TBF state fish off 2008??

[Skip Johnson]

actualy bill I was in such a fit that I did let her read it before I posted, her response was go fish just a couple bigger tourneys with bigger payouts.
since I cashed over a dozen checks this year and am still behind I think shes onto something
I would like to fish the TBF though, its a quick way to the big leagues if your a lucky and good angler plus being a member of the TBF is donating to a good cause, lord knows I throw away enough money on junk so I should put something to a good cause

[Skulley]

She believes in you Skip.  That's a good thing.  My wife believes in me too and she too has said that I should fish some bigger tourneys with bigger payouts. 

I think I want to invest the money in my son's future as an athlete.  He is 7 and a real good athlete with natural talent.  He has some excellent soccer skills and I am trying to get him more interested in basketball this year.  He played last year and had a lot of natural talent.  His coach wanted him in a higher league on a team Downriver but we found an indoor soccer place and he is on a team right now.  As a matter of fact I will be making my coaching debut for his team on December 22 when his coach can not be there as he is on a holiday vacation with his family out of town.  I said I would fill in.  They have not won a game yet but he is playing U8.  Most of the teams are 8 year olds.  His team is 6 and 7 year olds.  They'll be great in the next couple of years. 

So I may fish a couple of big events.  Maybe that team thing out of St. Jeans that the NBAA had in June.  I am definitely fishing my club stuff.  We have a meeting tomorrow.  Picking lakes for next year and paying dues for those that have not paid yet and electing officers. 

BD               

[Skip Johnson]

yep bill its nice to have the wifes support as you know, have fun being a fill in coach Im sure your son will be proud.

[Team houston]

So Dan, I got a letter from the TBF stating the state fish off is June 8th on Burt and Mullet. Is this info correct?   If so does anyone want to share a hotel 2 nights?

[djkimmel]

Yes, it is true. Sunday June 8, 2008, the day after the BFL. I imagine you'll be able to find someone to room with.

[cameraguy]

If I have the time off, I'll fish it.  Love that place.

[stackenem]

So I believe Aloha state park is on Burt so how far is it from the launch site. I may be camping up there for 4 or 5 days to try to save a little on the motel bills.

[djkimmel]

So I believe Aloha state park is on Burt so how far is it from the launch site. I may be camping up there for 4 or 5 days to try to save a little on the motel bills.

Aloha is on the NE side of Mullett Lake, less than 10 minutes from the tournament marina site. I stay there all the time. There's also a small campground - Waterways - right across the street from the tournament marina.

[stackenem]

Do you launch at the park or do you trailer to the launch site?

[djkimmel]

The past two years I've avoided the morning line by launching the night before and docking at Pier 33 for a small fee. Waterways will do the same if you camp there across the bridge.

There is limited parking at the marina and campground.

Other options are the Lincoln Bridge DNR ramp (large parking area) in Cheboygan, but it takes a solid 45 - 50 minutes no wake against the current from there to Pier 33 and you need to stay in the channel in from the big marina on down to Pier 33. Lincoln Bridge was closed for construction this year - so you had to go around through town, but I think it will be open when we get their next year.

Another option is to launch at the 1-hole shallow MDNR ramp in the far NW bay next to the marina there - parking for a little over 20 trailers with a new self pay box I believe. You're less than 1/2 mile from the Cheboygan River mouth and then a 20 minute idle with the current to Pier 33. I think I have the road and map to this ramp in an older post. I'll find it if someone needs it.

Last, you can launch at the 2 hole ramp at Aloha and park there - parking for maybe 30 trailers - run W - NW about 3 1/2 miles to the Cheboygan River mouth (2 lighted pole markers - 1 out in the lake a way and one at the end of the metal wall) and then the same 20 minute no wake with the current to Pier 33.

[Skip Johnson]

lasy year I launched at the MDNR ramp on the nw end of mullet for my prefishing but since it was a single ramp with only about 20 parking spaces I opted to play it safe in fear of the lot being full and launch at aloha for the tournament.
motocross and I launched at 3:30 so we would have plenty of time to run slow and safe to the ramp, I think it was between 5 to 8 miles just to get to the river mouth so it took a looong time just to get to the river at least an hour then another 20 minute idle down river.
I had to run to burt and burning all that fuel before blast off realy made me nervouse, fortunatley I hold 58 gallons so we made it.
this year I think Im just going to pre launch at pier 33 and keep it simple!

I realy dont understand why such a big lake has no large DNR ramp or even a maintained DNR or city ramp its terrible!
look at st clair for example you have crocker ramp 4 lanes or more and alot of parking, then theres metro wich is giant, theres harley with 12 or 16 lanes and ample parking, theres selfridge with about a dozen lanes and ample parking then theres fairhaven with 3 lanes and about 60 parking spots.

If it wasnt for the great fishing up at burt/mullet I probobly wouldnt ever think of fishing there just becouse of the bad ramp situation.

my suggestion is launch at 33 for the tournament just give yourself alot of extra time in the morning, if your prepared for the extra time you wont have any problems or stress, pier 33 is a new and very nice clean facility its worth the money to launch there.

[djkimmel]

Is it that far? 5 to 8? I'll have to check it on GPS. I thought maybe it was 4 or so, but as much as I fish up in that end of the lake, it doesn't seem that far.

The difference between St. Clair and Mullett is simply population, and supply and demand. There just aren't the several million people living nearby like St. Clair, nor the fishing demand up there.

Think of the bright side - there isn't much competition most of the time for all that great fishing!! Most of the year, if you see 10 other boats on Mullett, it is crowded. A big ramp would just sit empty most of the time and ramps are expensive, and more importantly, incredibly hard to get approved and build. I've sat through a ton of those public meetings and it is almost always a big fight, often ending up in court.

There is more demand for ramp/parking up there going out onto Lake Huron, so there is a plan that is almost final to build another large ramp in Cheboygan, but the MDNR has so little money for new ramps, there are no plans I'm aware of to build on the lakes.

The MDNR is pretty tied up already in long drawn on battles on a few other lakes farther south that have been in the works literally for years. It would help if more anglers attended and were heard at public meetings for any boat ramp since it is so hard to get a new one. I hope to get better at posting meeting notices and news in the near future.

As far as the tournaments on Mullett next year, I prefer not to run even a fairly open and safe lake in the dark, but some people will do it - quite common down south from what I've seen. I suggest if you do, keep the speed down to just on plane only if you have a very bright 'headlight' - I use a million candle spotlight to shine straight ahead of me on the very rare occasions that I have done this.

[Skip Johnson]

I could be wrong on the miles to the mouth of the river but it sure was a long ride, we didnt get on plane so it took a long time thats I all remember for sure.

[dashaver63]

Dan, did they get everything built up there at Pier 33 last summer? It was kinda scary seeing those trucks with trailers parked on the side of of that hill. I'll bet it's pretty nice there now.

[motocross269]

I could be wrong on the miles to the mouth of the river but it sure was a long ride, we didnt get on plane so it took a long time thats I all remember for sure.

It was a long dark ride..Make sure you use your lowrance tracking if you are going to go that way at night..Cast and blast remember those guys behind us that kept running aground in the river???

[djkimmel]

I could be wrong on the miles to the mouth of the river but it sure was a long ride, we didnt get on plane so it took a long time thats I all remember for sure.

Off plane, it would take a long time regardless. I'm not recommending to anyone else to run on plane at night. It is always risky. I almost never do it myself. Without a powerfull light, I just wouldn't do it ever.

[djkimmel]

Burt Lake State Park has two nice ramps and a large paved parking lot. Too bad it takes 90 minutes to get to Burt Lk when launching from Pier 33. I also fish up there because of the MONSTER BASS!

Eric, just remember, that long ride is why you don't have as much competition over there on Burt... although if you keep telling everyone about the MONSTER BASS over there... well, you may have more new friends over there. I have to agree, there are some monster bass over there. I just don't like that lake as much as I do the others.

[djkimmel]

Dan, did they get everything built up there at Pier 33 last summer? It was kinda scary seeing those trucks with trailers parked on the side of of that hill. I'll bet it's pretty nice there now.

Very limited parking on the new blacktop at the party store, although they did pull it off with a little traffic direction. I didn't really see much of that. I launched Friday afternoon and kept my boat at a dock for a small fee. Even 'found' one of those hard to find, expensive marina outlet adapters so I could charge the batteries.

I'll call the people up there before too long and see what the plans are for this year.