Sk8man

A couple years ago I would have said fluoro but after having some commercial fluoro flies break at the knot on big kings I went back to 50 lb Big Game for flies (including my own home made ones without problems) but I use a 20 lb fluoro leader off 30 lb Blood Run Sea Flee mono for anything else (e.g. spoons or sticks) on Lake O (other than Spring browns in close 12 lb fluoro leader). My feeling is that fluoro is brittle and has problems with knot strength and kings can strike with a lot of force and torque applied to that part of the setup so it pays to have some stretch (not much with 50 lb Big Game but enough).

Hope you have that grill strapped down good Nick !

If anyone can put onto the walleyes there it is Justin

Sean, To avoid the arthritis you have to eat tomatoes on your subs

Bob, You might want to give them a little more time...they may grow on you as you get used to them. Going from manual downriggers to electrics is a major leap and it takes time to get used to....you could be kicking yourself later. At that same point I thought my 10 A's were too fast 30 years ago I think they and I have both slowed down with time....

Yes sometimes things are kinda like the news... we hear about the negatives but there are all sorts of positives out there that go without mention. Good to know that info and it sounds as though you got lucky as far as the problem too

WTG Chad! We do really appreciate your efforts and I personally know how time intensive this stuff can be.....this is a wonderful website frequented by great people so your contribution to our fishing community can't be over stated . This site has opened a lot of doors helping many people to further enjoy and succeed in our sport. Thanks. Les

WTG Chris....too bad you didn't have any action though

Best of luck to you.

Cody, historically June is a "transition" month for most of the Fingers in terms of trout and salmon fishing and usually lake Ontario as well. By transition I mean that the water temperature is increasing and will be setting up a thermocline as the month rolls on. This means that bait is still readily available in the shallows in many areas, but dispersed and the fish are distributed all over the lakes....so fishing for them is pretty much "hit and miss". A lot of time folks don't realize this and think that they are doing something wrong or fishing in the wrong spots and it isn't necessarily true. In a few weeks the lakes will stratify with distinct layering and a defined thermocline layer (often 40-70 ft down from the surface) and fishing will be more predictable and generally improve in most places. The bait will move out of the shallows and regroup out deeper and the fish will follow them. Don't get discouraged...it sounds as though you were running the right stuff and in areas that should turn on soon. keep at it

I think given the fact that it is a derby....catching a bunch of fish is not usually the object it is catching the biggest ...trolling at night for trout (different for walleyes) is always a big question mark about whether it is worth messing around and getting tangles etc. If it were me and the water is relatively calm I'd either get live bait and drift or anchor up or else jig after locating some big marks that look like the species you are targeting (often suspended at night). It is safer, potentially more productive and if you use some incandescent light (e..g. lantern) you may be able to "call the fish in" with it placed for example hanging from a downrigger off the side of the boat. The bugs will come then the bait after the bugs and the fish after the bait. Just a thought.... I've done all of them and night trolling for trout is the least productive (and quite diisorienting as well). Then troll as usual during first light. Nothing like starting to fall asleep and hearing a screaming drag going out and not being able to see where or what is causing it.