Spring brown trout

[Mainefisher]

Help everyone, new member here. My wife and I have a planned trip to trailer our 20ft boat from Maine to Pulaski over an extra long memorial weekend and fish for browns. We’ve got downriggers, leadcore, pretty much everything but a fish hawk. Just looking for some general info on tackle (lures, line, etc) I should buy and what I should expect to run into out there that time of year. I assume everything is going to be early this year and my hope is the browns will still be in skinny water given how early things seem to be. I’ve charted boats in July for kings but it’s always been a dream of mine to bring my boat to New York and give it a whirl. Thanks for any help you have to offer!

[fish whistle]

PM sent

[HB2]

For a lot of depth finders , they make a paddle type speed / temp probe add on  . They don't cost a whole lot that will help you out quite a bit . 

It's not down speed temp but it's not bad and will help  . 

 

 

[FishingFool34]

19 hours ago, Mainefisher said:

Help everyone, new member here. My wife and I have a planned trip to trailer our 20ft boat from Maine to Pulaski over an extra long memorial weekend and fish for browns. We’ve got downriggers, leadcore, pretty much everything but a fish hawk. Just looking for some general info on tackle (lures, line, etc) I should buy and what I should expect to run into out there that time of year. I assume everything is going to be early this year and my hope is the browns will still be in skinny water given how early things seem to be. I’ve charted boats in July for kings but it’s always been a dream of mine to bring my boat to New York and give it a whirl. Thanks for any help you have to offer!

By end of May fish will likely be out a little deeper. Not sure what your definition of skinny water is but I'd say you'd be looking at 30-60 fow for browns that time of year. There may even be some Kings around by then too. I'd make sure you have some kind of divers with you (Dipsy, Slide or Chinook), 5-10 color leadcores and your salmon gear just in case.

[Mainefisher]

1 hour ago, FishingFool34 said:

By end of May fish will likely be out a little deeper. Not sure what your definition of skinny water is but I'd say you'd be looking at 30-60 fow for browns that time of year. There may even be some Kings around by then too. I'd make sure you have some kind of divers with you (Dipsy, Slide or Chinook), 5-10 color leadcores and your salmon gear just in case.

ok great, that’s pretty much what I was hoping for. Offshore a bit more and being able to troll for them similarly to what we do in Maine. By skinny water I was thinking 10 feet or less. But being new to fishing the area and not being familiar with the hazards being a little further offshore seems to be a good thing to me. 

[Mainefisher]

3 hours ago, HB2 said:

For a lot of depth finders , they make a paddle type speed / temp probe add on  . They don't cost a whole lot that will help you out quite a bit . 

It's not down speed temp but it's not bad and will help  . 

 

 

My sonars have surface speed and temp. It’s looking like a fish hawk is going to be ordered in the near future. More I read and listen to sounds like a necessity to have.

[tuffishooker]

Thanks for asking ! #1 Color rules in Lake Ontario and can change by the hour ! Start with chartreuse run the gamut ending on black/purple ; starting with body baits then spoons 1 [ that bite changes every year so you may be on your own unless you can get some reliable information ] Unlike salmon which tend to be nomads brown trout are often resident so you may have to find them ! Always start in close ie. 10 fow first light light tackle 6 to 10 lb. test and quality terminal tackle ie. SPRO ! Boards will keep the tackle away from the boat ! Then move out until you get one or watch the other boats ; then move out until you get one and stay there !

Most of our browns have been caught on riggers with long leads !

You can read " Keating on Kings " by Captain Dan Keating with several later editions for basic information but he fishes out of Lake Michigan !

[Yankee Troller]

Keep an eye on my YouTube channel. I have some videos that will be dropping in the next few weeks regarding set-ups for small boat and big boat Spring BT fishing. Link is below.

Edited February 24, 2023 by Yankee Troller

[Mainefisher]

On 2/24/2023 at 3:44 PM, Yankee Troller said:

Keep an eye on my YouTube channel. I have some videos that will be dropping in the next few weeks regarding set-ups for small boat and big boat Spring BT fishing. Link is below.

 Thanks! I’ll be sure to keep an eye out. Love seeing your posts on Facebook as well.

[just me]

dirty goose has a facebook and some video's

[hookedupf7]

Mainefisher we are going to be out that weekend also. I believe that is the weekend of the Sonnys brown trout tournament. As Stated above look up dirty goose onFacebook . He usually does daily reports out there. If I remember rite last year about that time was a good spoon bite.

[Donkey81]

If you want the solid information of what is taking place during that time of year because it can change every day. Everyone at Sonnys in port Ontario is amazing. They will be 100% honest with you on everything. I see people posting about watching dirty goose on here. The man has only been on the lake a little over 6 plus years as a charter. Get advice from people who have been around for a very long time. You will not be fishing in shallow water. Like another gentleman said, normally that time of year is well over 30 plus feet of water. Last year we were in 50 to 70 from the high rocks to the observation tower. Downriggers, dipsy rods and core rods. Usually at that depth we are running all spoon programs. Depending on the size of the bait this year, that will tell you what size spoons to run. Yes there can be a mix of spring kings that could show up so be prepared. We usually run 15 pound mono on riggers with a 15 pound floro lead. Depending on depth usually that time of year, 5 color to 10 color core rods. Last year stingray size spoons produced very well. But depends on the bait size. A fish hawk is a must. The water current changes so dramatically on the lake that running a top speed can change in the same direction. But if you have any serious questions or need answers when you get here. Sonnys in port Ontario is the place to go

[Mainefisher]

On 3/4/2023 at 8:37 PM, Donkey81 said:

If you want the solid information of what is taking place during that time of year because it can change every day. Everyone at Sonnys in port Ontario is amazing. They will be 100% honest with you on everything. I see people posting about watching dirty goose on here. The man has only been on the lake a little over 6 plus years as a charter. Get advice from people who have been around for a very long time. You will not be fishing in shallow water. Like another gentleman said, normally that time of year is well over 30 plus feet of water. Last year we were in 50 to 70 from the high rocks to the observation tower. Downriggers, dipsy rods and core rods. Usually at that depth we are running all spoon programs. Depending on the size of the bait this year, that will tell you what size spoons to run. Yes there can be a mix of spring kings that could show up so be prepared. We usually run 15 pound mono on riggers with a 15 pound floro lead. Depending on depth usually that time of year, 5 color to 10 color core rods. Last year stingray size spoons produced very well. But depends on the bait size. A fish hawk is a must. The water current changes so dramatically on the lake that running a top speed can change in the same direction. But if you have any serious questions or need answers when you get here. Sonnys in port Ontario is the place to go

Thanks for the information! Really looking forward to this trip. The experience will be a lot different then what we’re used to. We really appreciate all the information given this far. I’ll be sure to report back on how we do!

[Yankee Troller]

On 3/4/2023 at 8:37 PM, Donkey81 said:

I see people posting about watching dirty goose on here. The man has only been on the lake a little over 6 plus years as a charter. Get advice from people who have been around for a very long time. 

 

I bet he's logged more hours on this lake than you have. What about the time he spent on this lake before he decided to get his license? He's fished tournaments on both ends of the lake including the North shore. I'll take a tournament angler over a salty local every single time. He gives up the goods in his reports if they're there, and when it's tough he doesn't sugar coat it. What more can someone looking for information ask for? If you have a problem with what he does take it elsewhere. There's no need for that here.

[Dirt5]

Dirty goose are very Knowledgeable and have a lot more than 6 years of fishing the Big O..Casey shares information and will help any one out.

 

[Donkey81]

That’s funny yankee troller because I have fished more tournaments on that lake than most, worked under Ernie lantain for years, I worked on 2 different outdoor tv fishing shows on the outdoor channel. But I’m just a local salty lol

[Yankee Troller]

11 minutes ago, Donkey81 said:

That’s funny yankee troller because I have fished more tournaments on that lake than most, worked under Ernie lantain for years, I worked on 2 different outdoor tv fishing shows on the outdoor channel. But I’m just a local salty lol

 

Great response. Don't apologize for trash talking a local who helps people catch more fish. Just beat your chest. I bet your 35 posts on here have helped a lot of people given your experience.

[whaler1]

Boom!

[navillus]

Donkey 81

  start  putting up some reports, tips & tricks, you sound very experienced! 
  Get a live video report going, do some seminars!! 
 Or you just jealous that someone did it before you, kinda like a Monday morning quaterback !! 
  Either way. Casey post some good info for all anglers to help improve their fishing skills!  

[just me]

casey is the best.....the end

 

[HB2]

Children , Children  .......

[UNREEL]

[Dirt5]

17 hours ago, just me said:

casey is the best.....the end

 

Agree

 

[brucehookedup]

I thought i was, DAMN