Rod Holders Are for SERIOUS Fishing!
Fishing for salmon in Lake Michigan is a treat for any avid angler. On a hot August morning when you fire up the engines and head down the Manistee at 5:00 a.m. there couldn’t be a better feeling. The night before you made sure all your gear is functional, rods, reels, rod holders, downriggers, GPS, fishfinder and rocket launchers. The ride takes about 15 minutes depending on the height of the seas. Lake Michigan can be like the ocean when the wind kicks up, a bit scary for the novice and no joke for the experienced seaman.
Once you reach the target the fishfinder identifies salmon in the area and the downriggers are lowered and the action begins. Just before daylight arrives you get the first call “Fish-On”, oh boy it’s a double! Get the other lines and downriggers up and out of the way this is going to be fun, but before they can be hauled up another fish is on the line, now it is getting hairy in the cockpit. Are we going to be able to get these fish in the boat, we still need the other lines cleared.
The lines are pulled and the rods are stuck in the rocket launcher, we have plenty of room now, get the net ready. Good thing we have a long handle this guy doesn’t want to get near the boat and he still has a lot of fight left. Move him up slowly so we can get the net in behind him, OK he’s in. What about the other fish, he is still jumping but I think he is hooked solid. Keep the boat on a straight path we don’t want him to get under it. Now the net goes down and the fish comes in, another 17 lb Salmon.
This is the best, we have only been fishing for 20 minutes and have two very nice salmon in the cooler. The rocket launcher came in handy and the adjustable rod holders from helped make it a successful run. Now lets get the lines down and see if we can limit out.