Mike M

All my diver reels have line counters. I use the Tekota 600LC for L.Ontario. On Erie I use Daiwa 47 Sealine Line counters. I'm not experienced with Okuma reels but hear good things about some but not all for alot less money. The Eagle Claw 10ft diver rod could be used on both lakes IMHO. Its a $30 rod.

When i run 4 diver rods my rods are all the same length and the same action. Been doing it more then 20 years without a problem. I have 48" of traxtech track on each side of boat. Each track has a rigger, a ball cradle, and 4 traxtech adjustable rod holders mounted to it in that order. On Lake O. I prefer 4 wire divers, if I'm gonna run 4. Typically I'd run outside diver on a 3 in holder furthest forward on track. Inside diver on a 1 or 1.5 in holder closest to rigger or 2nd closest to rigger. Holders are all at same angle to water- horizontal. Rods are 9ft Talora medium action roller rods. Reels are Tekota 600LCs. Big thing I like is all diver rods have the same bend while trolling. Never had problem with rods whacking into each other when hooked up. On L. Erie  we'll run same way but rods are 10ft Eagle Claw diver rods. Love the soft action they have for soft mouthed walleye. On Erie we  run wire on inside divers and braid on high divers. Deploying slow is hugh!! Just my 2 cents. 

Work with your local prop shop. My local shop actually let me try a couple props. You could offer a cash deposit in case there was damage to a prop your trying. I bought a used boat that had the wrong prop on it. When I finally got the right prop on the boat OMG! what a difference!! 

I'd heard about western guys washing baits with Joy years ago.  Saw the video on Fish 411 and its got me interested. At the Niagara expo I talked specificly about this with Jay Rominack. Said he was a doubter till friend from out west got him to try. He told me it must be Joy non ultra. Joy ultra is easy to find. Had to search on web to find non ultra. Jay said testing was done on this and for some reason Joy does not repel fish but other soaps do. He's also adding procure scent after washing. I'm gonna play around with this this year.

We live here. Our favorite place to launch is Fort Niagara state park. Its right at the mouth of the river. The red can is an important waypoint to put in your GPS. Its due north of river mouth about 3 miles in 45 fow. Go  due north of the can and it drops quickly to 200 fow. We call that the dropoff. Great spring salmon fishing can be had around the red can.Sometimes its better to the east, other days its better to the west. Canadian border is about 2 miles west of the can. Lots of east to west and west to east trolling in this area.Some days kings will be in 50-70 fow. Other days could be in 80-110 fow. We mostly run spoons and flasher flies. Some guys are running cut bait too.LOC spring derby is a great time to fish this area. You can also launch at Olcott or Wilson but they are 12-18 miles east of the river.You could also launch at  Lewiston which is a 7 mile boat ride up river from the mouth. Great little motel there called The Riverside  Motel. Also don't forget knee high boots in case of high water at the launch.Good luck !!

Merry Christmas to you all !! Just cause we all don't always agree. You guys guys are still the best !!! Merry Christmas to everyone!

Just sent my 2nd E mail to DEC this time regarding the increase in length of an open water steelhead to 25".You have the same problem here as the the 2 steelhead limit proposal when you have a 3 fish in combination rule. You CANNOT SUCCESSFULLY C/R STEELHEAD IN MID SUMMER on the open waters of Lake Ontario !!  If this proposal passes it will result in lots of dead and wasted steelhead floating on LO. Happy seagulls! If they want to help trib fisherman it would make more since to have NO SIZE LIMIT on steelhead on open lake. Instead the rule would be you must keep your first 3 silver fish regardless of size. Obviously the 3 in combination rule we have now would apply. Could be you have 2 steelys and 1 king in your box etc. This would help trib fisherman because there would be far less dead steelhead !!

On 11/20/2019 at 5:59 PM, reelxite said:

For those of you who have not read the regulation change concerning steelhead on Lake Ontario open waters lowering it to 2. Here is the part of the new regulations that was published.

 

In the justification portion of this document it was stated.

 

“Four of the five proposed regulation amendments result from a series of meetings with a Lake Ontario Fisheries Management Focus Group (Focus Group), convened to determine anglers’ desired fisheries management outcomes and to seek consensus on management actions that will result in maintenance and improvement to high quality sport fisheries. The Focus Group was comprised of 16 angler representatives”

 

I was part of that group and I can tell you that this was not a consensus at least 7 of the contributors including myself apposed this proposal.

 

Here are the new regs:

 

2. Reduce the open Lake Ontario/Lower Niagara River creel limit for rainbow trout/steelhead from 3 to 2 fish/day -Rainbow trout/steelhead provide the primary sport fishery in Lake Ontario’s tributaries from November through the following spring. This potential change is designed to increase numbers and sustainability of rainbow trout/steelhead in the tributary fishery by reducing open lake harvest when Chinook fishing success in the lake declines and more anglers specifically target rainbow trout/steelhead.

 

3. Reduce the creel limit for brown trout in Lake Ontario tributaries from 3 to 1 fish/day -This change is intended to prolong high quality brown fishing opportunities through the winter months, while still allowing anglers the opportunity to harvest a trophy fish. Fishing effort on Lake Ontario tributaries can be intense each year from fall through spring and maintaining high quality brown trout fishing opportunities relies on anglers releasing a high proportion of their catch.

 

Let me give you a little history of this new steelhead regulation, a number of years ago (unfortunately I can not specify the date). The tributary angler groups wanted to reduce the harvest limit on the tributaries to 1 because they viewed the fish in the tributaries subject to over harvested of a limited resource (only so many fish will enter the trib. and they are easy prey to anglers). The DEC agreed and we as lake anglers did not support it, but did not oppose it, with an agreement between lake anglers and the DEC Management at the time that they would not impose the same regulation on the open lake. All was well in the fishing world, but we knew in our minds it would only be a matter of time and they would come after an open lake reg on steehead.  It started with the minimum size being raised to 21 inches, now they are trying to lower the limit to 2 on the open water, not unexpected.

 

So now we see in regulation proposal #3 that they are going to lower the brown trout limit on the trib. to 1 for the same reason as they lowered the steelhead to 1 in trib. in the past. How long will it be till they come after the limit on the lake too, as they are now doing with the steelhead. Even though the DEC have again promised not to do so as in the past.

 

 I have no problem if the tributary anglers want to self-regulate and propose regulations that will limit harvest and size in the tribs. But we as lake anglers in return should be allowed to propose limits and sizes on the Lake.

 

We as open lake anglers must oppose this regulation and let our voices be heard. We still have till Dec. 14, to let our voices be heard.

 

Send your comments to:

 

[email protected]: with this in the subject line:

6 NYCRR Part 10 Section 11-0317-Amendents to Great Lakes sportfishery regulation in 6NYCRR Part 10

 

Wrote my letter to DEC a couple weeks ago opposing the reduction in creel limit on open lake steelhead. Bob Songin gives a good talk on ths on his facebook page. I'm 100% in agreement with Bob Songin. This reduction will result in alot of dead steelhead floating in the lake. The seagulls should be real happy!!  To think this reduction in open lake limit will increase the # of tributary fish is absurd!! Don't they know you can't C & R steelhead on the open lake in mid/late  summer !!  There going to die, you might as well throw them in the box until you reach your legal limit. This rule change does not work with the 3 in combination rule. When guys have there 2 steelhead in the box there going to keep fishing hoping the next fish is a salmon. But what if its another steelhead?? Now to obey the rule that steelhead it has to be released and I guarantee 95% of the time it will die.How is this helping the tributary fisherman ?? I hope you'll join me in opposing the steelhead creel limit reduction. Please send your E-mails to DEC address mentioned above.

There are fewer boats then ever going off-shore for steelhead and salmon. The cost of running 10-15 or 20 miles off shore is a  factor. If this regulation passes there certainly will be less of us out there. Yes there is alot  steelys/salmon out there. Just very few fisherman trying to catch them.  There will be lots of dead steelys on the surface..They just don't release well in mid summer.  That willl be a shame. Its supposed to be a put and take fishery. How is this a win-win for our L.O. fishery??  Should we just stop mid summer fishing for the sake of the tributary fisherman???

I'm totally against these proposed changes in open water steelhead regulations. It will hurt more then help the popularity of sport fishing on lake Ontario. Yes it will hurt the charter boats but us rec guys hate it too. Its a question of is it worth it. When summer finally gets here its well known on L.O. if you want to catch fish you go off-shore. Off Niagara county shores that means 400-550 fow. If you want to go out there you better have a seaworthy boat thats mechanically sound. You better have good electronics/GPS too. Not to mention the fishing gear this all costs ALOT of money. The good thing is thats alot of money for our local economy.  For 2 fish per angler whose going to want to spend the money to go that far to catch a couple fish. Whether it be a charter boat or a rec angler. Does not make since unless you really love open water steelhead fishing, which I do.  I hope many/most of you will respond to the DEC on this proposed change and say NO. LEAVE IT AS IT IS. 

Anyone have any experience with this company. Seem to carry alot of name brand gear. There prices are redicously low. Was trying to help friends shopping for cannon or scotty riggers.

What do you call that spoon?? Who makes it?

I have a Airmar TM-150 medium chirp ducer with my HDS-Carbon unit. We fish Erie and L.Ontario. Very happy with performance.  Previous had a 200 khz skimmer ducer. Was  good inside 100 fow. Marked very little when we went off shore on L Ontario.

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So sorry to hear of your loss. My fishng partner and I have been together for more then 30 years. He's about 10 years older then me. (65) He's slowing up in alot of ways and i guess i am too. When he can't do it anymore I just don't know what I'll do. We're going strong this season!! We'll see what the future brings!! Lots of great memories!!! Its not just about the fishing!!! RIP.

Our best spoon for more then 20 years has been a Michigan Stinger Natural Born Killer (NBK) in the Sting Ray size. 

I've had good results from Lowrance

 tech assistence.  Friend advised always ask for a senior tech advisor. They usually speak better english, Not wanting to sound prejudice . I've got the Lowrancce Carbon on the boat now before that had HDS 1. Been on phone many time with there techs. You just gotta work thru the learning curve. I do still like Lowrance electronics even though I hear many complaints. Just  look at what most of the pros use.

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Just a mention. The 9 ft. ugly stick light action is a great rigger rod. Been using the for 25+ years. Don't worry that hey call it light action.My biggest King just shy of 40 lbs caught on that rod.

I have a bunch of the 8'3' ugly sticks. There a good rigger rod for spoons on LO. or walleye on Erie .To light for in line boards IMHO. I like the Okuma CP-LT-762M 12-20 lb. Just ordered 2 more today. Getting ready for L. Erie walleye campaign.Good Luck!!

My first  autopilot was a bungee cord. Wasn't perfect but it did help me set some rods while fishing alone.

Good question. I use Eucerin Daily Protection Face Lotion. Its 
SPF 30 and its a moisturizer too. It has Zinc Oxide in it. My old dermatologist told me if a sunscreen 

doesn't have Zinc oxide in it your wasting your money. Not to expensive . If theres something better I'd like to know what it is.





      

Good news! Any size to the Kings? We did good Saturday in Canadian water. Just  couldn't break 20 lbs.

what you described is exactly how I've been running them.  Was just thnking that rigger ball running 6-my 8 inches below my spoon or flasher/fly?? I,m probably over thinking it. I do like the snubbers. Those scotty riggers are so fast and when they  stop its definitley jerks the cable.Don't want to lose a prope or a ball. I'll start the season with 12 lb balls. When the fish move deeper I'll switch to 16 lb torpedos. Thanks for the reply.

Started using amish outfitter 6" rigger snubbers last year with my Scotty high speed riggers. My question is where should I have the Blacks release?  Directly above the ball or where the rigger cable and snubber connect?

Go to facebook type in : King of Lake results  Looks like lots of kings caught today.