New Things to Try

New Things to Try

Here's a simple list of some new things I need to try in the near future, i.e., in whatever's left of this season, or next.

Alabama Rigs have been all the rage in certain bass circles, but I don't think they've had much of an impact here in Michigan.  While I suspect they'd work in our drowned river mouth lakes connecting to Lake Michigan on a seasonal basis, our other bass waters just don't have the schooling baitfish that probably make these rigs so effective for bass in other waters.  But my plan is to use them when I'm trolling for pike!  I suspect they'll take a swipe at it!  Either off the rigger, flat-lined with a line counter, or possibly off a color or two of lead core line, I think they'll attract some interest.  And boy, would I love to secure a limit of cohos on the same lure, simultaneously!  I've secured the rigs and trailers during my recent trip to Atlanta, so I have no excuse for not getting them wet!

I need to try Downlining Suckers for Pike!  Reeds Lake is a hell of a lot closer than Lake Lanier’s stripers, I've got the gear, and I know there are plenty of pike available in Reeds Lake.  Now I just need to secure some good suckers and a few egg sinkers, tie some appropriate leaders, charge the trolling motor batteries, and give it a go!

Red Finning/Waking for Stripers; OK, Mr. Hammond at Lake Lanier's Hammond's Fishing Center is catching dozens of stripers a night while tossing Red Fins to the shore and waking them back.  I can do that, some day.

I'm seduced by the ease of my Maine Striper fishery.  I know what tackle and bait to use, it's easy to access, and I can do it without otherwise disrupting others; and yet, it's fairly limiting in that the largest stripers might not come into my quiet water, or even be capable of being landed, if hooked, because of all the obstacles at my feet.  So I really should seek a New Place to hunt Maine stripers.  I should probably be doing it at night, with eels, in order to maximize my chances at a true cow.  

Speaking of stripers, I need to grab a Diawa Salt Pro Minnow or two.  I've gotten strong support of this bait from multiple, independent directions; it sounds like my kind of bait!  

I learned first hand this year that blues tend to eat their quarry from behind, and they move on when they come to the head.  I also learned that a pogie head is powerful medicine for bass.  I really need to take advantage of this by utilizing proper hook placement when blues are present, and also utilizing, with faith, Heads as Striper Bait.  

There's a guide in Milwaukee, Wisconsin who has great success Vertical Jigging for Salmon and Trout in Lake Michigan. Now, unlike me, he's generally got the wind to his back, more cold water easily accessible over the season, and a giant harbor to work with.  He also doesn't seem to be plagued by trollers to the degree I experience here in Michigan.  I may have the deck stacked against me (or maybe I should trailer Numenon over to Wisconsin), but I bought a bunch of baits dedicated for this purpose last season; the correct conditions just haven't presented themselves to me, yet.  Kudoes too, to the On the Water folks, who filmed a segment on vertical speed jigging for trout and salmon on Lake Ontario; but I can only imagine the ire I'll receive if I set up on a prime piece of structure on the Michigan portion of Lake Michigan.

Finally, I need to try a Grouper Sandwich; it's the lunch-time staple in Florida's Keys, and the standard by which the local restaurants are judged.  I think I'll have mine with some Vanilla Ice Cream covered in toasted coconut with a drizzle of fresh-squeezed key lime juice.  This new-to-me idea, I attribute to a Bering Sea Crab Fisherman with a cook-book.  Thanks, dude; I forgot your name!