- Hello, everyone.

Welcome to "Michigan Out Of Doors."

We're so glad you're here this week.

I'm Jenny Ciolek, and we've got an exciting show headed your way.

I'll take you out on the shores of Lake Huron for a picture perfect morning of chasing after some Coho Salmon.

You won't wanna miss that story.

We had a blast out there that day, and Jimmy and Jordan have some other fishing excitement in store for us this week too.

- Well, that's right, Jenny.

We do have another story on this week's show.

We're excited to hit the east side of the state with your story, but we're also gonna hit the west side of the state, head over towards Grand Traverse Bay, and show you what it looks like to catch some Cisco and some Lake trout.

Make sure you stay tuned.

Lots of good stuff on this week's show.

I'm Jimmy Gretzinger, and it's time for "Michigan Out Of Doors."

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(upbeat instrumental music) (upbeat instrumental music) (waves lapping) (soft instrumental music) - A few weeks back, I was able to spend a day on the water with a couple of anglers targeting Cisco and Lake Trout in one of the more beautiful areas in the entire state, Grand Traverse Bay.

- [Tyler] Here we are on Grand Traverse Bay.

We're on East Bay currently where we're going to go out, and fish shallow water targeting Lake Trout and Cisco.

It's a short run each year, it's a about a month each year you can go out in shallow water, and target these fish between about you know 30 and 60 feet deep.

We're very productive every year.

It's a pretty consistent pipe.

(soft instrumental music) - [Michael] We fished 20 to 30 foot of water yesterday, so we caught probably 20 to 30 fish, lost maybe about the same amount.

A lot of Lakers, a lot of Cisco, about 50/50 mix of each.

Covered a lot of water, and we ended up finding a bunch of fish on kind of a shallow reef.

So we're fishing half ounce heavy hitters.

They're tongues to jigging spoon, which allows us to downsize their presentation.

And Cisco's have really small mouths, and so it's advantageous to have a smaller spoon, and these tungsten spoons really give us an advantage for those.

When you're fighting 'em, you gotta be really, really careful because they've got soft mouths, so you just kind of baby 'em in.

Like another Cisco, - It's like a nice fish here.

Oh, not ready yet.

They fight pretty good for their size.

There we go.

- [Jimmy] We started catching fish almost immediately, and the action was pretty steady throughout the morning.

Although early summer is the best time of year to target these fish in shallow water, you can catch them throughout the summer, and even into the fall.

- [Tyler] Here on Grand Traverse Bay this time of year, it's a really great time to be out here.

It's one of the few times of the year that you can actually fish shallow, you know the shoreline water temperature will warm up first and because of that it will draw in Cisco and Lake Trout.

You know even small mouth, you know, I've caught a white fish out here, and it's one of the few times of the year you can catch all these fish within the same you know, water column basically.

Though they'll leave the bay, you know, July and August.

But you know, usually around Labor Day, a little bit after Labor Day, they'll kind of start working their way into the bay, and it sets up for a great fishery in the fall.

And Lake Trout season closes here October 1st, so starting October 1st, I'll pretty much only be doing Cisco charters, you know as long as the weather permits.

In the fall it's more of a trolling bite.

It's, it's a great bite.

I mean, you know about 20 to 40 fish is your average catch.

So if you wanna, you know, fill the cooler up, and you know, get a good mess of fish in your freezer for the winter, it's a great time to come out here.

- [Jimmy] Although the fish were biting, the wind was making it difficult to cast very far from the boat, which led us to reposition the boat several different times in order to cast more effectively.

- [Michael] It's a little windy, obviously we're rocking and rowing a little bit, but we're catching fish, we're you gotta kind of cast downstream or upstream of the boat or upwind or downwind of the boat due to obviously lack of field.

If you cast sideways, you get a big bow in your line so it'll be advantageous to fish directly downwind or upwind for sensitivity, feeling the bites.

And there we go.

There's one.

(fish reeling) Oh man.

- [Jimmy] That's probably a Laker right there huh.

- Yeah, that might be a Laker - A little angry.

Yeah, we're just kind of ripping it up about two foot working the jigs back to the boat.

You can vertical jig these, but I find I actually catch a lot more fish when I pitch 'em out from the boat, and really control your ball rate.

So you want to select the right weight.

You're fishing like 20 foot and less, you fish half ounce.

You're fishing, let's say 20 to 40 foot three quarter and then 40 foot plus.

I usually fish one ounce, and you can change that depending on line diameter and whatnot, but gives you kind of a hard and fast rule.

Starting point for you.

(fish splashing) - There you go, man.

- [Jimmy] Although the tackle needed for this style of fishing is very basic, there are a few tips and tricks that these guys shared to help you put more fish in the net.

- [Tyler] For the main line, I like to run you know a braided line, you know where a lot of the water we're fishing, you know, 20 to you know, sometimes 60 feet deep doing this.

And then you need a braided line, so you have like a tight connection to your bait.

You can feel what's going on and if you're using a mono filament backing, there's just too much stretch in that line to get the correct action that you need out of that bait.

And plus, you'll miss a lot of your hits if you're running a filament.

So if you're coming out here, definitely use braided line, and then I usually round it to about 20 pound test, then I'll run it down to fluorocarbon liter, which is usually 10 to 14 pound, you know.

You want something a little bit stronger, you know because we do have like zebra muscles out here you know, so if you're running your line along that you want something that's gonna withstand the you know the markings o you know running your line across that.

And then for the terminal tackle, you know I like to use a small snap swivel.

- [Michael] The main thing is why we use a snap on these.

They're such a hard material that if you tie direct to this, when this comes down on a rock, it pinches between your line and the rock or between the lure, and the rock and it cuts your line.

So always use a snap swivel on these.

And as you can see, I just run a snap.

I don't run the swivel on there.

You do get some line twist.

What you can do is troll really slowly with your line out behind the boat, and that line twist will come out automatically if you get too much line twist from fighting fish.

But yeah.

Having that free movement too.

I don't like the kind that pinches that has like a angled part.

I like the rounded one because it allows that front of the spoon to wobble more.

And these spoons actually act with a swivel on there.

They act more like a blade bait than they do a spoon.

They've got a really erratic action on the lift.

And so just retaining that action with a snap is absolutely key.

And then you'll see I've got a liter.

If it was any calmer, I might even run a longer liter, but I run about a five foot liter.

And you'll notice here I've got a braid to fluorocarbon knot and I like an Alberto knot, but whatever knot you're comfortable tying that you know is gonna hold is is all you really need.

I don't like swivels because they tear up your guides, and we run long enough leaders to where we'd have to reel the swivel in through our guides.

So don't want a a swivel on there.

Lighten him up.

He's got the hot hand.

- [Tyler] He got the hot hand right now.

- Yeah.

- Grand Traverse Bay at its finest.

Looks like we got...

Didn't get a good glimpse of it yet.

- [Michael] It's so much fun coming up here, and just tearing up fish.

Looks like a Cisco.

- [Tyler] Yep another cisco here.

- [Michael] Come here little fella.

- There we go.

There we go.

Nice.

There we go.

- [Jimmy] These guys both work in the fishing industry.

One is a charter captain, and one on the tackle side of things.

And although it can be challenging, both of them enjoy what they do.

- [Michael] Yeah, it's been an absolute ride.

I wouldn't change a thing about it.

I absolutely love working in the fishing industry.

I used to work in like the hardware industry, and everyone comes in with something broken and they're not happy, right.

And the fishing industry, they're always happy.

They're always headed out to do something they're passionate about.

So it's, it's a whole different mindset, and I'm very fortunate to be able to work in it for as long as long as I have.

I ran a shop for six years and then I started getting into making tackle five years ago actually.

And so yeah.

I've got a lot of background in it, and I've been fishing since I was three years old or so, so it's definitely something I'm passionate about.

Wouldn't change a thing for the world.

Kind of feeling a little bit like a Laker.

(soft instrumental music) Stand down.

Come say hi a little fella.

- [Tyler] Not yet I guess huh?

- Nope.

He's like, "Nope, I don't like that boat.

I don't want nothing to do with those guys.

They're no good."

I really like it because you don't see a lot of boats around.

It's kind of secluded.

You've got it most of the water to yourself.

It doesn't get over fished.

You can come out here even if you're not a super knowledgeable fisherman, and usually put some fish in the boat.

It's relatively easy fishing, and it's gorgeous scenery and you know, you drop the wife off at the wineries, and come out here on the water, and have a great time.

So it's a great destination to come fish.

- [Jimmy] What a great day on the water.

The fishing was so good that before it was all said and done, I was able to land a few myself, which doesn't happen very often.

Special thanks to Michael and Tyler for letting me tag along on a fun day of fishing here on Grand Traverse Bay.

- [Tyler] That might be.

That might be the big fish for the day right there.

There you go.

- [Jimmy] I only get one.

That's the one.

I think that is a good thing.

There are so many different fishing opportunities to be had here in Michigan in the springtime.

One that you might not know about is the Coho Salmon Run that happens in the southern part of Lake Huron this time of year.

We head it out to Lexington Harbor to check it out.

(upbeat instrumental music) Hey, hey.

- Good morning.

- Good morning.

Tell me what's happening today?

- [Dan] Today we're gonna go try, and get some cohos out here.

Possibly a mixed bag, maybe a couple Walleye or Lake Trout or maybe even a King or something like that.

- [Jenny] All right but this is the time of year to target Cohos?

- [Dan] Definitely is.

First of the spring is the best time out here.

- [Dan] All right.

Who are we going with?

- We're going with Tim Cook, a good buddy of mine.

- [Jenny] Dan and Tim headed out onto Lake Huron on this picture perfect morning.

And Tim talked about what type of water to look for when targeting Coho.

- [Tim] Usually two of the most important things are water clarity as well as temperature.

Obviously when the water is dirty it'll be warmer, but it can be so dirty that the fish can't see the baits to hit 'em.

So in that case, you fish the edges of mud lines out, and it may be deeper than you want to fish, but those fish will hang in there, and come out and bite the baits into the clear water.

The best fishing in my opinion, is anywhere from 10 to let's say, 18 feet long line body baits, mono lines.

Maybe a 100, 150 back off of each side.

Seems to be in this dirty water that the last couple times out they've been referring long lines.

No dipsy, no riggers or anything like that.

So we're gonna go strictly long lines.

- [Jenny] How deep are we?

- [Tim] We are in 11 feet of water this morning right now.

All different kinds of stick baits.

We've got some Rap alas, we've got some Thin Fins.

Pretty much all just Coho baits.

A lot of orange you'll see.

A lot of orange.

Any kind of stick baits that will dive anywhere from common depths or let's say three to six feet, you can always attach a weight to a line or put it on a copper or a lead core.

You can use divers with spoons.

Again, shallow water.

I prefer anywhere from like 10-18 feet.

Anywhere along this shore from Port Port Huron all the way up to north of Port Sanicle.

You can find these Cohos.

And it's usually a short bite, like maybe two to four weeks, and then they just exit this area, and keep heading north.

(fish line reeling) - [Jenny] Grab that fish?

- Yeah, grab that fish on.

- [Ti,] Alright.

Yeah, it's shaking.

Something is shaking.

- [Dan] Tim's favorite lure right here.

- [Tim] Something is shaking.

(fish line reeling) - [Tim] Little Coho.

(fish reeling) - There is one.

- [Jenny] Alright, one in the box.

- [Dan] And what lure did that come on?

- Excellent.

- Do you know the name of that one?

- [Tim] It's a Halloween?

- [Dan] Halloween?

- [Jenny] What do we have here?

- [Dan] We've got an Atlantic salmon.

- [Jenny] Wow.

- Beautiful.

All right, we'll take it.

Hey.

- Yeah.

- First one of the day.

- [Jenny] Cool.

Nice work guys.

You got to fish on?

- [Tim] We got a fish on.

- [Jenny] What does it feel like?

- Feels like a Coho.

Pull there.

- [Tim] Alright, this will be number two.

Oh, Coho.

(fish splashing) Jumped right out of the net.

- That's a Coho.

- All right, good job.

- [Dan] All right.

- [Jenny] Beautiful.

- Green tint across the back.

- [Jenny] Good job guys.

- [Dan] Yeah, thank you.

- [Jenny] what makes it a Coho?

How do you know?

- [Tim] Okay, so white gums.

White inside of the mouth, and just this teal colored like across the back.

And if he was to hit the deck, almost half the scales would come off.

- [Jenny] Oh wow.

- [Tim] Very common.

- [Jenny] Nice.

We had two fish in the box, and another one on.

The morning bite was heating up.

- Is that the same bait Dan?

- [Dan] No.

- No.

- That's the first time your side went there too.

- [Tim] One of the things we like doing is setting up a competition, like Dan or whoever's fishing with me, they can have one side of the boat, and decide which lures to run, and then I'll take the other side, and those rods will be mine.

And at the end of the day we're trying to see who can catch the most fish on their side.

It also makes you put a little bit more effort into it because you do wanna beat the other guy.

- [Jenny] All right.

They're snapping now it looks like.

- Yeah, doing better.

- [Jenny] Tim and Dan were into the fish, and it seemed like as soon as they boated one, and reset the line, another rod would go off, and the friendly competition was heating up along with the bite.

These guys have been fishing buddies for a long time now, and definitely have their routine down pat.

- It was my side of the boat that took another bite over here.

- We're gonna play that game Max, but whose boat is it?

- You know, it's Tim.

- Well we, Dan and I started fishing quite a few years ago now, I would say probably somewhere between 10, 15 years ago.

And he was just a young buck coming in the bait store, and Anderson's Probait there in Port Huron, and a lot of us congregate in there, and he was looking to go fishing a few times, and he's turned out to be a good, good friend, good guy to fish with, and we have a lot of fun.

- [Jenny] This next fish in the net was yet another species and wreaked a little havoc on the lines on its way in.

But the guys were happy with a Steelhead in the boat.

- Yeah, we just caught a fish, and just resetting the rod, and then we had an outside board go off on the other side with a nice Steelhead.

- [Jenny] And he went across another line?

- Yeah, he caught into another line, but everything's back out now.

- [Jenny] Great work.

Well is this what you're expecting out here today?

- Yes, ma'am.

Yeah.

- [Jenny] Cool.

- Fight's getting better?

- [Jenny] Yes, sir.

Good deal.

All right.

- [Tim] So this Coho fishing has gained a lot of popularity.

The other side of the state, the west side of the state, St. Joe's is known for their Coho fishing, and so we're kind of like in the beginning stages of getting like that.

But if you learn the trade, and you learn the area, you can produce just as many fish on a box on Lake Huron as you can out of St Joe's.

- [Dan] There we go.

- All right.

- All right.

You're on the board, Jenny.

- Cool.

Yes.

- Yes.

- A Lake Huron Coho.

- Oh nice.

- That's what we came for.

- The guys were gracious enough to let me reel one in after I bumped a few off, so thank you.

- [Tim] Yep.

- Awesome day out here.

Beautiful.

And a lot of people right now are Walleye fishing, right?

So you're?

- Yep.

- [ Jenny] You'd rather do this.

- [Dan] Yeah, I'd much rather do this.

There's plenty of time to Walleye fish.

Like I said, these Cohos are only here for a short period of time.

So you play the weather, you play the water clarity.

Sometimes you gotta jump on your motor, and go find something that's better.

But usually, usually you can find the water you want to fish, and you will be successful.

It is definitely doable to come out, spend a nice day with the sun, and small waves hopefully, and produce a nice, nice box of filets for your family.

Cohos are excellent eaters in the spring coming out of the cold water.

The meat is relatively firm and very, very mild.

- What's that for the day now?

- What do we have?

- Numbers six.

- Six, - Okay, cool.

- Got four Coho and one Atlantic, one Steelhead.

- Nice.

Good day.

- That is beautiful.

- [Jenny] Tim says the Coho fishery here on lower Lake Huron is relatively new.

He's been fishing these waters for most of his life now.

- [Tim] I would say probably close to 40 years.

- [Jenny] Oh wow.

Okay.

- Yep.

- And have they always had Coho out here?

- [Tim] No.

Probably that's something that has been introduced probably in the last 10 years.

- [Jenny] Okay.

And what do you like about this kind of fishing?

- [Tim] Oh man, just being able to stay close to shore using long lines and stuff like that.

Not so complicated as deep water king fishing.

You know, the baits are easier.

You don't need as extreme of equipment, and I think you numbers wise can really catch a nice box of fish with us.

- [Jenny] Yeah, there we go.

What a day.

Hey.

- Yeah, it's a good day today.

- [Jenny] A good day indeed.

The weather cooperated, the fish were active, and the company was stellar.

Special thanks to Tim Cook and Dan Antoszewski for the absolutely perfect morning on Lake Huron.

Today was a great reminder of just how blessed we really are to have these amazing natural resources, and pristine waters in our own backyards here in "Michigan Out Of Doors."

Thank you so much for joining us this week for "Michigan Out Of Doors."

Make sure you come back in upcoming weeks.

We've got a lot of great springtime action headed your way.

We'll be headed down to the southeast part of the state for the Walleye run that's happening down there.

You won't wanna miss that.

We'll also be setting our sights on the upcoming Turkey season that's just around the corner.

If you'd like to check out more about the show or see where we are, and what we're up to on a daily basis, you can always do that online.

- [Jimmy] Well, that's right Jenny.

Online is a good way to kind of keep track of us.

Probably Instagram and Facebook are the best ways to see what we're up to on a day-to-day basis.

We're also on MichiganOutOfDoorsTV.com.

If you want to see one of our older episodes, you can check us out there, and make sure you are getting out enjoying everything our state has to offer right now.

A lot of good spring fishing happening, and we'll be out with cameras rolling.

So make sure you're joining us next week right here on your PBS station.

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(upbeat instrumental music) (upbeat instrumental music) ♪ When I wander far away a dream stays with me ♪ ♪ Night and day it's the road that leads ♪ ♪ To my home state ♪ I am a Michigan man ♪ Changing seasons paint the sea ♪ ♪ Like Rainbow Trout in a hidden stream ♪ ♪ The Whitetail Deer in the tall pine trees ♪ ♪ I am a Michigan man ♪ I'm am a Michigan man ♪ And it's where I'm from ♪ And I'll show you my hands ♪ Lord above, I love this land ♪ I am a Michigan man (upbeat instrumental music) ♪ Keweenaw down to St. Joe ♪ Kalamazoo east to Monroe ♪ To St. Marie and back again ♪ I am a Michigan ♪ I am a Michigan ♪ It's where I'm from ♪ And I'll show you my hands ♪ Lord above, I love this land (logo chimes)