nosswa

Thanks, it felt good to get our feet back on land.  We were almost straight out from Fairhaven. We drifted almost 2 miles in the hour it took them to get to us.  

Yes that was me.  Stalled out on us and wouldn't turn over. Had 12 volts on the gage, but acts like it's licked up. Won't even try to turn over.

Thought I had the motor issues figured out, but this picture tells a different tale. 

Same here.  Marked a ton at 50-55 in 140 fow. No takers, had some engine issues so we had to bail.  Not happy. 

Went out from 5 to about 7:30 tonight. Marked a lot in 130 to 140 fow but not bites, try again in the morning. 

Thank you for the recommendations.  The Boat is going to stay at the dock this Morning. I can see O feom out cabin and it looks prety nasty. 

What app do you recommend for monitoring the weather, wave height, etc? 

Has anybody heard what the numbers in the river are looking like?  Sounds like the lake is still a bit warm for the big push.

I guess my 20'starcraft islander is a small craft then. Lol.  I will be staying on port bay near Wolcott for a week.  Hopefully I can find some fishable water. 

Headding up on Sunday. Hope the water cals down.  Just out of couriosity what is considered a small craft??

I have never fished meat rigs before. Do you recommend whole herring or strips, and where do you buy them from? 

I wouldn't call my boat small, but it's not overly big either. 1984  20' starcraft islander .   The park has cabins available that's why I'm looking at going there.  Dont really want to sleep in a tent in late september. Lol

Thanks for the heads up. 

Alot of great info to digest from this thread.  I see alot of recommend launching out of pine or Mexico.  I will be staying by wolcott last week in Aug, how dar is that from these area? Also any recommendations on where to fish if launching out of fairhaven?  This will be my second trip to O. So much to learn.  Thanks in advance.

Launched out of Golden Hills, 2for2,  motored down to olcott, caught this brownie in 40 fow and my nephew caughet his first ever laker also in 40 fow. Gold and orange stick bait and laker on a line green spoon. 

Has some mechanical issues so we cut the day short around 1130. 

1st time ever on O today, couldn't have had better weather, fished out of Golden Oak state park because it is real close to where we are staying.  Fished from 2:30 till 6. Had one hit, didn't mark anything.  Hoping for some guidance for tomorrow.  

What would you recommend the lightest line to use for Kings regardless of its application?  

Why the 50# mono for fly's?  Just courious. 

Most of my fingerlakes fishing has been pulling copper.  I have played with the downriggers a little but have not used flashers, fly's, etc. Just spoons and the occasional sluggo.   And yes I have caught a few Lakers on sluggio and rubber shads.   My buddies harrase me, you caught fish with that???? , but I was catching fish when they weren't so......im good with it. Lol. 

15 hours ago, Sk8man said:

There are multiple ways to set up any of the common rigs used to catch salmon and trout. There is no "one and only" best setup. A lot of it is based on experience and results; often of trial and error use. Commonly fluorocarbon is used for leaders and not primarily as a mainline although it could be. On downriggers people usually use monofilament as their main line and fluorocarbon for their leader for spoons and stickbaits as it is thought to be less visible under water and slightly stiffer without much stretch. People used to use lower pound test mono main;lines but now use 30-40 lb commonly because the waterfleas have a harder time adhering to the lines of larger diameter as well as smooth surfaces. Because king salmon inhabit Lake O reel capacity is important as they can peel out hundreds of yards heading from the south shore to Canada  Often 30-40 lb test mono is used with a 15-25 lb test fluoro leader varying length according to preference and what lure is being run, and for what species targeted. Lighter leaders may be used in early Spring for brown trout for example. I normally use a 20-25 ft leader with a #8 Spro barrel swivel between the mono main line and the leader and a solid ring ball bearing snap swivel (with a rounded end on snap like Duolok snaps).

For dipsy setup commonly 40-65 lb braid is used perhaps early in the season prior to the appearance of waterfleas which makes its use difficult to say the least. Dipsy rigs are usually either 7 or 19 strand stainless steel wire (usually 1,000 ft so again large capacity reel advised) for main line and either a mono or fluoro leader from it OR an attractor such as a flasher or Spin Doctor without leader follows the dipsy with a fly on a very sport 50 lb mono or fluoro, or spoon on a longer leader. If a leader is run it is usually heavier lb test  (25 lb. up). You'll see the braid main lines used more commonly with leadcore or copper set-ups. Hope this answers your question.

Correct me if I am wrong.  the heavy 50# mono/flouro follows the steel wire because the wire has no stretch, correct? 

That helps a lot, I think. Lol.  Thank you.  

So 200 to 300 feet of25# flouro on the end of my braid doesn't look like a solid plan....  and I assume the use of steel line is for the added weight.  

I have 4 depthmaser 30's with counters.   All have medium/heavy rods between 8 and 9 feet.  I plan to use 2 for downriggers and 2 for dipseys.   I have 2 planer boards, the big wood ones.  Planed on using the dipseys on them.  So I had already set up 2 with 50# braid, and 25# flourocarbon before finding this website.  So now I'm questioning my setup.  I also have 2 old Penn Mainer reels with copper that I was going to flatline, they do not have counters.  

So I have been reading a lot of posts on setting up poles for everything from flatline, to dipseys, to copper and leadcore.

I understand the concept of using a heavy braid for backer as it is much thinner than mono or fluorocarbon.

I see recommendations to go from 50 or 65lb braid to 40 or 30# fluorocarbon mainline, and then down to 20-15# mono.

Why are there so many changes in line weights??  Why couldn't I just go from 45-50# braid to 25# fluorocarbon line?

New guy on the scene here. 

Came across this group as I was looking for information fishing big water.  Looks like a good bunch of guys.

I am late to the boating scene. as I am in my late 40's.  I have a 20' StarCraft Islander with a Mercruiser 120.  I have had it for about 3 years.

It does not have a kicker motor.  Not sure if it is a necessity/ highly recommended/ or a nice to have item, but the cost is going to determine the outcome of that option.

Im looking for some guidance and recommendations on fishing BIG water. I have fished on some of the finger lakes (not comparing it to Ontario) just info for the thread, for about 5 years. 

I have 2 downriggers, and Lowrance fish finder, VHF Radio.   Fished copper on Seneca and Cayuga. 

Taking recommendations on fishing gear, techniques, and locations with a frugal budget in mind. 

thank you in advance.

Almost Retired