# St Joe Outing



## STEINFISHSKI (Jan 30, 2001)

Well I'm not sure if anybody else was there or not, but what a blast. I met with Troy (Steelhead) and Dan (Spanky) early Saturday and after breakfast with the Michigan State Police. We fished Troy's boat and decided to run south a little and trolled in 60-95 fow. Working like a well oiled machine we managed to lose our first few steelhead during the ariel display on planer boards. We finally had a fiesty steelhead coerced into the net ane with one quick wiggle came unhooked and slipped through a hole in the net. Troy and I were standing at the back of the boat, mouths agape, while the Spankster giggled like a schoolgirl at our misfortune. We mended the net and proceeded to attempt to get our first fish aboard. It was nearing 10 oclock when we hit a coho on a rigger and relied on Spanky's coho handling skills to boat our first fish which **** all over Troy's shirt. We ended up 6 for 12 or so taking a 10.5 lb king ans a 7.5 lb steelhead off wire dipseys. The water was gin clear and we could see fish darting in and out of our spread and even saw one coho hit a rigger which was pretty neat. The lake was calm and no wind, flies not biting, fish somewhat cooperating, and in great company. Thanks to Troy and Dan for inviting me along.

At around 3pm we pulled lines, gassed and docked the boat. We took a photo of our catch, the captain, and Spanky before we cleaned them.









Then we trolled Riverview park in search of other members to no avail. A quick beer resstocking and we crashed the Steelheaders Club Fish Boil. I met Mike (Salmon Bobber) and his son, ate some fish, played horseshoes, and mingled with some of the members. A great club and thanks for the hospitality.

We then regrouped and decided a run to Barneys was in order and were not disappointed. I told our waitress It was Spanky's birthday and hoped for an opportunity to repay him for laughing at us earlier that day. Here's a shot of Spanky as he pointed out the finer points of PFD safety with the ladies.










I don't know how he does it, but the chicks sure dig his action. Here's a shot of the trade secret shot he enjoyed?










Thanks again to Troy for everything, and Spanky, what can I say, I want to party again with you cowboy.


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## Spanky (Mar 21, 2001)

I am tellin ya, I am never drinkin frog piss from the jaws of a Gator again. The little honey with the glasses on was even meaner. I had to keep tellin her to keep her hands on the table! 
What a great weekend. The only shorter than the weekend was sat night"s sleepy time!What a great host and fine captain "steelhead" is. And the ammenities aboard the"wavedancer" were great! Excellent fishing vessel, and seves as a great motel too, complete with a wind chill rated air conditioner!
Stein, I hope ya said a prayer for us today, because the fish gods sure did shine on us! Those 2 boys ya seen hangin around the boat last night tagged along with troy and I today(Troy's nephews), and they put on a clinic on boating steelhead!
I think we started around 7:30-8 am and finished at noon and we were 9 for 12 with a coho skipper, a 14 lb king, and 7 steelies from 6-12 lbs. All of them steelies were a sight to behold, and the lamprey that came of the big king, had the captain dancin all over the back of the boat! 
Cont.......


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## Spanky (Mar 21, 2001)

we worked the same area as sat but the captain found us a cold water break that was holding some excellent fish. The boys didn't let us down with their ability to follow instruction and even drive the boat! What a great adventure I had this weekend, and I know Stein, and steelhead did too. I wished we coulda had a bigger turnout and a bit more organization! I also wish we coulda met up with salmonslayer and his crew on sat.Troy will post sundays catch fotos on mon, or tuesday. 

Thanks again captain for a sweet time, I will remember it for a long time.I hope they get a bigger life jacket for me at barneys next time!


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## mich buckmaster (Nov 20, 2001)

Well fellas, 

After cooking fish all morning for the little league ceremonies, I got home to a SURPRISE Bday Party with all of my friends and family. There were people there from Oregon, Florida, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and even the UP. I couldnt believe it. Then they all got me golfing this morning. I am very sorry I wasnt able to hang out with you guys, but it was out of my control. I hope you had fun, and maybe we can get some fish another time. 

Again, I am sorry for not being able to make the trip. 

Dave


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## Spanky (Mar 21, 2001)

Hey Dave, glad to hear you had a great b-day. You made the right decision. The fish were no where near the pier! The actual catching(from what we heard) started 1-2 miles north or south of the harbor. It woulda been good for the guys with small boats though. The lake was flat both days. 
We fished 6-9 miles south both days in 50-70 FOW.
Happy birthday to you.
I don't see them fish getting near the pier untill we have some cold nights, or a big south East blow to turn the water over.I think a good storm may actually change things out front too. Weather has been too stable and boring too long. The water is so clear we could see the spoons down 25-28 feet.
Some of the places we fished lit the graph up like a simulator mode at the bait store. Big clouds of bait, and then some well defined arches where the gamefish were. Today we kinda played with the fish a little, and watched the temp at the ball to set our attractor in 50 degree water and set our best spoons 5-6 ft above the attractor. It worked like a charm. We would see a nice mark come right up to look at the rigger with the doger /fly combo, and then our rigger set 5 ft higher, right next to the doger rigger would go off! A few times they tryed to grab the dodger too. The King was very anxious to have a FLY dinner!


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## SalmonSlayer (Jan 18, 2000)

Well Spanky it was a good day saturday for me and my crew of 1. I's just sorry I didn't make it back to barneys with y'all. I would have loved to meet up with stein and troy and you. Looks like i missed a good ol time! There's more of those in the future I hope.

For the day we went 4 for 6. We set lines just off the pumping station south of the piers in about 70 FOW. Put the first rigger down 45 with a black/gold proking. Grabbed the next pole and filpped the bail. First rod went off with a 8 lb skamania. Reset the first rod in the same place. Started to strip out line off the second rod and was ready to hook it into the rigger and the first rod went off again! Landed another 8 lb skamania! Reset lines and actually got all the lines out. Tried finding that spot again but no one was home. Next two hours...nothing. Then at 10 got a 5 lb skamania on a blue/red hot-n-tot down 22 on a rigger. 10:30 lost a dandy steelhead on a dipsey out 125 on 3 on a bumblebee proking magnuim. First time this lure got wet! He broke the line on the bite and took my whole setup! We saw him dancing on the surface still hooked onto the dipsey. Turned the boat aroind in hopes of getting lucky but didn't. 10:45 had a 16" chinook hammer a blk/purple glow ladder down 45 on a rigger. 11:30 lost a killer steely on black/purple glow ladderback down 44 on a rigger. Somehow he got into the rigger next to him that was down 65ft. He pulled out 150 yards of line before I could even think of reeling him in. Got him close and he put on a show to behold! That's when he got off and whenI reeled in the empty line I had the lure from the other line on it! Oh well, a fun day and got some fish too...will post picts when I get my computer back home (it died).


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## STEINFISHSKI (Jan 30, 2001)

Glad you guys laid down the smack on 'em for the boys. I did include you guys in my prayers and was sure Sunday would prove a successful day on the water for you. With Troy's rig and the exuberance of youth those fish never had a chance. Can't wait for a picture, I'd bet they were all smiles.


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## STEINFISHSKI (Jan 30, 2001)

I was sorting thru some photos after work and came accross these gems. First this looks like a bad idea from the start. No place for rodholders and just think of the wake from a cigarette boat might do to this guys plans. lol

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/1323boat1-thumb.jpg

Second After the unknown shot Spanky...well let's just say he BLEW at something that appeared in the photo at another angle.










I'll just let Spanky spew the details...   

You said you wished we had a shot of it...


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## STEINFISHSKI (Jan 30, 2001)




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## Spanky (Mar 21, 2001)

no way man, I didn't say that I wanted a shot of it, I said I wanted a shot AT it, and it wasn't no gator I was talkin about!

I woulda loved to see the look on peoples face at the boat launch when that guy in that blue car drove right into the water and kept on going. and going...and going...


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## STEELHEAD (Jan 14, 2001)

I'm glad everybody had a good time last weekend. It was a lot of fun. And, I learned a lesson -- always take more than one shirt. As for the net, I think I should invest in a new one. Spanky and Stein, we'll have to do it again some time. Maybe when kings start staging in Aug we can try another outing. And, we can go to Barney's and Spanky can visit his alligator friend and the friendly waitress.


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## Coldwater Charters (Sep 17, 2000)

Sorry I didn't get to see you guys for very long Saturday at the park. I had 3 full days in a row and Saturday's trip ran over a little and I was a walking dead man. I thought someone was going to stop at the boat and let me know what the final plan was and actualyy shoot the bull some maybe Friday night. I knew barneys was closed for breakfast, I found that out Thursday morning when me and Tyler rolled in over there at 5 AM and the remnants of a few party'rs were still there and informed us of no more morning breakfast. Of course I have no computer on the boat so I could not relay this to anyone. It was great meeting a couple guys if only a short 5 minutes before you ran off to Barneys for some unseen reason. Anyways it looks and sound like you all had a good time.


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## STEINFISHSKI (Jan 30, 2001)

Nice job fellas.

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/1204Spanky'****-med.JPG 

The Wave Dancer


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## Spanky (Mar 21, 2001)

nice pix of the boat, shoulda left the "spanky on board" sign in the window!

That dude in the picture, the speedo musta been too tight, the legs look like they are not gettin much circulation!


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