Weekend Trip

BigBassin144 · 09-20-10, 02:12 PM

My dad has been wanting to catch some yellow perch for a while now so we can have a fish fry. So we set reservations on a charter boat going out on St. Joe, MI (western MI, about 3 hours drive for us).

We left Friday after I got home from school and my dad got home from work. We got out where and checked into our hotel at about 9:30. After a late dinner and me finishing up some online homework at the hotel, we got to bed by around midnight with a wakeup call for 6:30.

We headed to the dock to meet the captain and everyone else who was going out. On our way to the dock from the hotel it thunder stormed, but let up around 8:30 (when the boat was supposed to leave). We ended up not going out because not enough people showed up. There was just us and another guy. Two out of a group of seven showed up and left before we got there. The other five never showed. We needed at least 10 people for the capt to take the boat out...

So we decided to drive about an hour over to Kalamazoo to D&R Sports (the tackle shop owned by KVD's brother, Randy Van Dam. We definitely came at a good time. They were having their end of summer fishing blowout. Most rods were 15-40% off, but this was the sign that interested me most:

My dad and I both bought one (mine a 7' MH casting rod, his a 7' M spinning).

(sorry for the bad pics, they're from my phone in the hotel room)

On our way back, we stopped at one of 6 fish hatcheries in Michigan, which was really cool. We got to see steelhead in a pond, as well as a baby sturgeon in a big aquarium they had. They had a video playing of the process of breeding steelhead from catching the adults to releasing the juveniles.

We check out a beach, and went out on one of the piers too.

Long story short, Saturday was fun, although we didn't get to fish. Saturday night, the wind had picked up a great deal and we didn't think we were going to be able to go out Sunday either.

Sunday we awoke to clear skies and a light breeze. Perfect if they can get enough people to run the boat. We get to the dock and there's probably 15 people, we're going out!

We got on the party boat and headed a couple miles down the shore of Lake Michigan. We fished in 40-45ft of water with minnows. We also both chipped in $2 a person to the "big fish pot". I hooked and landed a decent perch right off the bat, one of the first on the boat.

Not long after, my dad landed a good one (13") and the way fishing was going, I thought he was going to win the pot.

About half way through the trip, someone landed a very nice one at 14-3/4".

Fishing wasn't as good as we had hoped it would be, but we did catch more fish than anyone on the boat with a total of 14 at the end of the 4 hour trip.

We then backed up our gear and headed home. Although we were very disappointed in not being able to go out Sat and the fishing on Sunday, it was a fun trip with all the other stuff we got to do.

More pictures from the trip to come when I get them off my camera, and better pictures of both the new rods whenever I get my photography stuff set back up, lol.

BB

WaffleJaw · 09-20-10, 03:27 PM

Yea that kinda blows yall drove 3 hrs to not fish!..But hey,at least yall got out Sunday so it wasnt a total lost.
Excellent scores on the Dobyns!!...I really like how they do their hoods on the seats..I read a tutorial on how to make them with carbon fiber sleeves...Might give it a try on the next build.
Look foward to more pics!!

Jrob78 · 09-20-10, 06:29 PM

Sucks that the first part of your fishing got cancelled but it still sounds like you got to spend a cool weekend with your dad.

Can't wait to hear the report on the new Dobyns with the new Sol!

Do it, DO IT!!!

Bassboss · 09-20-10, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jrob78

Sucks that the first part of your fishing got cancelled but it still sounds like you got to spend a cool weekend with your dad.

Can't wait to hear the report on the new Dobyns with the new Sol!

Do it, DO IT!!!

Hahahahaha!! DO IT, DO IT!!

Sure got a good deal on them rods, bet you've never been so happy NOT to go fishing in your life!

bamabassman · 09-20-10, 10:16 PM

i agree with jrob anthony..spending time with your father (who we love as much as oyu and oyur mother) is the thing you will remember and share with YOUR children. i truly wish i could get my dad to go with me sometime. sorry the "fishing" wasn't what ya'll expected, but ya had fun and paid your monkey a little dough too. lol.

09-20-10, 02:12 PM	#1
BigBassin144 BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toledo, Ohio Posts: 9,463	Weekend Trip My dad has been wanting to catch some yellow perch for a while now so we can have a fish fry. So we set reservations on a charter boat going out on St. Joe, MI (western MI, about 3 hours drive for us). We left Friday after I got home from school and my dad got home from work. We got out where and checked into our hotel at about 9:30. After a late dinner and me finishing up some online homework at the hotel, we got to bed by around midnight with a wakeup call for 6:30. We headed to the dock to meet the captain and everyone else who was going out. On our way to the dock from the hotel it thunder stormed, but let up around 8:30 (when the boat was supposed to leave). We ended up not going out because not enough people showed up. There was just us and another guy. Two out of a group of seven showed up and left before we got there. The other five never showed. We needed at least 10 people for the capt to take the boat out... So we decided to drive about an hour over to Kalamazoo to D&R Sports (the tackle shop owned by KVD's brother, Randy Van Dam. We definitely came at a good time. They were having their end of summer fishing blowout. Most rods were 15-40% off, but this was the sign that interested me most: My dad and I both bought one (mine a 7' MH casting rod, his a 7' M spinning). (sorry for the bad pics, they're from my phone in the hotel room) On our way back, we stopped at one of 6 fish hatcheries in Michigan, which was really cool. We got to see steelhead in a pond, as well as a baby sturgeon in a big aquarium they had. They had a video playing of the process of breeding steelhead from catching the adults to releasing the juveniles. We check out a beach, and went out on one of the piers too. Long story short, Saturday was fun, although we didn't get to fish. Saturday night, the wind had picked up a great deal and we didn't think we were going to be able to go out Sunday either. Sunday we awoke to clear skies and a light breeze. Perfect if they can get enough people to run the boat. We get to the dock and there's probably 15 people, we're going out! We got on the party boat and headed a couple miles down the shore of Lake Michigan. We fished in 40-45ft of water with minnows. We also both chipped in $2 a person to the "big fish pot". I hooked and landed a decent perch right off the bat, one of the first on the boat. Not long after, my dad landed a good one (13") and the way fishing was going, I thought he was going to win the pot. About half way through the trip, someone landed a very nice one at 14-3/4". Fishing wasn't as good as we had hoped it would be, but we did catch more fish than anyone on the boat with a total of 14 at the end of the 4 hour trip. We then backed up our gear and headed home. Although we were very disappointed in not being able to go out Sat and the fishing on Sunday, it was a fun trip with all the other stuff we got to do. More pictures from the trip to come when I get them off my camera, and better pictures of both the new rods whenever I get my photography stuff set back up, lol. BB __________________ As of June 14, 2014 the members of the BF.com forum have moved to basschat.yuku.com!

09-20-10, 03:27 PM	#2
WaffleJaw BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Dallas,TX (DFW) Posts: 2,212	Yea that kinda blows yall drove 3 hrs to not fish!..But hey,at least yall got out Sunday so it wasnt a total lost. Excellent scores on the Dobyns!!...I really like how they do their hoods on the seats..I read a tutorial on how to make them with carbon fiber sleeves...Might give it a try on the next build. Look foward to more pics!! __________________ [nelsoncustomrods.com]

09-20-10, 06:29 PM	#3
Jrob78 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 4,671	Sucks that the first part of your fishing got cancelled but it still sounds like you got to spend a cool weekend with your dad. Can't wait to hear the report on the new Dobyns with the new Sol! Do it, DO IT!!! __________________ There are 3 kinds of people in the world…those who can count and those who can’t. HRN4L

09-20-10, 10:16 PM	#5
bamabassman BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: cedar bluff, alabama Posts: 15,292	i agree with jrob anthony..spending time with your father (who we love as much as oyu and oyur mother) is the thing you will remember and share with YOUR children. i truly wish i could get my dad to go with me sometime. sorry the "fishing" wasn't what ya'll expected, but ya had fun and paid your monkey a little dough too. lol. __________________ so many lures, so little time.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)