rocketman

A friend picks up some sheds each Spring , & apparently the dogs love them, they don't splinter, & last forever. They also sell them in some pet stores in Canada. Might be worth a try.

We fished off Port Hope on Fri evening & Sat, in 60-70 fow, running 5 ft. off bottom, with short leads(4-6 ft behind the ball), & boated over 20, topped by a 32.30 lb. These fish were very active, streaking through the riggers. To begin, I was running 10-15 ft. behind the ball, with little success. Shortened up to 6 ft., & that was key. Hope this helps

Your lead behind the ball can be very critical for a successful day. I always start with a 6-8 ft. lead at first light, then will lengthen it out slightly(10-12 ft) if, or when, my original setup stops firing. Later in the morning(8:00-9:00), I'll increase them to 15-20 ft., then 25-50 ft. for high noon. But if I see streakers coming to the ball, I'll shorten back up, sometimes as close as 4-6 ft. When you see streakers, they're attracted by the commotion of your cannonball, so I make sure they're not disappointed, & offer them a snack. If your running a long lead, they're on their way back down by the time your bait gets to them. Generally speaking, this setup has worked very well for me. But as we all know, Salmon can be very finicky, so if something isn't working, I'll make adjustments, & hopefully find a length that produces.

Another factor that is commonly over looked is the type of hook: treble vs siwash. If your spoon has great action @ 2.7 mph with a treble, you can achieve a similar action at a much slower speed by switching to a siwash hook, maybe 2.3-2.5 mph, depending on the make of spoon.

I think most run 48" - 72" behind the flasher. I like 48", no twinkies, but many run a 3 fly rig at 72". Distance behind your cannon ball is also important. I start early morning with 8-10 ft behind the cannon ball, sometimes even closer(6 ft), & will increase that lead to 15 ft. once the shorter lead stops firing, & then a little longer(25 ft) for mid day. However, if I see fish streaking up to the cannon ball, I'll go back to a short lead. Works for me. I hope this helps, & will at least give you a starting point.

Although I have not fished Cobourg Creek yet this year, I went shore fishing yesterday for the first time on a small trib 20 miles east of Cobourg. While I was there, I talked to several anglers who dropped by, filling me in on earlier trips. The first major run was Feb 6 at Barnham House Creek, so there was probably a run also in Cobourg Creek. Reports I got stated that Shelter Valley Creek was holding a lot of fish already. While fishing yesterday, I only had one hit from 8:00 until noon, as the creek was backed up with the mouth closed, allowing only a small trickle flowing under the rocks. With the pressure building, & 10 minutes with a shovel, the creek opened up big time about 12:30, with the flow going several hundred yards staight out. Let the fun begin. There were only 2 of us until 3:00 when 2 friends that I called showed up. Everyone was into fish. I personally landed 5, but lost many others. Most were 7-10#, but I had one hen that went close to 12 lb., & safetly returned to spawn. In total, there were about a dozen landed, but more than twice that lost. But I did keep one hen about 4 lb. for some eggs, & was amazed at how big & mature the eggs were for this time of year. And Cobourg Creek has a much bigger run than the trib I was fishing, so there should be a lot of fish. Time to get out there !! Should be good

There are 2 main reasons why Rockets perform so well : The glow, which makes them visible from a long distance, but even more importantly, the action, or roll. Back in the old days, when Ryes Davis made both herring strips & anchovies, I rarely used herring strips, as I didn't like the actiot created only by the teaser head, but used anchovies because you controlled the action with the bend you put on it with your hook behind the dorsal fin. By having a solid aluminum spine in the Rocket, this action could be imitated very easily. The glow brings them in for a look, then your action seals the deal. I very rarely use scent myself on a Rocket, but I know many that do successfully. Salmon are instinct hitters, with limited eye sight( about 12-18"in front of them of focussed sight), so I'm not sure how important scent really is. They hit metal spoons, mylar flies, both without scent, although some do add it. The action of which ever bait you're using is critical, which is why speed is so important, especially when using spoons, as we all know that most spoons have an optimal speed for that desired action. Getting back to your original question, an alewife in an anchovy style teaser head would be my choice, although I've never tried it. Your presentation , or action, is #1

I feel your frustration. I only run a 4-5 ft. leader in front of the dipsy for that very reason, & it produces a lot of fish for me, but certainly makes netting a lot easier. Congrats on a great day fishing on a BEAUTY day

A friend of mine lives only a few hundred yards from Cobourg creek, & caught a few 2 weeks ago. Cobourg Creek is now stocked with Atlantics, although I've not heard of any being caught. Last weekend, Kings were porpoising at the mouth of the Ganny, only 6 miles to the west, where several browns were also caught. Once Oct. comes, there are still good runs of fall steelhead in Cobourg creek, just not too many holes to fish them.

Something which is critical, but often overlooked, is your release. I fished with a friend who used off shore releases, which were old & worn. We had several hits, but few hookups, & even fewer that made it into the net. I changed to a Scotty Power Pro release, set on the heavy setting, & set deep into the release, so deep, that it was very difficult to release it manually. And when combined with sticky sharp hooks, it's not necessary to set the hook, as it's already set once released. The extra resistance sets the hook deep. Similarly on my dipseys. I do not use a snubber, & set the dipsey a little tighter than normal, so an extra tug is necessary to trip the dipsey, which in turn gives a good hook set. My hooks are resharpenned after every fish, & have found my success rates using these simple changes results in a lot more fish in the boat. Prior to changing releases with my buddy, we were 1 for 6. After we changed releases on both riggers, we went 6 for 7. Might be worth a try.

I have a friend with an 8 cylinder(not sure the size), who's motor ran fine, but once trolling for an hour or two, would start to crap on him. Discovered the coil would heat up from trolling, so he repaced the coil, & problem solved. Might be worth a look, or even a bad condenser, which happened to me shortly after installing new points & condenser a few years ago. Good luck

The fishing has been really hot in the past few days at the Scotch Bonnet. Just point you're boat to the west when coming out from Wellington. Lots of fish, & big fish!!. Good luck

Try a drift sock to slow down. Even trimming your motor up will help slow down a bit, as well as another rigger in the water. I think speed could be your main problem. As most currents on the north shore run east/west, maybe try trolling north/south to try & eliminate it as much as possible.

If I drop lines at first light, I only run 8-10 ft. leads behind the ball. Especially when you see fish streaking up to your ball. I believe they're attracted more by the cannonball than your bait. So I don't want them to be disappointed, & offer a close presentation. When that length stops working, I'll extend them to 15, then 25 ft. as the day progesses. Every day can be different, so experiment, especially when running 2 or more riggers. Try different length leads on different riggers, & see what length works best on that day.

You might want to slow down a bit. Maybe 2.5mph or even slower, depending on which bait you're using. Check the action of your bait beside the boat, as most baits have an optimum speed. You're trying to replicate an injured bait fish, if that helps. Try adjusting your speed while looking at the action of that lure. I like to go as slow as possible, while retaining that injured bait fish look. A temp & speed probe helps to maintain that speed, as your surfice speed, & speed at the ball, quite often are different due to currents. Hope this helps.

I was at the weigh in yesterday, & there were staff from the MNR taking many samples from a lot of fish for research, then people were lined up for free fish later. I saw a lot of smiling faces with people carrying their coolers back to their vehicle with fresh Salmon. I did not see any go to waste.

The top 10 after day #1 Royal Flush/ Shirley B 176.27 Peche Extreme 172.73 Reel Excitement 165.26 Vision Quest 162.19 Team Last Minute 160.24 Fast Lane Fishing 157.61 Striker 1 155.3 Pressman 1 154.97 Fish Dance 154.43 Lord of the Kings 153.83 Big fish, caught by Team Pressman, was just over 35#, I think 35.2. Should be a great finish, with many big fish out there, & great conditions today Most fish were fin clipped, including the 35+

A sliding snell rig is the way to go, Rick. We experienced some of the same frustration in the first few years. Tried a Siwash vs treble, a snelled double siwash, & found the best was a 4/0 siwash with a 2/0 treble on the tail. On some days, 75% or more are hooked by the snelled siwash. And using this setup did not adversally effect the great action. After running a strike vision camera, it became clear. Most salmon do not hit from directly behind(6 o'clock), but attack more from the side(not quite at 9, but inbetween). If your only running a treble, there's a good chance he'll miss it, or not have the hook in his mouth, but on the outside of his mouth. That's where the snell comes in. And sticky sharp, quality hooks is a must. Some also use a set snell, which is also effective. I think you'll find that this setup dramatically helps, especially when they're hitting short. When using a sliding snelled rig, most set the sliding snell up tight to the teaser head with the treble trailing with the eye of the hook at the end of the tail, eliminating the need to use a toothpick in the rear of the fin to set the trebles position The only drawback is the siwash usually hangs with the point facing downward. I also like to put a toothpick in the rear hole, not to set my treble position, but to have the siwash pointing out to the side, not down, which also equals more hookups. Prior to rigging, I use a small drill bit to make the rear hole a little larger, just making it easier to put the toothpick in the rear hole. Getting them to hit is only the first part of the puzzle, so your part way there. And by using this setup, you'll get many more in the boat, which is why we're out there. If your having trouble tying a sliding snell, there are many posts on how to do this, or you can go to my website ( http://www.mcrocket.com ), & go to Tips & Tricks & How To sections. Hope this helps, Rick, & feel free to get a hold of me anytime. Although I haven't used cut bait in years, I can see no reason this setup wouldn't be just as effective using it as well. Mike

Just talked to a bud that was fishing walleye Sat. morning about 2-3 miles east of the Ramada, & had 8 fish in 40 minutes, nothing big, all between 2-3 1/2 lbs. They were fishing midway between the boat launch at Herchimer Ave and Snake Is., using Erie Dearies, tipped with a worm, in 12-14 fow. There are 2 main launches in Belleville, Herchimer Ave., & the main one, George St, which is located on the east side of the Moira R. The Ramada is on the west side of the Moira. Less than a 5 minute drive to the George St. ramp, & only a couple more minutes to Herchimer. Another 3 miles east of Herchimer off HWY #2 is Point Anne Lane, but this launch is mainly used for small boats. George St. has all the amenities : washrooms, canteen, good size parking lot. Hope this helps.

There was a post on SpoonPullers, May 20, titled Arches by Shakenbake. I do not know his location(could be in Ontario, Can.), but his cousin makes them, & it looks really good. The phone # given is Tom @ 518-796-8869. There is a picture of it mounted on a 22 ft Starcraft (soft top) , I think, & can be found in the " for sale " section on Pullers. It might be worth a call if not too far away from you.

Well said, Matt. It certainly levels the playing field for all. Catching is only one part of the puzzle, albeit the most important. The challenge is to firstly find them, figure out what technique to use, what depths, what speed, what baits, what colors ?? As the early bite is usually the best, on game day the right decisions early can make or break your day. That's why pre-fishing is critical. tring to get everything figured out. But as we've all seen how Mother Nature can throw some wicked curves at us. And what worked yesterday might not today. Or the fish moved. To where? As a lot are fishing in unfamiliar waters, the no-com. rule is fair for all, and along with experience & some LUCK, the cream normally rises to the top, especially in a 2 day tourney. In a one day event, I'd rather be lucky than good. The satisfaction of winning, or placing well against most of the best on the lake must be incredible, especially when all must fish by the same rules, on a level field But to be crowned King of the Lake, after 3 or 4 tourneys against the best, PRICELESS. Good luck to all. PS Maybe no-com. for the pro division ? Seems extremely popular in the KOTL. Times are a changin!!

Mark, the problem with pancakes is that in a cross current, due to the amount of exposed area including the large fin, it's very easy for the starboard rigger to get tangled with your port rigger, or visa versa. Not fun!!Torpedo shaped weights is the only way to go for less blow back & true tracking.

Good quality, STICKY SHARP hooks is one of the most important, if not THE most important aspects of successful salmon fishing, & one of the most overlooked. Start with a good quality hook(my preference is Owner, but there are many others). If it doesnt cost at least one dollar each, I probably won't use it. Lure Jenson makes a good hook file(yellow handle), & they only cost $7-$8.00. Resharpen after every fish, so it's always sticky sharp. Combined with a tight release, as previosly mentioned, & the hook sets itself. It can not be stressed enough, as without it, your chances of successfully boating a fish are greatly diminished. Most tackle manufacturers do not use GOOD quality hooks, but an inexpensive hook file will increase your hits to hookup ratio. Hope this helps, & good fishing.

My first King of the year. Sure was nice to hear a screaming drag again. I really enjoyed meeting everyone, & I'll never forget that boat ride back to port Thur. morning with those gale force winds. Hat's off to Steve(Matts dad) for getting us back in one piece. Great job!! Good luck in the WHI. Hope Mother Nature starts to cooperate. Those new test colors should be awesome over there. Good luck.

. I've fished steelhead for close to 50 years using roe, & have tried dozens of curing methods over the years. And the best by far for me is 20 mule team borax, which in Can. can be found in the laundry soap section of your supermarket. One box, which only costs $5.00, will last many years. & cure many eggs. It doesn't take long, & is really quite simple. I sepatate the eggs from the skiene by using a large spoon so I end up with single eggs. Put the eggs into a flour sifter, & rinse well with cold water, making sure that all blood has been removed. I let them airdry in the sifter for 10 minutes, putting a paper towel under the sifter to remove any moisture. Then put some 20 Mule Team Borax into a clean plastic container(I use a marg. container), put your eggs in, shake so they're coated, then spread them on a newspaper to air dry for 15-30 minutes. I then put them bag into a dried off flour sifter, getting rid of the borax which absorbs the moisture. I then put them into a Mason jar, & pour in some more borax. If you plan to freeze some, I fill the jar with borax & eggs about an inch from the top. Once I put them into the freezer, every 15 minutes I give the jar a shake, which keeps the eggs single, & continue doing this until the eggs are entirely frozen. When you want to take some eggs out to use, this method allows you to take out only what you need, as opposed to thawing out the whole jar, as thawing & refreezing affects the quality of the eggs. It is also important to let the eggs thaw in the fridge, not on the counter. I recently took out some eggs from 2007 to tie, & they looked like they were fresh. Once thawed out, I put them into a flour sifter, rinse in cold water, & your good to go. The eggs are not messy to tie. I caught 11 on those 3-4 year old eggs 3 weeks ago. I have not used "fresh" eggs for many years, as for whatever reason, the boraxed eggs worked better for me than fresh. Keeping your eggs in an airtight container once tied also increases their"shelf" life, as I had some eggs tied from last Spring kept in a plastic urine sample container, & apart from losing a little juice, were just fine, no smell & great color. This method allows me to only keep one 3-4 lb. hen each year, & you'll always have quality eggs available. If you don't want to freeze them, they'll stay good in the fridge from Spring to Fall, no smell, looking good, & most importantly catch fish. I hope this helps, & if you have any questions, just shoot me a PM. I was getting ready to post this, & I read about putting them in water. I've found that by leaving the eggs in water is not adviseable, as the eggs absorb water, increase in size, which due to the swelling, makes the egg membrane thinner , far less durable, so they break easier, & don't last nearly as long. I,ve tried many different ways, & this way works great for me.