Here is the lone ranger, Mike Schwister, in his new Hobie and one of over 200 fish that came aboard during his Easter week trip to the Honeymoon Island area near Dunedin Florida. Mike reported tons of Specks, and then a mixed bag of Reds, Spanish mackerel, little sharks, and whatever else that would eat a Gulp! Shrimp on a Do-It jig head. This is an incredible inshore fishery and it’s good to see and hear that it is recovering after a historically wicked winter. Doesn’t this shot make you want to soak up a little Florida sun?

The Report

It remains a weird spring. There are some good fish out there for the shore fisherman, but there have never been good concentrations of them in any one spot. It has been straggler fishing all spring. Spoons, Thundersticks, small crankbaits like Storms Flat Wart, jigging spoons (Do-It Flutter jigs), and 3/16th white marabou jigs have all had some action, but there is no “can’t miss” pattern or hot spot along the Milwaukee lake front.

The good news is that there have been a few boats trolling just outside the harbor and picking up a few 10 to 12 pound Kings. History usually shows that when the Kings show up it’s because the Alewives are moving in. I also see the birds following the boats out of the harbor, which is another tell tale sign. I’ll be out this weekend doing some recon work to see if I can find them.

The steelhead run is all but over. Stream temps are quite high for what we are normally used to. The tributaries are full of suckers right now.

I’m trying to get a handle on why the Power Plant in Oak Creek is so slow. Not much going on at all and the discharge water is not all that warm.

Till next time, tight lines and smooth drags.
Marc