Welcome to this week's blog
posting from BIG BIRD CHARTERS. Fishing in Southwest MI. in Saint Joseph, MI. has had it's great days and challenging days. Whether the
fishing is exceptionally great, or our skills are put to the test....we
always fish hard to have the best day possible. The weather has been
very inconsistent, which reflects on the fishing. Regardless, we always
have a great time on the water with the fine folks that join us!
The deck got very fishy on this trip. Steelhead (Rainbow Trout), Coho Salmon, and Lake Trout have been prevalent in their spring feeding. The highly revered King Salmon of Lake Michigan have been scattered out and not present in great numbers. This is due partly to the decrease in the hatchery of King Salmon because of a
low population in Alewife, which are the preferred diet of our mighty King Salmon. This is a balancing act of the food chain from predator to prey. Not to worry, as the DNR balances the King Salmon fishery, our other salmon and trout fish species keep the allure of Lake Michigan Sport Fishing alive and thriving.
As we return from our fishing trips, this is just one of many things we see coming in. The mighty MISSISSAGI is offloading salt as many boaters make their way around "her". It is quite impressive how these massive cargo ships navigate the narrow St. Joseph River.
We had a great time with our IL. crew. It was a calm, beautiful, smooth day on the water. This day presented it's challenges, but we came out on top. 7 caught, 4 to 5 other that didn't stick on the hook, and all while dealing with massive cottonwood build up on our fising lines.
Great trip with Dan and the wrecking crew! We had fast action in the morning and then it slowed down by late morning. We had 15 or so bites with 9 fish landed. Coho Salmon and Steelhead came primarily in the top 20 foot of the water column in 280 foot of water. Lake Trout are still all over the water column biting from the surface to the bottom. You guys were great and thanks for the comraderie fellas!
We are catching alot of 1-2 year old fish as we typically do this time of the season. Altough they are smaller fish, they supply fast action and are the best eating, especially the Coho Salmon. To the left are 2 King Salmon, also known as Chinook Salmon. Kings put on a show and are the most challenging to fight and land in the boat. We are starting to notice bigger Coho and Steelhead as we move along in our season. Soon, big Steelhead and Skamani will be peeling our lines. For those that have not experienced our sky-rocketing Steelhead, your missing out! June is always a great month for these fighters. For those interested, reserve your charter now to get in on the action!
This last picture was taken a few days ago from an afternoon trip. 2 Lake Trout, 1 King, and 3 Coho Salmon had these boys grinnin' from ear to ear. We love having children aboard because for most, these are the biggest fish they have ever caught and their excitement is more than words can explain. It's always great when the fishing is non-stop and we can get everyone's limit, but that just doesn't happen every day. With 6 in the box and stories of the fish that got away, this was a successfull day with the Mimnito Family. Good times and memories down the road!
At Big Bird Charters, we would be happy to hear from any and all of you about questions you may have about our fishery and what we do here. For those that would just like to talk fishing and share any fish tales, just drop us a line in our blog box!
Thanks to all that follow us and support what we do. Till next week, Bird's The Word.
-CAPTAIN ERIC
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g42673-d6212968-Reviews-Big_Bird_Charters-Saint_Joseph_Berrien_County_Michigan.html
