Alternative options for Downrigger lake trout

[spoonfed-1]

On 7/29/2026 at 6:35 AM, GAMBLER said:

Jigging lakers on Lake Ontario is way harder than Cayuga.  You don't have the big currents we have on Lake Ontario.  

Yup. x2

[sherman brown]

On 7/29/2026 at 6:27 AM, glh456 said:

Stop trolling and try jigging.

 

 

 

In my opinion, the best way to jig is with a large kast master spoon in metallic blue and chrome, and metallic green and chrome, and let it down to the target area and jig it up about 6' then letting it down slowly while keeping the slack outa the line so you can set the hook if it stops dropping or if it takes off. Give this a try with even the smaller 1/4 oz and 1/2 oz.

[chinook35]

On 7/31/2026 at 11:06 AM, spoonfed-1 said:

Yup. x2

I’ve been fishing Lake O for many years and I can say that finding a day that is calm enough to jig in 150 FOW ( anchoring is out of the question) is going to be tough.  With any kind of wind ( most of the time ) you will be trolling that jig anyway 😆 

[Sk8man]

Never Ends - You can find the springs and the wires with one end formed on NETCRAFT website but you have to buy their fire forming tool to complete the process. The tool is worth the money as you can make a lot of other tings with it as well (e.g. spinners). I make spring clips with faceted beads on the wire shaft to aid during cold weather to hold on to them

The tool is one the left

The wire connectors one the right were made with the tool. I don't think they have the longer springs I used to use but I think they still sell the shorter ones (bottom one) 

Edited 18 hours ago by Sk8man

[Never Ends]

Thank you!!!!!!! Much appreciated!

[TyeeTanic]

On 7/28/2026 at 2:50 PM, GAMBLER said:

You can run a wire thumper rig.  Use a three way swivel, a 1lb weight and your cowbells.  Run a 3-4' dropper for the 1lb weight.  Let it out until you hit bottom.  Let it settle and let it out to bump again.  dragging the weight will get you more hits.  Fighting lakers this way is not fun but very productive.  I highly recommend Hammerhead Cowbells and Gambler Rigs!

Gambler, how much line is he going to have to let out to get down 140 ft with only a 1 lb weight, travelling at 2 mph?

Will it even get down that deep with all the drag on the line?