# Tippy Dam report



## mpolander (Sep 4, 2013)

Fishing sucks, weather sucks. Very few people here this weekend.


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## toto (Feb 16, 2000)

Cuz they're all at the betsie.


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## Mr Burgundy (Nov 19, 2009)

I fished it a week or so ago and did very well. We bounced spawn up at the power house and picked up quite a few fish. Was only 2 other guys down there, was actually very enjoyable the 2 days we fished it. Tight lines all


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## dinoday (Feb 22, 2004)

Last weekend we had pretty much anywhere we wanted from Friday to Tuesday. 
There was some fish, but it was tough..threw everything in the box for 1 hookup.
I did enjoy the lack of people a lot.
I'd rather have a relaxing day without a fish than deal with that mess at the Betsie.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

I saw a pic of a 23# Steelhead caught below the coffer the other day. Report was that the Brethren High School Principal caught it. Huge fat Steelie with a red blush stripe.


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## Mr Burgundy (Nov 19, 2009)

We caught a few skams while we were there. Took a beautiful brown on a spinner I tied and 3 or 4 really nice coho. And of course we hooked some kings, didnt land very many but still fun. Oh and my bad it was 3 weeks ago not last week, my bad. Was alot of fun to be down there with my pops. Had a blast fishing pretty much by ourselves. Nice cool breeze, just a tad of sun and a cold one. Rule #32, gotta enjoy the little things!


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## stickbow shooter (Dec 19, 2010)

Fishndude said:


> I saw a pic of a 23# Steelhead caught below the coffer the other day. Report was that the Brethren High School Principal caught it. Huge fat Steelie with a red blush stripe.


It was a really nice fish.


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## jrv (Nov 11, 2008)

stickbow shooter said:


> It was a really nice fish.


Fish of a lifetime! I’ll post some pics soon. When it tried to come out of the water, I thought for sure it was a fresh king, then I saw the rose colored cheeks, so I figured it was a huge Skamania... but once in the net, no fin clips and the dorsal fin was fully intact, so my guess is he’s a fall fish. Live weight on a 25lbs bogo style scale bottomed it out! Unfortunately, I let a guy hold it for a pic and he accidentally cut the gills. By the time I got it to a certified scale in Manistee, there wasn’t an ounce of blood in him and the skin was pretty dry. Certified scale said 23 lbs even, Pappy’s scale, 23.35lbs.


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## stickbow shooter (Dec 19, 2010)

jrv said:


> Fish of a lifetime! I’ll post some pics soon. When it tried to come out of the water, I thought for sure it was a fresh king, then I saw the rose colored cheeks, so I figured it was a huge Skamania... but once in the net, no fin clips and the dorsal fin was fully intact, so my guess is he’s a fall fish. Live weight on a 25lbs bogo style scale bottomed it out! Unfortunately, I let a guy hold it for a pic and he accidentally cut the gills. By the time I got it to a certified scale in Manistee, there wasn’t an ounce of blood in him and the skin was pretty dry. Certified scale said 23 lbs even, Pappy’s scale, 23.35lbs.


You lucky dog you. One for the wall for sure.


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## Trout King (May 1, 2002)

jrv said:


> Fish of a lifetime! I’ll post some pics soon. When it tried to come out of the water, I thought for sure it was a fresh king, then I saw the rose colored cheeks, so I figured it was a huge Skamania... but once in the net, no fin clips and the dorsal fin was fully intact, so my guess is he’s a fall fish. Live weight on a 25lbs bogo style scale bottomed it out! Unfortunately, I let a guy hold it for a pic and he accidentally cut the gills. By the time I got it to a certified scale in Manistee, there wasn’t an ounce of blood in him and the skin was pretty dry. Certified scale said 23 lbs even, Pappy’s scale, 23.35lbs.


Hell of a fish. A buddy sent me a pic from facebook since I don't have it anymore. Hopefully it is going on the wall. Congrats!


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## nichola8 (Oct 7, 2013)

Pic or it didn't happen....just kidding. Really wanna see a pic of that beast!

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## jrv (Nov 11, 2008)

Definitely going on the wall! Three years ago, I caught a 15lbs skam and put it on the wall. That fish is going to look like a guppy compared to this pig!


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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

That's a true trophy Michigan Steelhead! Congratulations on landing such a beast.


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## Mr Burgundy (Nov 19, 2009)

Wow, beautiful fish. Nj


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## Clum (May 11, 2015)

I still dont believe it. That dudes 5'1" and 145lbs


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## nichola8 (Oct 7, 2013)

That's funny


Clum said:


> I still dont believe it. That dudes 5'1" and 145lbs


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## jrv (Nov 11, 2008)

Clum said:


> I still dont believe it. That dudes 5'1" and 145lbs


Lol! When I was in 4th grade!


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## joe dirt (Jul 3, 2010)

Holy sh&$! Nice fish dude congrats


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## Sprytle (Jan 8, 2005)

GREAT Fish!! Congrats!...


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## 1302berkey (May 6, 2015)

Heard about this fish at pappy's this weekend, seeing the pictures WOW. Awesome catch.


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## riverbob (Jan 11, 2011)

jrv said:


> View attachment 432841
> View attachment 432843
> View attachment 432845
> 
> Definitely going on the wall! Three years ago, I caught a 15lbs skam and put it on the wall. That fish is going to look like a guppy compared to this pig!


 u did real good, but now what ya going to do, i've been trying for over 45 years to best my biggest steelie, 17#er, I came close a couple times (but I lost um), but I keep trying, but u my friend r going to have a harder time besting that fish, but don't worry u just caught a GREAT fish


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## jrv (Nov 11, 2008)

riverbob said:


> u did real good, but now what ya going to do, i've been trying for over 45 years to best my biggest steelie, 17#er, I came close a couple times (but I lost um), but I keep trying, but u my friend r going to have a harder time besting that fish, but don't worry u just caught a GREAT fish


Maybe I’ll start bowling, lol! 
Still plenty of big fish to chase!


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## riverman (Jan 9, 2002)

I wet my pants everytime I look at that fish. Congrats


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## riverbob (Jan 11, 2011)

riverman said:


> I wet my pants everytime I look at that fish. Congrats


 me too,, plus I mite ****um


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## fishdip (Dec 29, 2010)

WOW WHAT A BEAST,NICE FISH!


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## Slimits (Jun 30, 2014)

No way that beast got that big eating bugs and shiners. Thats an alewive eating pig! Wonder how many times that fish has spawned? If at all?


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## jwheelfan03 (Jun 9, 2011)

jrv said:


> Fish of a lifetime! I’ll post some pics soon. When it tried to come out of the water, I thought for sure it was a fresh king, then I saw the rose colored cheeks, so I figured it was a huge Skamania... but once in the net, no fin clips and the dorsal fin was fully intact, so my guess is he’s a fall fish. Live weight on a 25lbs bogo style scale bottomed it out! Unfortunately, I let a guy hold it for a pic and he accidentally cut the gills. By the time I got it to a certified scale in Manistee, there wasn’t an ounce of blood in him and the skin was pretty dry. Certified scale said 23 lbs even, Pappy’s scale, 23.35lbs.


I’m jealous! That’s definitely a fish of a lifetime and better prize than any king in the lake or river! Will make a beautiful mount.


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## FISHDOCTOR (Dec 8, 2010)

Very Nice fish for sure. Congrats


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

jrv said:


> View attachment 432841
> View attachment 432843
> View attachment 432845
> 
> Definitely going on the wall! Three years ago, I caught a 15lbs skam and put it on the wall. That fish is going to look like a guppy compared to this pig!


Great fish! What did you get him on?


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## jrv (Nov 11, 2008)

ausable_steelhead said:


> Great fish! What did you get him on?


A good sized, black estrus egg with some green fleck. It’s been my go-to fly since early July. I think the skams think it’s a June bug or beetle of some sort.


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## MPOW (Dec 27, 2016)

WOW!!!


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## AdamBradley (Mar 13, 2008)

Congrats! I had buddies with Facebook sending me that all day yesterday had to be 5 different guys! Lol awesome man!!!!!!!! Congrats again amazing specimen!


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## Ojh (Sep 4, 2019)

thats a Monster! I can only imagine what went thru your head when you saw the color and started thinking how old the line was, how good the knots were - fantastic job!


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Who cuts the gills on someone else's fish, especially a fish of a lifetime like that? He needs a code red in the parking lot.


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## toto (Feb 16, 2000)

Wow, that's a dream fish right there. Congrats.


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## adam bomb (Feb 27, 2006)

I spent the morning with my family then headed up around noon. I fished a ways down river from the dam to avoid the crowds. I got there at 3:30 in the afternoon and fished until 5:30 then met my friend in Cadillac for dinner. I saw fish porpoising as soon as I got to the river and that lasted about 45 minutes or so then was pretty quiet the rest of my outing. I only saw a few other bank anglers and none had hooked any fish that I talked to. They were all tossing thundersticks. I had 6 other boats fish around me, most also tossing cranks in the holes and around cover. I didn’t see any of them hook up or the guys floating skein. I mostly float fished skein and had one dunk my bobber pretty good. After a good battle it came off. About a half hour before I left I got some cloud cover and tried some casting with cranks and had one clobber a green/glow thunderstick. I didn’t have it on long and it got off as well. So Salmon 2 Adam 0....It was still a productive trip in my book and i still had fun. Despite all the rain the river wasn’t bad at all. It had some color and was high by this time of years standards but by no means bad or unfishable. I’d compare levels and flow to about the same as spring steelhead season. I’ll probably try again midweek. I did a lil goose hunt Sunday morning. Not a lot of opportunity but we killed 5. My dog made an impressive 350 yd blind retrieve on a goose we clipped as it was trying to get out of dodge. Overall a great cast n blast weekend in northern Michigan. 










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## MoJoRisin' (Jan 30, 2004)

I have only talked to 2 guys that got a 20+ steelhead....one caught in St Joe and one caught in Lud....many years ago. You are now top dog!!


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## MoJoRisin' (Jan 30, 2004)

You should cross check your 25 lb scale with some heavy weight...like a bucket with sand totaling just under 25....then you will know if it was truly over 25 at least. Did you get the DNR to see it?


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

jrv said:


> A good sized, black estrus egg with some green fleck. It’s been my go-to fly since early July. I think the skams think it’s a June bug or beetle of some sort.


Very likely. Nice job bro


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

I think the skams think it’s a June bug or beetle of some sort.


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## adam bomb (Feb 27, 2006)

Far Beyond Driven said:


> I think the skams think it’s a June bug or beetle of some sort.
> 
> View attachment 433221


Finally something that likes stink bugs.....


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## koditten (Sep 3, 2016)

Did you measure how long that fish was?


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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

Far Beyond Driven said:


> I think the skams think it’s a June bug or beetle of some sort.


That picture you posted reminds me of a guide I knew who was a dry fly fanatic. He just loved to fool a fish by getting them to rise to the surface. Anyway, he would go out into lake Michigan and locate the scum line and fish bumble bee patterns with a 5 weight. Dude used to slay Steelhead that way. It's pretty unique to be able to say you've landed double digit Steelhead on dry flies in Michigan aside from the odd Summer-run during the Hexagenia hatch.


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## jrv (Nov 11, 2008)

MoJoRisin' said:


> You should cross check your 25 lb scale with some heavy weight...like a bucket with sand totaling just under 25....then you will know if it was truly over 25 at least. Did you get the DNR to see it?


I called the DNR office and it was closed, so I called the RAP line and asked for someone to verify the fish, but no one was is the area.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Oddly enough we caught that steel on a wire diver meat rig near the bottom in 80', in July with no lake flip or scum lines lately.


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## riverbob (Jan 11, 2011)

Far Beyond Driven said:


> I think the skams think it’s a June bug or beetle of some sort.
> 
> View attachment 433221





Far Beyond Driven said:


> Oddly enough we caught that steel on a wire diver meat rig near the bottom in 80', in July with no lake flip or scum lines lately.


 the eggs look dam near fishable


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Two small bags?


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## Fur n Fins 1982 (Jan 3, 2014)

Congrats on the fish of a lifetime. That is bar none the most impressive fish I’ve seen all year of any species. Also glad to see it came out of what I consider home waters as crazy as Tippy gets it always is my favorite place to fish we’ve had a cabin within 15 minutes of there since I was 15


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## salmon_slayer06 (Mar 19, 2006)

Just seen picture for first time congrats on landing that one. A fish half that size is a monster. Can't even imagine catching one that big


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## MoJoRisin' (Jan 30, 2004)

....DNR missed out big time on this one! Anyone checked on the last time there was one that would even come close on the Master Angler list?


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## jmaddog8807 (Oct 6, 2009)

MoJoRisin' said:


> ....DNR missed out big time on this one! Anyone checked on the last time there was one that would even come close on the Master Angler list?


There's a lot of really good fisherman out there that don't care about master anglers and records that catch some really nice fish, not all the time, but it does happen. Just b/c social media doesn't see it, doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Hell of a fish though, not trying to take away from it by any means.


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## laserstraight (Jun 17, 2004)

Nice Fish!


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## Treven (Feb 21, 2006)

I'm a huge proponent of not killing trophy fish and then having a replica made, but if a gigantor steelhead had to die somewhere, Tippy is the best place for it, IMO!

Heck, I probably would have went against my feelings and killed it regardless, so some salmon snagger didn't have the opportunity to snag it after I released it. They don't deserve such a magnificent fish that way.

AWESOME FISH!!!


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