Play Penn

5/15 Got on the water 5:30AM and went to 80 fow in search mode, no marks, saw boats setting up behind us in front of the shoot in about 50 then the FF looses the bottom With no fish finder and only gps and down speed & temp we worked outside the pack and ran riggers 25 to 75, wire dipsys 150 & 250 and one flat line 150 back down the shoot. Went 6 for 10 by 11:00. Too of the misses were hard rips off the dipsy with a white glow SD with hammer fly that both came undone. Best overall setup was the flatline with a jointed challanger Puerto Rican taking 3 hits one 9 lb steely and lost another bigger one right at the boat. Best king was a 11 # that took a mag NK NBK in gold @ 60 off the rigger over ?

5/16 A little bumpy but the fish were still around, worked the same waypoints, guessing 80 to 120 fow. Went 3 for 4 best fish was on a 11" cyote flasher with a packer fly 85ft down on a rigger. All hits on the riggers, no dipsy or flatline hits. Lost another fish on the same setup, pulled drag to 450 feet of line then snap , always check your line after a good fish. Off the water by 10:00 as the wind started to pick up.

Found this fly at All Seasons, looked too good of a Goby to leave behind, matched it with the 5" Spinny. Looking for suggestions on how and where to run it in a spring brown setup.

Thanks, Greg

Name: Greg Miller

Boat Name: Play Penn

Boat Name Origin: From my 9 year old neighbor and fishing buddy

Boat Make: 215 Penn Yan Hardtop

Home port: Trailer from Cortland to Olcott Spring LOC, Oswego/Mexico Spring Brown and Summer/Fall Salmon

Years Fishing LO: 7

I guess you can't tell but the photo is showing the 4" Pro Troll and the 5" Spinny. I played with them from shore while casting spoons at Cayuga today and they look great. @ $1.50 ea. can't to wrong on the fly.

I plan to run these smaller flasher fly combos 50 ft back off the riggers when in close for browns.

Any other suggestions? I got these larger mudler minows from All Seasons today and can't wait to try.

Thanks for all the responses. Anybody else want to post their best/most memorable catches of 2008, even though we have a month to go?

Looking out the window at the snow I reflected on the most cherished fish of 2008, here they are.

My best brown ever, salmon river in October.

My nephew Josh with his first Salmon River salmon, showing the fly/noodle rodders how it's done. He's hooked!

My Dad with his first Salmon over 20 lbs. It used to be me as a kid having trouble lifting the fish for the photo, took me 40 years to return the favor.

My new best fishing buddy and neighbor Jack holding a nice Cayuga laker his brother Marky landed by himself. We caught five fish that afternoon in October, including a double the boys handled like pros. It was the last trip of the season. Marky, the 6 year old doing the cowabunga, lost his battle with cancer on November 11th.

It was Jack's and my passion for fishing that brought our families together. As we go into the holidays, remember, fishing is not about the fish. Looking forward to Spring already.

Rod,

I run a small spro power swivel between the 20 lb main line and the 12 lb fluoro leader and then just a small duolock snap to the lure. This works great for browns ealy, especially in clear thin water. Later in the season when targeting kings off the riggers I just remove the leader and use a duolock at the lure. The main advantages are (only my opinion) that the spoon/lure has more action and changing out is quick and is easier to see that you have a solid connedtion.

You have caught many more salmon than I but I bet I've got more browns, every system has its place.

Everyone looses tackle it's part of the game.

That's why we get so much enjoyment ribbing fellow anglers :evil:

Can't wait to fish again with you and Jeff.

Rod

I really enjoyed fishing with you and Jeff, you're both good fisherman. Man, there is a big difference between fishing with family and friends for fun and making decisions for a tournament run. Not easy, thanks for having me along. As a first timer in a Pro Am, all I can say is WOW! Learned alot, picked up many new set up ideas and techniques that I'll take on the water every time out. It was great to see and meet many LOU guys at what is a first class event.

If you want to try fishing a tournament you can't go wrong here, you'll have fun and be a better fisherman for it.

Thanks again Rod, looking forward to Oswego! The boss said that weekend is open for me.

Greg

Rod,

Checked my calandar and it looks like Im free to join Team Cream ... I mean Lucky Enuff. We can discuss the details later. As this would be my first real turney ride I'm sooooooo excited. Thanks for the offer.

Greg

Rod,

Nice way to end a trip, I'm sure your glad you made the effort to hit spring kings out west this year. It's worth the effort, wait till the action gets hot, you'll need 5 kids to real em in. We may be out again late May, stay in touch.

Greg

One of the first boats out on Thurs. Set up in about 70 fow, ran the usual king stuff in 70 to 100 fow heading west, nothing! Very few marks. Threw the tackle box at them till 11:00 and still zip working the top 50 ft. We decided to pull the plug and give in to the smell of skunk. As we were clearing the last line off the last rigger, Kevin got a hit as the spoon just reached the surface. The day was saved by an 8 lb king.

Kevin saving the day with one of his custom purple/white spoons.

As we let the skipper go suddenly the ff went wild, marked lots of fish as we were now in 50 to 60 fow right out front of Olcott. Saw a large mass of bait on the bottom. Decided to work over the area for another hour. Lots of marks but again nada. Decided to pull the plug again and as we pulled the last rigger again had a 3 lb steelie that didn’t release.

Friday was a blow off for us, so we waited for Saturday and the lake laid down nice. Went right back to our spot from Thurs and set up. Had a nice rip on the white echip/ LBB but unbuttoned after a good run. Worked the 50 to 70 depths for a couple hours, and then decided to move out as the sun got brighter.

Around 9:30 in 170 fow got our first hit on 35 ft rigger back 60 on a mag pink alewife. Nice 9 lb steelie.

Josh with his first nice steelhead.

Just as we started to reset lines the wire dipsy starts to scream. Set at 150 back on #2 setting with a custom spoon “Mr. Cream Jeansâ€

Hit the water at 6:30 found 55 temp in the channel and 44 to 51 in the lake. Worked the plume in 8 to 15 FOW with bright colors off the planner boards with only 3 pike and a chain pickerel to show for our efforts by 9:30. Decided to work the drop off and found a honey hole near the pipe on the east side where the bottom dropped from 20 to 48 FOW.

Picked up our first brown on a #9 black/silver husky jerk. Worked the same waypoint a picked up another on and ended the day with a double over the same spot on our final pass. Gold/black J11, silver/purple head yozuri, and stinger pink alewife did the damage. Got a bonus LL salmon while clearing lines off the rigger that didn’t release on the stinger.

Overall 5 for 5, 4 for 5 on the toothy critters. All the trout action came between 9:45 and 11:00.

Greenhorn Greg with the best toothy critter of the day.

Mark & Greg tagteamed this 4 lb Brown

Greg 1 & Greg 2 With Brown 1 and Brown 2

Hit the south end by 6:15 set up on the west side going north, picked up a nice 4.5 lb brown in 30 ft close to shore on a firetiver j11. Continued (should have turned back) to the north end crossed the lake went south on the east end, nada.

Decided to try the spot we got our first on, now 9:30, picked up a little 2 lb to finish the day. It took a silver black storm.

Not bad for my first try, lots of wind out of the south, both fish came on a north troll.

My first Otisco brown

Mr Brown with a Brown

A tip for removing the rivet is to cut away the swivel first with wire cutters, leaving just the rivet. Then hack saw out the rivet from the center of the clinchre, makes a clean cut. I practiced on some old clinchers that I replaced before so as not to mangle the new one. Drilling out the rivit created lots of heat and softened the plastic. Hacksaw method was alot easier.

Hope this helps.

We'll be out of Olcott/Wilson depending on conditions Thurs, Friday, Sat last weekend of the LOC. Will share info on 14. Good Luck to all.

Anyone ever fish Otisco for spring browns? Looking for a Lake O blow off option as I live in Cortland. I've done Cayuga and Skaneateles, looking for something different.

Thanks

Rod,

I've had success with wire for spring Kings especially out west. Sometimes those big guys are hanging deep below smaller kings and coho that are higher in the water. Having said that, I often still have a mono or fireline slide diver to hit those 20 to 50 ft depths or when I want to add stealth.

If I could only use one, wire!

I broke a personal record today. This is the first time I've been skunked in two consecutive trips EVER! :? Out on the water by 6 AM, set lines 1.5 miles east, worked 10-12 fow. 50 temp on top 44 on S&T down 5.

Found no real warm pockets from Mexico to Sandy pond. Workded south out to 30 fow and ran more riggers and slide divers but nada. Did 20 miles on the new gps, nice day for a boat ride. Saw a couple dozen other boats, anyone fair better?

Make an offer either/or I’ll probably take it.

Fishtails,

Great to hear you got the Sea Ray wet. Sunday was tough, the Play Penn was also black & white and stunk all over. I wanted to get my driver (Doug) used to working speed off the DR up and down a few 10ths at a time so we hit Cayuga in the PM.

Will do a few more 1/2 Day trips before the LOC on the west end. I'll have my a crew in Olcott fishing May 8, 9, 10 and maybe the 11th AM depending on weather. Let me know when you plan any other trips.

Fish Hawk 800 with probe & transducer $200.00. Brigs & Stratton 4 Stroke 5 hp with aux fuel tank 3-5 gal est. Not run in last year $399.00.

Just checked out Rick Pecci's web site. (Got it from the introduce yourself thread) I was impressed with all the general information on trout and salmon fishing.

If your new to the sport, give it a look. I know Rick from Gander Mountian he is always more than willing to share any info and it showes on his website. (except gps coordinates)

ERABBIT, this is the first time I've seen any indication that the clincher won't work with the coated cable for S&T units. Could you elaborate or at least give more details on your first hand knowledge. I just put the first 5 hours on mine in shallow water and it worked fine, don't want to learn the hard way.

Thanks

Greg

Clarke,

I got my Walker Clincher/Release from Fish 307 online. Works great, at least to 10 ft down

I went by Rod's boat yesterday, it's in the #1 bay and Rod said it may be ready by the weekend. You guys going?

Greg