New to great lakes fishing??

[baggerslimm]

Hello..  I'm new to this board and i'm trying to find out some info..  I live south of Gary, In and want to start fishing for Smallies on Lake Michigan..  I've never really fished for them on it..   So can you fella's give me some pointers to get started.. Baits seasonal patterns etc...   Thank you for your help!!!  Gary

[TritonTR20]

Not much in lake michigan for them to hang around. There are some rock piles ect. though that are hard to find. Although in your area they hang around the dock walls and pilings alot. As you move towards East Chicago there is more lake structure in the 10-25ft range. Tubes and cranks are always good.

[djkimmel]

I haven't tried it, but I've heard it is all about harbors in the very south end of Lake Michigan?

[djkimmel]

Oh - and welcome to GreatLakesBass.com. Thanks for signing up!

[baggerslimm]

Thanks for the replies...  Can you explain to me about dragging a tube..  If you were fishing 15-20ft of water what size weight would I like to start with??  Thanks Slimm

[River Rat]

Welcome aboard!  Not sure about your area, sorry...

Dragging a tube: let the current or wind drift you across a "target area" such as rocks, shoals, hole or depression, or a grass patch all by itself, etc. while dragging the tube at a 45 degree angle from your boat.  Start with maybe 1/8oz and work your way up heavier if you can't "feel" the bottom.  I'm sure someone here will be able to help you more indepth.

Scott

[Skulley]

I have fished all over that area.  My sister lives in Chicago.  Try all the harbors.  Not a lot of rock piles.  I have always done good right outside the rock rip rap near downtown.  That's where Woo Daves won the Classic a few years back.  Good luck and welcome to the forum.

BD         

[baggerslimm]

BigDog I was there when Woo One!!!   As rough as it was They did alright...    I went out today and caught some nice fish!!  I tried to fish all the wind blown areas the best I could..  I'm slowley learning that when I think i'm useing a heavy weight I need to go with more weight!! I'm looking for someone who makes a 2/0 light wire jighead in the 1/4,5/16,3/8 range?    Thanks slimm

[gamehawg]

does anyone know where the closest boat launch is to gary or east chicago?

[baggerslimm]

GameHawg, You can put in at Pastrick Marine..  You might want to get there early..  Fills up quick with pleasure boaters..  You can put in at Portage also..  Just follow the signs North of Bass Pro..  You can Im me for anymore info..   Slimm

[yankee jigger]

  Hey guys,im new here.Love the site and love fishing for smallmouth.
  I did my first LM trip last sunday a.m.Lost 1 fish at the boat and seen a few caught.
  Launched out of Pastric and fished the north shoreline as well as the bridge pilings just out of the harbor.Kind of windy so didnt venture out too far.
   Its amazing water clarity too.
   Im more of a stained water fisherman so it will be a learning curve.My best great lakes smallie is a 20 incher at Chequamegon Bay on my eighth anniversary in 2006.
   Launch out of Pastric is easy in/easy out.Id launch out of Chicago but too many headaches.

[baggerslimm]

Yankee jigger send me a im and i'll try to help you !!  It took 17lbs to win the anglers dream last Sat..  It was rough 4'-6'ers out side the break wall..

[yankee jigger]

  Thanks for the tips Gary and the phone conversation.
  The tube bait thing didnt pan out,did take a wave over the boat by the stacks,but.....
  Did manage 1 18 in smallmouth on a drop shot rig,watermelon finesse worm at the marina entrance.
  Now i have to figure out how to overcome the short strikes.

[baggerslimm]

Glad to hear!!  Little rough out there today!! 

[baggerslimm]

I do believe that some of the short strikes are the larger goby's!!  We get  goby's in the srainers at work up to 5" long..  slimm

[yankee jigger]

   I had the same thought but the 1 fish i did catch,all i felt was a light tap.
   Man,that wind was nasty.

[Mojo]

short strikes ? what rod and reel ? What line are you using ?

I found the Shimano crucial 6'8' med w xf tip works well with 10 lb floro - start with a 1/2 wt on your tubes first and learn what it feels like when you are ticking weeds, zebra mussels, rocks and clay/sand. If you feel or reel in weeds amongst the rocks, bring the wt up to 3/8 and try popping or imagine the tube bumping just off the bottom. I'll cast my tube out 20 yd and slow retrieve pop and fish it back to the boat.You'll start to feel the SM hits better that way and you'll learn that if the SM hit that tube but arent there when you swing, try dropping slack if you miss em , they sometimes come back and when you pick up the slack you feel weight, set the hook again! Like Yukon says: Hooksets are free !!! On the 3 - 5 lb fish, most times you rarely feel the hit and for some reason I delay set my hook by 2 sec - reel down and swing, 3 of 5 times theres a fish.

If you are fishing DS, go down to 8 lb floro. Gulp! minnow 3" will get you more gobie shakes, but will also attract 10 - 23 inch smallies (SM). Good search bait and SM never short strike it. Use a small owner ssw straight shank 1 hook or a gama DS hook - smaller the better. Start again with 1/2 wt to learn how that rig feels on the different bottoms before you lighten up. Its all current and drift speed dependent. I like to vertically drag and wiggle my DS. On most of the 5 lb fish we caught I never felt the hit, when I lift to bump the bait forward it feels snagged, so I set the hook and it sets back !!

[baggerslimm]

Mojo, Thanks for the info!!  I'm useing a  a 7'mlef crucial now..  I just picked up a 7'6" mef st.croix legend elite..  When Drop sotting with the shimano I never felt the bite..  The st.croix is way better rod!!  That is the one thing i'm learning that bottom contact is critcal..  I never fished 20'-30' of water before..  Never d.s. until this year..  Been throwing the standard baits and the bite has been tough!!  Been a North wind for 3 weeks..  No good fish all have been in the 10"-14" range..  And not to many of them..  I'm learning so I guess it just takes time..   thanks slimm

[Mojo]

7'6" is just too much rod for me. Maybe when you are fishing 40 - 50 fow, but in 2 - 30 fow, I can sense everything in the world with that crucial. Im also now at a point where I fish 3/8 when everyone is fishing 1/2, and 1/4 when everyone has 3/8.  8 - 12 inch tag line, tiny hook. 8 lb F vertical lift and Im all set !!! Love the DS !

[bigjc]

I'm looking for someone who makes a 2/0 light wire jighead in the 1/4,5/16,3/8 range?    Thanks slimm

Try Xtreme Bass Tackle, Wayne has a good assortment of tube jigheads available in a number of sizes and he is one of the sponsors of this site.

http://www.combat-bassfishing.com/