Hamlin Lake

[Dan]

The Tear Drop Tournament Trail had its last regular season tournament on Hamlin a week ago. Winners had the usual 13+ pounds that it has been taking to win it, whether its a three hour or 8 hour tournamtent.
The fish in Hamlin are the hardest fighting fish around. You get a 13 incher on and you'd think you have a three pounder on.
The big fish just are really hard to find lately. For several years now, there have been loads of 13-15 inch fish, but the big fish that use to come in to the weigh-ins are just not showing up.
It also seems that to win, you need to rely on smallies which has not been the case in years past. The bigger fish weighed lately have all been smallmouth.
A friend of mine sent me a write up and pictures from the event, and I have it on my daily blog at teardropbass.com . Pics below are winners Herndon and Macdonell, Traverse City, 2nd Place Meyers and Kyser of Irons, 3rd Cook and Mitchell of Ludington, and fourth was the Vawters from Wyoming, MI.

[Firefighter Jeff]

  Thanks for the report Dan.  The smallies turned on pretty nice this year.  Im heading up there tomorrow morning just for a overnight.  I plan on going up again next week for a couple days.  I hear the salmon are in the Pere Marquette pretty good.  Might have to put the bass fishing on the back burner. 

[Dan]

I  just took twenty pounds of salmon fillets in to get smoked. Should be getting them back in a few days. There's a place in Caledonia, The Big Ole Smokehouse that does a super job. Having a third flavored with Cajun spice, a third with garlic lemon pepper and a third cured with maple. The maple is their top spice flavor.

[djkimmel]

You know anything about the angler who used to guide up there fishing smallmouth bass something 45 feet deep in the summer?

[Firefighter Jeff]

   Hmmmm  I'm not familiar with who that is.  I'd be interested in talking to him though.   

[djkimmel]

I never got to go out with him but he was catching some bigger smallies than most people all summer. It has been quite a while since I've heard anything about him. Can't even remember his name right now.