Trolling without a Fish Hawk?

[FowlMood]

Heading up to Sodus area in early August. I do not have a fish hawk or any means to determine lure speed and subsurface water temp. Will that be a huge waste of time or are there methods to be successful - even if they may not be AS successful without all the gadgets? I have down riggers and divers. I plan to run a 6 rod spread (4 of us on the boat). Boat is 22ft long with a 175hp motor. I'm running an HDS Pro graph. Thanks in advance for any hints etc. I've been watching the reports and really appreciate that flow of information!

Edited July 24, 2025 by FowlMood

[AnglingAddict]

You absolutely can be successful.  There are a lot of guys with gadgets who don't understand the basics - that being said knowing how to use the data you have in front of you certainly can help you to make better decisions.  

 

First thing is fish location - yes you have a fish finder - but best thing here is to look for the bigger charter boats - they can help to guide you towards a a general area or general depth of water.  

 

Look for fish on your graph and use that as a guage as to how deep to fish.  The highest marks always are tough to catch - if it was me I wouldn't target all of the high  marks most days.  

 

In a given direction "match speed" with the charter boats and note that on say an east heading GPS speed was 2.5MPH or whatever.....that will give you an idea of what speed to run that direction - going any other direction you could be faster or slower.....but start there and vary speed a little until you start to get bites and record both GPS speed AND direction to start building some history on the day

 

Learn to read your diver rods - pay attention to the bend - you want a nice healthy bend on them at the proper trolling speed most times.  Note how they are running when you are generating bites.

 

 

[FowlMood]

Thank you @AnglingAddict!!! Not wanting to upset anyone - what's the etiquette on how close is too close to another boat trolling out there? I would obviously err on the side of caution but it's a big lake. Is a half mile enough?

[AnglingAddict]

Yes half mile is more than enough - few hundred yards off the side is good!  You can certainly get closer....BUT don't cut behind them - this time of year a lot of guys can be running long coppers that can stretch back 500-600 feet without a fish attached - 1000' out with an angry king so definitely don't cut behind folks.  

[GAMBLER]

Cable angle is another thing to watch.  If you catch a fish, look at the rigger cable and duplicate the speed that gets you the same cable angle.  

[orangediablo]

Once you find the speed fish are hitting, adjust the drag on your divers so they start creeping out if/when your faster than you want to be.  This may help a little when you change direction and down speed changes.

[FowlMood]

Excellent advice guys! Thank you!

[whaler1]

Fish in 80 to 100

fish marks, spread your lures out a little to cover the column and make slow s curves. 

[Reel Chaos]

That’s called Boating

 

(can’t believe no has taken the opportunity on this)

[Salty Nut]

Lots of good info above

If you were going to fish alot at Lake O at various ports and different times of the year i think you would really appreciate a Fishhawk. For several years i thought it was more useful thN my graph! In early August, you really dont need it, as suggested, you will see the depth range of the "regulars".

So after selling my boat with the Fishhawk and knowing i was cutting back on fishing days, i bought the Fishhawk TD. Really good 200 buck investment that works great.

My only other comment would be...

Watch the charter guys with cheap binocs but stay away from them.

Good luck

Im sure i will be fishing, and i dont mind sharing intel

[FowlMood]

@Salty Nut I've been watching your reports. Thank you for that and the advice above! I am definitely going to get one for next season. I really haven't needed it in the smaller lakes I typically troll but feel I'm ready to move to the bigger waters. Thanks again!

[TyeeTanic]

As others say, start at 2.0 to 2.5 mph ... but ... don't track straight all the time ... navigate in an S shape ... if the inside rods hit ... you need to slow down, if the outside rods hit, you need to speed up.  Once you are dialed in ... you can set that speed and then start tracking straight.