BillM Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 If you want trout, drive to the Salmon River, hire a guide and catch steelhead until your heart's content. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dontcryformejanhrdina Posted January 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 If you want trout, drive to the Salmon River, hire a guide and catch steelhead until your heart's content. On the fly? I'm not sure I have the patience for it. I like to power the fish in, probably why I like musky fishing so much. Hell, I even use 50lb braid for bass/walleye fishing. It would go against my instinct to fly fish, I think I would lose so many fish I'd end up getting too frustrated with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDunn Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 (edited) TD, I often fish from a canoe. I don't know much about downriggers. I thought they were those heavy cannon ball things that folks use on bigger boats on Lake O etc . I have trouble visualizing how you would use that in a kayak. I'd be very interested to hear more details re your e-way swivel setup. Don't you still need quite a heavy sinker to get down deep, depending on the speed of course. Knuguy, When I am trolling for inland lakers from my kayak/canoe, I am usually moving with just enough speed to see my rod tip thumping from the action. This is typically anywhere from .5-1.5 mph. A 3 way swivel with a dropper line to a 2-3 oz bell sinker will get you down to pretty much any depth at that speed. I can smack bottom no problem in 60-70 feet without a ton of line out. For a lure my favourite would have to be a giant single blade harness. I love gang trolls but can't stand the resistance when fighting a fish. Cut one up and tie up a few single blade spinner rigs. Slow roll a 4" gulp smelt minnow or an actual smelt/large shiner behind the blade. This can be just as effective as a gang troll yet you don't have even close to the same resistance. This is an awesome setup for light tackle. I run this rig off a Gander Mountain 7ft MH eglass crankbait rod and an Abu Garcia Ambassadeur baitcaster with 10-12 pound test. It's fun when you can actually fight the fish! Always let this rig out slow (tight) or else you are going to tangle before you even get down. You can see the 3 way in this pic. A small gang troll is hooked up to it. Hope this helps! TDunn Edited January 21, 2012 by TDunn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 On the fly? I'm not sure I have the patience for it. I like to power the fish in, probably why I like musky fishing so much. Hell, I even use 50lb braid for bass/walleye fishing. It would go against my instinct to fly fish, I think I would lose so many fish I'd end up getting too frustrated with it. Nah, a long spinning setup would work just fine out there. No need to get fancy with anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dontcryformejanhrdina Posted January 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 I might have to give that a try then in the future. In the meantime I might focus on Bay Lake since it's so small. Hopefully I'll be able to figure out a pattern and catch a couple this Spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danc Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 Flat lining for Lakers is lots of fun. There's no need for a complicated 3 way setup. Buy a few 1 oz, bead chain sinkers, throw out a spoon, and enjoy the cruise. Simple as that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDunn Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 (edited) Flat lining for Lakers is lots of fun. There's no need for a complicated 3 way setup. Buy a few 1 oz, bead chain sinkers, throw out a spoon, and enjoy the cruise. Simple as that. Yup flatlining is great! but a 3 way is not complicated... TDunn Edited January 22, 2012 by TDunn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirCranksalot Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 (edited) Thx very much, TD. That gives me some ideas for next summer and maybe late spring. I have gone out on Lake O. on a friends boat using big cannonballs foe salmon. It's OK fun, but not the same as w/o all that weight. Edited January 22, 2012 by Knuguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 Thx very much, TD. That gives me some ideas for next summer and maybe late spring. I have gone out on Lake O. on a friends boat using big cannonballs foe salmon. It's OK fun, but not the same as w/o all that weight. If you want lakers, the mouth of the Niagara has an unlimited number of them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4x4bassin Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 Like others have said , no need for riggers in the spring. The lake trout will be in the upper water column (50F-55F water temp. is key)so really all you need is a deep diving minnow bait like a Rapala Tail Dancer or something like that and let out "alot" of line because the lakers will scatter once the boat goes by but almost always come back . I use to go with the heavy inline trolling weights and spoons but found that there was no need for this setup in the spring.If you do go with the inline weight system I wouldn't go any heavier than 1oz. and a flashy williams (Trophy 2 has been good for me,lots of flash/wobble)and troll real slowwwww for both setups.Remember lake trout almost always feed above them so dragging a spoon under them in deep water reduces your chances of hooking up ! Once the surface temps. start exceeding past 65F (June in central Ontario) then the lakers start moving deeper and that is when you start with the heavier weights or riggers and a good finder will help alot at this time of year as well to find the deep holes in a lake , the lake trout will almost always be in that deep basin or around it come early summer and into late summer. Believe it or not but I have had my best laker fishing in late August when the fish are schooled up on the ledges and deep basins and I was able to find them on the lowrance and send down a heavy bucktail jig (1oz) and catch them in 50-100 feet of water, that my friend is fun and the way to do it but can be difficult/frustrating until you get the hang of it. Good luck with the trolling and thanks alot for getting the spring lake trout fever going so soon , I love catching those fish ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirCranksalot Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 If you want lakers, the mouth of the Niagara has an unlimited number of them Might be a tad tricky in a canoe, though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 Might be a tad tricky in a canoe, though! Just a wee bit! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dontcryformejanhrdina Posted January 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 Thanks a lot everybody! I'm relieved to know I can forget about using the downriggers for now. Hopefully I can stumble across some trout this Spring! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ainsley Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 I've never had luck with lakers on baptiste Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ainsley Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 I've never had luck with lakers on baptiste, I've fished that lake every year since I was a kid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dontcryformejanhrdina Posted April 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2012 Thanks for all the tips guys! I was able to catch my first 2 lakers a couple of weeks back and I'm going to give it another try Monday. I caught them bouncing bottom in 20-30' of water using leadcore with just spoons, slowly pulling the rod back and forth while trolling. They weren't very big, but it's a start! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinker Posted April 27, 2012 Report Share Posted April 27, 2012 We did well two weeks ago on rapala tail dancers in size 7 and 9 flatlined back 100-150ft. I just use a medium spinning set up with 15lb braid to an 8lb fluoro leader. I find the smaller, less fished lakes are better for lakers. Vary your speed. Some days they want it dead slow, others they want it hauling ass! S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dontcryformejanhrdina Posted April 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2012 We did well two weeks ago on rapala tail dancers in size 7 and 9 flatlined back 100-150ft. I just use a medium spinning set up with 15lb braid to an 8lb fluoro leader. I find the smaller, less fished lakes are better for lakers. Vary your speed. Some days they want it dead slow, others they want it hauling ass! S. I've considered using tail dancers but I wasn't sure how effective they'd be going so slow. Nice to know they'll work, I'll have to give them a try. I was fishing in a small lake too, much easier to find them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinker Posted April 27, 2012 Report Share Posted April 27, 2012 We got most of ours trolling right around 2mph. I always troll a good spot several times, at different speeds/depths. Sometimes you will get them at any speed/depth. The key is to keep your presentation above them. If they want it, they will get it! S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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