|
Post by fishoil on Sept 7, 2016 10:50:23 GMT -5
The board has been pretty quiet lately so I figured a good fishing report was needed, even if it is a Michigan one. I took a trip this past Friday to the Rock with my boat, first time on my own. I'd been out there twice previously on charters out of Marquette with Daybreak - John does a fantastic job, he's who you want if you're going to hire someone for Stannard Rock. We headed out well before sunrise into a leftover swell from the previous day. It's a 45 mile run so it took close to 2 hours to get there but when we did the sun peeked above the horizon and the wind gods smiled at us. It was calm, with just enough wind and current to set up some nice drifts across the structure. We used light spinning gear, 3 oz jigs, and cut bait. We tried casting spoons shallow early without any action so we stuck with the jigs for the rest of the day. There is a ton of structure out there and the trick is finding the spots that hold fish, if you don't see good numbers of fish on the graph you move on until you do. Once you find them the action can be fast and furious, with three of us we had numerous doubles and quite a few triples. I have no idea how many trout we caught but would guess it was over 50 with at least that many more lost after hooking up. We took a dozen eating size fish home for the grill and one big one at 25 lbs that will probably end up on a buddy's wall. It would have been released but after 15 minutes of trying to revive it, without so much as a tail shake, it went into the cooler. If the Rock isn't on your list of places to get to it should be, it's a very special place.
|
|
|
Post by saugeye on Sept 7, 2016 15:19:36 GMT -5
I would love to go out there some day. It would have to be very good conditions. And a bigger boat. I fished superior for 20 years. I know what that lake is capable of.
|
|
|
Post by fishoil on Sept 7, 2016 17:50:37 GMT -5
It's not a place you want to go with a small boat, Superior can be brutal and you are a long ways from shore. We had a calm to 1 foot forecast and still plowed through rough seas for the last 10 miles of the ride in. Stannard Rock is the main reason I went to a bigger boat with twin engines this year, I didn't want to make that run in my 25' Trophy.
|
|
|
Post by saugeye on Sept 7, 2016 23:09:32 GMT -5
I was thinking of a boat 32'+ with twins. Also have another boat make the run out there
|
|
|
Post by saugeye on Sept 7, 2016 23:11:09 GMT -5
Is Marquette the closest port?
|
|
|
Post by fishoil on Sept 8, 2016 6:43:54 GMT -5
I think Big Bay is the closest but it's still over 30 miles to the near side of the reef. I don't know if you can launch a 32' boat there but I'm planning to try it for my 25 footer next time out. I drove up there last year and it looked like a pretty decent ramp.
|
|
|
Post by saugeye on Sept 8, 2016 10:50:59 GMT -5
I would probably hire a charter knowing the distance is a factor. And hire a captain that would play the weather and cancel of conditions are bad
|
|
BlackOut
Full Member
BIRD IS THE WORD
Posts: 1,287
|
Post by BlackOut on Sept 9, 2016 8:41:40 GMT -5
Great report Steve! Glad u made it out
|
|
|
Post by fishoil on Sept 14, 2016 9:12:53 GMT -5
Thanks Cody. We did the charter with John during the KD that I talked to you about and had a great time but there's nothing better than being out there in your own boat. This trip was very memorable being that it was the first on my own. I see quite a few trips out there for next year now that I've got the right boat and enough experience to feel comfortable. I'd like another trip this year but I don't think it's likely with the winds we get this late in the year.
|
|