Look Who is Driving the Boat – it’s me…

Lake Trout Fishing – Hello,  this Greg Johnson, Captain of the MJ. Thanks for checking out my Website. I have enjoyed putting together an incredible Lake Superior Adventure for your fun and excitement.

But before checking out the website I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself.

My first trip to the “Rock” was in 1990 and I was instantly memorized  with the world that I found myself in.

As a professional geologist at the time, I discovered the  Precambrian shield bedrock structures dominated the subsurface environment.

(I was an engineer, a geologist and a geophysics in that previous life.)

Here is the depths of the worlds largest wilderness lake a subterranean mountain range was uplifted rising from the deepest depths of Lake Superior to create an isolate world within this vast inland sea.

A complete ecosystem was created with this near surface mountain range creating deep valleys and high rising ridges. And at the very top of the food chain was the Giant “Red Fin” Lake Trout.

I am also an avid  Sportsman and I believe in America and all the Great Things she stands for.

The United States Coast Guard has granted me a 100 ton Master License, so I get to drive the boat.

However, I don’t spend my time on sight seeing tours, trolling or other “frogging around” with my boat or my time.

When I climb aboard  the “MJ” she is transformed magically  into the “Ultimate Stannard Rock Fishing Machine”.  All she needs is you the fisherman to step on board and away we go to the center of the Lake Superior.

Okay so who is Driving?

This could well be the single most important Question that needs to be answered before you Journey 50 miles out into the heart of  the worlds largest wilderness lake, don’t go with just anybody. (the farthest reef I fish is 50 miles from the break wall at Marquette’s Lower harbor.

I have a lot of hours on the Big Lake – it’s not so much about being on the water but rather were and what are you doing.  My first trip to Stannard Rock was in 1990 and I have been focusing on hunting & fishing this vast subterranean mountain range ever since.

Most all of my time has been focused specifically on the fishing grounds of Stannard Rock Light House.

My mission is to take you on the finest the Blue Water Run to Stannard Rock Lighthouse so you can fish these blue-green waters and feel the rush of being in the heart of a true wilderness lake and catching your limit of  fish that most people can only dream of catching.

That means  I don’t run Trolling  Charters, if you are looking for one of those  Deep Sea Fishing Trips then I am not the Captain for you.

You won’t find trolling tackle on the MJ. (no down-riggers, no planner boards,  no wire-line pump rods, and   no “B.S.”  just light tackle fishing equipment).

I have not found anyone else who is truly dedicated to doing it all with light tackle.  (they all have down-riggers stashed somewhere)

You can easily catch big “fats” if you troll at Stannard, but I have found if you want the good stuff “Red Fins” then you need to go where they are and fish them with specific techniques

Your entire  adventure is about you catching Trophy “Red Fin” Lake Trout on Light Weight Spinning Tackle.  So that means you will be armed with a 6 foot graphite rod, tipped with the razor sharp hooks ( and yes, the first mate and myself sharpen the hooks) of your favorite spoon and you will actually fish and catch these denizens of the deep blue as they come to the surface to cruise in the shallow waters surround the Stannard Rock light house.

When I first started fishing the Big Lake I was seduced by the dark-side and experimented with Trolling. Now don’t get me wrong. I read the books, watched the videos, competed in tournaments, and basically mastered the trolling techniques,  here is what I discovered.

I found that it was not real fishing and this is not for me and besides why travel all the way to the center of Lake Superior to Troll when you can actually Fish and Catch Trophy ‘Red Fin” Lake Trout on Light Tackle.

So I pulled all the heavy trolling tackle off the boat. I don’t have any moral or ethical problems with Down Riggers & “Meat Hooks” but I really have a passion for fishing and that is what you will do when you arrive at Stannard Rock.

There is some magical draw of seeing and casting to Trophy Lake Trout at the surface.  Site casting is a blast,  the thrill increases when you select an individual fish to cast to within a swirling school of proposing Lake Trout.

You spot a school of fish with their backs sticking out of the water and cast directly into the center, close the bail, point the tip of the rod right at the biggest fish and then hang on as your spoon starts a slow but determined wobbles down through the water column.

You Better “hang on tight”, focus your mind, but stay relaxed and lower the rod tip toward the water, be ready to set the hook in one big sweep driving home the barb when the lure stops…

Here is what I discovered through years of fishing the Rock – these brutes actually “Stack-up” into long   columns spiraling upwards to the surface.  Imagine an 80 foot column of emerging  insects working their way to the surface where they will turn into flies.

The the Lakers have it figured out,  they are gorging themselves on emerging insects.  At the surface the of the water you can find insects, when you spot these emergers  Lakers are near by, and that means you are at the right spot. (another little trick is to watch what the Sea Gulls are eating, they will gorge themselves on the bugs)

These emergers create funnels or pods of Lake Trout as they stack up and become aggressive feeders and willingly inhale a spoon with razor sharp hooks casted into the center of these pods.

That is what I am looking forward to each and every day I step onto the MJ, and so should you!

Having been a  geophysicist I have a lot of technical skills and experience in running  the Sonar and GPS to map out  the geologic structure that holds the feeding Lake Trout.   I use these instruments to hunt down and fish the biggest and most aggressive  “Red Fins” on the Rock.

In the beginning I was using paper sonar and loran systems for mapping out the geologic structure to unlock the treasure chest buried within these hidden subsurface vaults.

Over the last 20 years I have since upgraded to color sonar and GPS to pin point these lost reefs and drop offs to such a fine detail I can “see” were  there are  “Stacked”  Lakers feeding on massive schools of fresh water shrimp, herring, smelt and of course the insects that are hatching.

Here in these gin clear waters they gorge themselves into a feeding frenzy.

Which I so affectionately call the “Bite”.  During  the Bite time actually stands still, like a slice of
eternity, you loose all track of time in your live and your stress disappears and you end up catching one lunker right after another…

…and when it is over you just have that surreal feeling that you have touch a part of the raw
power that is our natural heritage…   then onto the next reef to do it all over again!

I have fished all my life and plan on doing it to the day I die… or a least for the next 50 years.

As I explained earlier I hold a 100 Master License with the United States Coast Guard and I am the owner and operator of  the MJ Charters, Inc. this is a serious business.

However there is a nice mix of seriousness and fun as ( were are 50 miles offshore) but  then again you only live once, so there is a time for both.

I am a “learn alcoholic” and I enjoy experimenting and trying new techniques,  so plan on using your imagination once you get the system down.  I have been utterly amazed at what Guest have come up with!

As you cruise through the website I hope you will find everything you need for your adventure into the heart of Lake Superior, as you will see the boat and the techniques are all “tricked out”.

Sign up for the Newsletter if you would like to receive the 7 Deadly Secrets that were published by Sportsman’s News.

However, you should contact me directly, please do this,  I enjoy the Internet and what it has to offer, so feel free to drop me a line anytime…  and we can discuss the Charter or any questions you may have .

My toll free number is (800) 676-9821 and my personal email is  Gaj@up.net,

call me or email…

Your friend

Moose Man