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Hello, new to this site and new to Lake Michigan fishing by boat. Used to do shoreline smelting in mid to late 70's with my dad, fished Cal park rocks in late 80's for the perch that are long gone. I fish Erie a couple of times a year and take yearly fishing vacations in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan since i was 5, (1975) .
While I have alot of fishing experience, i have none on Lake Michigan other than a few charters. I am very excited to start fishing the big pond. Will be targeting salmon and smallies. I will be at capt. Ralphs seminars and have been doing alot of research. It seems the coho run is pretty similar to the walleye trolling i do on Erie so i think i have a handle on that. After that I'm pretty clueless but can't wait to learn. I'll be running a 6 rod spread, 2 downriggers and 4 dipsys is what im thinking. Don't want to get into copper or leadcore right now.
Look forward to soaking up some info and contributing to the site as well. I am on chitown angler and walleye central as well.
So just wanted to say hi and glad to be here.

Welcome to the group. Lot of good people and knowledge here. Don’t hesitate to ask any questions.

Welcome aboard. You have questions? You will get answers. Good bunch of fisherman on thIs site. Come on out for our Coho Cabin Fever Tournament April 6th and meet a bunch of great guys.

Welcome aboard and by all means do the tournament on April 6th. Should have lots of Coho around and it's a great time.

Welcome aboard. There is a wealth of knowledge on this site new school to old school tactics. In time you will find there is no deffinate right or wrong way to accomplish the same thing out there.

Welcome aboard. There is a wealth of knowledge on this site new school to old school tactics. In time you will find there is no deffinate right or wrong way to accomplish the same thing out there.

Welcome! Lots of great info and great people here.

I grew up in northern MN on walleye fishing and river steelhead/salmon on the north shore of Superior. Just got my first taste of Lake Michigan last summer and I'm chomping at the bit to get out this spring. Waiting for someone to start yelling FISH ON!

Welcome. Spring Coho will be much like Erie trolling (ive only been once but it was pretty much the same). You will not need Dipsy's or riggers for the spring really; planar boards with flat lines or some Keel weights for the most part. You can run Dipsy shallow with dodger flies but that is about it for spring. Also I would suggest getting a few red tiger thin fish - they are pretty hot for the spring coho along with the dodger and peanut flies. After the spring coho then you will go to Riggers and Dipsy's to get down deep. I was pretty new and asked a ton of questions when I started here so feel free to look through my early posts for beginner questions. Also lots of good info in the Salmon thread. Good luck and welcome again.

bradskillerfishinggear.com/thinfish/ BTF-71 is the hot spring lure.

Thanks for the warm welcome guys.
Hey BigEdV, i already picked up some red/black and firetiger Brads thin fish. Also going to throw out some Rapala J 11 in gold/ florescent red. Think 2 of each will cover my 6 rod spread for starters. Can't wait to get out there.

bob- thanks for the invite for April 6th, unfortunately i work night shift and get off Saturday mornings. Think most my fishing will be done on Sunday -Monday mornings.

Angry pirate- I think i talked to you on the phone about two years ago after your buddy posted pics on chitown angler with a mess of cohos in front of your Reatta. I was thinking about getting one at the time. Life threw me a curveball so instead of new i had to go used, picked up the boat in my signature, a 1987 Lund Baron. Took alot to rehab her but I should be done this year, pretty decent boat.

Welcome