moonfish

Thanks for tips. I got their about 11:30am north end and head south. But went to where I see on finder @ 25  ' and could not get a bite. I think my boat spooked em, I was over them b 4 I knew it lol. Oh well was a beautiful day and thanks again for tips.

Oh really. What size ?

So been told hand casting works good in shallow up high, but tmrw winds will be 5-15 knots. Plan is troll for an hr and drift back. What's your advice concerning wind, stay shallow or go out to 20 row ? Its my first real attempt targeting browns & Lakers. ANY ADVICE will b appreciated. Thanks

Nice too see you made it out there !! Nice job !

1 hour ago, suttontroller94 said:

My preferred launch is hughes but I doubt that is ice free

I believe both I bay and sodus have web cams. The Gennessee definately has web cam. Maybe try a post LOU for launch status.

1 hour ago, suttontroller94 said:

Well that's a bummer anyone know of any other options?

Go to rec center town of Ontario, get hrs they are open and pay for day. I would call them first to make sure when they are open because not all web sites are up to date. Or launch out of Irondequoit bay or sodus. I-Bay is 11.3 miles west of bear creek but sodus is closer to bear creek. Where are you travelling from ?

18 minutes ago, ifishy said:

thats not true you can pay at the rec center which is on knickerbocker road and they accept credit they are open on saturdays but I dont know how early my schedule means I usually dont get out till after 8.  launch fee was 5$ last year.  you can also buy a season pass at the town hall.  just know the plate number of your tow vehicle. its a decent launch but if there is any roll out of the north or north west it can get interesting especially early season before the dock is in.

Oh ! Thanks for info. The description on town website doesn't mention paying at rec center. Still have to provide car/boat registration ?

Oh yeah, it was suggested to me not to bother fishing shallow gin clear water. Stained is better.

On 2/12/2017 at 7:11 PM, suttontroller94 said:

Thanks everyone just kind of had a hunch because last March when I was out up there, there were other boats working that 20- 30ft range with riggers and dipsys and looked like short cores and flatlines. Wasn't sure if they we just targeting Browns deeper or if fishing for Lakers too. Didn't figure browns because the way we were hammering them In the shallows

Was a few guys on here few weeks ago during break in weather that were catching browns in 8-20'. A couple in our area and in buffalo.  Warmer pockets were key outta bear creek. All were using shallow sticks. All reported break offs as well stating they though it might be laker or steely based on how they were peeling drag. Based on that, actual reports and recent reports, might want to start shallow. Just my op

1 hour ago, suttontroller94 said:

Bear creek status

Anyone know of bear creek launch is usable? Plan on fishing Saturday but live 2hrs away. Thanks in advance

You do know you have to pay a fee for the day to the town and they only accept payment by mail ?

I agree with fish master re YouTube. I would call company you plan to buy from for specs. I was looking at tx-44  walleye boards and found out they hold 12oz + downrigger ball or dipsy. But don't pull well with lighter tackle. Maybe that's what you want. The medium size boards, at least for me, seem more ideal for what I want to do, but probably won't be beyond 30 fow deep trolling

1 hour ago, hard knox said:

best use of that nob is to set it so that when real is in free spool with clicker switched off you can pay out line to desired distance without backlash .when sending out a dipsy use the clicker and thumb the spool until you reach the desired distance .

Thank you

31 minutes ago, youp50 said:

You may find that the knob positions the spool in the direction of the spools axis.  If it is favoring too tight, the line will bunch up on the right side of the spool and too loose will bunch up on the left.

Thanks for tip !

Oh OK. So tighten first, then put dipsy/planer in water and loosen til it goes out. Sound about right ?

Magda 20 question

My first ever trolling rod. What is the purpose of the chrome knob to left of star drag ? How do I adjust it appropriately ?

41 minutes ago, SylvanTroller said:

I run a pair of Opti tackles boards and a pair of 22's I have flags on both and modified them so that fish on the flags are up. Hard to believe but the opti's are very good especially at 19.99 with the flags. I pull lead core and 50/50. https://northwoodsoutlet.com/product/opti-tackle-ultimate-planer-board-with-spring-flag-system/

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They hold up to 3 oz ? Do they stay out away from boat ?

6 minutes ago, pap said:

Either way you could accomplish this with a set of big boards, I use mine to pull skinny waters with 2-3/8" spoons and 2-5ft divers and on the opposite side pull flutter spoons with snap weights or semi deep divers, 12-15ft plugs. One set up does it all?? To each there own I'm no way saying "this is the only way" if a brown hits it will release or a smallie, which on the northern side of Galloo their a pain in the arsh. 

Yeah we're talking same language here. The pro weight system consists of snap weight up to 3oz. Nice thing about the weights is they are 99% lead free. If I lose one its pretty safe to environment. Have you seen Romanaks 50/50 method on YouTube ? 1st time I saw it I thought that's a good place to start for someone like myself with minimal experience. Comes with chart for weights, different speeds as well. Fun watching him catch walleye too...lol. 

But for where I fish in western finger lakes, which are some of the smallest/shallowest, I think these techniques fit them and my personal style best. Here's my boat. I have another bass seat I put in when I don't bring the cooler

9 minutes ago, King Slammin said:

 

you can adjust the tension on tattle flags for that amount of weight.


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Yeah that's what I thought too. I have the minis and used them last year but they don't handle much more than 6' crank,stickbait,or light spinners,. They do OK with spoons too. But just need to cover top 30' of water column and 22's seem like they will do well for that. Below 30' I'm using dipsy divers. Best example I can give is Canadice lake. Its called "bathtub" for good reason. Can run planers on top water column on one side of the boat and dipsys off the back. Covering offshore structure. That's the plan anyway...lol

1 hour ago, pap said:

Why don't you go with big boards, I have the little yellow ones maid by offshore tackle I use these on home town lakes when fishing eyes tight against shore. I built my own from plans I got from here, I adjusted the angle and shortened them up. They work flawless and I never looked back, I can pull a light weight walleye harness to 10 color cores with 3 other divers attached, they pull like a mule, and in 3fters without them flipping over. Being a little handy you can buy planer reels off here, there was a set on here just a little while ago, I made my own masts and had the cannon mast that I used the brake and reel set up for each side. Either the fingers or the big pond they will work. I have used my big boards in skinny waters of LakeO. Just some food for thought??

Where I troll the most for walleye, the mean depth is 18' and 30' at its deepest point. Where I troll for bows/browns/Lakers is 70-90' at its deepest. Also I fish warm water species most of the time, but there are trout and walleye there as well and may decide to drop the casting rods & go troll I'm sticking with braid & and purchasing okuma planer rods. Not interested in running wire. Thanks for input tho

3 hours ago, steelydan said:

I only pull leadcore but in his fifth post he said he wants to pull slide divers and 50/50 weight system, that's why I told him the tattles would be pulled down by either making them useless


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3 hours ago, Landshark said:

Yes that's a lot of drag

Capt. Michael Weaver. Pure Fishing Ambassador
 

With the 50/50 method, pulling 1\2-1oz weight with small stick, 4' diving crank, or spinner 100' back of the board, would still be too much pull for flag tension ? On honeyoye and the river @10-15 ft deep. Using 12# mono & 15# power pro braid.

Thanks guffins. Thanks everyone ! Buying 22's

Yeah, I'm not running with flags. I don't think they are necessary. Maybe if I was targeting crappie

Thanks

OK thanks for the help guys ! That helps my pocket book and angling experience. Thanks much.

I'm looking for used. I'm already in the $100's on my shop list. Trying to keep cost down.