Gobies in Lake Michigan

jooleyen · 07-30-07, 11:31 PM

What is a good Goby imitation bait that the average bass fisherman has? I know they have "Goby" baits, but I'm going tomorrow morning early and the store won't be open then. Maybe a green pumpkin tube?
I went to Lake Michigan today and I saw a bunch of smallmouth. I only caught one, and it was small. I saw one largemouth to the side, and sure enough, the fish I wanted to catch least was the one I caught. I tried a dropshot rig, tubes, shakey head, and a jerkbait.

I ended up buying a Mr. Walleye Series 6'6" M rod. It was even lighter than the St.Croix avids. I also got a reel.

A Cardinal 302. It's the lightest setup I own. It's absolutely great.

I was using a Zara Spook and not paying attention. I heard a splash and was about to set the hook until I saw a seagull trying to eat it. I quickly pulled back and luckily, I didn't snag him.

Also, a question on the side...
The largemouth bass I caught was sitting on a rock and he was locked down. You couldn't scare hem away. He kept chasing other fish away. Could she be spawning this late in the year because Lake Michigan is such a big lake and it takes longer for the water to warm up?

Bender · 07-31-07, 12:11 AM

I don't have too much experience on the big water smallies yet, but it seems like tubes, tubes, and more tubes. I know on Lake Saint Clair tubes are #1, everything from drop shotting gobies or 2" tubes to drifting and dragging 5" tubes is supposed to work.
Good luck out there and stay safe!

jooleyen · 07-31-07, 12:16 AM

thanks Bend

hackattack · 07-31-07, 12:30 AM

bro if you use a tube to imitate a goby use a round ball-head jighead...it gets the big head going just like a goby

jooleyen · 07-31-07, 12:32 AM

Yeah... I learned that when I first started fishing and wondered what the big head was supposed to imitate. I guess those smallies can see small details really well in clear water. Thanks hack

bassthumb32 · 07-31-07, 08:50 AM

green pumpkin tube with a football jig head inside of it to make the head look more oval like a goby head.

JB · 07-31-07, 10:14 AM

I got a bag of gobies that someone in here handpoured with his line of sweetbeavers, can't recall who made them, but they worked great.

Bass'n'cast · 07-31-07, 12:38 PM

when i went fishing in lake michigan i caught this fish that looked super fugly and it had skin rather than scales. it was like leather and I couldnt cut throught it with my knife, im just wondering what kind of fish it was.

bassfisher02 · 07-31-07, 02:31 PM

The Infamous LeatherFish!!!!!

lizardsrule · 07-31-07, 07:32 PM

If shore fishing, you'll probably catch more LM, then SM in Erie. Deep water draggin a tube, or gobie is what most folks do. Or dropshot, however you really need to know where the SM are, they school up more, and it's not uncommon to catch 3 or more 5lbers in the same spot. Just blindly dragging a bait around there is just that, blind.

Lizards

wargoth · 08-01-07, 12:23 AM

LM? In Erie? I've never seen a single LM out of Erie... only smallies. My father says the same, never seen a largie come out of Erie. Odd... didn't know there were any in the "big puddle".

lizardsrule · 08-01-07, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wargoth

LM? In Erie? I've never seen a single LM out of Erie... only smallies. My father says the same, never seen a largie come out of Erie. Odd... didn't know there were any in the "big puddle".

rotflmao. I fished 2 tournaments up there, and in the second tourney, the boater I drew had a cracked rib, so we didn't go 5 minutes from the launch. All I caught was LM, 3 actually to the weigh in. I was 1lb shy of making it to day 2 in the bfl tourney that day. If you don't think there are LM's in Erie then you are mistaken. There are some decent sized ones at that. However most of the tourneys are won fishing for SM, and that's where you will see a 25lb limit of smallies brought in to win it

Lizards

JB · 08-01-07, 08:58 AM

sandusky bay and erie has plenty of largemouths in it

wargoth · 08-02-07, 12:32 AM

Like I said, I didn't even know we had any in there, never pulled one out... Hundreds of SM, yes, but never a LM...

JB · 08-02-07, 07:33 AM

joolz,
this is a pig gobie, the smallies eat it up like bacon!

jooleyen · 08-02-07, 03:02 PM

Lol Jb. Nice picture.

07-31-07, 08:50 AM	#6
bassthumb32 BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Fort Loudon, PA Posts: 682	green pumpkin tube with a football jig head inside of it to make the head look more oval like a goby head. __________________ MY LIFETIME GOAL IS TO KEEP AT LEAST A SMALL CASE OF BASSTHUMB FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

07-31-07, 02:31 PM	#9
bassfisher02 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 4,765	The Infamous LeatherFish!!!!! __________________ Good Fishin'

07-31-07, 07:32 PM	#10
lizardsrule BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Saint Augustine, FL Posts: 7,374	If shore fishing, you'll probably catch more LM, then SM in Erie. Deep water draggin a tube, or gobie is what most folks do. Or dropshot, however you really need to know where the SM are, they school up more, and it's not uncommon to catch 3 or more 5lbers in the same spot. Just blindly dragging a bait around there is just that, blind. Lizards __________________ There are three types of Snakes I hate 1. Live Snakes 2. Dead Snakes 3. Sticks that look like Snakes. And Gators too!

08-01-07, 12:23 AM	#11
wargoth BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Thompson, Ohio Posts: 223	LM? In Erie? I've never seen a single LM out of Erie... only smallies. My father says the same, never seen a largie come out of Erie. Odd... didn't know there were any in the "big puddle". __________________ -Wargoth

08-02-07, 12:32 AM	#14
wargoth BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Thompson, Ohio Posts: 223	Like I said, I didn't even know we had any in there, never pulled one out... Hundreds of SM, yes, but never a LM... __________________ -Wargoth

07-30-07, 11:31 PM	#1
jooleyen BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,509	Gobies in Lake Michigan What is a good Goby imitation bait that the average bass fisherman has? I know they have "Goby" baits, but I'm going tomorrow morning early and the store won't be open then. Maybe a green pumpkin tube? I went to Lake Michigan today and I saw a bunch of smallmouth. I only caught one, and it was small. I saw one largemouth to the side, and sure enough, the fish I wanted to catch least was the one I caught. I tried a dropshot rig, tubes, shakey head, and a jerkbait. I ended up buying a Mr. Walleye Series 6'6" M rod. It was even lighter than the St.Croix avids. I also got a reel. A Cardinal 302. It's the lightest setup I own. It's absolutely great. I was using a Zara Spook and not paying attention. I heard a splash and was about to set the hook until I saw a seagull trying to eat it. I quickly pulled back and luckily, I didn't snag him. Also, a question on the side... The largemouth bass I caught was sitting on a rock and he was locked down. You couldn't scare hem away. He kept chasing other fish away. Could she be spawning this late in the year because Lake Michigan is such a big lake and it takes longer for the water to warm up? Last edited by jooleyen; 07-30-07 at 11:44 PM.

07-31-07, 12:11 AM	#2
Bender BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Brighton, MI Posts: 2,414	I don't have too much experience on the big water smallies yet, but it seems like tubes, tubes, and more tubes. I know on Lake Saint Clair tubes are #1, everything from drop shotting gobies or 2" tubes to drifting and dragging 5" tubes is supposed to work. Good luck out there and stay safe!

07-31-07, 12:16 AM	#3
jooleyen BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,509	thanks Bend

07-31-07, 12:30 AM	#4
hackattack BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tigard, Oregon Posts: 358	bro if you use a tube to imitate a goby use a round ball-head jighead...it gets the big head going just like a goby

07-31-07, 12:32 AM	#5
jooleyen BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,509	Yeah... I learned that when I first started fishing and wondered what the big head was supposed to imitate. I guess those smallies can see small details really well in clear water. Thanks hack

07-31-07, 10:14 AM	#7
JB BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 8,655	I got a bag of gobies that someone in here handpoured with his line of sweetbeavers, can't recall who made them, but they worked great.

07-31-07, 12:38 PM	#8
Bass'n'cast BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Posts: 112	when i went fishing in lake michigan i caught this fish that looked super fugly and it had skin rather than scales. it was like leather and I couldnt cut throught it with my knife, im just wondering what kind of fish it was.

08-01-07, 08:58 AM	#13
JB BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 8,655	sandusky bay and erie has plenty of largemouths in it

08-02-07, 07:33 AM	#15
JB BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 8,655	goby pic joolz, this is a pig gobie, the smallies eat it up like bacon!

08-02-07, 03:02 PM	#16
jooleyen BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,509	Lol Jb. Nice picture.

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