coho help please

[fishinator]

Hey guys, I have never even purchased a salmon stamp before but plan to do so on Tuesday. I was just wondering if anyone can give me the basics on what to do at mc pier (or any other productive areas). I know nothing about these fish. I was wondering about line size, baits, techniques and any other helpful information. Thanks in advance.

[MisterIzzo]

Bait: uncooked shrimp, spawn sacks, nightcrawlers
Rig:  hook/sinker/slip bobber
Depth:  4-6ft
Line:  varies.  I use ultra-light gear for a better fight, but most I've seen out there use heavy poles with what looks like 12-20# line
Lures: spinners, spoons
Color: Bright colors due to murky water; orange, chart, etc.

Bring a long handled net to reach, or make sure you are using a heavier line that you can lift them up along the seawall.  Otherwise make friends with a neighboring fisherman and ask for their assistance.

Hope this helps.

[chicagill34]

Mister pretty much nailed it on the head but you can also try squid also if you have it....

[RoeBoat]

Mister pretty much nailed it on the head but you can also try squid also if you have it....

Do you go up there very often?

[Boomer]

I like to use 8lb line.  Small spoons (glo in dark at night is good idea) are a good choice. Live bait or shrimp. I like smaller shrimp - cooked or uncooked. Circle hooks size 6 or 8.  Friend just sent me some info - last night she did well near the bottom while her friends were playing around with some crank baits. They caught fish too.  She said it was a little slow today but they would be back out this afternoon.

If you really get into it a noodle rod of eight to ten feet is definitely worth the money.

Just DO NOT set a rod down on the pier and think you will grab it when you get a bite ! ! ! Have seen many rods go off the pier before the owner knew what happened.  Watch the locals and ask questions. Most will be helpful.  Have fun and let us know how you did.

[northrn-duck-assassin]

trollin, trollin, trollin!!! 

[fishinator]

Thanks for the replies. I have heard a north wind can mess things up at the pier. Any other weather conditions that improve or decrease the action? They are calling for a little warmer temps this week, I assume that would improve the bite?

[northrn-duck-assassin]

"east is the least"

i will be out everyday possible from here on out, warmer/calmer days are better but the crappy days u can still get fish, just gotta go deeper.

[wallydiven]

"east is the least"

i will be out everyday possible from here on out, warmer/calmer days are better but the crappy days u can still get fish, just gotta go deeper.

East winds bring a good current in. Lots of good fish activity on those days out there.

[northrn-duck-assassin]

East winds bring a good current in. Lots of good fish activity on those days out there.

have yet to have a good day fishing on an east wind big or small bodies of water. also heard of this from many numerous charter captains.. ??!?!?!!  but every dog does have his day

[Boomer]

Wind out of the west, fish bite best . . . Wind out of the east, fish bite least.

Then again, I try to go fishing whenever I get the chance.

[northrn-duck-assassin]

pulled a two man ticket today quick! then fun fished for a little bit. pullin cranks. got 3 on flat lines, everything else came off the boards. 20-45 back. 1.7-1.9 for speed

[gruntngrin]

Is burns open to get boats out to main lake?

[northrn-duck-assassin]

Is burns open to get boats out to main lake?

portage has been open. just watch the winds and ice pack. goin northeast for rest of week starting tuesday. pastrick isnt lajnching boats, docks got smashed up from ice. everyone else is open.

[gruntngrin]

portage has been open. just watch the winds and ice pack. goin northeast for rest of week starting tuesday. pastrick isnt lajnching boats, docks got smashed up from ice. everyone else is open.

Only had my boat out of burns twice n had a blast,17 ft lowe. Whats the best wind direction

[northrn-duck-assassin]

Only had my boat out of burns twice n had a blast,17 ft lowe. Whats the best wind direction

southward by far.. but a light west and north wind can be done depending on previous days winds and ur experience and comfort levels with big water and boat.

[northrn-duck-assassin]

pulled another two man ticket this morning. casting from the rocks, boys tight lining wetent doing very much, 8 guys running tight lines think i seen 3 fish all day. took a buddy out for his first time ever he had a blast. he dropped a nice brown on a rattle trap while i was jumpin across rocks to get the net to him. orange was key color

[Ice Rat]

East and SE winds will upwell colder water inshore at MC meaning that if you fishing for summer steelhead bingo! You will find great water temps after a couple days of that in the summer if not on the pier the break may be 30ft down which is where the fishhawk comes in handy. Now it has opposite effect in spring. East wind condenses warmer water on western shore. In the spring I've done good on the pier on every wind imaginable trolling is just knowing where to look they are there plus in MC you have the warmer river water concetrating them. Its amazing how many guys are running right past good fishing to combat fish in the popualr areas right now but its pretty much all good right now even shore. North winds can mess the pier up but with experience you will find out how productive it can be even in the worst condtitions. I've absolutly stomped em numerous times when waves were rolling over the wall and noone else was catching anything and the vis was less then 2 ft. Salmon have a much better sense of smell then most people thing and can find baits in some pretty dingy water. Some of the areas I fish I wait for good north winds to chase browns because thats when the warm water is packed tight to shore with the added chop and reduced vis the big boys 20+lbers can be vulnerable and 6-10s are a dime a dz at times. Now finding areas that are good in 10 plus ft waves obviously where your life is not at risk is not easy but once you find em they can be brown trout honey holes.

[northrn-duck-assassin]

East and SE winds will upwell colder water inshore at MC meaning that if you fishing for summer steelhead bingo! You will find great water temps after a couple days of that in the summer if not on the pier the break may be 30ft down which is where the fishhawk comes in handy. Now it has opposite effect in spring. East wind condenses warmer water on western shore. In the spring I've done good on the pier on every wind imaginable trolling is just knowing where to look they are there plus in MC you have the warmer river water concetrating them. Its amazing how many guys are running right past good fishing to combat fish in the popualr areas right now but its pretty much all good right now even shore. North winds can mess the pier up but with experience you will find out how productive it can be even in the worst condtitions. I've absolutly stomped em numerous times when waves were rolling over the wall and noone else was catching anything and the vis was less then 2 ft. Salmon have a much better sense of smell then most people thing and can find baits in some pretty dingy water.

my statement was that DURING the east wind, fish dont want to bite. dont know what it is and wpuld like to hear some scientifiv reasoning to it. over in new zealand the west wind is their enemy like east is ours. what gives??!

my reference was DURING the eastward blow, fish have a closed lock jaw. now the

[Ice Rat]

East winds in MC upwell or pull up the colder water on the bottom layer essentially dropping the water temp just a few degrees this time of year. That may not seem like much but when that happens you loose your attraction to the shore and fish scatter making fishing tougher becasue they are less concentrated. As soon as you get a North or West wind the warm water will condense against the shoreline by MC and the fish will then concentrate again around the warmer water. Spring coho are like piranas if they are there they are munching but fishing becomes tougher on East winds once the basin gets to warm for there liking. Thats not to say you can't have good days on East winds but your more likely to do better on your westerly or Northerly winds good thing thats the majority of our winds anyways. Good luck tight lines plenty of coho around for us all. I've been asked a lot of times when should guys go when it will be good and the only thing I can say is just go when you can becasue you never know with shore fishing in the spring. It only lasts a couple months so would you want to wait all spring for "the day" or have a bunch of 2-4 fish days with a few really good days mixed in? I would rather head out and catch 2 or 3 then sit at home. 

[northrn-duck-assassin]

im stayin home on an east wind no matter what the body of water is. yhe big pond or not, fish just dont bite on an east wind. and fish surely dont 'migrate' near as much on inland lakes like walleye of erie or salmon on michigan. yet that east wind, bljegill, green carp, crappie, perch...they just dont want to bite. for someone that is looking to shore fish the coho or steelhead or kings and has a great distance to travel, if the forecast is east, i put my money on stay home!! the other day (sunday) launched at about noon, onshore wind was out of the south, offshore wind was north. things like that u cant help. but my opinion and advice is stay away from the east winds. wait a day or two till it switches.

[ftwwalleye]

I had luck yesterday at trail creek in mc. I didn't make it out to the pier. Shrimp was 26th only thing I was getting bites on. The bought spawn sacs don't work well for me.....fresh spawn works best