Sk8man

I think the quickest/easiest route might be to reinforce the top of the transom with a piece of solid aluminum or stainless stock (if you can get it or have it) and purchase a Cannon clamp mount (made specifically for the Easi-troll/mini-mag downriggers) that way you could be able to take the downrigger off and on without much trouble to protect it etc. I would also attach a safety line to the downrigger (just in case). If it is attached to the transom it would be safer in terms of balance within the boat and the 18 inch boom should clear your 6 horse. OR: Check to see if you could create a triangular plate across the preferred corner of the transom and reinforce it good and clamp to that with the downrigger facing outward at a 45 degree angle to get it away from the motor. The material you use would have to be rigid and durable yet still allow clearance for the clamp. When you happnen across some extra bucks in the future you could purchase a Cannon adjustable swivel mount (pricey but worth the investment) which would give you more range of movement. I would definitely opt for the transom mount given the balance etc. within the boat.

Here is an example of the Cannon clamp mount : http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cannon-C ... l+Products

Before answering the question about where to locate the downrigger we could use some additional info regarding which downrigger and model, how long is the boom on it, how wide are the gunnels and transom of your boat and what type of fastener/base does the downrigger (if any) have? These items are critical to mounting because in any case the mounting has to be SECURE and remember you are going to have a weight on it and it generates a lot of torque. Also with ONE downrigger the weight on your boat will be distributed differently so on a 12 ft. aluminum boat this will be very important. If the downrigger is one of the small PORTABLE types this may be less of a factor but my hunch is that is not the case. Back in the 70's I used to run two four ft long Riveria manual downriggers on my 13 ft whaler (highly buoyant boat) but I didn't use them on my 12 ft Aluminum because of the potential torque and inability to properly secure them to the boat. The thing to keep in mind is the POTENTIAL to get the cannonball hung upon bottom and this generates MUCH more torque than normal use.

Very nice fish Bruce. We found the same thing with the perch......and couldn't find the big ones at all. I'm surprised that you could even launch at Woodville at all as it has been so shallow there....even the launch at the north end has had its problems 1 1/2 to 2 ft spots in the channel and an obstruction ofsome sort at the south east end of the launch ramp. Maybe all the predicted rain coming will make a difference....

Good going! 64 lakers has to be some kind of record no matter how you slice it :>)

If it were me the choice would be Seneca right now because of the serious lamprey activity reported on Cayuga. Launch out of Sampson State Park and troll for lakers, browns and landlocks starting right out in front of the marina. If you are real lucky you may see browns right in the marina itself. My hunch is that the launch at the north end (Geneva) in the State Park would have low water conditions and this is also thecase at the Chamber of Commerce launch ramp (which also issignificantly "grassed in")

The number for Pellican Point Marina is: 585-554-5400. They are on East Lake Road.

I was at the Woodville launch last week (just looking at it) and it was VERY shallow and I would not chance in my 18 ft. Whaler despite being able to get my Merc outboard up very high and my boat only drafts 12 inches. I 've been launching at the north end OK with my boat but I know of at least two boats that have hit bottom near the south end of the launch and one out in the channel. The last time out there was some water in the channel that was only 1 1/2 to 2 ft deep. I put my 135 outboard prop right at the surface and although it isn't great steering wise I haven't touched but I think the problem with most outdrives is that the range is more restricted in bringing the prop up. You might contact Terry Principe at Pellican Point (if he is still open servicing motors and putting boats away) to see if you could launch out of there if it is "doable".

Les

Mike: Nice fish! The look on your kid's face says it all ....he'll remember that one for a long time :>) There is nothing like getting kids into good fish.....the downside....they expect it EVERY TIIME :>)

Les

Here it is Sunday AM and I stuck here at home with my visiting in-laws (football fanatics) instead of being out on the pond.....I sure hope the fish gods are good to me later for doing this:>) I also hope some of you guys will be able to report something here on Canandaigua in case I can get out during the week :>)

Here is what I sent to DEC and just received back. Note the name and addresses below is where my email was forwarded so if you ever have input (either way) this is where it should go.

Mr. B:

Thank you for your email and observations.

Webster Pearsall

Region 8 Fisheries Manager

[email protected]

585-226-5339

>>> Fish FW 10/19/2012 10:37 AM >>>

Dear Sirs:

I won't reiterate all the details of my concerns here but will rather refer you to the following link wherein I outlined my concerns:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=35951&p=216832#p216832

My suggestion for rectifying my concerns would be this change to the regulation: A daily limit of ONE Rainbow Trout on all Finger Lakes TRIBUTARIES but THREE for the lakes proper which would be in line and consistent with the limit on Landlock Salmon. My reasoning is discussed in detail in the link provided at the top. Thank you sincerely for any consideration given to my input. Keep up the good work that you do despite the short staffing.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for the input guys....I'll try the recipe etc. and send an email to DEC as suggested.

Quality Time's input is right on....I've used the gripper successfully in the past and it does a good job but I've found the long needlenose pliers to work even better for me at least (I only use stainesss single salmon hooks on all my lures except Rapalas etc. ....even the Suttons despite chenging the action a bit). I grip the hook itself and turn it upside down in their mouth and 90 percent fall out of the "hole" without touching the fish at the back of the boat where they are a little protected from the turbulance and right at the water level...most take off like a rocket but again some don't and thats where I have a problem with the 1 limit.. once you've kept a fish that goes belly up and obviously isn't going to make it ( I know an ocassional fish will) any others have to be left for the seagulls and often the fish are much too big for them...I often fish by myself so only one fish is possible to keep unlike the charters or guys that fish with several in the boat. Most of my tackle has 12 pound test with 10 lb fluoro leaders with the exception of the leadcore, wire, thermocline rigs etc. but as you know rainbows jump alot and fight hard right up to the boat and I only net if I'm going to keep a fish. I don't care much to eat Lake Trout and they sure aren't as much fun to catch as the rainbows, browns and landlocks (after 50 years of it) and I no longer bass fish as I burned out on that years ago. Looks like more perch fishing is in order (I'm always torn between it and the trout at this time of the year anyway :>)

Les

I forgot to add that I've had the same experience as ERAbbit in the shallows in the Spring and probably it reflects the fact that the larger sawbellies are in there spawning in large numbers and thus the larger spoons match them pretty well.

Last two responses were right on target. Bigger is NOT ALWAYS better :>) Sutton 88's (hammered silver or hammered silver and brass work best but on rigs generate a lot of drag (OK singly on riggers and behind leadcore but not well on small dipseys) but I've had real good luck over the years with Large sized Evil Eyes especially the black/silver lightning and Blue silver lightning ones but mostly out very deep and in the Spring (pulling thermocline rigs mostly). Again, throughout the season you want to try to match the size of the sawbellies available. Smaller is better as the season rolls on. Most of the time the "Lake Ontario" big stuff doesn't work real well (or consistently) on Seneca. Sutton #71's used to work well for me when there was a viable smelt population on Seneca but that is no longer the case. If you are after Lakers on Seneca Northern Kings and Pirate spoons (when you can find them) work well on them as well as the bigger browns. With rainbows and landlocks smaller is almost always "better".

I forgot here are the ones we kept.

The pressure is on ya Kev :>) When I was out yesterday with my buddy Mike (all day) on Canandaigua we started out right in front of the pumphouse in 60 ft. I ran two downriggers with sliders two small dipseys off the outriggers and a leadcore run back 310 ft. Bottomline: Green was the color of choice especially darkish lime green on small 2-3 inch spoons, and in the case of the downriggers not one fish came from the sliders (unusual). I ran the downriggers about 75 ft back usually. Two fish came off the dipsey rigs one on a J-5 rapala and one on a very small purpleish stinger. I think the leadcore had one small rainbow on small spoon. We ran at about 2.3 to 3.4 most were on the turns. Of interest is that ALL fish (12) came near bait balls both suspended and bottom -oriented ones from 84 ft- 150 ft of depth Fish breakdown as follows: 10 rainbows varying from bare miniumu size to about 5 pounds,. one small brown, and a laker a couple pounds. We threw all back but ended up keeping two rainbows about 4-5 pounds that didn't make it (as well as 2 others as big). We had a couple additional fish started - one off leadcore and another on dipsey that got off. Most of the bait was toward the east side on the way to the middle (esp the 100ft plus stuff) We went as far south as the point south of LeTorneau Camp on est side and Wegman's place on west side and then went back north to find the bait again and picked up a couple between German Bros and Pumphouse but out in middle where bait was. Nothin much at all marked on WEST side. How's that for specifics FLXTroutman? :>) (I think the fish are clustered more toward thenorth end than usual for this time of year (couple weeks or so ahead of schedule) The wind here today may have changed around the whole picture by tomorrow though :>).

I perhaps should have mentioned that I've been fishing the Finger lakes for over 60 years and trolling for over 50 of them. I've released thousands of fish comprising many species over that time. I've talked with many fisheries biologists from DEC and SUNY Brockport experts as well and each has said that trout should be handled MINIMALLY and ideally NOT AT ALL and it is especially mportant staying away from the gill areas if they are handled in any way. For one thing when they are handled the scales rub off and make them vulnerable to disease. I have found over time and after releasing trout that I am more successful releasing them in the way I described and no matter HOW it is done there is some mortality which is my main previous point. Only allowing one rainbow to be kept does not allow any leeway in the catch and release strategy....it is more intended to keep folks from taking and keeping 5 rainbows and hanging on to them regardless of size (as long as legal) or with repect to spawning potential etc. Three rainbows would have been more practical (as in Landlocks) The Catherine's situatiion is complicated....it could also relate to the present stream chemistry, bottom condition from previous high water, and environmantal factors, perhaps even causing more spawning in other less well known and less densely inhabited streams such as the ones on the eastern shore of Seneca and maybe even the Keuka Outlet on the west. There are many streams on Seneca that people don't significantly fish for trout (or at all in some cases) such as the Castle Creek which even runs through downtown Geneva and has historically held some decent rainbow population but few holding areas to fish them from.

I fished Canandaigua yesterday with a buddy who is also a very experienced fisherman (gives seminars of fly fishing and flytying etc.) We went 12 for 14 with 10 rainbows 1 brown (barely legal one) and a laker a couple of pounds. We attempted to release all of the fish including a couple 4-5 pound rainbows. Most were from the downriggers, and caught within the first 40-50 fft. of the water column over 100 plus depths. The problem was that of the fish released we had to keep the first two that didn't make it and then we had additional beautiful rainbow trout that likewise didn't make it despite not handling the fish in any way (released by using needle nose pliers to grab the single hook and gently lowering them to the water). Here is what I think may be the problem: LACTIC ACID buildup build up in the fish from fighting so hard before being released. This is a known problem among the salmonid species such as chinook and cohos and rainbows are known to be relatively "fragile" in terms of release even from shallow water of streams and lakes, while the problem of "heartier" lake trout seems to come from mainly from coming up from the depths too rapidly. Over the past few weeks nearly all of my catch has been rainbows (most released except the belly-ups). Earlier this summer we were getting some very good rainbows on Seneca as well including one my buddy got over 10 pounds that was released (and went belly up). The purported "shortage" of rainbows in the Finger Lakes I believe is a MYTH and this new regulation is in my view "misguided" and wastful since you have to leave fish that don't make it. When you fish specifically for rainbows and avoid "deeper setups" and "general techniques" where you get unintended lakers it is apparent that the rainbows are there and in numbers. I know there will be other opinions here (and from other lakes not mentioned) and I welcome them.

Les

Earlier I wrote a bunch of detailed suggestions etc. but even though I was logged in it disappeared so I'll shorten this up with some BASIC suggestions to consider (in addition to the great info already mentioned by others)

A lot of us have been at it (trolling etc.) for many years ....over 50 for me. We get carried away with our passion for the newest techniques and equipment and as mentioned buy all sorts of stuff (some of which we don't admit to getting "burned" on :>)

"Basics" go a long way in trolling; especially when on a small budget. some suggestions:

KNOW the lakes you intend to fish....get basic maps (e.g. Sportsman's Connection Western New York Fishing Map Guide can be found inWalmart and other stores for $20 or so).

Get a basic depth finder to help you study the lake. Get to know it as well as your wife or girlfriend :>) Big screen color depth finders are nice to look at.....but they are expensive, not necessary, and you can spend all your time mesing with nested menus and looking at the screens instead of actually trying different strategies, effectively reacting to the behavior of the fish, and paying close attention to details which make all the difference in your success rate (no matter which species you are after).

Learn how to TROLL before getting too much into the finer points of specific equipment and techniques. You need to learn the right trolling speeds for YOUR BOAT for the species you are after as well as the lures you use. Many lures have specific speed ranges or values that make all the difference in results. Try them out along side your boat to get an idea how they look BEFORE dropping them down. Troll in PATTERNS (S curves, diagonals, switch speeds etc. learn to detect which way the current is running ifthere is one...try to stay against it or perpendicular to it)

To start with you may only need BASIC equipment that you may already have while you are initially learning. For example, during the Sp[ring and Fall the rainbows and browns are often found in shallower water or suspended within the top half of the water while the lakers can be found 90ft-200 ft. on bottom in late Fall so you need specialized equipment to get to them. For Canadice and Hemlock in the Spring and Fall you could get away with basic spinning rods with 10 or 12 lb test wih inline weight attached a few feet ahead of the lure or stickbait run about 100-200 ft behind the boat (the slower you troll the deeper thebait will go (up to a point). You could also get away with small dipsys with small flutter spoons off medium to heavy spinning rods.

Before you consider dipsey setups or leadcore take the time to check out your boat and the rod holder setup both those options produce substantial drag on the line, rods and holders. Make sure you have holders that permit various angles, are firmly anchored in the gunnels or transom and test them out and test them out beforehand to make sure of clearances etc.

Once you get a handle on these basics move up to the stuff you can decide what (and if) you need to get down to the preferred depth ranges duringthe summer and late Spring months.

Best of luck with your upcoming adventures !

Les

I'm not a forensics expert but there are certainly some questinable aspects to the photo when it is expanded larger. First is the fact that the sky in the background is very uniform blue and looks a little saturated in color, second is that the shadowing on the guys shirt doesn't exactly match up with the fish in its foreground, third is that the area between the fishs gill between the guy and fish appears white and should be the blue sky, fourth is the white halo around the tops of the trees in the background which usually comes from the sky being inserted into the pic without removing the actual background, and fifth is that part of the shadow near the guys pants is colored BLUE on the boat in the background and it should not show color as a shadow.

Sk8

I guess the "leaf peepers" have nothing on us.....we can do it right (while enjoying what we do instead of inside some bus :>) Good results with the fishing and it doesn't get any better than fishing with your own kid.... I've been doing it with my son since age 2 and he's 34 now and still my fishing partner (even after being skunked a few times over the years :>).

Les

Good one Ray :>) Hope you enjoy the Exlax I fed him before giving him to you :>)

I went by myself this morning about 8:30 and fished until about 4 PM. The foliage colors are gorgeous and I'd sayabout 80 percent right now. I started out in about 60 ft near the pump house and trolled the west side to German Bros. then cut ascross to Thendara and the east side. Trolled from 60 ft of water to 220 ft. on both shores and the middle and to make a long story shorter...I went 7 for 7 - all rainbows. Biggest about 6 pounds smallest about 14 inches. All except a 5 pounder released unharmed.... the other went belly upand I had to bring in all my gear to go back for him. 2 Fish came off small dipseys with #22 and #44 Sutton spoons out 200 ft. the others came off the downriggers 60-65 ft. again with 44 Suttons, Clearwaters and Luhr Jensen spoons about -100 ft. back over various depths from 85-202 ft. of water and two came on sliders about7 ft long. Silver and silver and brass was the ticket today. Absolutely nothing on the leadcore for three hours so I abandoned it and ran the dipseys instead. Didn't mark a whole lot of fish but saw some lakers on bottom from 90 ft to 200ft. Saw HUGE pods of bait on east side in AM in about 85-110 ft of water the biggest one was 75 ft. high of solid bait. Very little marked on west side of lake (fish or bait). When I got back into the launch ramp at north end I thought I'd do a good deed and give the rainbow to a couple guys in a small aluminum boat that was just getting ready to be pulled out.....I did so ...but what a mistake! They turned out to be the most inconsiderate people I've seen in a long time. After I gave them the fish they parked right in the middle of the launch ramp and for about 20 minutes blocked everyone (including me) coming in or going out (straddled the lanes with boat and trailer/truck) and one guy had to circle for a long while in the channel waiting to get in while they buttoned up their boat and BS'd the whole time. There were flames coming out of the guy's butt when he finally came in and he had a few choice words as well. I had to angle in from another lane because they located in mine....great folks. Thankfully they are the exception rather than the rule....Regardless it was a beautiful day to be out there. I hope the Fall weather continues to be fishable through the month as we have the lake pretty much to ourselves now (i.e fishermen)

Sk8

Over the years I have been on the lake three times when they had hydro races and I can tell you it is no fun for fishermen. I launched at Sampson thinking I might avoid the whole thing and the noise and "vibrations" in the water are unreal. The fish totally turned off despite the distance from the boats.... the noise is VERY loud even miles away....it is not even worth going out...

Sk8man

Over the years I have been on the lake three times when they had hydro races and I can tell you it is no fun for fishermen. I launched at Sampson thinking I might avoid the whole thing and the noise and "vibrations" in the water are unreal. The fish totally turned off despite the distance from the boats.... the noise is VERY loud even miles away....it is not even worth going out...

Sk8man