idn713

I spot lock over some fish, mostly when there are multiple marks on a bait ball. Otherwise I drift jig to cover water and find marks. I’m not motoring to marks, I’m motoring to certain depths and then drifting. Based on the drift activity, I decide what depths to work. I am very much NOT blind jigging. My eyes are one my electronics the whole time and I mark almost every fish I hook. As far as hooks go, I believe I need to upsize as the hooks that typically come with these jigging spoons run small. I think with the fluttering fall, and smaller hook, the kings just don’t get pinned really well a lot of the time.

Welp back at it again, and man I gotta figure out a different hook for these jigs. I got rocked by 7-8 kings today and dumped every single one a few seconds after hookup. Frustrating to say the least but very encouraging to know that I can pretty regularly manufacture bites jigging! Last night in a very relaxed jigging effort I went 4-5 on kings so maybe I was just due for a goofy morning. In any case I went 3-11 on my hookups. Managed a gorgeous fat coho and two bonus Lakers. Jigging Ontario is so darn fun!

I am not sure it matters as much as getting it in front of the right fish but we have used a variety of jigs. The ones that have worked so far are the real image bass pro spoons in 2 oz and the mission tackle EJ jigs in 2 oz. We are sticking with 2 oz as of now in order to maintain vertical as best as possible given the current and drift.

Please do, would be happy to help! Have fun with the Striper and Tuna! We used to vacation at Cape Cod every year!

Lowrance Elite TI 12. Have my sensitivity and gain dialed for a clear picture of everything happening down there.

Riot might be an understatement! Most fun fishing around!

Once is lucky, twice…..we might be figuring some stuff out. Got my younger brother out today and we tried to get back on the kings. We had a couple hits and dumps early from silvers that we couldn’t manage to hook up with, out in 110 fow. We poked into 75 with the south drift out and got into some nice bait pockets and aggressive marks. Right away I got another nice king on the jig and then dumped two more on back to back drops. My brother then got hot and nailed a nice king which gave him some insane jumps and went on some crazy runs! Very next drop, boom he is on again, lands that fish as well after a long battle. After that flurry we lost our king marks and started fishing to isolated marks up high which resulted in my bro smacking and dumping a king (but snagging its lamprey) and me jigging my first ever Lake O Steelhead in open water! I then hooked an lost a laker deep (eh no harm there) and then hooked and landed a smaller laker later. Keep in mind that we are purposely staying away from the Lakers as best we can and only trying to jig to the kings/trout. After two dedicated trip for them, I’m beginning to decipher what on the graph is what based just on how they interact with the jig. I’m also starting to learn that jigs catch kings easily IF/WHEN you are marking and on kings. I think my issue in years past was not searching enough for marks I know are probably kings and not lazy bait filled lakers. Either way this jigging program is a riot and semi productive! In the last two outings we have hooked 14 kings, 2 steelhead and 2 lakers. Only landed 5 of the 14 kings though 😂. Such is life!

Yah it was definitely a learning morning. I was initially aggressive with the jig pop but they only wanted that as an attention getter. As soon as they turned on it they wanted little one foot pops. I almost would call it jiggling, just quick pop pop pop. Then they would smack it and slash at it. It’s certainly more challenging than lakers because it feels almost like they are doing drive bys on the spoon. Once they did hook up though…..that fight on a heavy bass rod was insane!!!

The trolling has been so easy out there that I knew I could get it done vertically and boy was that an understatement. I probably took 15 shots on the spoon with 6-7 positive hookups. Only managed to boat two kings but what an action packed morning! Always knew jigging could get it done out there! 2 oz pearl glow jigging spoon was the ticket.

Went out to try to get on the board in June as I do most of my Muskie fishing in the fall. Well about half hour into my jigging pass I nailed a nice 37 inch fish. Hit on the bottom of the jig stroke and it felt like the thump of a crappie or sunfish hitting a hair jig. It was so confusing that it took me a second to realize what was happening and then I ripped into the fish. He came up and did three full jumps out of the water! It was an exciting fight and I was lucky to land him. After some quick pics and a bump he was off swimming strong! Only action for the day, but it was a solid outing!

Your speed is good, start running flasher flies/spin doc flies on your divers. You will start to see your catch rate go up as most days the wire divers are a huge fish catcher. Run spoons on your riggers and then throw a couple of free sliders on each rigger line. That way each rigger covers multiple depths and the free sliders will get you into the steelhead and coho. My buddy and I usually run 4 rods. 1 diver on either side and two riggers each with a free slider. So we have 6 lures in the water and can dial the program from there. As for anything else, pay attention to the troll direction, current swings, and break lines. Here is a hot tip - as a small boat guy - when the pack runs out deep as starts "pounding them" just stay between 90 and 150 FOW and find fish on your own. I cannot tell you the amount of times guys look at the fleet and just assume there are fish there. In my experience (unless water conditions are way out of wack) you can do just as well staying between 100-150 and it will give you FAR less water to focus on.

You know shockingly, with TSS and the really wonderful small companies that are custom loading tss for 410, it really isn't a challenge at all. I have run this 5lb turkey gun that is as quiet as a .22 for three years and killed 5 turkeys with it. I have had no issues and have never once been concerned when the trigger pull was about to happen. Now I have done extensive pattern testing, and know exactly what my gun can do (over 25 in the head and neck at 55), so I feel great using this little pea shooter. I am honestly so on the sub-gauge train that I cannot believe that anyone uses a 12 gauge in the turkey woods anymore (in regards to TSS). The 40-yard pattern tests of 12 gauge #5 lead and 410 #9 TSS aren't even close. The 410 blows the 12 away!

After some bad luck my first two times out, (hung up Tom and another hunter shot at a bird I was working) I got back after it in a new spot and scored on a beautiful NY public turkey. Struck him owl-hooting for the road and then closed 800 yards fast to get into his bubble. He was fresh off the limb and once I got to 120 from him I sat down and did two light yelp sequences. He hammered at both. Then I went to no call and straight scratching. He hammered at every scratch and closed fast. I picked the gap in the brush that he ended up showing in because I really focused on hearing drumming! First time I’ve ever heard it! Ended with a 42-yard bang flop from the 410. Dead by 6:13! Being aggressive paid off big!

Still after the yotes. Smacked this one over the bait pile. V_20240229211356180.mp4

That’s shocking. I break 4-5 a year fishing the tribs and that’s all on new baits.

Having fished extensively in the tribs, regardless of dive rate (which I know) the rapala lips are trash. When they are running good, they certainly catch out there on the spring bite. Just not worth $8 a fish IMO

lol rapalas work well when those lips aren’t breaking every other fish.

With bay rats having been the hot ticket and now no longer a thing, what is everyone’s go to stick baits that are actually being manufactured! Looking to stock up for the coming season and just wondered what people preferred.

Here are the fox and coyote videos from the night out with Fisherman21. Like he said, bad shooting kept it from being a banner night, but live and learn I guess. Larrys 2.mp4 Larrys 1.mp4

Little more fox action on public. Watched a skunk come in to like 30 yards and then decided to scan the field again and to my surprise a fox was just sitting and checking the call out at around 80 yards. Nice bang flop on this one! Fox Public.mp4

Made it out for a quick session last night. Shot a fox between 240 - 260 yards out. Initially dumped it and thought I made a perfect shot but the fox did end up getting up and making it a ways. We never recovered it. But this is why I love the thermal and recording, if I analyze the shot I believe I held just a touch too low and forward. Probably took his lower right shoulder out. I’m sure the fox isn’t long for this world, but gosh darn these predators are tough. My buddy later touched off a shot on a coyote and same story. No recovery but lots of blood at the shot site. I’m sure that coyote expired but he moved all of 80 - 100 yards before we could no longer track on the property he went to. Again, shot was touched off near the shoulder. Bit of a rough night recovery wise but two (most likely) less predators out there. Fox Larrys.mp4