Houghton Lake in Michigan

[dreamcatcher]

Anybody got any feedback from this honey hole? I am tired of fishing in these high pressurized, overfished areas and Houghton is reputed to be one of the best catfish lakes in the state that doesn't get fished for catfish. Sounds like a plan to me, now all we have to do is formulate that plan. Where is this in relation to Bay City? Marlette? Ithaca? In hours? Minutes? No, it may not have flatheads, but who cares? There's supposedly some monster channels in there that are itching for a fight. I'm going to do my own research, but let's get some dialogue going...as Sparky would say we need to catch these things before the meat gets to soft. What do you say? Fill up the freezer with some prime catfish fillets? Talk to me...

[Sparky Larson]

Houghton Lake is about 2 1/2 Hrs. from Marlette, so about 1 1/2 hrs from Bay City. I'm ready to go just about any time. I have to shoot a turkey sometime next week, but I'm ready.
There are some camp grounds (3) on or near the lake, not to mention I have a friend that lives in Harrison.
Sparky

[Sparky Larson]

Hey Vic,
When you said that there are no Flatties in Houghton Lake, Keep in mind, that lake is the head waters to the Muskegon River!
Sparky

[dreamcatcher]

Sparky,

I really didn't mean to say there weren't any flatheads. There might be some by chance...the only thing I'm saying is that sucker outing opened my eyes to the other possibilities. Getting into some potentially large channels isn't a bad thing either. When the one guy(forgot his name) was talking about the catfish in that lake I know that he wasn't pulling our chain. Oh by the way, that reel works like a charm now. You can't cast it in freespool like most other reels. There is another position that you set for casting.

Hey Don, you listening to this conversation? LOL.

[hear_kitty]

im here just thinking that as many boats and jet skis that spot might be better during the week

[dreamcatcher]

Like on a Thursday or Friday perhaps? They don't jet ski at night do they, or do you have to be off the lake at a certain hour? Sparky, you said Harrison is the nearest town to the lake? Has anyone ever been there? Where is Sal? So many questions...LOL.

[Sparky Larson]

You miss understood me! I have a friend in Harrison, She might be able to put up a couple of us, is what I was getting at.
The closest town is Houghton Lake, or Prudenville.
Sparky
P.S
The best thing though is to camp on the Lake.

[Sparky Larson]

I don't know for sure, but like most lakes, they usually have a no wake law from 6:00pm or 8:00pm til 9:00am.
As far as Sal goes, I think he is taking a little brake!
Sparky

[hear_kitty]

How the h ll did that google ad get in here!

[dreamcatcher]

Don, they are all over the site. What's the quickest way to get info on the lake Sparky? I know it's still cold at night right now, but we could do still do it. Unless you guys want to wait until it warms up a little for night fishing.

[RiverKat]

I could be wrong guys but I think the State record Channel came from Houghton lake. Back in the 60's maybe. There has got to be some big fish there. Don't forget about Croton and Hardy impoundments. They are both Muskegon river reservoirs. I have personaly seen 2 large Channel cats in the upper teens come out of these waters caught on accident by walleye anglers. So many lakes......... so little time.

[hear_kitty]

State record houghton lake 1960 40lbs by Dick latarski then 1964 40lbs 41.50" by Richard French.The dnr sight has a lake map and stocking info on houghton lake this coud be worth a trip!

[sal_jr]

Houghton Lake-

Im gonna be targeting Houghton, Cadillac, Lake City, and Mitchell this summer. My inlaws live in Cadillac and that means free room and board and free parking all summer.

I havent been on Houghton myself but once and I was a lil guy- Its a pain of a lake to fish because of all the pleasure boaters and jetski-ers.

Whenever you fella want to try, just gimme a hollar.

989-875-4044

Sal


By the way- I was out of the elizabeth marina near Gross Isle on the Detroit River this weekend- 40 walleye hooked, 15 boated.. in only 3 hours. Helluva mornin!

Keep yer lines tight.

[dreamcatcher]

Thanks Dan, for sharing that experience about the channel cats. Is it true people don't target the cats there? You said they were caught by accident fishing for walleye.

Sal, that was a great morning. That's the kind of fishing you enjoy because you don't have to be out there all day long.

Okay, we're talking about it, but when are we going to do it? Ideas?

[RiverKat]

Thanks Dan, for sharing that experience about the channel cats. Is it true people don't target the cats there? You said they were caught by accident fishing for walleye. Sal, that was a great morning. That's the kind of fishing you enjoy because you don't have to be out there all day long.

Okay, we're talking about it, but when are we going to do it? Ideas? Yup, no body targets them there. Everybody wants to catch walleye there. There are alot of nice bluegills there too, and hardly anyones fishing for them either. My old man caught the 2 fish I mentioned while trolling at night for walleye. Caught them on black and silver Shad Raps! They were slobs, real fat fish. There is a deep old river channel that meanders through the lake. It's about 60-70 ft average depth. If a guy could find some wood cover or other fish holding structure near that channel he might find a cat or 2. I've also heard stories from local divers working on the dam that have seen HUGE lake Sturgeon as well as some very large catfish. It would be alot of fun hooking a 200 lb Sturgeon on accident would'nt it? I live less than an hour from both Croton and Hardy ponds, and grew up spending my Summers at Hardy at my families cabin. If you want to give it a try let me Know. I tried last May for cats at Hardy pond with some fresh cut bait. Darn Pike kept harrassing me. Landed a nice 36 incher. I guess they like cutbait too.

[dreamcatcher]

Dan, I'm not opposed to "accidentally" hooking a pike or two? I'm told they are actually pretty tasty if prepared properly, right Sparky? However, it is the catfish, and now that you mentioned it, the bluegill that I'm after. LOL. Catching a bunch of bluegill is just as good or better than the catfish. LOL. I can't throw out any dates not knowing you guys schedules, but it looks like end of April or early May might be a good time to hit it initially. Temps should be tolerable by then to do some night fishing.

Vic

[Cattledogz]

There is great fishing all over that area guys! Before moving here to NC I lived in Cadillac and I grew up fishing with my dad.
Lakes Cadillac and Mitchell both offer some great fishing if you go when the pleasure boaters and PWC are off the water.
Houghton Lake really is a honey hole if you are not after what the majority of fisherman are after. Cats and bream are grand there! Wish I could go along....lol

[Sparky Larson]

Vic,
Any date is good for me, but the bluegills won't be on their beds til mid to late May. Of course that doesn't mean you can't catch them, if you know where to go. What we have to remember is, Houghton Lake is a hugh lake! If I'm not mistaken, it is the largest inland lake in the State. So with that in mind, we better do our home work on where to fish.
Sparky

[Sparky Larson]

By the way, as far as eating pike goes, I'm King cook of the cold water Nothern Pike and there is nothing better. You take a 24 to 28 inch pike filet him out to where there are no Y bones in them, and you have yourself some of the finest table fare you could ask for.
Sparky

[hear_kitty]

Check this out http:www.houghtonlakefishing.com/ just run acrossed it.

[dreamcatcher]

I can't get this place off my mind!!! Fellows, from now to sometime in June let's do our homework, and share any information we find on this undiscovered catfish hotbed! This is not hype!!! I just spoke to a guy that works at Lyman's on the Lake (bait shop) trying to get some information on the catfishing. He told me, get this, "It's unfortunate that NOBODY fishes for the catfish here. A friend of mine caught a 30 pounder by mistake fishing for walleye. You know there are some big ones in here, because every now and then you hook up to one that you absolutely can't do anything with. It's like hooking up to the back of a car in motion." Sturgeon, perhaps? Maybe flathead? If those are channels I should be there already. LOL. Then he proceeded to tell me about the state record, and other stuff like the weather, lodging, and such. Then I asked him if he knew the difference between a flathead and a channel, and he replied, "Like I said, no one knows anything about the catfish.:D" (big Cheshire grin crosses Vic's face) "Are you kidding me?", I asked. He said, "Nope, it's that bad unfortunately.

My only reply to you brothers is, "Are you feeling me on this one?"

Average depth on the lake is 8 feet, does have holes up to 18 foot...best time to go for night fishing he says is May into June. The Muskegon River is located in the northwestern section of the lake. Supposedly there is an area between the lake and the river where the state record was caught. That area might be an initial place to target them. We can get all the local info we need from Lyman's, which is one of two bait shops in the area. We have to work this one out as a two day fishing trip. Maybe evening, all nighter on the first day, and do the same thing the next. The research is on from this end, and Don thanks for the lodging info. Not too bad, if we split it in two. The only thing is check-in time is 3p.m.:confused:

[hear_kitty]

Here is some more info http://www.michigandnr.com/fishstock/default.asp just somthing to look at.

[dreamcatcher]

Don, I'm not really sure how that database is supposed to work. I filled in the fields, and didn't get anything in return.

[dreamcatcher]

Okay, I think I'm feeling you on this one. There is no data because there is no stocking. I filled in the walleye information and got feedback.

[sal_jr]

Guys,

If I dont get the new promotion, I plan to be there or near there from June 10th to the 17th. That will be my one big trip of the year- but that week I plan to be either there or mitchell or Cadillac or missaukee depending on the fishing reports- and theyre all within 40 minutes of each other. I will be VERY happy to take any of you out on the big lake if I go.

If I dont then it will be the weekend of the 10th and 11th only.

NOW...

If this happens, I will need a day to gather info on the lake- mark spots, plan an attack, and gather bait. That will set me up for a night on the water, and I'd like to spend the night out there once at least. Twice or more if I get the week to myself.

I have room for 6 passengers on the boat, but only enough seats for 3 besides myself. With a couple of folding chairs we can sure have a helluva time out there.

All you would have to do is drive up, meet me at a preplanned location with your rods, tackle, and whatever you want to toss in my 96qt cooler, and hop in the boat. Its that simple. Really. If we run out of gas, I would ask that we all chip in to fill the tank, but beyond that, its all open.

I'll also have a 7.5 kicker motor up and running to help us if we troll, to keep us in an area, and to move us around short distances wihout having to rev up the 115 HP beast anchored to the transom.


sound awesome to you guys????


Sal

[dreamcatcher]

Sal, I'm reserving my seat now:o All nighter sounds like an all righter!

[dreamcatcher]

I think I might break down and get one of those Michigan fish map booklets that cover that area. Maybe. At the least, I can go over it like a fine tooth comb in the local Wal-Mart.(Those things are about 15 or 20 bucks for each section of the state) That's how I was able to get some great info on Belleville Lake.

[sal_jr]

Let me check- I have at least 2 of those books at home on my fishing bench. I know one of them has GOT to have it.

If I have it Ill find a way to fax or snail mail you a copy of the page.

I will know in the next week or so wether Im good for the Houghton lake trip for the week or just one night.

ok- so one seat is full so far. who else?

[dreamcatcher]

Okay, now we're getting somewhere! Sal, I'm surprised that in all your adult years you never broke water at Houghton! I was looking at the state map, and didn't realize how close it was to Grayling, and the Michigan National Guard base! I had two good summer visits in that area before I retired. There is also Higgins lake to the north, but Houghton is the one mystery I'd like to crack.

[sal_jr]

http://www.fishweb.com/maps/roscommon/houghtonlake/index.html

Theres the lake map. I think targeting the quick dropoffs in the southeast corner as well as southern central area would be a good place to start.


Th reason I never went after the lake is that I hate waverunners and skiers who dont show any care for fishermen, and this lake has plenty of them. Furthermore, with the shallow depth and large geography of surface water, big waves kick up easily & unpredictably and I never had a boat that could deal with the bad potential- which is real and constant.

[dreamcatcher]

The ramp on the east side seems to be the likely one to launch from in order to get to the two twenty foot holes rather quickly. That lake is pretty good size. LOL. Long way to the Muskegon River. How much travel time to traverse the lake straight line you think?

[hear_kitty]

The ramp on the east side seems to be the likely one to launch from in order to get to the two twenty foot holes rather quickly. That lake is pretty good size. LOL. Long way to the Muskegon River. How much travel time to traverse the lake straight line you think?
Now we are cooking with a little time and research we can get her figured out!

[sal_jr]

A friend of mine fishes walleye and gills and says she can go the perimeter of the lake in 45 minutes with a 30 hp on her pontoon if the waves are down.

With the 115, we're talking a 15-18 minute drive MAX, from my estimate.

[dreamcatcher]

Then let's make sure we hit it when the gills are hot. Always got to have a fall back plan. LOL. If nothing else we can fill the coolers with bluegill if the cats don't want to play. I don't know about you guys, but bluegill is certainly the best FOOD choice between the two. Gas is too expensive to come home empty handed.

[dreamcatcher]

Hey, if anybody wants to get some info about the local area call Lyman's on the Lake at (989) 422-3231. Jeff was the guy I spoke with, see if you pick up the same vibe I did. Kind of reminded me of that guy we spoke with on the Rifle Sparky. Just sort of deadpan about the whole catfish thing. No excitement whatsoever...:D

[Sparky Larson]

Once we pin point a date, I'll fill one of those seats. I have to keep in mind that my daughter will be coming to visit from California, when she gets out of school. but that is a few weeks away yet. Like someone said, we're getting the home work done.
Sparky

[Sparky Larson]

Hey Sal,
I got a question for you. You keep talking about this promotion! You said, " If I don't get this promotion, these are my plans." What happens if you get the promotion ? Do you sell the boat, quite fishing, and just work? Or, are you going to be sitting in the Big Chair at the front of the class and forget about all the little people you use to fish with. LMAO
Sparky

[dreamcatcher]

Oh, by the way Sparky those cats in Saginaw Bay were turning their nose up at those sucker bellies...Don was telling me he hadn't seen a sucker there in some time...using that reasoning I guess you could say the same about shrimp, which they absolutely love...

[sal_jr]

Guys, people like Vic is talking about Just sort of deadpan about the whole catfish thing. No excitement whatsoever...:D
They are stuck in a world without imagination, in my opinion. Why do you suppose the world targets Bass and Walleye? Is it really cause bass are a good fish to eat? Cause I havent found one that didnt taste like a mix of mud and kelp! Walleye are nice, but I think fellas target em mostly cause thats what they know- the TV, the Locals- all these stories add up and they get railriaded when they go on outings, never straiying from one species and actually cursing when a pike gets on the line or something they didnt go for.

Sad really.

I fish cats for the fight but Ill take anything pulling on my line for a ride.

I fish walleye only when I have a taste for walleye.

I fish gills for bait, for fun, and because youi can hook em by the dozens under the right conditions.

And yet the lonely cat... the workhorse of the mud, is relelgated to the list of S**tfish- fish for the "poor and downtrodden" to catch.

I betcha in the class system of the underwater world, that breed commands considerably more respect than humans ever gave em credit for. Of course, I dont have to tell you fellas that.

[sal_jr]

Hey Sal,
I got a question for you. You keep talking about this promotion! You said, " If I don't get this promotion, these are my plans." What happens if you get the promotion ? Do you sell the boat, quite fishing, and just work? Or, are you going to be sitting in the Big Chair at the front of the class and forget about all the little people you use to fish with. LMAO
Sparky

no,no,no....
Thats not it at all. heh heh

If it happens, I will just enter the world of the unknown for a summer until I get some experience under my belt, right at the height of the moving season- which is may through august. I'll be responsible for 60 men's lives out there on the road, for meeting and then beating a couple million dollars in revenue, and maintenance of a fleet of 22 big trucks. Ill have to maintian a 100,000 square foot warehouse and a 5 county market area. I know I can do it and I have the brain, but seeing as how the place I work for is the standard for the other 162 franchises nationwide, its a lot of stuff to hang on a guy's belt... so I will just have to hang it all up till I get the rythem down. The founder of the company- on of the original Two guys is the owner. I cant screw it up, and so till I am educated in the daily grind, I just wont be able to goof off in my opinion.

Thats all.

lol- nothing TOOOO big.


And I can never be too far from my river or the good folks who spend nights on em. Its my recharger.

[dreamcatcher]

Why do you suppose the world targets Bass and Walleye?




If it wasn't for the sweet flavor of the Walleye I would be at a loss. Bass? Smallies are cool, but largemouth? If I had the answer for why so many people in this country worship that one fish I could take all of us to the Amazon on my dime. It would be nice to catch the world record though, so I could turn down all the bass gear (except the boat maybe; would have to convert it in some kind of way so it's catfish friendly LOL) The greatest freshwater fighting fish this side of sturgeon and alligator gar. and it gets relegated to the bottom of the barrel. That's why Houghton is so attractive, and I bet there are other lakes just like it in the state. I'd bet you'd be hard pressed to find a lake with that size and potential for large catfish go untouched in alot of other states.

[dreamcatcher]

Well, I'm hoping you get the promotion Sal. Times are too tough to wish otherwise. In the event that happens we'll just have to come up with a contingency plan for Houghton. I've got shotgun seating on the first available walleye boat I can pirate!:cool: I don't care if it hairlips the governor, I will be chasing them kitties (and bluegill).

[Sparky Larson]

I must admit Sal, I wish you the best for your promotion situation. You got the rest of your life to fish. So,do what you can today, and Fish another day.
Sparky

[sal_jr]

Got word from my buddy this mornin.... I am so excited right now I feel as though I could jump out of my skin if I stood up too quickly!!!

The cats are primarily at the north end of the lake by the point, as he says it. His friend who lives on the lake says that the best luck is in an area up there in the narrows where years and years ago some state agency took massive amounts of sand out of the lake leaving large potholes in the narows and around the point- and thats where the channels hang out.
The second spot is also on the north end at the mouth of the muskegon river. He says that if you get into the opening channel of it and drop your bait, you WILL get them there.

I have no info on the deep holes at the south of the lake from him, but lets still give that a try if it is possible anyhow.

By that time in june also the gills will be on their beds or just about ready to get on em.


WAHOOOOO!!!!! We have a definite witness who lives there giving us a hand!


Also- another seat's taken. My buddy (who has a cabin on the water near the southeast side) wants to join in the fun for one night.


See ya guys next week. I gotta go to NY tonight so Im gonna bust my rump today and get out early if I can.


sal
Sal

[Sparky Larson]

That's great news Sal. My information was the same. The fella I talked to said the point that comes out from North Bay was a winner!
I Kind of makes you moist, doesn't it!
Sparky

[sal_jr]

Got more news this morning...

The mouth of the muskegon is where a 47 pounder and a witnessed 63 pounder came from in the 60s.

They used crawlers and liver for both.

[dreamcatcher]

Channel, flathead, or both? LOL. It would probably be too much to ask for those fish to still be alive would it?:cool2:

[sal_jr]

Vic, I forwarded your inquiry to my buddy at work. His reply:


Hi Sal,
I asked my friend Bob about this record Channel
Catfish I told you about. He said that it was
64 LBS. I mentioned to him that you had said the
record was 47 LBS set in 1964. He told me that the
Catfish he was talking about was caught in the mid
50's and he was actually there to see it 1st hand.
Apparently, it was a father and his son who
caught this fish. They could not land the fish
themselves, and fortunately for them someone
from the marina saw what was happening and
went out to help them land it. He said he had
pictures of it, but unfortunately he thinks maybe
he ex wife through them out instead of giving
them back to him. Bob said it was caught at the
mouth of the Muskegon when the old lighthouse
was still there.

Sincerely,
Mike Ballheim

There ya go!!! So lets go beat the record!!!!!!!!!!!

[dreamcatcher]

I'm not scared. LOL. Actually, I'm glad to hear it was a channel cat. You know why? Because it could very well have been a flathead, and it still beats the record both ways. LOL. Imagine that, channels and flats at the mouth of the Muskegon. I am there already in spirit!

The actual state record in the books is 40 pounds though for channel cat, and the world record is 58, but who cares about what's in the book? Let's go make history!!! (or at least catch a few for the skillet) Don, I had some of that catfish from the bay last night!!!! Mmmm hmmm delicious!

[Sparky Larson]

Hey Vic,
Maybe if nothing else, we'll find a piece of the Old Light House.LOL I don't Know about you, but I'm ready for a Recon!
Sparky

[dreamcatcher]

Oh absolutely. Northwest corner here we come! LOL!

[dreamcatcher]

Well back to reality, oops there goes gravity...LOL

I was locked in great anticipation for the fishing this weekend with my Michigan brothers. Friday was a day that was going to be dedicated to performing a recon of Houghton Lake, which is about a three hour drive north from my home. I woke on Friday morning about 4:30, and met Sparky at his home at 6:30 where we immediately transitioned my gear and took off. Our game plan was to make fishing secondary to gathering information on the lake. That was a good way to approach it, because the fishing was brutal. We were fighting wind all day long, and it was cold. The conditions really took the wind out of my sails, because I was expecting a different day weather-wise. The fishing only yielded a couple of small pike from an area that was supposed to be notorious for catfish. We spoke to a couple of guys fishing who had never seen a catfish pulled from the waters, but the guys at Lyman's swear differently. All things considered I am still confident there are some monsters in Houghton; we're just going to have to get after them when the water warms up some.

Here's some information we obtained if anyone is interested in fishing Houghton:

* It takes about 55 minutes to drive around the entire lake, so choose the area you want to fish wisely BEFORE you get there to save on fuel and time

* There are two boat ramps (one located on the southeast and southwest areas of the lake) that are accessible 24/7. There is a five dollar charge to use the one located on the southwest side, not sure about the other

* As advertised, hardly anyone fishes for the catfish or in my estimation the bluegill for that matter; if you like bluegill (which I do, but those in the area seem lost on as far as table fare) they have some monsters that can be caught...the next time we go it HAS to be a bluegill/catfish outing without a doubt

* There are two campgrounds run by the DNR that are ideal for a weekend stay...$10 dollars per site (correct me if I'm wrong on this one Sparky) for a maximum of three tents pitched; running water, port-a-johns, fire rings, fish barrels, accessible and extensive shoreline for bank fishing...first come, first serve basis...the locations are the North Bay and Reedsburg Dam, which in my opinion is the location that is more ideal for seclusion

*Lyman's on the Lake is a true bait and tackle shop. The people there are very friendly, and willing to share what they know in regards to the fishing, and the area. They don't know much about the current catfishing status on the lake, but do agree there are some monsters in the lake (the mystery is still alive and kicking) that don't get any fishing pressure on them... The one thing they did say is there are no sturgeon in the lake, so all those "runs" that everyone is talking about are probably cats...if you like night fishing, the guys at the shop said you will probably have the lake to yourself, as all the recreational folks and most of the fishermen surrender to the darkness...

* the Muskegon River is not what I envisioned it to be as far as size goes, nor is the control dam where the cats are reputed to be...in my mind's eye I was hoping it would be a more built-up structure, and that the river would be wider and deeper...I guess it really doesn't turn into a major river until you go further west...not to say that it can't hold big cats, but the lake appears to be a more viable option, especially if you got a boat

* Lot of family oriented places to eat, drink, and socialize

* There is a bird watching platform on the west side of the lake for those interested

* Bank fishing is extremely limited for the lake unless you fish on the campground, or maybe one of the boat ramps...otherwise the river is your only other option and the surrounding waters of course(Higgins Lake, the reservoir in the vicinity of Reedsburg Dam, etc.)

All in all it was a worthwhile trip to Houghton Lake, and I hope to get my biggest channel catfish ever in June...

Sparky and I returned to the Quannacassie River later that evening, and did a little bank fishing where we caught a couple of cats from the bank that were hitting like crazy. Don and Sal had been catching catfish all day just upriver in the boat. Sparky and I stayed on the bank for about an hour or more, and finally decided to give it up about 10 p.m. It had truly been a long day for us, but we accomplished what we set out to do...

The next day I awoke to Sparky and his wife playing cribbage (one of these days I have to learn that game guys LOL). Sparky, thanks again for having me over, the great breakfast, and teaching me the value of eating raw meat LOL (I still like my burgers well done:cool2: ) After breakfast we went and caught some baby bluegill from the neighbor's pond for Saturday's fishing trip. As it turned out Sparky those fish weren't needed. LOL. I couldn't get on strike from those live gills.

Saturday I fished with Don (Hear Kitty), and everyone's favorite high intensity resident:0a1: my main man Sal. This was the first time I got a chance to spend time in the boat with Sal, and I wasn't disappointed as far as the conversation goes. Sal is a great guy with a very open mind to a great many things, and loves to fish. There are only a handful of people that I have met in this lifetime with a mixture of these qualities. I almost felt like I was holding conversation with myself at different points in the conversation. That's a good thing too because the CATFISHING was terrible, but the DOGFISHING picked up. ROTFLOL. Each of us caught at least one dogfish, and I ended up catching two. Guys I can't wait for the nights to get warmer, which is the next time I plan to fish. We have to do an all nighter, but it's got to be steady mid fifties with no wind as opposed to thirty degree temps. I did enjoy the company though, which made up for the fishing.

We were asking about one of the members we met last year (Michigan Dave) and guess who shows up? Dave and his son had been out catfishing, and they ended up catching an 11 pounder and a few other cats. Keep in touch Dave. That was about the extent of Saturday for me as I waved the white flag about 10 p.m. because of the drive I had to take, and I was freezing my butt off...I will say this guys when it gets warmer I will stay on that water ALL NIGHT without a doubt, especially if we're catching fish. This is something that I definitely look forward in doing because it will be almost a year since I last went from dusk to dawn. Hopefully, we can do that on Houghton Lake (hint, hint LOL)

Great weekend guys, and I can't wait to share some time on the water with you again...

[dreamcatcher]

I only took four pictures with my camera, and didn't get any with my dogfish and sheepshead guys (really feel bad about that LOL). I can't post those files that you sent me Don, so if you or Sal don't post pics I guess we'll just have to keep those pics to ourselves. ROTFLOL.

Take care,
Vic