Raycaster

Can I be total newbie and ask what you would use for the salmon and lakers? I'm a pike/bass guy with zero experience over 30ft of water.

This is a kinda after the fact question but thought I'd ask if I'm ever in the area again. Just spent a week in Penetangushine Bay in the town of Tiny. It was really a "non-fishing" week but the rental included a row boat with oars. I also just picked up a portable fishfinder Humminbird 160 (all the wallet would allow) so I thought I'd sneak out a few times to play with it. Our rental cottage faced probably 200 yards of sandbar with 3 feet of water! Then within 10 feet there is a 30 ft drop off till 90 in the middle. On very calm days I rowed out across the channel ( desperate fisher but not too smart) and tried some fishing. Problems: No idea whats down there, and when fish are marking after the drop at 28ft how do I get them? I anchored just at the drop with some vegetation showing and used everything in my tackle box. I mainly used spinners/single prop and even tried jigging with some grub/worm lures. On the last day I saw some fishing boats anchored just where I was so I suppose the area was ok. Talking with the fishermen I was told that small mouth are known in the area and it looked like they were using small spinners and minnow lures. I ventured ( I mentioned not too smart ) over the gap between the islands Gin Island and saw a boat trolling and bring up a decent pike but I was not as lucky. I think all the fish were too busy laughing at my boat and oars. Any suggestions when faced with cliff drop off and best techniques for the area?

The wife is scouting a thanksgiving location for a weekend rental for the relatives and although fishing is a low priority for her I usually have a say in how "nice" the pictures look of the cottage... Last year our family's rented a cottage for thanksgiving in Brit and we ended up catching a few big boy pikes in 30 minutes. Ready for an awesome weekend we failed to register a nimble after that but the pics of the big catch made up for it! Anyways, the wife is tilting towards this new "Sandy Lake" location and as you can imagine typing SANDY LAKE in the search option provides too much info. The cottage's website like may say "great fishing" but I thought I'd ask the guys that know... this forum.

LEW, heads up. Don't worry about the Meteor Showers, go get the lunker we missed a few weeks ago around Pine Creek! All we caught were baby pikes and a 26" but a VERY big boy came up to the boat in 4' of water...It sat beside the boat and stared at every lure and figure 8 we could show it. It got bored and went right over to our other boat to tease them too. Couldn't believe 2 separate boats saw it over 50 feet apart...

Awesome pics showing the portability of the units. Would it be a hassle or tough to constantly change the suction cup on rental boats? I could really see the extended pole get tangled up on weeds quickly.

Thats the one I had my eye on. Never owned a Fishfinder before but was always wondering how they would do in weeded areas as well. I don't mind fishing in "Cabbage Soup" like Cache Bay etc. but worry the weeds would cause havoc on the sensors. Depth and rock formation isn't really needed in Cache Bay as it's basically visible. Scugog... always wanted to visit.

thx for all the replies guys, I'm sold. Now just price/pole/suction cup decisions! There was a comment poles aren't as good? Isn't the side sonar feature worth it? Not sure how the suction cups works, possibilities of it falling off? Again thx for effort guys.

I just received a few gift cards for Pr@Bass S@ops and was wondering what to purchase. Just came back from a fishing trip and already stocked the tackle box and basically have a new rod and reel from last year. I get out 3 - 5 times a year for holidays or fishing trips with the brother-In-Laws usually hitting Nippising, Cameron Lake, etc. We end up renting an extra boat (14' - 16' alum) as the relatives boat is more leisure craft and small for fishing. He has a fish finder in the boat and was wondering about picking one up for our rentals. Anyone have experience with portable fishfinders? I see a couple on their web site that basically mount on the back and a pole telescopes down with the sensor. The prices are $129 and up and well I might as well use the GCs before I lose them! I read they are not good for speed but I'm not a trolling type of guy. I love sitting in 10-15 FOW and using the spinners looking for pike/bass. Suggestions would be welcome.

Nuke, I was wondering about Cache Bay and how its doing. Has the low water level effected the weed/marsh growth? Last year we were in Verner and really only ventured half way into Cache Bay because the boat prop was having a brutal time mowing thru. Also met a few rocks off the sister islands that also were unkind to the prop! After reading my original post I hope no one thinks I was complaining about the area specifically. In defence of the West Arm we really didn't know the area and even with the maps were kinda blind out there. I failed to mention (embarrassed) that Saturday I had a beast over 50" follow my spinner to the boat and laugh at us for awhile. That wasn't enough as it decided to head straight to our other boat 40' away to taunt them also! The West Arm was nice but probably back to Verner next year.

Our yearly trip to Nippising took us to the West Arm for the 1st time last weekend and the 3 brother-In-Laws and myself were ready for battle. Arrived Friday afternoon and fished till dark in 2 separate boats without a single nibble. The past years we have always done well reaching our limit or atleast approaching it every day. Our past trips have been spent around Cache Bay fighting the soup but it was always worth it. The West Arm area was more open and given a map with the "spots" we tackled them all. Saturday basically went the same way until we ventured over to the Pine Creek area I believe. We slowly started catching up to some pike but they were all babies under 15". A little disappointing but a start... After a lunch break we were back out in the same area with the same results but also found a healthy 25" pike and a few decent bass. Sunday was the same again and we packed up around 2pm as a vote wasn't really needed to decide to leave early. Fishing Math: 2 Boats @ 2 intermediate fisherman X 30 plus hours = 1 pike and 2 Bass A know it's never a guarantee but probably won't head back to that section although even with narrow boat channels it was a lot safer than Nippising's rocks. I'm sure lot's have had great success there but the 4 of us are still in shock from the poor results!

Not sure on the Muskie but riding the edges of the marshes with white spinners is usually successful. Pol glasses are recommended, 15ft casts in and out of weeds with a watchfull figure 8 at the end has proven very productive in the area.

Thx for the replies guys... Will be staying at the WestArm Lodge for the weekend hoping for good weather. We've been at the lake yearly for awhile now but never in the West Arm. As mentioned we made our way thru the cabbage soup in Cache Bay and had pretty good luck with the pike. Don't really know what to expect in the West Arm waters but sounds like it should be fun and a year off from Cache Bay soup might be nice. Gonna need Air Boats for Cache Bay soon as untangling the prop every 5 minutes is a little tiring but like they say "Any day fishing is better than"... If anyone wants to pass a few holes to this West Arm newbie it would be much appreciated.

Our annual fishing trip to Lake Nippising next week will be spent in the West Arm and I was hoping on getting a "head's Up" for that location. We are pretty familiar with the lake but have spent most of our time in Cache Bay, Calandar Bay and the islands. Doing some google searches shows the water is REALLY LOW and was wondering how that has effected to fishing in the area. Last year the rock's in the middle of the lake scared us enough now the water is 62cm lower? I guess we are a different bunch because we really key on the pike and bass and pretty well leave the Walle alone. The spinner bait lure with an extra hook has been successful the past years, any changes? If anyone has some info on what conditions to expect for boating and some "pike lairs" located in the West Arm it would be much appreciated. Thank you for your time, can't wait to get there!