Great Lakes 2018 Day 5 - Fishing (if only briefly)

It was a very early morning for four of us.  SO, Big Sis, J and I went out for an early morning charter.  Our charter called while we were en route to the marina and said the wind was higher than expected and coming out of the Northeast, making waves bigger than expected.  Since it was so dark out, they weren't even sure if we would be able to go.  We decided to continue up there anyway since we were half way there already.

We got up there as the east horizon was just beginning to get light.  The waves were definitely up, but the captain said it would not be unsafe.  So we decided to go.  After a few minutes to get ready, we headed out.
As we got to the end of the no wake zone, the captain slowed and asked if we could handle the waves.  It was rough, but I had been on worse before.  I looked to the other three and we agreed to head out.
Even with the rough and somewhat unpredictable waves, it was a pretty morning.

Soon enough we were out quite a way off shore and the mate starting putting out lines.  It took a while to put out all 10 of them:  four down riggers, two dipsy divers, and four planer boards.  Then we started to troll.  I've seen it before where fish are being almost constantly brought in and/or lines going back out, but it was beyond slow.  And the waves were relentless.

Then ... it happened.  SO and Big Sis started involuntarily acting on the ill-effects of the waves.  They were both troopers about it and kept a sense of humor, but after a while, it was obvious that it was a bit much for them.  And the fishing was slow - meaning non-existent.  Puking with no fish is a bad combination and after only a short time trolling, I told the captain we should head back in.

The mate started bringing in all the lines which took almost as much time as putting them out.  As they were coming in, a fish hit one of the down riggers and I brought in a small trout.  Seeing as this was not to be enough fish for the group of us, I told the mate it makes more sense to release it.  It didn't look too healthy as I slipped it back into the water, but it wasn't out of the water and wasn't bleeding so I'm quite sure that the churning water revived it quickly.

The captain gave us a break on the price of fishing which was very, very gracious.  Once back on land that was not undulating in an unruly manner, J and I walked around a little bit while SO and Big Sis recovered and we headed out of the marina.  Since we had fishing licenses, we stopped at a tackle store to buy a pole so I we could take my youngest nephew fishing.  Then it was back to the house.

Back at the house a group of us went to a nearby state park to the beach.  My youngest nephew seemed to really enjoy it.  The Thumb area of Michigan was having an antique weekend (read yard sales) and I bought another pole to use for fishing.  Young Sis and I went grocery shopping even though there was already enough food in the house to feed an army for a week or two.

We lollygagged around the house for a while - probably too much as various people came and went.  The four people who were fishing (the two pukers now recovered) went out to the pier in a nearby town.
The Thumb area of Michigan was having an antique weekend (read yard sales) and J bought a slightly broken if functional pole for the grand sum of $2 and I got the seller to throw in some jig heads.
Once at the pier, SO and Big Sis went to do who-knows-what while J and I attempted to catch some fish.  The pier fishing was calmer, but unsurprisingly unsuccessful.

Back at the house I grilled burgers for dinner.  The grill was a bit terrifying with old grease that had to burn off and the new hamburger grease, but the neighborhood was only slightly singed by it.

Several people went to a music festival for the evening.  SO and I did not as I was quite sure I'd get peopled out in a hurry (it was already getting busy earlier in the day).

The morning's fishing was a bit of a bummer, but I suppose it gives another vignette in the Tale of family life.