Sk8man

For me the possible flea infestation outweighs even the weed concern and I look at it an an "opportunity" to change out lures and either lengthen or shorten up lines etc. A lot of times fish hit when I'm either bringing in lines, popping riggers and letting them drift a bit or letting stuff out. recently I checked and cleaned my lines and dropped the rigger and slider down to 40 ft.and as soon as I reached it a rainbow nailed it....(probably followed it down). I like to relax with some coffee like most folks but I also like to keep busy trying different things and trying to generate some action. It is always good to know you have clean lines and lures working for you. Much of the time I'm doing just what darkfisher described above.

Agreed.

Nice going Ted....persistence paid off I guess we at least know some of those guys are trout since I caught a rainbow there and then you got the lakers. For a while I thought they may have been smallies or something because a bunch of times they wouldn't hit no matter what I threw at them.

I hook my 125 mm Deeper Diver dipsey to the swivel at the end of the 30 lb 7 strand wire (no leader in between like some folks do) and then a 4 or 5 ft 30 lb Big Game mono leader, then the spin doc or flasher to that 30 lb leader wiith a 50 lb Big Game mono fly leader and fly at the end of it. If it were to break at the 30 lb test I'd be losing a flasher or spinney and fly. In doing so I'm assuming there are no weak spots in my wire (no kinks etc) and that the breaking strength of the wire will exceed that of the mono or the knot at the end of the mono (to my knowledge most of the 7 strand wire brands breaking strength has somewhat exceeded the 30 lb listing of it in tests of it). I also have used a crimp the right size for the wire that has been carefully crimped so that there will be no "wiggle" room at the ends and then hot glued that connection with clear hot glue so that the strands won't have the ability to move or fray. I use Blood Run wire on one rod and Accustrand wire on the other and they are both good wire.

That is why I went back to 50 lb Big Game on my flies and making my own because the fluro stuff broke it is too brittle and doesn't take "shock" like the mono

Yes Larry Japp grew up messing with OMC stuff at his marina x3

Yes Justin.....the Dragmaster carbon fiber drags are "the nuts"....

Here's the reasoning- The 7 strand wire costs about $45 (plus time to re-rig) or so A dipsey and flasher costs about $25 or so.I tie my own flies so they aren't real expensive. I always keep abut a dozen dipsey/flasher or spinney combos already rigged and ready to go in the boat in zip lock bags) There is substantial "give" in the fact that the wire is out a long way and because of "slight bowing", and the fact that most of the force from the fish is directed at the fly and flasher component and that is where I want the strength and a little "shock absorption" from the 50 lb mono so I don't lose the fish....I'm not protecting the fly...I don't care about that....just make another for a couple bucks. I make sure my drag is set right when I deploy and I make adjustments while fighting the fish (e.g. kings) despite other folks opinions to the contrary and during the many years I've been doing this I haven't lost hardly any fish. In the old days prior to fleas I used to use 12 lb test mono and 20 for the rest. There is a large degree of overkill by many relating in my opinion to improper setting of the drag, poor knots, or inferior lines and leaders being used. There have been IGFA records set on fish over hundreds of pounds using 10 lb test line. Yes large kings can be "savages" but they are not sharks either.

First of all at that depth the width of the cone of the signal will be quite wide probably encompassing both sides of the boat when near bottom. My hunch is that it may relate more to the particular way you are trolling and the speed differential between the two sides of the boat moving through the water and turns in particular. The leeward side is usually running slower than the outside and it is quite pronounced even on slight turns and you may also be unconsciously "favoring" a side of the boat while steering without realizing it (e.g turning to the left ever so slightly). Just a thought.... P.S. If you were in really shallow water say 20 ft I would be wondering about it as a remote possibility though.

Very well put Justin.

DJ -PM

Top of loop to end of hook

I think if the water temps come down the fleas will be down as well Ted. Should be OK by them I would think. Surface temp still 68 in most places today. I'd like to fish the tournament but we are driving out west and on to LA the right then.

I hear ya Craig. I'm always torn between perch and trout at this point in the season myself. The perch fishing is starting to look more attractive with this flea crap now.

I went solo this AM and fished from 70 ft to 230 ft of water with 2 downriggers and sliders and one 250 copper with spoon. Trolled all the way to Bristol Harbor condos without a touch (changed lures several times) trolled back north picked up 2 small rainbows on the copper rig out120 ft past the copper with a 44 Great Lakes with silver diagonal tape and one 18 inch bow on the 46 ft. downrigger (came on slider) on one of my old time handmade spoons taped up. The wind sucked bad out of the south and a major PITA the whole time (white caps and rollers all morning) and the moss green fleas were all over everything including all the way up my downrigger wires and on the copper as well and that is a first usually only the leader or connection but this time intermittent bunches on the wire itself and there were spotty weeds out in the middle within scum lines. The boat was a mess and the downriggers still are. The fleas seemed to get worse as I went north. I didn't mark many fish or much bait throughout on either side of the lake. Even the area near the water plant seemed devoid of fish or bait whereas there was a bunch of both last time out.

You said it.

Sounds about like the day I had Kevin. Wind was supposed to be light and variable changing in afternoon to WSW. As I launched at the north end of Canandaigua the wind started up out of due south and by the time my lines were set it was 10-15 mph south and large whitecaps then rollers to a couple feet/ Had to troll with big motor against the waves and was solo so it was a constant battle. Trolled for 12 miles and not a touch pulled lines to change out and turn around and go back north wind changed to south east strong. All my lines were covered with fleas of the worst kind and grass as well. The downrigger wires were loaded with fleas and after cleaning all off the lines boat was a total mess. The downrigger wires are still loaded with fleas....I think manual downriggers would have been welcome today in terms of a clean off. The wind blew one of my flies into life jacket and it was totally embedded so I had to bring it through and cut off the barb and things went on and on like that all the way back primarily relating to the wind. Not a real fun day but managed 3 small rainbows biggest 18 inches all released but one of them has only one eye....so he didn't have a great day either but he swam away....

You got it Justin. Angling Addict....most of the time I'm limited to three rods as I am solo so it is an easy spread but they can be run in multiples off my 15 ft. outriggers too if need be with about 40 ft total width to work with. On the in lines usually one copper per side with dipseys on the inside without the boards.

30 lb Big Game no snubber and never a break off yet. In my view most of the shock is to the leader from the dipsey to flasher or spinney and for that I use 50 lb Big Game Mono. I'd rather chance losing the dipsey and fly and replacing them than have the 30 lb wire break (a more PIA expensive fix) so I try to keep that part consistent and I believe the 30 lb mono (or one of the connections) will break before the wire (e.g. if snagged up).

Justin luckily my approach with the trout/salmon isn't as exacting as yours with the walleye and especially fishing out in the middle of these deeper lakes where I don't have to be as concerned about structural contours. I "guesstimate" along with watching the angle of my line and the speed I'm traveling....not real scientific but it can work I usually use from 4 to 10 ounces of weight (sometimes fixed sometimes sliding). It is kinda like using the Seth Green rig without all the leaders (up and down within the water column "prospecting") and it certainly isn't as easy to repeat in an exact sense as in your methods for walleye either. I usually am within the top 80 ft of so in the water column with all my stuff anyway because I try to avoid the lakers except during derbies I should also qualify this as relating to fishing the Finger Lakes not fishing Ontario (different water and different approach)

Sounds as though everyone had a good time despite the "mayhem" Justin. It is pretty amazing how many a******s you meet up with out there on the water while boating let alone fishing. The jet ski dudes and the "cigar boats" on Canandaigua are my nemesis nearly every time out The problems seem especially prevalent on the smaller lakes where space is at a premium but it is still totally unnecessary to crowd folks no matter where and especially at night when someone is well "lit up".....not only dumb but dangerous. I would venture to say however that whoever the inconsiderate person was in your situation I would assume it probably wasn't one of our folks on here but it sure is worth pointing out these situations for all of us to be aware of and to maintain respect for spacial considerations while out there. The last time out I had two boats racing each other out in the middle of the lake heading right for me and I had to wave my arms and gesture them to avoid my lines. I also think alcohol may play a role in some of these situations. I know it does at night on Honeoye.

My solution to the long copper situation was to use shorter ones (250's) and use weight with them rather than reeling in all that stuff. I know it may not be as "stealthy" as some folks might say but it can work and you can get the fish in faster to release them (as some of us do).