Lake Michigan Fishing tips By Capt. Jim Hirt

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 5/12/2008

By Capt. Jim Hirt

We had our best action working 70 to 90 feet of water between the north gap and off the Water Filtration Plant. We also fished the temp breaks in front of the harbor gaps and marked fish at all depths with some success on Brown Trout. The Brown Trout action has slowed considerably. Church Mini planer boards and Vulcan regular size Dolphin Green Silver spoons with a 1/2-ounce bead chain sinker running 8 feet ahead of the lure produced well for Rainbow Trout and Coho. Downriggers with magnum spoons worked great for us running 60 feet behind the balls 8-40 feet down. The Reaper Magnum Peacock and Magnum Fish n Chip worked for Chinooks. Our best boat speed was 2.0 mph. We ran Slide Divers they took their share of fish with 20 to 30 feet of line out set to number two. A class of four inch Alewives is now showing up in the stomachs of the fish. With the Alewives around we should see increased action on the Chinook soon. The only place you will find Reaper and Vulcan spoons is on the Badger Tackle web site at http://www.badgertackle.com Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. With Blue Max Charters He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com

Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan Salmon Reports 4/23/2008
By Capt. Jim Hirt

April fishing is very good. Most of our charter trips are catching 18 to 22 fish. Mostly Browns with some Lake Trout, Rainbows and Chinooks. We fished cloudy skies on Saturday and clear skies Sunday with the wind out of the northeast at 5-10 mph both days. The water flowing into Milwaukee harbor is 54 degrees. We have been fishing the temp breaks in front of the river mouth and harbor gaps marking fish at all depths. Our best presentations are Church Walleye planer boards with 25 foot leads behind the boards and downriggers 20 to 25 feet down.

The way I set up a planer board is with 20 lb. mono to a 1/4-ounce bead chain sinker. Use 6 feet of 15 lb. Seaguar fluorocarbon leader from the sinker to a size #1 Cross Lock snap and lure. The fish have not been too particular. Most 3-4 inch spoons and J-Plugs are taking fish. Some of our best producers have been Vulcan OL Sherbet, Orange Slush and Reaper Cheese Weasel sold at http://www.badgertackle.com Michigan Stinger Natural Born Killer and most of their silver orange spoons.

Inside the harbor and depending on wind direction the north and south gaps are producing fish. The fish at the north gap came on small spoons. Silver blue spoons worked best for us running 60 feet behind the ball on downriggers 8-15 feet down. Our best boat speed was 2.2 mph. Slide Divers are producing very well set to #2 with 30 feet of line out.

Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at
http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2008, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Fishing Lures For Spring and Summer

By Capt. Jim Hirt
For years I investigated through trial and error to find bait for all species of fish in all conditions. Twenty plus years of tournament and charter fishing has led me to one conclusion. There is no one bait that will take you through the year with all variables of weather and mood of the fish. In this quest I found it would take a variety of lure actions to be successful. Allow me to

help you approach each season of the year and weather conditions with the optimum tool for productive fishing. I fish salmon and trout more than any other species, however, these techniques and variables apply to all fish that go through continuous environmental changes.

Let's start with spring or directly after ice goes out, if that happens in your area of the world. The problem with this time of the year is water temperature. Fish become lethargic and inactive. Cold water means temps well below the active range of your target. Apply this method whenever a more aggressive approach fails.

The answer to cold water is a slow methodical approach. Small spoons are the answer. They offer more flash and visibility than live bait or combinations of jigs and live bait. This deadly presentation is most effective when slow trolled, jigged or offered in a stop and go action. Small spoons allow better lure action at slower speeds. Matching the size of the forage is the key. When you don't know the best size to use, start with spoons under two inches. This should offer some fish catching action on all size game fish.

Bigger spoons will rule out the small fish and the larger game fish may not be active. Bright colored spoons of chartreuse, orange and red in combination with silver or gold has always worked for me. As action on small fish picks up try a bigger spoon to test the water for larger quarry.

As spring water warms up closer to your favorite game fish preferred temperature, that is when the real fun gets into gear. Action will pick up for all anglers. Don't hold back! Get out the bigger spoons and more aggressive tackle. Pick up the speed of your presentation for more strikes. The color of your spoon at this time of year is dependant more on water color, amount of light and the depth of your target.

This is a good time to talk about color as it relates to the amount of light. You may or may not remember learning the colors of the rainbow in school. The colors are remembered by this acronym "ROY G BIV". These letters mean red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Most of the time I run lure colors of red, orange, or yellow when that lure is presented in the portion of the water column with the most light. The other end of the rainbow blue, indigo and violet are used in darker or low light situations. You may ask

what about silver and white? I consider these as neutral or they will work in any type of light. All the other colors fall into either bright or dark. Bright lures are used in bright light conditions dark lures in low light. In most cases larger spoons will net the more aggressive feeders.

Specifics on the exact spoon for your location are and always will be a difficult task. Please allow me to tell you of a product I developed over the last five years. It added 40% more fish to our catch based on 1950 miles of motor trolling during the last season. I am on the water from early April to late October and I needed a go to spoon to meet the ever changing conditions.

Daunting as this may seem three spoons evolved.

For early spring the small size Nestor Wobbler is productive. Now you can have crank bait action in a spoon. Unique wobble action is the key to catching finicky fish. No other spoon offers this vibrating action. With genuine silver plate fish scale finish, this spoon reflects more light to attract fish from greater distances. With multiple holes in the lip you may select a

wobble from fast to slow. It's perfect for trolling, casting or jigging. The bigger size works well for large game fish and faster presentation.
You may find this lure at http://www.badgertackle.com

I will continue with the rest of the year in the next article. Good Luck let's go fishing!! Come back to this Website often to read all my articles. Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094. Summer I will be out on the lake fighting fish, however, I would appreciate a call over winter to chat about whatever questions you may have or just call and say hello.

You may also visit my web site at
http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2007,
James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Salmon Fishing, Rigging An Eighteen Foot Boat #3

By Capt. Jim Hirt
This article continues answering a recent question asked by a reader of my articles. It will cover the basics in what you need for fishing tackle and proper boat set up. We have already covered in article #1 the boat, electronics, downriggers and rod holders. Article #2 rods, reels and diving planers. Let's now go into tackle not previously covered.
Planer boards are a definite must for trolling any kind of fish. I use them April through October. Being flexible on the slow days is the answer to more fish. It is a fisherman with a full arsenal of presentations that finds action when fishing gets tough. The hot rig for the last several years has been leadcore. With the influx of Zebra Muscles the waters of the Great Lakes have become very clear. In my opinion the toughest conditions are calm clear sunny days. On these types of days leadcore is the way to go. I do not recommend this presentation for first light it is far to time consuming to run during a hot bite. After the early morning bite or about two hours after sunrise I break out the leadcore. The basics are reel, rod, line and planer board. The cost of a rig will start at about $150.
The reel you use is based on the amount of leadcore line you want to run. The rule of thumb is 4-5 feet of depth to every color of leadcore. When your target fish is 15 feet down you should run 3 or 4 colors of leadcore. Some of you may be thinking why is there a variation of 4 to 5 feet per color. The factors that affect this are type of lure and boat speed. This line is graduated in 10-yard sections each having a different color. When selecting a reel purchase one large enough to handle the amount of colors you would like to run. Leadcore is a bulky line and most likely will not fit on the reels you are currently using. Find a tackle store that deals with this product to ensure a correct purchase. Popular set ups are 3 colors, 5 colors and 8 colors.
Rods for leadcore need to have plenty of backbone. I use a medium action 8-foot rod. This should give you the power needed to reel in 500 feet of line, planer board and 20-pound kings.
The line comes in many test weights. 27 or 36 pound is what I run it all has the same sink rate. You will also need a backing line of one of the super lines like Power Pro. From the leadcore to the lure use a 20-pound fluorocarbon line.
To avoid tangles when running multiple leadcore you will need a planer board for each rig. The purpose of a planer board is to move the line off to the side of the boat away from other lines. Several manufactures have boards for leadcore. Church has a walleye board also you may use Offshore boards.
When loading this reel, start with 300 yards 50 pound Power Pro for a backing line then strip the lead out of the end of the leadcore and tie a Willis Knot to the leadcore. Finish with a Willis Knot and 30 feet of a 20-pound fluorocarbon to a ball bearing cross lock snap.

To run this rig, snap on your favorite lure I like Reaper or Vulcan Spoons by http://www.badgertackle.com and let out all of the line to the backing. Then install your board on the backing so it does not release. I usually run them 150 feet off each side of the boat. Very wide turns and low boat traffic are a must to avoid tangles and getting run over. I set my drags light. When the reel starts to scream, adjust the drag as necessary. Reel in the line until you can reach the board and hand release it. Now the line is clear to bring in the fish. Some of my biggest fish were caught on this presentation this year. The good news is it produces fish all day long. Good Luck let's go fishing!! Come back to this Website often to read all my articles. Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094. Summer I will be out on the lake fighting fish, however, I would appreciate a call over winter to chat about whatever questions you may have or just call and say hello. You may also visit my web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2007, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Fish Report 10/9/2007
Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan
By Capt. Jim Hirt
Good numbers on Chinook, Browns and Lake Trout with an occasional Coho. The wind has kept the water cold near shore. The surface is 46 degrees with a break to 43 at 15 feet down. The fish have been high in the water column. Downriggers are working but leadcore and Slide Divers are producing better. All the action has been from 40 feet to the surface. The boat speed of 1.7 to 2.1 has been best. If you are not catching fish you are probably fishing too fast. The currents have been strong on some days and you will find very fast speeds when going south to north. When this happens reduce your boat speed. Watch the angle of your downrigger cables they should only show a five to ten degree blowback. On some days you must fish into the wind or put out trolling bags to reduce your speed. Regular or small spoons are producing most of our fish. Our best spoons have been the Reaper Silver Peacock and Big Joe Silver. You must know the temperature and speed at your lure to find consistent action. If you don't have a speed and temp gauge on your downrigger you should at least have a way to check the down temperature or call another boat on the lake for that info. I extend the invitation if you fish out of Milwaukee to call my boat the Blue Max, I would be pleased to help with that information. We have had good action when applying this basic principal. Most recently we had fish from 10 to 40 down in 45 to 60 feet of water. The action has been steady with all species active. Baitfish in the four and two inch size is in the stomachs of the fish. Big four-year-old Chinooks have been slow in the gaps; however there are some two and three year old Chinooks being caught in all of the harbor gaps. We have been fishing in Whitefish Bay and off the water filtration plant. On the calmer days run leadcore in 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8 colors. Choose the number of colors based on the depth of water temperature for your target species. If you don't have leadcore run 150 foot leads behind the ball on your downriggers. It is a continuous all day bite when you use this presentation. Slide Divers with regular size spoons, 60 foot leads set to #2 with 45 to 60 feet of line out. On overcast days run Reaper Magnum Fish N Chip, Peacock and Vulcan Magnum Silver Leaf, Silver Sky spoons on the downriggers. They are taking Chinooks and Lake Trout. The only place you will find Reaper and Vulcan spoons is on their web site at http://www.badgertackle.com Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com

Fish Report 10/1/2007 Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan
By Capt. Jim Hirt
I have been out the last five days and action has been average to excellent. Good numbers on Chinook, Browns and Lake Trout with an occasional Coho. The wind has kept the water cold near shore and fish have been high in the water column. Downriggers are working but leadcore and Slide Divers are producing better. All the action has been from 50 feet to the surface. The boat speed of 1.7 to 2.1 has been best. If you are not catching fish you are probably fishing too fast. The currents have been strong on some days and you will find very fast speeds when going south to north. When this happens reduce your boat speed. Watch the angle of your downrigger cables they should only show a five to ten degree blowback. On some days you must fish into the wind or put out trolling bags to reduce your speed. Regular or small spoons are producing most of our fish. Our best spoons have been the Reaper Silver Peacock and Big Joe Silver. You must know the temperature and speed at your lure to find consistent action. If you don't have a speed and temp gauge on your downrigger you should at least have a way to check the down temperature or call another boat on the lake for that info. I extend the invitation if you fish out of Milwaukee to call my boat the Blue Max, I would be pleased to help with that information. We have had good action when applying this basic principal. Most recently we had fish from 10 to 50 down in 55 to 80 feet of water. The action has been steady with all species active. Baitfish in the four and two inch size is in the stomachs of the fish. Big four-year-old Chinooks are snapping at first light and last light of the day in the areas of the harbor gaps, river and marina. We fished them last Friday with some success but the action was slow. We have been fishing in Whitefish Bay and off the water filtration plant. On the calmer days run leadcore in 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8 colors. Choose the number of colors based on the depth of water temperature for your target species. If you don't have leadcore run 150 foot leads behind the ball on your downriggers. It is a continuous all day bite when you use this presentation. Slide Divers with regular size spoons, 60 foot leads set to #2 with 55 to 100 feet of line out. 50 to 100 feet of water has been best for the two and three year old kings. On overcast days run Reaper Magnum Fish N Chip, Peacock and Vulcan Magnum Silver Leaf, Silver Sky spoons on the downriggers. They are taking Chinooks and Lake Trout. The only place you will find Reaper and Vulcan spoons is on their web site at http://www.badgertackle.com Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com

Fish Report 9/27/2007 Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan

By Capt. Jim Hirt,

The wind has been mostly west and the currents have been strong on some days. This has brought the fish in close to shore and high in the water column. You must know the temperature and speed at your lure to find consistent action. Our number of fish has been excellent. If you don't have a speed and temp gauge on your downrigger you should at least have a way to check the down temperature or call another boat on the lake for that info. I extend the invitation if you fish out of Milwaukee to call my boat the Blue Max, I would be pleased to help with that information. We have had good action when applying this basic principal. When the wind is west, southwest or northwest look for fish very high in the water column. Most recently we had fish from 20 to 50 down in 60 to 110 feet of water. The action has been steady with all species active. Baitfish in the four and two inch size is in the stomachs of the fish. I have had action on magnum and regular size spoons. The regular size Reaper Silver color combinations have been best. Big four-year-old Chinooks are snapping at first light and last light of the day in the areas of the harbor gaps and in the river and marina. We fished them last weekend at sunset and picked up five of them in hour between six and seven pm. We have been fishing in Whitefish Bay and off the water filtration plant. On the calmer days run leadcore in 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8 colors. Choose the number of colors based on the depth of water temperature for your target species. If you don't have leadcore run 150 foot leads behind the ball on your downriggers. Spoons in the magnum or regular size are my first choice. It is a continuous all day bite when you use this presentation. Rainbow Trout action has been best in the warmer water just above the break on Reaper regular Peacock Silver or Vulcan Dolphin Silver spoons presented on 2 and 3 color leadcore. Slide Divers with regular spoons, 60 foot leads set to #1 with 95 to 120 feet of line out. 40 to 110 feet of water has been best for the two and three year old kings. Reaper Magnum Fish N Chip, Peacock and Vulcan Magnum Silver Leaf, Silver Sky spoons on the downriggers are taking Chinooks and Lake Trout. The only place you will find Reaper and Vulcan spoons is on their web site at http://www.badgertackle.com Our best bite has been at slow speed 1.7 to 2.0 mph. Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com

Fish Report 9/18/2007 Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan
By Capt. Jim Hirt
The wind has been switching directions and the currents have been strong on some days. This has been the challenge to finding fish. You must know the temperature and speed at your lure to find consistent action. Two days ago all the water out to 170 feet deep was 60.5 degrees top to bottom this scattered the fish. Then the wind changed and there was a sharp break at 40 feet to 48 degrees and the fishing improved up dramatically. As with all reports it was information for yesterday. If you don't have a speed and temp gauge on your downrigger you should at least have a way to check the down temperature or call another boat on the lake for that info. I extend the invitation if you fish out of Milwaukee to call my boat the Blue Max, I would be pleased to help with that information. We have had good action when applying this basic principal. NOW FOR THE REPORT...... When the wind is west, southwest or northwest look for fish very high in the water column. Most recently we had fish from 20 to 50 down in 60 to 110 feet of water. The action has been steady with all species active. Baitfish in the four and two inch size is in the stomachs of the fish. I have had action on magnum and regular size spoons. Big four-year-old Chinooks have slowed in the areas of the harbor gaps and in the river and marina. We have not fished them lately. In the 60 to 170 water all size salmon and some Browns and Lake Trout are making up our catch. The wind will be south today this will scatter the fish and lumpy boating condition will make presentation difficult. We have been fishing in Whitefish Bay and off the water filtration plant. On the calmer days run leadcore in 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 10 colors. Choose the number of colors based on the depth of water temperature for your target species. If you don't have leadcore run 150 foot leads behind the ball on your downriggers. Spoons in the magnum or regular size are my first choice. It is a continuous all day bite when you use this presentation. Rainbow Trout action has been best in the warmer water just above the break on Reaper regular Peacock Silver or Vulcan Dolphin Silver spoons presented on 2 and 3 color leadcore. Slide Divers with magnum spoons, 60 foot leads set to #1 with 95 to 120 feet of line out. 70 to 110 feet of water has been best for the two and three year old kings. Reaper Magnum Fish N Chip, Peacock and Vulcan Magnum Silver Leaf, Silver Sky spoons on the downriggers are taking Chinooks and Lake Trout. The only place you will find Reaper and Vulcan spoons is on their web site at http://www.badgertackle.com Our best bite has been at slow speed 1.7 to 2.0 mph. Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com

Fish Report 9/11/2007 Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan

By Capt. Jim Hirt
West wind moved out most of the warm water. Look for fish very high in the water column. We had fish from 20 to 50 down in 60 to 110 feet of water. The action has been steady with all species active. Baitfish in the four-inch size are in the stomachs of the fish. I have had action on magnum and regular size spoons. Big four-year-old Chinooks are also active in the areas in the harbor gaps and in the river and marina. We work them on Sunday the ninth with some real hogs produced on Reaper Magnum Glow spoons. All the different color glow spoons were working. All size salmon and some Browns and Lake Trout are making up our catch. The wind will be northwest again today and this will crank up the action near the gaps and in the deeper water. We have been fishing in Whitefish Bay and off the water filtration plant. On the calmer days run leadcore in 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 10 colors or if you don't have leadcore run 150 foot leads behind the ball on your downriggers. Spoons in the magnum or regular size are my first choice. It is a continuous all day bite when you use this presentation. Rainbow Trout action has been best in the warmer water just above the break on Reaper regular Peacock Silver or Vulcan Dolphin Silver spoons presented on 2 and 3 color leadcore. Slide Divers with magnum spoons, 60 foot leads set to #1 with 95 to 120 feet of line out. 70 to 110 feet of water has been best for the big kings. Reaper Magnum Fish N Chip, Peacock and Vulcan Magnum Silver Leaf, Silver Sky spoons on the downriggers are taking Chinooks and Lake Trout. Run the spoons 80 or more feet behind the downrigger ball for success. The only place you will find Reaper and Vulcan spoons is on their web site at http://www.badgertackle.com When you find the 52 water fish just above and below for great salmon action. Our best bite has been at slow speed 1.7 to 2.0 mph. Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com

Midday Salmon Fishing Techniques Milwaukee #2

By Capt. Jim Hirt
When the sun goes up the fishing action slows down. If this is the way fishing outings go for you please read on to discover some of the proven techniques used by charter captains. Chartering with six people on board is a numbers game. Steady action will entertain the group and more happy customers will follow.
Allow me to share a few presentations for a midday or late morning. Don't get me wrong you won't rock n roll like a first light bite but steady action will increase the numbers in the fish cooler. Two setups come to mind when fishing bright light, calm waters and clear blue bird skies. Lake Michigan Milwaukee water is gin clear and the action can die in a hurry on the clear sky days. First and foremost you must get away from the boat to water undisturbed by conventional tackle. Stealth is the way to go for an all day bite here's how.
The last article was set up and use of leadcore. For the angler with out the budget or space on the boat for 15 rods as I do here is a very simple and inexpensive answer. Some of you may use this technique to some degree of success I have taken it to a new level. This method of presentation will improve your catch by fifty percent.
Downriggers are one of the oldest most used and most productive tools used for salmon and trout on the Great Lakes. Their potential for putting fish in the cooler is undisputed. As with any tool proper usage is the answer to success. A common question I receive from fellow fishermen is how long do you run your drop back leader? This is the length of line between your lure and the downrigger weight. This one item will make the difference of a few fish or steady action. The variables on the length of drop back leader are dictated by many factors. The four most important that I consider are type of lure, amount of light at the presentation, the color of the water and the mood of the fish. The main types of lures fall into three categories spoons, rotators (flashers, dodgers) and plugs. Each of these has it’s own qualities that come out when run with the proper leader length. Spoons are the most forgiving and will do their job on a leader as short as 10 feet although I seldom run them that short unless I am fishing in stained or very deep water. On average 30 feet is a good leader length depending on the other variables. Rotators are another animal. Each type has its own characteristics on average a 20 foot leader is best. The leader length on plugs like spoons aren’t as critical. Twenty feet is a good place to start. The amount of light at the lure will also change your leader length. As a general rule the more light the longer the leader. On calm clear days midday with lots of sun 150-foot leaders will catch fish when a short leader presentation is dead. Fluorocarbon fishing line will also greatly enhance the total number of fish in the boat. I recommend Seaguar Invizx twenty pound for a soft durable fishing line invisible to fish. Mood of fish is also to be considered. Short leaders produce a more erratic action and may turn fish on or off. When setting tackle try some short and some long to get a feel for the mood of the fish. When the bite slows down, change the leader length of the best producing lures to keep the rods dancing. To run this rig, snap on your favorite lure I like Reaper or Vulcan Spoons by http://www.badgertackle.com Good Luck let's go fishing! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2007, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

Fish Report 7/20/2007 Milwaukee Fishing Lake Michigan

By Capt. Jim Hirt

I have been out twice a day everyday for the last two weeks. All species are active in all sizes. The west wind has brought fishing to a frantic pace. All presentations are working with fish from 15 to 75 feet down in 35 to 110 feet of water. It does not get any easier than it is right now! The cleaning station is humming with activity. On the calm days run leadcore in 3,4,5, and 8 colors or if you don't have leadcore run 150 foot leads behind the ball on your downriggers. Spoons in the magnum or regular size are my first choice. It is a continuous all day bite when you use this presentation. Lots of big Rainbows this season with fish to 18 pounds. The Coho are getting big in the 5 to 9 pound range. Kings are running 5 to 22 pounds. Rainbow Trout action has been best in the warmer water just above the break on Reaper Magnum Fish N Chip Silver or Vulcan Dolphin Silver spoons presented on 2 and 3 color leadcore. Slide Divers with magnum spoons, 60 foot leads set to #1 with 55 to 75 feet of line out. 50 to 120 feet of water has been best for the big kings. Reaper Magnum Fish N Chip, Peacock and Vulcan Magnum Silver Leaf, Silver Sky spoons on the downriggers are taking Chinooks and Lake Trout. Run the spoons 80 or more feet behind the downrigger ball for success. The only place you will find Reaper and Vulcan spoons is on their web site at http://www.badgertackle.com The wind is going to change to the east and I recommend a temp check on your next outing to confirm the location of 50 degree water as warm water will change everything. When you find the 50 water fish just above and below for great salmon action. Our best speed was 1.7 to 2.0 mph. Have a great fishing season. Let's go fishing!! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com

Is Leadcore Right For Me?

By Captain Jim Hirt

I received this e-mail recently and thought it was a good question that more anglers would be interested in. Should you have a question please e-mail me from my Website contact us page http://www.bluemaxcharters.com I will be pleased to answer. My charter season is under way and it may take a while to back to you.

Hello Capt. Jim Hirt:
I really liked your informative article on using leadcore line on the http://www.badgertackle.com web site!!! I am asking for some additional info on using lead core. I am an avid fisherman on the north shore of lake Erie central basin in Ontario waters. My girl friend and I are always fishing for walleye and trout in the warm weather with great success. Besides my 3 downriggers on my 17 foot boat, Last season I started running the offshore inline planers (yellow ones)...one on each side. I was using a 3 way swivel with one too two ounces of lead and a 4 foot lead pulling a body bait lure. We caught walleye on this setup and a few lunkers (biggest ever). I used line counter reels, one reeled with Power Pro and the other with mono. We are fishing 55 to 75 feet of water. Usually the fish are suspended 40 to 60 feet down. My million dollar question is can we reach these fish at these depths with a leadcore setup off the inline planers. I was reading an article on a Website saying the inline planers would sink if you spool with more than three colors (each color is 10 yds). He was using crankbaits, I use minnow type baits like Ripplin Redfins, Husky Jerks and AC Shiners (floating baits) I would like to here your opinion.

How much lead core (yardage and pound test) can you run from inline planers? What kind of inline planers would you recommend? I really like the idea of purchasing two leadcore outfits to run off my inline planers to target these fish at these depths. Can you recommend a set-up for leadcore to run off inline planers to get down to these fish? Thank you so much for reading this far and could you please reply by email. Have a great fishing season!!!

Thank you for reading my articles. I hope they contribute to you success. I fish leadcore down to 80 feet with no problems. Use one color of 27 pound for every 4-5 feet of depth that you are making your presentation. The variables in depth are boat speed, leader length and type of lure. A slow boat speed with a short leader of fluorocarbon will run about 5 feet per color. A faster boat speed and longer leader will run higher in the water column. Diving lures vs. spoons will also run a little deeper. Back your reel with Power Pro 30 pound. Run as many colors as needed to reach the depth you would like. Finish with a Seaguar fluorocarbon leader of 10 feet and a 30 pound cross lock ball bearing swivel snap. The board I run is determined by the number of colors of lead. For one to seven colors I use Church walleye boards this is their biggest board. Above seven colors I like Yellow Bird Big boards. They make two sizes this is their biggest one. I have run up to 15 colors with no problems on Big Birds.

I do not like the ready made leadcore combos. They use a Dacron backing it wears easily and breaks and there goes your set up. Power Pro costs more but it will last many seasons. Buy a reel with a retrieve rate of 4.2 to 1 or higher with a capacity of at least 350/30 pound for up to 10 colors. Eight foot medium heavy fiberglass rod will do the trick. Go inexpensive on the rod no more than $25 you don't need an expensive rod. The total for rod and reel should be about $75. full core lead $12, Power Pro $13, Seaguar fluorocarbon leaders $12 and great fishing action on difficult fishing days PRICELESS. The best of luck to you this season!! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright 2007, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

The Three R's of Fishing #2

By Capt. Jim Hirt

As with all sports and activities basics and fundamentals are the foundation from which a sound well played game is achieved. The name of this article could have been the twenty-five R's of fishing because many small details will make or break your day on the water. However I decided to focus on only three of the fundamentals rigging, reacting and record keeping. This is article #2 of a two part article. Look for part #1 for rigging tips.

Reacting to time of year is also to be considered when trying to catch moody fish. As the seasons change, so do the temperatures of the water. Fish are cold blooded and their metabolism changes as their body temp changes. Most anglers know there are cold and warm water species of fish. Which means all fish if given a choice will find their preferred temperature range. In fact too high or too low beyond their limits will cause stress and eventual death. In large fresh water lakes, the time of day isn't nearly as critical at locating the depth of the preferred temperature level for the fish species you're seeking. Lakes layer into three separate layers of water in the spring and stay that way until cold weather. The middle layer, where there is a larger concentration of dissolved oxygen, baitfish and therefore predator fish, is called the thermocline. It can usually be found anywhere from ten feet to the bottom. This is a temperature layer, as well as an oxygen-saturated layer, and fish will relate to it as both a comfort zone and one where their body metabolism functions the most efficiently. These fish will be suspended and feeding on alewives, smelt or other forage fish.

The peak feeding and optimum temperature for Coho and Chinook is 52, with an active range from 44 to 58. For Lake Trout the peak feeding and optimum temperature is 51, with activity from 43 to 53. Fish will rarely venture out of these zones, once stratification has taken place, except to catch a meal and then will quickly return to it. One thing to remember when fishing the thermocline is that its depth can change from day to day because of wind and wave action. It may be several feet deeper or shallower from one day to the next so you'll have to relocate it each time you go out. Having said all that, when fishing in water temperatures near the bottom of your target species preferred temp, adjust to small spoons in a slow presentation. At their optimum temp go aggressive with large baits in quick presentations. Most anglers under estimate the speed of their quarry.

I cannot stress record keeping too much. Your ability to document good and bad days will be your magic rabbit in the hat. This info will shorten your learning curve and should be reviewed before every fishing outing. Record the date, location, weather, lures or bait, presentation, for each type of fish you catch. Good Luck let's go fishing! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright 2007, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.

The Three R's of Fishing #1

By Capt. Jim Hirt

As with all sports and activities basics and fundamentals are the foundation from which a sound well played game is achieved. The name of this article could have been the twenty five R's of fishing because many small details will make or break your day on the water. However I decided to focus on only three of the fundamentals, rigging reacting and record keeping. This is article #1 of a two part article.

Rigging is a vast subject with a different definition to most anglers. To me it means assembling the correct components in the best way to meet the current conditions. Let's get into specifics. The rod, reel, line and terminal tackle are the foundation to success. In my earlier days of fishing the selection of a fishing rod was confusing. The more people you talked to the worse it got. My experience over the years has lead me to a simple conclusion, heavy weight rods for big fish with high test line. Light weight rods for small fish on light test line. Following the recommended line weight marked on the rod will put more fish in the cooler. A rod that is too stiff will not bend with light line. The result will be lost fish from failure to maintain a tight line to the target. You will also be able to use smaller snaps and terminal tackle on light line with a light action rod. This will enhance the lure action with improved presentation.

Reacting to changes will improve your success. The speed of your bait whether it is a spoon, jig, or crankbait is important. The right lure at the wrong speed will be less productive. The correct speed is dictated by many variables. Always consider the mood of fish and the environment they are in and adjust to the conditions. This will help you find the best speed. Mood is defined by weather and the time of year. High and low barometric pressure are a part of the weather question. They both have a significant impact on the mood of all fish. Activity level in fish will change with the movement or lack of barometer movement. You must know what the weather has been preceding your fishing trip. This information will set the stage giving you the information you can use to your advantage. A clear blue high sky after a low pressure front is every anglers nightmare. Fish get spooky, neutral or negative in these conditions. For these types of days a slow spot on the spot presentation is key. Work your favorite location with precise boat and lure control. Inactivity is normal, when this happens pick your favorite locations on any body of water and look for your target species in the next break to deeper water. Work smaller spoons, lures or baits in a slow systematic presentation. If motor trolling is your method of fishing use small spoons. Present them at slow speeds and fish them near the bottom. On the other hand steady barometric pressure for an extended period of time with overcast sky conditions is time to grab your pole and to head for the water. Don't miss these ideal days. The fish will be up on the shallow flats, near shore and active. Pound these fish with big baits and fast erratic actions. Work hard, work fast and cover a lot of water. This sets up a great opportunity for trolling big water. The correct lure color for overcast will put more fish in the boat. Silver or gold has long been the standard until resent years. Cutting edge anglers are now going to glow in the dark lures. The visibility of glow spoons far exceeds the old standards. Badger Tackle has great line up of glow spoons. For the anglers that run a boat speed from 2.0 to 3.5 MPH I would recommend the Vulcan magnum. This is a tough heavy weight spoon with a slim profile that fits well with most freshwater and saltwater forage base sizes. The other one I like is the Reaper. Run the regular size on clear calm days and magnum at first light, overcast or whenever you are down deep or in a low light presentation. The Reaper is a wide spoon with a crippled baitfish action for trolling at speeds of 1.0 to 2.5. The Striper and Salmon fishermen say it is a perfect match to the Shad and Alewife forage. Both are exclusively sold at http://www.badgertackle.com/ you won't be disappointed. Please read part #2 coming soon. Good Luck let's go fishing! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright 2007, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.


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