Sk8man

Wow Stan - Is that a fish or what? I know they used to get them on the Kenai that big but that is some fish!

The time to do it is when the fleas and/or weeds are thick and you need to check your lines and when you are going to change lures anyway. Just pop them and let them flutter to the surface (with spoons). Otherwise Rick has a good point.

Nice going Chas. You know this thread kinda sums up the Lake O fishing....it is on and off and you just have to keep at it to be successful out there. Persistence pays off

Just something to think about but more is not always better. There are times when you may want a little stealthier presentation than a ton of stuff running through the water possibly spooking more fish than you are attracting. Setups can be more effective when some thinking goes into just what you want to achieve rather than just putting everything but the kitchen sink down there hoping to score big. Each setup should be selected to enhance the attraction factor as well as avoiding the major tangles when doing the necessary things such as turns etc. so you run things that are compatible while covering the critical areas of the water column for maximal success.

I know but I couldn't resist the opportunity to bust ya

Maybe because there are only skipper kings left out there?

Sent as PM

The use of the heavier lines is mostly related to the flea issue. In the past many if not most of us used 12 lb test even on 30 plus kings. That's what a good drag is for

Try running the spoons closer to the weight (e.g. 10-12 ft) and possibly use a magnum sized one as a slider above it.

It help to be routinely doing "S" patterns and turning along with changes in speed> I sometimes even take the boat out of gear periodically and they may slam it when it is re-engaged. As Rick mentioned it can be enticing to have the bait pulled away from them. I think it probably acts as a stimulus as in other predator prey relationships (e.g. lion, tiger, bear etc. quickly going after something that runs away from it)

Line diameter is not the only important dimension in choosing line in flea season. The texture or composition of the particular line is also a critical factor. Although various mono line may look the same to the naked eye there are important differences int he outside coating on the line. There are also different types of fleas which in habit the waters (eg. fishook vs. spineys etc) which may adhere to the lines differently. The densities of the fleas clusters int he water column are the primary determinant of problems with them. The 30 lb Bloodrun Sea Flee mono (slick outside coating on it) has worked well for the past few seasons for me but when the fleas encountered are real thick there is no guarantee no matter what you are using. I have also used various diameters of Big Game and it does work to a degree as it has a hard rather slick outside surface but in my experience at least it doesn't perform as well as the Sea Flee. The line stretch in the Sea Flee does however take a little getting used to with downriggers (line creep so with Blacks it helps to do more twists before placing int the release arm) There is no true "silver bullet" and thinking that just line diameter adjustments will totally solve the problem no matter where you fish is either ignoring the reality of the situation or else having not experienced really thick fleas After many years fishing with 12 lb test everywhere even the 30 lb seems like using rope

I wouldn't spend my time fishing Canandaigua. The recreational boat traffic out here is unreal and the heaviest this year I've ever seen anywhere. Consequently the fish are nowhere to be seen most of the time. Some of the jet skis are already out at 7 AM so that is no answer either Nautitroller gave you great information. This is what I'd be doing too.