Sk8man

You too pardner. Let me know how ya make out with it...

I can't get my engine looked at until tomorrow at the earliest so we basically had a 1/2 day derby with one 6- 6 1/2 lb laker and that's it. We never got to even try anything much other than throwing out a couple sets of cowbells and we were flying speed-wise. Derby 2013 was a total disaster for us. Hey at least you folks have some decent weather today to work with.... I guess everyone is pretty "beat up" from that past two days of "wind tunnel" experience.....good day to just sit back in the boat throw your lines out and relax I think that wind was pretty brutal this time around. Best of luck to you John. Les

Good going Andy...sure seems strange cheering from the sidelines this year

You should be able to do it without complicating things....sometimes simpler is better...I'd stay with the basics for a while before going to other attractors etc. First thing I would do is shorten the length of the fluoro leader on the leadcore to say 15 to 20 ft max. I'd try using the stickbaits in the AM early and then as you go a bit deeper when the sun getting up there use the flutter spoons (heavier than flutters...small floppy ones if possible on toplines)> The smaller (i.e. not magnums) stingers should be good for the landlocks especially off downriggers. Try shortening your main downrigger lead lengths to about 30-50 ft. and use a slider (cheater) with small light flutter spoon as well if you run into deeper water. Landlocks like steelies and rainbows sometimes come right into the prop wash for a slider. I'm a little surprised you hung up in 26 ft water with 4 colors but that may be related to the extra long leader you were using or you may have caught the belly of the leadcore or something if going at 1.8 at the time. Fish where the bait is and at the depths you are marking the fish....If using too long a lead from the downrigger it can kill the action of many lures as well as bring them up much higher in the water column than you think they are running especially when you speed up. Keep going through the bait and then turn around and go back through once in awhile pop your down rigger and let it stay in the holder and just let it "flutter" in the water bit by itself until it surfaces. Int he AM start out shallow and gradually go deeper with the depths and your presentations..remember too that when you mark suspended fish they may not all be trout of any type so if no response after several tries move out and down. Also try some bottom oriented strategies just in case they are "sitting it out" there especially near pronounced drop-offs and don't be afraid to go real deep and run lines about 20-60 ft. down over "whatever".

Not knowing more about the situation (e.g. how fast you are trolling, specifically how you are setting your lines up...how far back, what depths of water you are covering as well as WHERE you are fishing it's difficult to answer. however here are some general things: landlocks often are line shy....I'd run my lines way back and way out (outriggers, or planer boards, or inline boards) and as far off to the side of the boat as practical. The fluorocarbon leader is a good thing but 6 lb. could be light depending on where you are fishing. If it Lake O that is definitely the case. I'd make sure the fluoro leader is about 20 ft. long maybe 10 lb. test for general fishing. You are in a small boat and atlantics are arial artists so you want to be able to rein them in a bit and 6 lb. isn't the best idea for that. You didn't mention how many colors of leadcore but right now and up north I'd say 2 or 3 colors would be what I'd try.... You can always add weight too if needed if you go deeper. Troll moderately fast and do "s" patterns and lots of "turns". I'd try stickbaits in say the size of a J-7-9 Rapala and small spoons. It seems a little early for flies and streamers up north. When toplining way back is the rule and if a stickbait try putting on one or two splitshot about 2 ft. ahead of the stickbait. If using your downriggers they don't have to be limited to "deep water" use. Run lures 50 or 60ft back and with stickbaits as I mentioned to keep them down a bit with large splitshot or use a little heavier spoons or weight the light flutters to keep them below the surface. Small sized dipseys can also be used successfully in shallow water. Work any boards along the shoreline in the early AM hours and as the sun goes upward move out deeper. Hope this helps...pretty general but better than nothing I later saw WHERE you are fishing.....maybe I'd settle for 8 lb. test fluoro as it woud give a little more leverage if you hit a big fish. Not much give to fluoro...

Keep your fingers crossed John

I know Ed. They tore down the old Chamber of Commerce building so everything is totally screwed up now. They used to have their act together pretty good there but the setting is real "temporarily" set up at best right now with their little "circus tent". Good luck Ed....hopefully tomorrow will bring better weather than it has the past two days.

Hey Ed that website info is pretty unclear on the site as you'd think it was current data but those are last years standings. I recognized my name on there (2nd day standings I think) Les

High quality parachute cord also works good and won't rot

Hey Reel Dilemma I enjoyed our brief chat today at the launch ramp. Pretty discouraging day and weather but at least we made it out alive today! Best of luck with it! Les

Unfortunately supposed to be this way for next two days....crappy timing for the derby on Seneca too.

I've used it for years and years and its forerunner for years before that Berkeley Hombre which was basically a saltwater line. I had (2) 3,000 yard rolls of it and used it forever on my downrigger and toplines. It is one of those things that defies the principle of more expensive = better.

You should be pretty good with that for most general applications.

The color shouldn't make a difference (especially when you are using them to fish deep. The 12 lb fluoro is fine for the Finger Lakes before the fleas hit. but for lake O when fishing the Chjinnok waters you may want to go to 17-20 lb. fluoro. When its flea season - larger diameter of line with a slick surface is wise (no braid or leadcore etc.) is the rule regardless how you do it. When it is flea season your leaders will load up the lighter you go with the leader but the main line diameter is more crucial when you are using leaders shorter than your rod. If you run say an 8ft leader on a 9 ft. rod you will have somewhat of a clean off problem but at least you will be able to get your main 30 lb line through the eyes and tip to net the fish.