slouiscar

Lamprey's go back in 1 inch bite sized pieces.

 

Getting the kids out for an early AM trip is a bit of a challenge.  But I will give tight to shore a try on the next morning trip.  Over the course of the season we will pick up a handful of small salmon and maybe a rainbow or two up high up on a cheater while targeting LT.  But I would like to put a rod or two out into the spread that are dedicated to fishing for them.  Maybe a leadcore or a copper?

Cayuga north end 5/29

We got out in the early afternoon for a few hours and trolled out in front of the college.  Best luck was over 125 fow down 75 and 90 at 2.3 mph.  One fish hit a dipsy out 200, but all of the action was on the DR's.  All hits were spoons.  Purple, black and green dreamweavers.  A few fish had some size.  Switched up this year to some lighter rods and that has made for quite a bit more fun on the reel.  Everything that stuck got into the boat, even with my kids on the rod or the net, which is asking a lot.  Finding that keeping the fish in the water in the net, aside of a quick picture or two, has made for a noticeably stronger release.  No weeds or fleas, a few sticks still floating around.  A few boats trolling this stretch but pretty limited traffic, though it was later in the day.  One fish brought a pretty good sized lamprey along for the ride and every fish seemed like they had fresh wounds, unfortunately.  Didn't seem to mark a lot of bait.  Marked fish on bottom but all of our hits were suspended fish.  Ran a cheater at times from 20 to 35 but we couldn't seem to locate any salmon, browns, or bows with any of the high rods.  I would like to figure that out if anyone has any advice.

Got out. Wind was out of the south so it was workable. Fish were there but couldn't get them to chew. Landed a nice fat brown and lost two that didn't stick on divers. Cells that came through missed us to the north until 5:30. Weren't missing that one so we ran in. Captain worked OT today. Always a treat to experience a pro running the show.

Sorry.  We have a charter booked with a captain for the afternoon and I am wondering what people on the lake are expecting for the weather.  Thanks in advance for input.

Noaa marine forecast says under 2 foot waves wind 5-15 knots.  My weather app shows a mess.  

 

Would love to get out, but trying to make plans.  Anyone have the word on the ground?

Been using Blacks this season on Cayuga.  Tightened them up since I like to crank the rods down but every trip we wonder at least once or twice if we just spent 15 mins dragging a fish. 

 

Less than a quarter turn and they are too loose and pop off with speed changes or weeds, a slight turn back and we are dragging fish for a free ride up the lake.

I fished to the east of you most of the morning we had similar results moved a bit north and started running into weed pods the size of our boat so turned around and worked back .. There were a ton of fish in there I think we ended up with 47 fish for the day all returned except for 9 fish .. Great day on the water just couldn't find the big Lakers.. Iron Duke UV Extravaganza and Bellis Program Flies did most of the damage on the Lakers and a few salmon all our rainbows came in the the T Cline at 54 foot down on Finger Lakes Tackle Spoons..Finished 6th overall for the day.. Was a beautiful morning on the water.... big weed pods

 

 

That's us in the first pic.  Floating weed beds were a little thick as you got further North.  Fleas were not an issue as compared to past weeks.  Had a good morning.  Found a good screen, circled it, and took multiple hits each pass.  Didn't do those kind of numbers but steady action.  Dropped some fish on the divers and had some light hits on the riggers that got a free ride for a bit.  A few short salmon and maybe fifteen lakers all released well. Hot setup was a wire diver out 210 with a spin dr 42nd Spinny and fly. Had a cheater at 50 on a rigger with a half dozen different spoons, couldn't entice a rainbow to hit, but we were seeing steady marks at 50 on the screen.

Cayuga is going to be great when those LLS get a little bigger! There sure are a lot of them!

 

I was wondering about that.  This is our first full year on Cayuga.  Have the LL always been around in this size and number?

Not familiar with the distance from the swim platform to the bottom on the rage but...

I am in the process of putting a Honda 9.9 on a pursuit 2470 which has a Euro transom that requires a swim platform bracket. On this boat it is roughly 25 inches from the platform to the bottom of the boat. I priced the 20" and the 25", and they were maybe a $300-350 difference. I was advised to swallow it and go with the 25".

On a side note, I looked at adventure marine and tentatively decided to go with a panther swim platform bracket as it comes with a safety cable. Curious if you have opinions or research input on the two brackets?

Boat I purchased earlier this year had this unit installed with a garmin 200/50 kHz transducer.  Could not be happier with it.  It is the first GPS I've had, might be off 10 feet, but it came with decent maps, nice track memory, and I don't knoow how I fished before I could mark waypoints and hotspots.  50Hz setting in 100+ fow is perfect.  I see the rigger balls, lines going in, fish, bait.  It is a realy good picture.  Wasn't sold on the touchscreen, until I used it, but it makes menus easy to use and navigate.  No pressing back back back enter to get to a particular menu.  Good unit.

Sounds like you had a great two days on the Lake! Always nice to have a dependable co-pilot.

 

Just curious, what size divers you were using? Thanks!

 

 

Pretty sure they are size #1, maybe 4 1/4"?  All black on one side, purple on the other.

Fished Sun and Mon morning, both trips out of Union Springs around 7am and back at 10:30ish.  Set up on the west side in front of the college. 

 

Brought my daughter Sunday.  Now I'm thinking she might be my new "autopilot."  Little chop from the south west early.  We ran two divers out 200 and two riggers all over, 40-80.  Divers went off pretty steady and landed fish on FF and a black & gold stinger, a few rigger hits with no one home, only one a small laker stuck that hit on the turn.  Dropped too many fish really.  Just weren't sticking... either tripping the release and letting go or out on the divers for a bit, then breaking the surface and getting loose or shaking off still out 75.  Managed to net everything we got to the boat though, which was nice with just the two of us.  Landed 7 decent fish and lost maybe just as many.  Had a blast though.  Beautiful day, got her reeling in fish, and she realized that she likes to drive the boat.

 

Monday I went out with a buddy of mine.  Picked up 8 fish and lost 2-3.  All but one fish came on a flasher fly combo, ran a green flasher and a green spin doctor, one on the port rigger and one on the starboard diver.  Swapped sppons all morning and just couldn't find what they liked.  Later in the morning went out a bit deeper to 130-140 and set the divers back further to 275.  Took three hits in the last half hour on those two rods.  Had to run back to town so we were off the water by 11:00.  It was hot by 8:00 and the weeds were a pain in the a## for stretches.  No fleas to speak of.  Got everything released clean but the one that my buddy dropped on its head 2-3 times.  Tried to torpedo him once or twice to dive, he swam a little bit, but he wasn't having it, so he found the cooler.

 

Would like to fish a high rod or two and target rainbows, browns and landlocked.  Might try stacking the riggers?  Those fish make their way north to LP, Aurora, etc?

Fished sat morning in front of the college in aurora. 4 decent lakers all on divers out 200. Highlight was watching my brother reel in what he thought was a monster. He ended up with a huge fight against a diver that didn't trip with a mini Atlantic on. Good stuff.

Set up just north of Aurora in 100 fow around 7:30.  Trolled south in 100-115 fow, 2.2 gps speed divers out 200 and 2 riggers out 60 and 75.  Finished 6-8, all lakers, bigger fish than the last few weeks, took hits on every rod.  Spoon hits came on a dreamweaver lazer glow gold spook and stinger chicken wing UV.  Divers ran green FF and spin doctor combos.

 

Weeds were a problem for the first 45 minutes.  Had to check lines every 10 minutes but once I got a little further south it cleared up.  No fleas.

 

Made the turn just north of the point around 10:00.  Ran the same spread and depth, varied speeds, marked fish and bait, but couldn't move a rod on the north troll.  Bite seemed to shut off.

 

Had a hard rigger hit and a nice fight with a laker coming out of the water a few times, which surprised me.  Also landed a fish with what looked like a lamprey wound that hadn't healed just yet.

Left Union Springs at 7:30 set up just north of Aurora in 120 fow.  Trolled south 100-150 fow 2.2 gps speed put out 2 divers and 2 riggers out 55 and 75.  Fished til 10:30 landed two average LT had a few hits on the riggers but nobody was home.  Both fish came on the same diver rod out 200 with a dreamweaver lazer glow gold spook. 

 

Went past the college out to 200 fow towards long point and turned.  Nothing moved on the north troll on the same line 2.0-3.0 gps speeds.  No fleas but there were weeds.  Should have picked up more frequently and kept things clean.

 

Saw bait and marked plenty of suspended fish down 75 over 120.  Couldn't seem to get them to go.

If your going to test that at long point dont put any down over 30.lol

 

 

I do not think I will test that!  ... it just seems to feel like we are 250 yards from shore and in 250 fow.

On Saturday I finished up work installing a fuse box and the wiring for the new Scottys.  Tested them out Sunday fishing from maybe 9:45-12:30. All equipment worked as intended, which had us pleasantly surprised, though the fish didn't fully co-operate.

 

Started just North of the college in Aurora and trolled south in 150-200 feet.  Ran a spin doctor and a flasher with flys on the two diver rods and a spin doctor and fly on one of the riggers.  Threw a spoon on the other rigger.  Ran the divers deeper at 200 and 220.  Had the riggers out 60 and 75.  Had a hit of the spoon but it didn't stick.  Weeds were a problem.  After close to an hour we picked up and moved south just past Long point.  No problems there with weeds and didn't notice fleas all day. We trolled south in 150 to 300 feet, played with the diver legnth out as much as 250, and moved the riggers around anywhere from 50-80.  Mixed up the spoon but stuck with the same green, blue, silver flashers waiting to see what took hits.  Overall it was slow.  Managed my first rainbow, which hit the blue spin doctor with a green fly on the rigger out 60 over 200 feet.  That put on a nice show at the boat.  Had two other strikes on the riggers but nobody was home.  Nothing on the divers all day.  (Other than a slight birdsnest curtesy of my brothers thumb that required taking the convector apart with 200 feet of wire out... thought for sure we'd double while I had that open.)

 

Did also test out the radio which seemed to operate well.  Had a brief conversation with someone down at Taughannock.  Maybe saw one other boat all day trolling Long Point.  Overall, we ran deep, 200-300 feet.  But it was mid day.  Next trip out we are going to have to get out earlier, or maybe in the evening, and find 90-150 fow.  Of course from what I have seen of the depths off long point, I expect 100 fow is maybe 10 feet from shore?

Are you running dipsy on mono? If you are running wire, fish doctor had some videos on wire knots. Very simple half hitch and overhand knot. It does not look like it should hold but it does. I even use it on my cannon ball. Not sure if you lost the rig before or after the dipsy. When the fleas are real bad we would double up on swivels so if one got bound up with fleas the second swivel would take over. Also to long of a lead to the dipsy can cause the line to twist to the point of breaking the line. We never had this problem with dipsy flasher fly combo but did when we ran a long lead off the rigger to the dipsy .  

Running wire with the dipseys with the half hitch and square knot. Those have been solid. Knots that were pulling were improved cinch knots on the flouro leader to the swivel on the flasher. Those slipped at the swivel and came up pigtailed. Tied a palomar knot to the swivel after that and that seemed to solve it. At least my wallet hopes that solved it...

I run my divers on 2.5. I figure 80 to 85 at 240 to 260. 220 is around 70 to 75. I have been keeping my speed around 2.4 to 2.6 on the GPS. Green on Green has been the best and spoons are green with a copper or gold back. Also Chicken wing with a gold back is good. I have been fishing 85 to 130fow. BUT... The weekend before I was fishing east to west going 220 to 220 in a big circle but we had a good west wind that weekend. That didn't work as well this weekend.

I also did well last evening fishing Kingtown thru Rocky dock. 80 to 140 same rigs. If you have a radio you can always call me on 68. I will be out on sat only this coming weekend. Most likely be working long point but depends on the wind.

RR

I am hoping to be out Fri & Sat this week depending on the weather.  I will definitely be running the divers deeper and I'll try you on the radio. 

 

The last stretch we switched one diver to a flasher fly and that went off enough times in a row that I will start with that next trip.

I hammerd the fish there on Sat. Try setting your divers deeper. First thing in the morning, I have them out 220 as the sun get higher, 240 to 260. I ran my riggers 50-60 with sliders. Lead cores were dead.

RR

 

I've heard good reports on those locations so we planned to start there.  Thanks for the advice on the divers.  I will definitely adjust on that.  We are running wire on a 2 setting out 160-180 and figured it at ~65-70' depth.  Out 240-260 is what? 90-95' depth?

 

I think the time of day worked against us a bit.  Need to set the alarm earlier.

Been getting the boat out, getting it set up to fish, and trying to learn the lake a bit.  This weekend we did a little fishing. 

 

Out of Union Springs short trip Saturday mid day for maybe 2-2.5 hours.  Went to the Silos and trolled south down the east shore to Aurora.  Tried 90 to 150.  Most of the bait and fish we marked were 110-120.  Had two divers out 160 and 180 and a 300 copper.  Boat was moving 2.5-2.8 on the gps.  Took three hits but didn't get anything to the boat.  All spoons.  It felt slow.  Sunday morning we headed to Aurora by the college and headed south in a little deeper water.  200.  Same setup.  Landed two mid sized LT and lost one at the net.  Picked up and went a little past Long Point.  Felt like we were 100 yards offshore and in 300 feet of water.  Marked a lot of bait in the top 50 feet.  Switched up to flasher fly and started taking hits and landing fish.  All average size but much more action. 

 

Did unfortunately lose two flasher setups from the diver down.  Apparantly I needed to learn how to tie a knot... switched to a palomar and it seemed to stop dropping fish and reeling in pig tails. 

 

Released everything sucessfully but one who got it in the gil a bit, so he got the cooler.  Fleas were there but not an issue with the copper or the wire divers.  Not one hit on the copper.  Need to get the downriggers wired.

Thanks a ton for the input. I'll ask for Rick. Boats a 98 pursuit 2470 but new to me. Previous owner didn't fish it so It needs a little but I love the layout.

Thanks.  30 amp inline fuse was what I read.  I'll talk to the marina and see if it something they can do for me for a reasonable #. 

I have the long adjustable booms on my Cannons and have never had a problem but I also only use 10 lb weights too   here are the plugins I have  (4 of them spaced so I can operate either of two or three downriggers off any one on same side musing an alternate socket is one were to become dysfunctional.

 

You got me thinking.  The mulitple outlets and gimbals would add a lot of flexibility.  On the wiring... did you just run the red and black to the battery with an inline fuse?  Or just the red and ground the black elsewhere?

Nothing like a new boat to make things enjoyable out there.Looks like a beauty from what I could see in the pic. If you have inset rod holders there are things you can do to minimize drilling. You can get some gimbal mounts and mount a couple downriggers to them with swivel bases and if you have additional ones toward the cockpit along the gunwales another gimbal with a short section of track mounted to it and three Bert's ratcheting rod holders (metal ones) mounted to the track. Additional stainless rod holders (e.g. perko, Attwood or others) that are rail mounted could be located on the bow rail for additional rods. if you can get to them easily  The nice thing is that you can take them on and off when using the boat recreationally....just a thought....no additional holes required. It is basically the way I went 13 years ago on my Whaler and it works well.

 

P.S. I can run the 3rd downrigger just by lifting out whatever I have in the forward hole and inserting the rigger so there is also flexibility this way.

 

Thanks. 

 

I picked up two 6 inch traxstech tracks, backing plates, and triple rod trees along with a pair of scotty downriggers.  The tracks I planned to drill and permanently install.  I will slide out the trees when they are not in use.  I have been on the fence with the scottys.  The gibmal mount would be a simple setup but I would worry that there would be a lot of weight and pressure on it.  It would probably be fine, but I am a pain in the a## so if it rattled around or had play or cracked I would be pissed at myself.  So instead I figured I'd sweat it out and drill through to install with a home made backing plate of some kind.  I just never drilled a boat before.

 

I also I need to figure out how to best run the wires.