As summer progresses, the salmonids move farther offshore at Muskegon. Schalk said that a quick drop about seven miles straight out of the harbor that goes from 180 feet to 250 feet in a short distance holds fish all summer. Expect mixed bags of kings, cohos and steelhead then.

You can get more information on Slammin' Flies by calling (248) 399-4341 or online at www.slammertipup. com. For information on bait shops, lodging and amenities in the Muskegon area, contact the Muskegon County Convention & Visitors Bureau at (231) 722-3751 or online at www.muskegon.org.

LUDINGTON
Year after year, Ludington is the premier trout and salmon port in Michigan. The combination of excellent structure, access to deep water, natal rivers, net pens and being situated between Big and Little Point Sable makes it a natural place for salmonids of all species to congregate. Because of this, it is also one of Michigan's busiest ports.

"I would say that 2005 was as good or better then 2004," said Capt. George Freeman, who has run his charter boat Free Style out of the port for more than 20 years. "People were saying that the fish were smaller, but I didn't hear any complaints. The kings were really nice fish, with a lot of them in the 15- to 17- pound range, the ones that pull like the dickens."

One thing that Freeman noted about fishing out of Ludington last season was that if you weren't on the water early, you often missed the best fishing.

"It was an early bite," Freeman declared. "There were a lot of days when you couldn't get all your rods in the water for the first hour. If you missed that early bite, you could be in for a long day."

Freeman said in the early morning darkness, glow baits really made a difference. Hot baits were Dreamweaver's Ever-Glow spoons in Crab, Lobster and Beefeater. Fishlander's Ultra-Glow spoons in Green All-Glo, Green Glo Froggy and Yellow Glo Froggy worked great, too. Glow-in-the-dark plugs were also good. Ludington is in the heart of flasher-and-fly country, and many a Ludington king met its maker at the end of a flasher/fly combo in 2005. Spin Doctors, Revelators and Coyotes all produced well when mated to KRW, Action and Slammin' flies.

With fishing on Lake Huron down the tubes, more anglers are headed to Ludington. "There definitely were more boats than ever before," observed Freeman. Freeman said, in most cases, he still worked "The Shelf" from the Bathhouse at Ludington State Park to Big Point Sable. "The key was to get out early, get positioned to make a couple of passes and then move out after the bite fizzled. 'The Bank' was definitely the place to be."

To book a charter with Capt. Freeman, contact him at 1-877-456-3474 or at www.CharterFreestyle.com.

One problem that continues to face Ludington anglers is the Indian nets. "The nets are definitely a factor because they are right in the heart of the trolling grounds," Freeman said. Freeman said the nets act as a deterrent to some anglers, and if you're not careful, you can learn a very expensive lesson.

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There could be more chinooks in Lake Michigan right now than there's ever been before. Get out there this season and get your share of fun.