dremarquis

Hello all, I've been trollling for a year now and recently got some downriggers. I learned how to use a normal cheater - simply attaching a spoon with a 7-8' leader to my rod's line with a large swivel; i presume it goes down to the "apex" of the bow in the line - which is about half of the ball depth - correct? i have seen reference to guys using several "fixed" sliders or cheaters on their rigger set up. Will someone explain to me how to attach the additional cheaters so that they stay at the place/depth you want them? how do you keep them from getting all tangled up when you have a fish on or merely re-setting up? (esp. with all the fleas out there now) many thanks, andre

Hi Ray, thanks very much for the advice - I will definitely try it. some of the posts last week mentioned catching salmon down as little sa 35 or 40, and the king i landed was only 35 down. did the recent weather turn the lake over or drastically change how the temps are laid out in the water column? thanks, andre

skunkaroo!!! man - after the huge one i lost and the nice king i caught the first time out (last tuesday), my second and third trips were hard and empty. Both days i fished from sunrise until 10 or 11 - from 80-180 fow and nothing - not even a strike!!! i hope that first day wasn't just beginner's luck. i ran riggers, lead core and dipseys, mostly spoons today, but also a spin doctor and fly for a while. i'll be back... my perseverance will pay off eventually! best of luck to the rest of ya'll, dre

thanks so much everyone - much appreciated!!!

thanks everybody for your advice and suggestions. and i want to emphasize what LTtroller said about being grateful that the mroe experienced fisherman share their reports so that newcomers like me have a much better chance of getting into some fish, although it didn't help today. i fished from 5:30 - 9:30 am and tried everything i know - riggers, dipseys, lead core with lots of different colors, at every 10 foot interval depth, changing up speeds and directions - not a hit! oh well, can't get em everytime. still great to be out there. tight lines everyone, dre

Hi all, i can't find many of the recommended spoons at Gander Mtn or Dick's (such as habanero, 42nd spoon, etc.) Where's the best selection near Rochester? or - where's a good place to order them from? thanks, andre

fosterm22 - thanks for the info about sandy. winds look like i might be able to make it out tomorrow morning, though i have a 10:30 meeting in rochester i need to attend. Sandy is a little closer for me than the Oak and the reports look good out of there also. thanks, dre

as another rookie, i'll join in and ask a question. Because i also have a small boat with small motors, i don't want to go too far from shore. Someone told me that the gradient/drop off is steeper out of Oak Orchard than out of Rochester, which it certainly is. Is the same true out of Sandy? what other launches within an hour of Rochester have steeper gradients/drop offs so that i can get to deeper water faster in my boat? last question - between now and when they head up the tribs, will the kings head to deeper water and then return, or will they stay in the 100-200 fow like ther are now? thanks a bunch, dre

Thanks to everyone for your shared enthusiasm, advice, etc. And a special thanks to Tom - the tip about turning the boat makes a lot of sense but it may have taken me years to figure out on my own - MUCH APPRECIATED!!! i have had doubles on the fingerlakes, but a double with kings - i can't imagine. tight lines everyone, dre

thanks guys. yes - i'm hooked alright. and you're not joking about the $$$ even with an old, cheap boat, all the rods, reels, riggers, planer boards, spoons, plugs - WHEW - this trolling ain't cheap!!! but definitely fun - addictive actually, but far healthier than most addictions!!! dre

Well, the big one did get away, but I still landed a 36â€Â

Thanks a bunch Scott. best, andre

empty hook, thanks for replying. forgive my ignorance, but i thought fleas would collect MORE on a larger diameter (30#) line than smaller line (20#). I was thinking of using braided line, but if larger diameter lines are better, i guess i should go with mono. is that correct? does anyone else have any input on this issue? thanks a bunch, andre

Hello all, i'm planning to troll for kings for my first time tomorrow. what pound test is recommended and how much of it is needed to avoid being spooled? thanks, andre

Thanks for the advice. what weather station do you listen to? how far (1/2 mile, 1 mile, 2 mile etc.) are the salmon from shore this time of year? thanks, andre

Hello all, i mostly fish the fingerlakes because i have a small boat. i did some brown fishing this spring on Lake O but i was following my rule of not getting far from the shore (for safety reasons in a small boat) and i had no problems. i badly want to get into some of the salmon action i'm reading about, which seems to be in 85-120 fow. HOW FAR FROM SHORE ARE THE SALMON RIGHT NOW? i could go out of rochester (preferably) or as west as olcott or east as fairhaven. i presume that if the winds are out of the south and less than 5-10mph, that 1-2 miles from the shore wouldn't be too rough. is that accurate? many thanks, andre

hello all, after fishing all day yesterday in the 93 degree heat, i'm considering getting a bimini top. my boat is about 40 years old - an aluminum starcraft with a 9.9hp. What are the pros and cons of bimini tops? i know that it would be hard to cast and jig with it on, but if i were just trollilng, it seems it wouldn't be in the way too much. Can you mount bimini tops on an old aluminum boat? What are good brands that aren't too expensive? thanks a bunch, andre

Chris, I've only been on Lake O. once, so i don't know where the channel or shipbuilders creek are. Do you mind sharing that info - with respect to launching in I-Bay? Thanks a bunch, andre PS is the early morning bite better than the late evening/dusk bite?

3 hp Johnson Seahorse, long shaft. Old motor (1965) but starts and runs great - motor purrs. Great for trolling or as a kicker motor. Spare prop, extra spark plugs, and owner's manual. $275, in Rochester

I'm looking for a spare prop for a mariner 9.9. hp: 3 blades, 9 inch diameter X 9" pitch anyone have one they want to get rid of?

thanks a bunch for the info. fished about 3 hours this morning. lost about a 5# steelie at the boat. landed about a 13" yellow perch - from a perch colored rapala j-11! andre

Hello all, i initially posted this in the open water forum, then realized this is the more appropriate place to aske these Qs i have a small, 16 foot starcraft that i would only go out on lake O if it's very calm. I have only been out there once last year (i'm new to the area) i am basically asking what would be the best place for me to lauch and fish ( i don't want to venture too far from the shoreline) a buddy of mine mentioned that he had heard that some were catching quite a few browns - flatlining stick baits in about 10 fow in irondequoti bay and in Lake O just east of the bay. i also read in an earlier post that i-bay needs to be dredged - that there is only a narrow channel deep enough not to get stuck. I haven't launched in i-bay and There's only one public launching ramp in i-bay correct? Can anyone give me some advice about the depths in i-bay and if the browns are indeed biting? i also saw reports that browns are biting in braddocks bay. does that mean literally in the bay or that the guys launched in braddocks bay and caught the fish in the braddocks area? thanks a bunch (esp. for what are probably very basic questions), andre

Hello all, a buddy of mine mentioned that he had heard that some were catching quite a few browns - flatlining stick baits in about 10 fow in irondequoti bay and in Lake O just east of the bay. i also read in an earlier post that i-bay needs to be dredged - that there is only a narrow channel deep enough not to get stuck. I haven't launched in i-bay and i have a small, 16 foot starcraft that i would only go out on lake O if it's very calm. There's only one public launching ramp in i-bay correct? Can anyone give me some advice about the depths in i-bay and if the browns are indeed biting? thanks a bunch, andre