Reel Doc

Mikey, It's all good...if I can't take it, I won't dish it out. Or expose my waterborne inadequacies. One thing to remember about me. I grew up near the Connecticut coast by Long Island, so minimal fear on the pond. My wife is an upstate landlubber getting her first experience with water action. 2 years ago in August we tried a charter trip out of Montauk. Beautiful summer afternoon. water was like glass. My wife and 2 of 3 kids are chumming over the side within an hour. Not having been out in years, I really do not want to quit, but we cut the half day charter in half again at risk of me living alone. Cut to last year, we do a charter off Martha's Vineyard and the family is geared up with every seasickness item available. There was a 1-2 foot surf and I'm saying my prayers to the fishing Gods. Luck would have it, no green family and we slammed into some 20 lb plus fish. If that didn't work out, I probably still would be dreaming about someday getting the boat we now own. So with that background, you know where I'm coming from. My wife and kids love me alot to put up with and even encourage my fishing habit, so I really have to give them some love back, and that does NOT include jamming a 7 foot tall boat through a 7 foot 1 inch opening. Greg

We took our 24' Wellcraft Walkaround out of there a couple times in September. (See photo). The first time there I asked a couple guys, (knowing what I know now, probably Splitshot and RustyRat), how it looked to them as I was a bit concerned. Of course, not their boat, so no problem, just keep your rods down. We get to the bridge and I thought my wife was going to jump ship If we had a hard top we would have become a convertible. The second trip out it was choppy heading back in, and being a new skipper I must admit to fearing the boat's windows would be in trouble if we strayed too far from center. It'll be a long time before I try it in the dark, if the fish are South we'll launch Deans and do a long boat ride. I know some Trophy's look tall in the center console, but how it compares to ours I do not know. One thing for sure, when you get to that bridge keep your head down. Greg

You guys are great, you take me back to college days when a smelt might "accidently" wind up in the foot of a buddies chest waders.

Will do Split...I'll keep pestering you fellas on board setups until Spring. Oh, can you send a photo of RustyRat's boat so I know who to try and follow? Greg

Just received the reels today. I had been in contact with Emptystringer before you fellas spoke so highly of the reels. You make me feel better about adding them to the arsenal. Now for trolling do you recommend they carry mono for boards or riggers, or are they better off with copper or wire? Remember we just started this August using 2 dipseys and 2 riggers, (have 4 LC 47 Accudepths), but with a family of 5 on the water, we're hoping to have a planer setup for Spring. Thanks, Greg

That's a beautiful fish. Of course, I have to ask, when you say long lead off the ball are you talking 30-40 feet, or way back? One old salt, maybe more, mentioned to me that I should always have 100-110 feet of line out, ie 20 feet down, 80 feet back, 80 feet down 20 feet back. Correct? Opinions? Also, what about Spring trolling speed....a litter faster than for Lakers, or no difference. As I read on this site, the Ontario boys turn it up a notch compared to Cayuga. One last thing...it sounds like if Rusty Rat would send a copy of his autopilot tracing I would learn alot in a short time. Think about it Rat, it's for my kids!! Greg

Are these all hatchery fish, or some natural reproduction happening? Rusty, where do you mean by the south flats, close to Ithaca and the inlet, or is Chowder right in that I need to put a tracking device on your boat to find where the fish are. Of course with me, your answer adds a new question which is, where are the Lakers in the Spring, (used to be creeping into shallow water in the old days), and how to target? As 2010 will be our first Spring boat trolling, I'm trying to plan ahead, (ie. give the family a Xmas shopping list). Greg

Your right, in my previous fishing life we dealt with lampreys, but no zebra mussels. So even in open water it's best to vertical jig? Interesting. I'm guessing you drift until you start catching fish then drop anchor? 20-50 FOW on a shelf? Greg

Other than T-Falls and Salmon creek, where else is there fast water coming into Cayuga? Anyone know if there is a substantial current that still flows out of the power station? Used to be in winter the current there would run South along the shoreline, then as water level went up in Spring it would turn staight out. Can that area be trolled fairly close to shore in early Spring? Greg

I posed this question last week when some monster Brown photos from Canandaigua lake came up. What is the brown trout population in Cayuga doing, and can you only target in the Spring? In my college days, late 1980's, we used to pull a number of nice browns from shore at the power station from January through May. Since we started boat fishing/learning from all of you in August, no one has mentioned the Browns. Has the fishery decreased, or are they only easier to access in the Spring? From shore, egg sacs or drifted smelt used to be the ticket, anyone have any ideas? Greg

I've heard the perch are good sized in Seneca. Any hotspots towards the North end? Do you jig, run minnows, or both? Greg

Have 88 acres to myself and bow time is the best time. Mennonite crop farming neighbor rents to a deer club, so you duck when the shooting starts. We rent our tillable and feed the sheep with alfalfa ground on shares. This year its soybeans, but the back edge where we have a 300 yard laneway is against corn. After hunting here for 12 years now you would think I would know every tree, but Spring scouting I stumbled on a great tree, (it really grew in a year), in plenty of thick cover, but it has some natural shooting lanes and the deer can pick corn, beans, alfalfa, or acorns all nearby, but to and from they should amble on by. We shall see. Greg

Andy, Thank you for all your help getting me started. Glad to see you found a fishing partner for Sunday. We always get more emergencies around a full moon, so we had an office full this weekend. My only fishing was for a few largemouths out of our farm pond Sunday when I was mounting a tree stand nearby. Weather permitting we are hoping to get out again, maybe the end of the week as the kids get some extra time with Columbus weekend. Good luck in the woods, I'm dreaming of an Indian summer day soon that will allow for both surf and turf success. Greg

Canandaigua lake makes a good looking laker. Nice photo. Greg

This is a duckhunters delight or perfect for pond fishing. We always loaded it in the back of a pickup and headed out with it. It's been sitting in the office basement for a few years now, but it is fully seaworthy. Complete with oars, 2 seat cushions, and a 10 pound anchor all shown. First $300 gets it all.

Nick, what tackle do you use for weight and to attach, and, when reeling in, do you need to detach the weight, or will it slide down somehow? Thanks, Greg PS Schools out for you, but in for me.

Good looking fish. Why is it the browns rock on the lakes in the Spring, then really seem to disappear? Where do they go? Greg

You fellas a great at answering questions and creating more When adding weight, how do you know how much weight/line to let out to get to a desired depth? In Cayuga, we'll probably be looking to get to 15-40 feet down which I believe is sometimes deeper? than your looking to get to in Ontario. Also, on the rubberbands, how thick a band to hold the line but catch a nibbler? Thanks for all the answers, Greg

What brands/sizes of crankbaits are preferred for this time of year and again come Spring? Also, do you tie on to leaders, or can you get away with attaching to a swivel? Thanks, Greg

Thanks Andy, that site spells it out really well. What do all of you use to vary depth? The site talks about minidivers on some lines. Are there other ways to drop a mono line? I'm guessing with copper the line itself will drop to desired depth. And one other thought, is it best to use one line type with a multiple planer setup, or can you use both mono and copper? Thanks, Greg

I think I've got the picture now. What do you use for releases, homemade or a certain brand? Also, Cayuga lake where I'll be starting this has fleas bad at times. If we use 30# flea flicker, how long of a light leader would you suggest for those spooky Browns? Thanks for spelling this planer setup out for me, Greg

The answer to 1, you mean twist the planer board line correct? So when in 2., you reset the inner line do you let out fishing line only, and if so, how to put the line you caught a fish on back in play...do you let out more planer line? Also, what is your opinion on type of line to use at first, mono, copper, or lead core, or no difference since if I screw it up it tangles either way. Thanks, Greg

I'm trying to visualize multiple lines off a planer, so if you can help me out on a hypothetical: Let's say I run 3 lines off 1 board, these are my questions: 1. Do you place a knot or some sort of stop to keep the clothespins/attachments from all stacking together? 2. A fish hits the middle line. To reset, do you let out line from the inner line then add the middle line on the inside, or do you need to pull the inner line and start over setting both? 3. Where is the best place to place each of the 3 rods on the boat while trolling, on side holders, on top with a rocket set, or some of both. If anyone has photos or knows of a site that shows this multiple line presentation, I would really appreciate it as I just do not have a picture in my mind of the attachments and handling the multiple lines without a tangle. Thanks, Greg

In using mono line do you think it is less apt to tip off fish versus copper or lead core? Also, are fleas a problem on the big lake? We are starting out in Cayuga lake targeting landlocks, rainbows, and come springtime browns, but my goal is to develop confidence with our rigging to "graduate" and give Ontario a try next year. Thanks, Greg

Just starrting up the last month fishing with the family off a 24 ft Wellcraft Walkaround. Right now run 2 Dipseys and 2 downriggers, but would like to expand to fishing off planers. Can you advise on rod reel and line type I should buy? What releases are best, and how can we run several lines off 1 board and not have a tangle when a fish is on? Thanks, Greg