Gill-T

Getting a little itchy Larry?

My packet from Wayne Co. Pro/Am came today. For all those wanting to try the Pro/Am thing, mail in applications for the first event in Wilson are due May 22 by 5:00 pm. Phone # 1-877-Falls-US or email at bhilts@niagara-usa.com. On another note....a King was caught in Canadian waters today . I don't know how I am expected to work the rest of the day. I probably will drill into the side of my patients cheek while re-inacting a downrigger rod release .

The black face/white cup nk with orange tape on the face has taken as many kings on Lake O as any spoon since the late 80's IMO. An all-time classic. I made some spook patterns recently with some. I added white glow paint over the white cup.

I can only speak from what worked last week......natural colored stickbaits like a goby (brown). Until the emerald shiners come in, which will be the next two weeks, then silvery/minnow looking baits.

The distance between the green can and the red can is a couple of miles. In between is "the bar" with plenty of shallow water. Browns are caught this time of year trolling the shoreline, drifting the bottom with three-way rigs and minnows, trolling with planers from the mouth out to the red can etc. etc. Plenty of water to cover. If is browns you are after I would stick to shoreline trolling with planers. The mudline along the shore concentrates fish and make them easier to find. Targeting brown off the bar can be a needle in a haystack. Usually, they are caught by accident by fisherman drifting for lakers or King fisherman using stickbaits.

"Big in the rear".

Savant spoons has a pattern that is realistic. Rebel stickbaits in brown trout color. Storm has some colors of hot'n'tots and junior thundersticks that mimic the dull brown color. Yo-zuri makes a crankbait called Aile Goby (Bass Pro has them) that is probably the most realistic. Capt. Pete Alex's site Dreamsteelie.com has it's own custom version of a gobie spoon pattern. Aw hell, anything brown and ugly!!!!

Is that the 21' model? I have an '88 23.5' model. If you are going to slip the boat, get some bottom coat on her before the stains and grime build up......looks like a clean hull. Jamestown distributers online site has how to's and everything you will need.

The problem is we have to stock our tackle boxes with new drab colored lures!!!!!

It is a three thousand dollar mistake if you don't take appropiate measures. I ran the non-toxic antifreeze thru my engine right after fishing this weekend....and kept it in dry dock for peace of mind. If I go out this weekend , I will do the same. I have an I/O. A jug of antifreeze from Autozone is $3.99.

You want the shallow diver/floater models, otherwise, you will be dragging bottom. Our inside lines were in 3-4 FOW. 30Lb test with #15 fluorocarbon leader keep the bait running up high. Suspending models would have more of an application out deeper. The floater models of any stickbait have better action than suspending models IMO.

Great picture Adam, thanks. Wow, was it nice to finally get out.....catching some fish was a bonus.

God willing Adam, I will putting in on Sunday.

For updates you can go to Boomdays.com. Looks like mid-April.

Generally Jugs come in pairs.......that is all I know about them.

When the wind is behaving, most guys will start their drift on the tail of the hole, and drift with the current up the back of the hole onto the 20' flat which starts the "bar". Stay with the drift onto the bar for awhile. The biggest concentration is in front of the green buoy, but it can get crowded so extending your drift in different directions on the flat will often pay dividends and less lost tackle.

Looks like you were in the traditional spot at the tail out in front of the green bouy. They are fun on light tackle. A totally different fish than the ones you drag off the bottom trolling.......full of piss and vinegar. God willing, I will be out there next weekend if I can convince my brother to get his slyvan de-winterized. How was the launch?

Do we think those are Atlantics?????

My questions on the new open division are... 1). Big Steelhead/Big Salmon payouts? 2). Cooler check on Friday? 3). I understand you can "cooler cull", but can you also cull all day? 4). Prize payouts 5). 12:01 am start time? 6). Six or eight rods? (Since it is not inforceable) 7). Is there a mandatory captain's meeting requirement since there are no observer issues?

Looking at the figures and the diminished return with added length of copper, one might conclude using anything over 400' is a silly waste of time and money. It would seem that if you had a 200' and a 400' off either side you would be covering water in the 45-55' zone. If you want deeper, then it would be prudent to add pinch-ons.....but then you don't get the triggering slow fall on turns, but a more abrupt version. Lots to think about .

I wonder if there is a belly in the copper where we may be "lining" fish before the bait comes by? I would think you could be spooking fish with that scenario.

Maybe we have been running higher than we thought? Since these guys are the only ones with a wet suit observing the actual depth, we may have to take their word for it. Just like using your line counter to reproduce where a fish came from with wire/dipsys, it doesn't really matter what the number is, only that we make sure we put it back out at the same number. If fish are hitting the 400 and not the 200' copper, then run the 400' (obviously). The only factor I can see causing the discrepancy is drag/friction. As more copper is being let out there is a diminished return on depth when straight line trolling. Only when we turn and stall do you see the greater depths achieved due to the dropping weight. This is good news in my opinion....it means I don't have to dispense "the beast" (600' copper) anymore. I have NO patience for copper in that long of a segment. With the diminished return curve, I going to chop that 600' into a 250' and a 300' and get more use out of the crap.

My best lure in Alaska was a large Vibrax spinner with orange treble fur. Casting off river mouths, and even trolling off the back of the boat.......it outfished everything, even whole herring. I have often thought about running them in Lake O, but I have so much other crap to use that I never get around to it.

what size boat? The state launch has been in need of a good dredging. The town launch at the yaht club in Youngstown was just redone, nice, and deep. But, it make back-up during the ESLO.