were not high. I hit some favorite waypoints initially no hitting on any particular pattern… fish seemed scattered some tight to the cover near shore or tight to edges. Not much schooling activity takes place during these times. I picked up a fish here and there. The Long-Cast/.016oz Jig/Waxie & Lil Minnow methods were key.

A good mixed bag of panfish were eventually tagged during this trip including Rock Bass, Blue Gill, Y.Perch and B.Crappie

Tagging a lunker B.Gill on the Long-Cast/.016 oz Jig/Chartreuse Waxie was the highlight of the afternoon

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[Slip Sinker]

...Managed a mid 9-inch bluegill through the minor Peak but very slow fishing

[Slip Sinker]

20170914----~~<")))))><(---*Post Summer Period*--28%/mid 72's

[Slip Sinker]

20170914-we’ve had a great string of summer time temps

after that long cold streak starting in mid August… some of the best weather of the year returned here in mid-Michigan. Surface temps are up on average for this time of season.

So to take advantage of this weather opportunity I decided to investigate some new areas on my home lake reservoir of 1700 acres.

Once launched and on the water, I noticed extreme clear water conditions that I have rarely seen on this reservoir. I initially thought I would probably have to go a little bit deeper than usual to find the fish.

The area I pre-selected is a cut extending from the deeper area basins to a large 7-9’ flat. The area was basically free from weeds excluding some thin sporadic patches.

I did a quick sonar scan of the area and found fish close to the bottom. I started tagging fish straight away from 7-8.5” but at a slow methodically timed pace.

I decided to try a different area and moved further up about 100 yds and let the spot cool down. As soon as I moved another angler coming out of nowhere moved right on top of the spot!

After striking out in the immediate waypoint I decided to move on and work my way back to the launch. I could not pick up on another patterned bite the rest of the trip.

Method of the day was Long-Cast/.016oz Jig/Waxie twitched along the bottom in 15-18 FOW.

 

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[Slip Sinker]

20170915----~~<")))))><(---*Post Summer Period*--43%/72 DEGS

[Slip Sinker]

20170916-here is the bait of choice in yesterday’s trip… the tiniest tungsten jig in my arsenal tipped with a Chartreuse waxie.

For those who know me and the way I fish… color is on the bottom of the list of importance when it comes to presentation… I use plain lead jig heads or black as a second choice. I believe that bait profile is the next most important factor to presentation just under fish location. Hey you can’t tag fish when they are not there… lol.

However the extreme clear water recently in the reservoir (15-20 ft) may have shifted preference to the bright chartreuse waxie over the pink!?

[Slip Sinker]

20170917----~~<")))))><(---*Post Summer Period*--71%/71°