The Quest for Spey

On the road in wandering I've found the surf casters. Their cults form in places like Montauk, Tybee island, Fire island, Newport Beach, and Kalalock. Big rods, big reels, big lures, and long casts. Its a formula for success. Success to a fisherman ... Fishing.  

The idea is big water, big empty water filled with fish. Wait... What?The beaches of Lake Michigan in my case, or the mighty Muskegon River. 

The idea, in all its glory, of course has a wingman, the long cast. Dressed for success with an important tool, a big rod.

 

I was afraid of Spey rods because of all the big numbers and I'm not just talking about the ones written on the rods. When you talk about big Spey rods you must also talk about big reels and those have big numbers to. I just didn't want to face Spey like a man. So I didn't I convinced myself that a big spinning rod and reel would satisfy me. Maybe some big lures to go with it. 

So in my usual way I started surfing the web. What gear would I need to surf cast. (Lake Michigan) 

Clearly, I have a disorder that involves being different. (Another story some other time) 

There isn't any info out there about this silly thing, surf casting a lake. Who does that? Next best thing, Atlantic coast surf casting.  

Stripers are just big bass, really big bass and salmon are ocean fish anyway so the gear has to be close enough. Right? 

So in my usual way I got back on the web and promptly found a 12' vintage glass surf rod. A Garcia. Then I set to finding an enormous spinning reel, a DAM Quick 550n. (your nuts if you think I'm gonna learn to use a bait caster on top of it all) I had a few other spinning rods in the shop covered in saw  dust and cobwebs even a reel attached to one.  I dug them out and lined them up. 

I'm like a kid in a candy store with my new gear and my big plan. Wide eyed and naïve. "I'm gonna catch big fish on the big water," grinning ear to ear. 

I loaded up my spinning gear (that sounds strange) and headed to the lake hoping no one would be there. I definitely didn't want other fishermen to see that I had no idea what I was doing. I was fine but my ego was taking this hard. 

Who knew, 2 PM on a 85+ degree Thursday, the only fisherman besides me is a 12 year old with his escort, mom. 

It's the middle of summer the water is too hot the Sun is too bright and there are too many people on the pier. I fished and found that I still wasn't satisfied. 

I'm cutting this fishing story off right there because I could go on but this is about gear. 

Spey Spey Spey !!!

Calling me. 

Me being who I am wanted fiberglass. How many rod manufactures are rolling fiberglass these days. Well, a growing number but seems that not very many of the companies are rolling big glass. Most aren't even rolling switch length. I didn't want a short rod. I wanted full Spey length I wanted 15'. That's just where I was. Compensation for shortcomings? Maybe.  

Honestly, I was having my very first reservations about fiberglass being the best rod material available. I love the deep bend feel of glass both in the cast and when there is a fish on, but I was beginning to think maybe it wouldn't cast as far as I wanted it to. 

In addition there aren't as many guys as you would imagine selling used fiberglass Spey rods. 

I wasn't gonna drop those big numbers on something I may hate casting. 

I quested onward. Scouring for sale adds on all the major pages and FB but the right fit wasn't out there. I thought to myself, "I'm not gonna find this rod until I spend $1000." Not gonna happen right now!

Then, a rod dangled on the web in front of my face and I pulled the trigger. 

It's not glass. it's not vintage. I don't care. I'm going to learn to Spey cast! I can't wait to get it in my hand. 

Naïvely grinning ear to ear, "I'm gonna catch big fish on big water!"

Lake temps examined

I geeked out this week!! 

I, like so many of you, watch the lake surface temps. I hope for temperatures to drop into the 50s so the salmon will come to shallow water. During the time that I have been watching lake temps I notice an interesting occurrence temps at the surface several miles off shore dropping to the 40s. First I thought that these must be false readings caused by some phantom equipment malfunction, but I continued to notice them and what seams to be a loose pattern. 

https://youtu.be/DlT51AosbcA

It seems that a day or two after we have heavy winds and storms these cold "spots" appear on the surface. The geek in me wanted to know why.

Was it the influx of rain water from the rivers, was only a portion of the lake doing the notorious "flip" I didn't know. 

https://youtu.be/X26ocQkhNH4

So I started some investigative work.

I'm was thinking lake currents could be one cause, pushing the cold water up from the depths, an upwelling. As I searched the web I ran across a video about stratification which is fancy for the layers in the lake, three layers to be precise. I'm not gonna go too deep here you can learn like I did through the video. But the interesting part is that the density of water causing these layers relates directly to temperature. It is the dividing factor, and the dictating factor in the thermocline. Which is located in the center layer of the three.

Deep water fishermen take note if you aren't already informed. Winds push warmer surface waters towards the shore where the depth of this warm water "builds" basically tilting the layers and the thermocline. Bring it closer to the surface at the other end of tilt. As the wind stops the water driven towards the shore recedes like water in a tipped bucket returning upright. It then rocks back and forth under the surface each rocking motion tilts the layers and the thermocline AND mixes the layers. 

That is an important factor in these upwellings  as it mixes and rocks warm surface water seems to roll to the bottom under the force of the wind as this happens cold water is driven to the surface in an upwelling. 

If we agree that the fish follow the thermocline and these cold water upwellings knowing where they are can hugely effect finding fish. 

Coho prefer temperatures in the mid-50s F. and generally are found nearer the surface than chinook. After 60 degrees F. coho tend to go deeper or lakeware in finding their preferred temperature. Coho may be found in water temperatures from 45 to 60 degrees F., with a peak feeding temperature at 54 degrees F.

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I think most experienced boat captains already know this, but for a weekend warrior learning this can be helpful as opposed to going where the other boats go. 

The implications of these things for a shore and pier fisherman can be figured as well. I'm sure hydrology has some wicked formula for calculating how long it will take for the rocking motion to occur given an average sustained wind and the size of a body of water including depth. Please hydrologist help us understand. 

There is another thought that comes to my geek head. How the salmon move may be less tied to water temp in itself and more tied to food. Thus it may be less important to know what temp the salmon like and more important to know what temp their food likes. 

http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/wdb/pub/hsi/hsi-058.pdf

. 

Mid August

Well the water temps on the big lake(Michigan) are still in the mid 70s and the only thing biting off the pier seems to be white drum and catfish.

http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/glcfs/ncast/mswt-00.gif

I talked with an old timer that said he had taken a handful of perch but those are few and far between. Everyone in a boat says the salmon are big this year. So it should be a blast when they come in. 

A week ago I fished in the heaviest rain of my life. For about three hours it came down in buckets very intense. I was wearing a new rain jacket by a major player in the water repellent industry. Shoulders were dry head was dry but everything in my pockets was soaked, wallet, fishing license, phone, gum, etc. I have been withholding my scathing review with thoughts of revisiting this jacket in a less intense down poor to gauge its performance. Another part of me  feels like it had the most trying test and failed. I was and am still unhappy. I know that most will say that I should have spent the $500 bucks on a Simms and been dry. I'm not sure. http://www.fishusa.com/product/-Simms-ProDry-Gore-Tex-Jackets

I have been trying to weasel my way into a Spey rig. Actually I don't think it's weaseling just trying to sell some gear to fund the new rig or trade into it. Seems as if no one wants what I have which leads me into dropping the prices below what the products are worth and still not selling. So I still don't have a Spey rig. http://m.orvis.com/p/clearwater-spey-8-weight-13-6-fly-rod/8p5l

Orvis had a nice package deal on Clearwater and battenkill package. Even though I am a fiberglass guy I was considering it. Pros and cons glass in a Spey?  I don't know. I have very limited experience. I have a 12' Milwards bamboo rod that is a two handed rod but I doubt that casting glass or graphite at that length will be comparable?

Lastly on an angry note, I was fishing Wednesday night off the holland harbor pier channel side, right before dark a boat came weaving through the channel with one guy aboard adjusting his trolling gear and being unable to steer and adjust gear he snagged all three of my lines as I yelled and cursed at him he was oblivious. With the help of a bystander I kept my rods out of the water loosing only terminal rigs.  If I had 2 oz of lead in my hand i would have put it through his boat. No other boats in sight so he had the rest of the chennel to avoid my tackle. He did not!

3 more rods, 3 more reels, 1 fish closer

I've been sticking to the plan. 

I was told to put a 2 oz pyramid weight on a snap swivel at the end of my main line. Above that a float above that a barrel swivel slip style with a 4' leader split shot, 2/0 octopus hook and cooked shrimp as bait. Above all of that a bead and a bobber stop adjusted to water depth. I did all of it. 

http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/twomichigans.html

I have checked water temp everyday for weeks hoping for magical currents and storm winds to "flip" the lake but it's hasn't happened, and still I have fished 30 hours from the Holland harbor pier in those same few weeks. 

I have back doored and bartered 3 new reels, and 3 new rods, all vintage, all fiberglass because that's my style. 

#glassisnotdead Instagram: @innate_boats ; angling iq: @fiberglassnate 

I have battled high waves, high winds, heavy rain, lightning, tourists, and darkness. 

I have gathered intelligence from Internet sorces, hole in the wall shops and sketchy skateboard kids about when they saw fish taken and what kind. 

I met people, with names I don't remember, in the darkness and traded information carefully always holding a little back. 

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/332604083794042/

I started a club, Great Lakes Surf Casters, 23 members now, although I don't think some are aware of their membership. 

I am learning, bobber stops don't stay where you put them and floats can't be seen in the dark or when you cast too far.  I've learned that shrimp spin and twist leaders regardless of the barrel swivel. Even with 2 1/2 oz weight on the bottom the line will not stay tight in heavy wind. I've learned how to use my old wheeled hockey bag as a pier cart for the mile walk when the park gates are closed. 

All of this and one cat fish are enough to keep going. To keep searching for chrome, for lakers or Browns. 

GLSC Great Lakes Surf Casters

I am a fly fisherman.

I grew up throwing a spinning rod and reel but was never very serious about it.  

I'd go with a friend if he was going or fish off the dock at a family thing because there weren't any kids my age. I never had a huge desire to just go fishing. 

Flash forward 15 years I finished school and did a quick 8+ years in the United States Army and went west. Yakima, WA, it was a strange time but I wanted to fish. Fly fish. I was busy with work and kept thinking that these casting techniques  take a lifetime to learn, so I put it off, I didn't buy a rod a reel or even hold one. Then Washington was in the rear view mirror.

 Hood River, OR. Salmon season. I friend of mine, a spin caster, kept asking me to go fish with him but I didn't want to be just a "regular" fisherman I wanted to be a fly fisherman. I told him "no thanks" so many times I don't know why he kept asking.

 Turns out my moms husband had an old glass fly rod buried in the garage and a copy of the "Curtis Creek Manifesto" in the book case. In her back yard overlooking the mighty Columbia River I threw my first line and a tiny red yarn on the end at a bucket just 30' away.  It was October and only getting colder. I'm a Michigan boy but I had just spent the better part of the last 10 years in Georgia and North Carolina and my blood was thin. I hung up the rod determined that I would get to it in the spring.

I left the fabled Columbia River basin three days after the new year in the dead cold winter, never to stand in the river and wave a stick.

Back in Michigan it was cold but I was fixated on the task. I poured my self into the outdoors. I was single with no hobbies. Heavy boot foot neoprene waders and a shotgun, wait, what I thought this was about fishing, I was cold and there wasn't any way I was gonna get into some fridged half frozen river and shrivel up my ego.  Madd Dogg and Remington were my "gateway" gear, after that it was a slippery slope. 

 Snow shoes, back packs, ammunition, sleeping bags, tents, camp stoves, boots, etc. etc. and oh that's right the fly rod, the reel, the line, and all that goes with it? I don't know to this day if it's the gear or the lifestyle the gear allows that's the addiction?   No matter I'm an addict  one way or the other. 

I study and learn. I spend hours on the web looking at products weighing them against each other. Reading reviews and technical data and studying techniques for using said product. It's research. My wife calls it an obsession. Obsessed is a heavy word, but I guess I should embrace it, after all I've already admitted I'm an addict. 

I want more, I want more gear and I want to fish more. I want to make it my work but I haven't.  I'm 40 minutes to the waters edge rod in hand from the nearest trout water. I have three kids at home, all in sports after school and other extra caricular activities. I run my own business. I play hockey a couple times a week. I'm busy. I try to get to the trout water every other weekend, but it doesn't seem like enough. I want to fish more.  

I live 10 minutes to the waters edge rod in hand from the 5th largest body of fresh water in the world! Lake Michigan. Hmmm can you see where I'm going? I grew up walking distance from this lake and can probably count the number of fish Ive caught out of it on one hand. It's a travesty! 

I want to fish more.... And so began the investigation. 

My first thought was fly fish it, a Spey rod and some big bugs. There is a reference book already written. I don't know if any of my fly fish buddies are doing this except for carp in grand traverse bay and beaver island. The whole "fresh water bonefish" thing. I want salmon, steelhead, and Browns. Reaching those fish is a little more tricky. Casting distance and water depth are obstacles that can be overcome by fishing from the piers but that's not perfect either given the traffic of beach goers and "regular" fisherman. Top that, if I only fish the piers I have just eliminated 99.9% of the Lake Michigan coastline reachable on foot.

What's left?  I'm no ordinary "regular" fisherman. I don't know if I can stomach being the guy with spawn drifting under a bobber off the pier. I don't know that I want to fight that crowd. I don't know why. It's some sort of prejudice that exists in my head. I'll call it bobber fear.

Lake Michigan is big water. There are guys fishing in big water out east that aren't using a bobber. They are surf casting the Atlantic Ocean. Can I do that here?  How?

So began the research. There's not much info out there about surf casting the Great Lakes. A few videos of guys catching Browns from the beach early spring. I read from surf casters journal and joined som surf casting FB pages and hit the stripers online forum. Spent hours on the web "researching" I bought a big rod, probably too big, I bought a big reel, probably too big, and I got some big lures, probably too big.  There's just no info out there or its "fight club".

I'm breaking the rules, I want to wade to the second sandbar and throw a big lure 200 feet into the black night. I want to feel the tug of sport fish as they turn and run. I want to feel the kinship, the brotherhood, the night shift. GLSC,(Great Lakes Surf Casters) a FB group https://www.facebook.com/groups/332604083794042/ I made to gather info and knowledge, if it exists, or to document that it can't be done, which ever comes first.

Meanwhile, the waters warm and they say the salmon won't come till it cools and I am on the pier with my oversized gear drifting shrimp under a bobber and watching the guy next to me pull out catfish. 

Turns out, I AM a "regular" fisherman!