Colours for Gogama/TImmins Waters

[PickerelHunter]

Hey guys...heading up to the Gogama/Timmins area for some pike and pickerel. Been there a few years running now, but haven't been too successful in terms of the walleye. It's my own fault because I fish weedy bays because that's what I'm used to. I want to target the pickerel deeper down and in this months OOD mag they discuss using a bottom bouncer with a warm harness and I want to give that a go.

 

What colours would you guys recommend using in the tea stained type waters of that area? Also if there is any other setups you could recommend that would increase my pickerel mission that would be great, I really don't have much experience fishing for them mid summer.

 

Thanks

Pete

[Spiel]

In stained waters I'd be using chartreuse jig heads with matching plastic twister tails or gulp minnows if I had them pinpointed or gold bladed worm harness' covering water to locate 'em.

 

Black and gold minnow baits (ie: Rapalas) are also effective and will help you cover water to find appropriate structure, then switch up to jigs to stay on 'em. A little piece of worm on the jig definitely won't hurt!

[Fang]

Saw this article today. Do yourself a big favor and change the swivels on store bought bouncers to good ball bearing swivels. Also use the quick change clevices if you tie your own. Golden rule is 1 oz weight for every ten fow. Make sure you have a few 1, 2 and even 2.5 or 3 oz bouncers. I tend to get more bites on reds and oranges. Pink, green an chartruese close seconds. I pull mostly Colorado blades . Also put in the odd floater on your harness

[canadadude]

Bring some leeches this time of year, Lindy rigged with a floating jig head. Slow death hook with a chunk of crawler is another good option this time of year.

[BillM]

Should have no issues using a simple worm harness unless a cold front comes through and slows the fishing down.. Mostly tea stained lakes up there, don't be scared to fish shallow!!!!

[wormdunker]

I have fished this area for 5 years now - no problem getting walleye. I use "go getters" - small version of a worm harness, single hook, 1 spinner blade, 3 or 4 colored beads tipped with part of a dew worm. I fish shallow 8-12' at the edge of the weed beds. Last summer I was there every week end, chartreuae was the color to use. This year I've had good luck with silver blade, red beads. Have fun!!

[PickerelHunter]

Thanks for all the reply's guys, huge help!

 

It looks as though a cold front is moving through the area, any advice if that's the case and the fish have lockjaw? Is a harness still the way to go?

[PickerelHunter]

I fish shallow 8-12' at the edge of the weed beds.

 

Do you put any extra weight on it to get them down a bit at that depth?

[wormdunker]

1 small split shot 18" up from your bait - u don't want your bait too close to the boat because in shallow water the boat is spooking the fish. I like my bait to be far from the boat.

[ChrisK]

When I fish for eyes I usually start at the thermocline when possible and work my way in to shallower water...Like always,clear water/natural colors,stained water/bright colors like Spiel suggested. Chartreuse is usually the go getter color for eyes but that may vary as well.

[solopaddler]

Bill and I just got back from Chapleau and 90% of the fish were caught pulling harnesses behind bottom bouncers.

It's mid summer and the fish's metabolism is at it's highest so they tend to be very aggressive.

 

Don't be afraid to use larger blades and you can troll a bit faster at this time of year.

 

As Bill already mentioned don't be afraid to fish shallower. For us the magic depth was oftentimes 8-12'.

 

Northland makes some fantastic harnesses if you're looking for something pre made.

 

Definitely brighter colours in the tea stained waters. Chartreuse, lime green, orange, etc. Any of the so called "citrus" colours.

 

If a cold front moves through slow down your presentation and fish slightly deeper.

In heavily tea stained water deep might mean 20' or so.

In these conditions I prefer a simple live bait rig (Lindy rig), about a 3' fluoro leader, a single hook and an air injected nightcrawler hooked once through the nose.

 

If you have a favourable wind you can drift with this rig.

 

An electric is the best though if you have one allowing you to crawl along slowly.

 

Finally (and maybe most importantly) wind is your friend.

Fish the windward shorelines they'll usually always be more productive than those in the lee.

 

Good luck.