Sk8man

Yep there is that point there that it be comes ineffective if you go too fast if in doubt go slower.....and I fully agree the big ones like it slow most of the time...especially fishing them in the winter.

I'd like to qualify or "rectify" something before it generates questions....the disparity in the speeds mentioned by Brian (Gambler or maybe should be called "Mr.Laker" ). I've fished cowbells (formerly called flashers) for lakers on all the Finger Lakes where they occur ( for more than 40 years) and also fished for them on Lake Ontario and in my view both of us may be correct. While most of my fishing is on lakes like Seneca, Keuka, Cayuga and Owasco etc. Brian fishes them intensely primarily (and very successfully) on Lake Ontario. The lake currents in these bodies of water (and indeed on each of the Finger Lakes for that matter) are very different in many respects and they are always varying in direction, intensity, location, and duration and change often even within different sections of these bodies of water on a given day or sometimes within hours with wind changes. Lake Ontario seemingly has very diffuse but strong current compared with the other smaller bodies. When trolling flashers you want to be trolling against or across (e.g. diagonally) but NOT WITH the current to be most successful with flashers (or most other methods). This is for a number of reasons but most importantly all the blades will revolve better and your weight won't hang up as easily and the action of the lure whether it be peanut, Spin-N-Glow or spoon, or cut bait etc. will be much livelier. With stronger currents (Lake O) the cowbells have much more resistance against the front of the blades so the trolling speed may be reduced from what it is in less strong current (some of the Fingers). I also assume that the .7 -1.7 is the down speed. My reference is to GPS as I don't have a down speed indicator. Most of the time the rod tips and feel of the rod guide my speed (looking for that rhythmically pulsating tip). The bottom line is if you are fishing Lake O with flashers follow Brian's advice the slower the better usually and if fishing the Fingers you may want to take into consideration what I mentioned above.

Excellent info above.

I think I'd be trying a Spin-N-Glow behind a set of cowbells at that 60 ft range right now....something different. may have to keep buzzing back and forth by them to pizz them off or even run a J plug through them...appeal to aggression rather than feeding response..they may be stuffing themselves in all the available moonlight...just a thought.

There are different sizes but they all work Spike just a treble hook (and uusuaally a few colorful beads before it) behind the peanut or Spin n Glow Hold on....I'll take some pics of setups for you to scope out and maybe it will be clearer. 1 pic - Light weight hammerhead cowbells in sizes 3 and 5 2 pic - conventional cowbells (formerly called "flashers") 3 pic- "beercan cowbells with a Twin Minnow (used like peanuts for lakers) 4 pic - Spin -N-Glow used like a peanut behind the cowbells Attached Thumbnails

A flatfish or Quickfish will work...have to troll slow though 1.6-2.2 (max). (slower with riggers) I run mine (cowbells) on separate roller rods with a 32-36 oz weight. You can tell when the speed is right regardless of whether you have a down speed indicator or not by the rod tips that should pulsate rhythmically.

Hold on....I'll take some pics of setups for you to scope out and maybe it will be clearer. 1 pic - Light weight hammerhead cowbells in sizes 3 and 5 2 pic - conventional cowbells (formerly called "flashers") 3 pic- "beercan cowbells with a Twin Minnow (used like peanuts for lakers) 4 pic - Spin -N-Glow used like a peanut behind the cowbells

The boat needs to be repositioned and the trailer adjusted so that there is tongue weight. It should take more effort than that if it is properly balanced. That is likely what is causing the swaying.The swaying can be a real problem at higher speeds while trailering leading to loss of control of your vehicle or a rollover (sort of like the tail wagging the dog). Usually the trailer has adjustment positions or bolt holes, U bolts for moving the axle etc. or by moving the tongue forward or back so the boat can be centered but usually it is done while the boat is in the water off the trailer....depends on the trailer. When I bought my boat new I had to have it adjusted three times before it was right. Another potential problem causing swaying is if the trailer wheelbase is considerably wider than that of the tow vehicle. I had to move to a Ford Expedition from an Explorer to correct that. Another thing that can happen is if the tongue weight is "marginal" and the boat has a substantial gas tank that is partially filled the gas can slosh back and forth at higher speeds or going around corners such that things can appear to be alright until those conditions happen.

At least you marked fish and bait Ted. I've always found August to be a slow month out here and have often shifted to fishing perch then. Les

Hey Nick - After yesterday out there and rethinking the whole temp thing I'm wondering if the kings are the big fish we marked up high (60-80 ft over whatever) and well out of temp (60's and 70ish). We figured they might be other species and didn't aggressively pursue them up high as we might have. They sure didn't seem very interested yesterday in the flies and all but one fish we got came on spoons.

Thanks guys. I fully agree Pap (I did the lawn the day before so I could go ) I forgot to mention last night that the 30 lb Sea Flee on my downrigger lines (20 lb Seaguar fuoro leaders) stayed "fleeless" the whole time out there yesterday. Also many of the big fish we marked were fairly high in the water column (e.g. 60 -70 ft) over whatever and most of the time we were running our stuff with the temps deeper (when we did run through them they did not hit) thinking they might be other species up in that high sixties and 70 ish water....I am now reconsidering that....I would now fish the out of temp range (60-80 ft suspended) much more vigorously over the deeper stuff with spoons and sliders. The fish that we caught came at about 2.5-2.6 mph

Nice going and good report. Good to see smiling face on Canandaigua. Nice bow

Adm Byrd and I were one the water about 6 AM in his Penn Yan and fished it hard today until about 6 PM tonight. We mainly worked from100 ft out to 230 or so but only connected in the 120-125 ft. range fro the most part and not all that many fish marked throughout vast areas but intermittent bait pods were there off and on mainly without any fish near them. We used a little bit of everything today (flasher/fly, Spinney/fly, wires leadcore, 200 copper, downriggers/spoons, and with dodger/spoon combos). Initially we caught about a 6 lb brown on spoon downrigger 90 over 125, then a lull for a few hours and then a bout a 6- 7 lb king 100 ft down over120 ft on downrigger with spoon, followed by about an 8-10 lb laker an hour or so later on the 200 copper with dipsey and flasher/fly out 300, this was followed by many hours seeing few if any fish but bait present without any hits. This afternoon we trolled for hours without seeing many fish just bait scattered about the "marine desert". Then a 5 lb brown took an orange spoon 95 over 128 ft (downrigger) and later followed by a 15-16 lb king on that same orange spoon 115 ft over 130 ft. We again trolled for hours and around 4 PM another king (about8-10 lbs took a flasher/fly combo. All fish released but the two largest kings didn't make it so they were boxed. All in all a fun day of fishing but very long periods between fish and a lot of disappointing fishless screens...but quite a lot of bait out there. The ball busting saved the day for us butwe were rocking back and forth when we came off the boat from the crazy wave action today for so many hours. The fleas were there and moderately problematic in spots but not as bad as a week ago. The largest salmon had large lamprey marking on its side.

Nice healthy looking fish WTG!

Those 88's work great on Owasco by the way...run 5 at a time and cranked until they spin and the rod tip vibrates noticibly...the big lakers nail them.

Larry I think the SS limit disappears as soon as you reach full retirement age (e.g. 66) Used to be age 70.