Mexico Bay on the Dapper Dan, 16&17 July

[jekyll]

Fishing Report

Your Name / Boat Name: Dapper Dan

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TRIP OVERVIEW

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Date(s): 16 and 17 July

Time on Water:

Weather/Temp: Hot, sunny

Wind Speed/Direction:

Waves:

Surface Temp: 45 to 52 degrees on the ball

Location:

LAT/LONG (GPS Cords):

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FISHING RESULTS

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Total Hits: about 48

Total Boated: about 35

Species Breakdown: 20 mature kings, 2 steelhead, 2 browns, 1 nice Atlantic, assorted lakers and skippies

Hot Lure: Green e-chip with white glow tape and silver tape, sweet pea fly

Trolling Speed:

Down Speed: 2.0 to 2.6

Boat Depth: 130 to 160

Lure Depth: 90 to 135

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SUMMARY & FURTHER DETAILS

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Fished with my wife and Little Boat and we had another great weekend. Saturday morning was great with us boating 9 for 13 adult kings, a steelhead and a brown along with an assortment of skippies and lakers. We fished Mexico bay north of Catfish Creek to the high rocks in 130 to 150 fow. This was a rigger and 600 copper day. #1 dipsies didn’t do anything except take several hit and runs (dispies were set beyond 350 feet. We took 2 kings on spoons, a Moonshine Flounder Pounder and a Stingray Gator and the rest came on F/F. Riggers were firing well between 115 and 130 down using 15 lb torpedoes. Talked with several guys running 10 and 12 lb round balls who were skunked. I can only image the fish swimming around in 120 fow and watching 10 lb balls going overhead like satellites making orbits. You must get deep and be mindful of blowback. We spend the morning inside of the pack, most of the time no boats were shallower than us.

Saturday night we took out several guys who had been skunked for 3 days to get some fish for them. We did 5 for 6 on large kings. This time, I switched to mag dipsies and they came alive at 350 and 375 feet set on #2. SD and chips were working about equally well. I was happy to turn their 3-day trip into a success at the end.

I seemed to have been my own worst enemy because of several radio calls I made on Saturday seemed to draw a crowd. Saturday found the fleet in the water I had worked the day before. We ended up getting pushed off our intended area. We still managed to do 10 for 15 and boxed 5 adult kings between the 2 of us. I had trouble keeping big fish on the hooks and dropped 4 mature kings. Little Boat seemed to get solid hooks while my turn found weak hook ups. I guess that is a risk in fishing. The first fish I landed was a 5 lb steelie that died on the 600 copper before I got it to the net.

Sunday evening we moved west and fished from the smoker to Oswego. The first fish was a 14.5 lb, 33 inch Atlantic which hit my center rigger at 115 feet over 140 fow on a green chip with a sweet pea fly. We caught it off the Bible College in about 140 fow. This was the first on a double which saw a nice brown come on the 600 copper on a nuclear green SD and a glow hammer fly. After this, we accidentally anchored the boat by snagging the bottom with a mag dipsy set on 2 at 250 feet in 90 fow. That SNAFU cost me the 150 of wire and the entire dipsy rig. We got set up again after about 30 minutes and only managed another 2 fish before we pulled gear. Monday morning was a blow-off due to a severe T-storm front moving across the lake.

Here is a picture of the Atlantic. I took measurements for a body cast mount in the future.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[on the lam]

Nice Atlantic.... congrats

[f1sh-0n]

Nice job. Looks like you were dialed in. Any fleas?

[jekyll]

Yes, the fleas are in but, not yet too heavy. The flies are a pain as well.

[danno]

Good job, Tim. Were your good temps that deep as well?

[kingslamon22]

great fish!!!

[jekyll]

Danno:

IIR, the temp break started at around 105 with a 10 degree change by 115 down. We found 52 degree water about 115 and 44 degrees at about 135. I've slept several times since then and may be off a bit but, these numbers are close. We ran our rigs in this zone while ensuring we maintained colder water below. In other words, we stayed outside of the thermocline/ bottom convergence zone. This is in Mexico Bay. Further West towards Oswego, the colder water is higher. We had 39 degree water at 90 feet at one point, just before we anchored the mag dipsy.

Did you get your speed and temp system installed?

[f1sh-0n]

Ok thanks. I plan on going up next week i guess I will throw the fleeflicker on a couple of the reels.

Yeah I still never understood how you can be 8 miles out and as soon as you put one laker on the deck the flies start finding you.

[danno]

Yes, Tim. I went with a subtroll. I'm going to dunk it in the reservoir this weekend to make sure I'm getting a reading. Hoping to dunk it in LO Sunday.