Sk8man

Off to a good start with a really fun species and having fun is what it is all about.

Great deer pic John...they've sure been cranking out those twins around here too.

Very cool Jason. I know we talked about some of the stuff out there testing the lures out but not in that much detail. It is neat you feel free to share the info. It's really neat to get into the "nuts and bolts" of it and gives better insight into how much is involved in lure manufacturing vs just painting blanks that all have the same basic action and in my view the action is the most important aspect of them. Offering such a wide range of weights and action will allow for us to do a lot more experimentation with setups. It isn't easy for small businesses to compete anymore but offering specialized quality products is a real step in the right direction. I wish you the best of luck with it and hope the folks on here will be supportive and give your stuff a good workout. I for one certainly will after seeing firsthand that they work so well. Good luck with it. Les

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Some of the fish you are marking suspended may or may not be trout. They may be smallmouths they often suspend that way on all these lakes and sometimes you catch them "accidentally" Most of us get caught from time to time thinking everything we see is a trout out there. I've caught smallies on thermocline rigs suspended over 200 plus ft of water several times over the years. In terms of brown trout, rainbows, and landlocks on Keuka...nobody is holding back any "secrets" they are either very reduced in numbers because of the excess lakers or other unidentified factors going on there and I don't think anyone has a handle on it nor are they catching many of them anywhere on the lake.

It is a real nice boat to fish from, takes the water well and Jason and Theresa have their respective "game plans" nicely in place....even Scout knows exactly what he is doing They really fished hard testing out the lures for a few days in a row. I reserve that kind of grueling schedule for derbies and that is it these days

I don't know what type of fishing you do (methods) but the last time I was out there a couple weeks ago the fleas were terrible and totally choked up just about everything trolling including the downrigger wires. You may want to jig for lakers there out by the bluff in about 125 ft of water or thereabouts...like i said it was a couple weeks ago so just locate them on the finder and start jigging with 1 oz jigs and white plastics.

Congrats Devo!

Good going Chris

WTG Kevin It made my mouth water just looking at those guys (some Panko, butter, lemon and garlic and baked in the oven....you sure have the warm water species fully dialed in Les

Craig: I scanned in his business card that he gave me. I don't think he'd mind me posting it here: Les

The first few years of copper pulling I did it without anything to protect my fingers but a nice snag in Melons Cove convinced me that I needed finger protection From then on it has been a trip to Tractor Supply or place like that to buy outdoor leather gloves. You cut the fingers off the gloves and just wear two fingers at a time (one of them on the thumb if you're fond of keeping it) on the hand holding the wire....I've been very thankful a bunch of times

You guys are just too kind.....with my $$$$ especially. I'll have to take bottles back to the redemption center just to pay for my addiction (and friends)

We just said about the same thing Mike and you are welcome to babysit the Pfleuger's anytime..... I trust ya You'd know how to put them to best use them for sure I also have a couple extra ACE spoons if you ever need them.

You can tell Mike has done this a few times.....probably burned into his memory bank as if by laser Here is a pic of the book he is talking about....hard to find now but maybe Ebay or even your local library could get it on Interlibrary Loan

In addition to the above points let's return to some basics. Keuka Lake in most parts has a primarily muck or soft bottom. This seasons storms and high water conditions have pushed a lot of leaves and debris into the lake which have probably mostly ended up on the bottom. Fishing with copper wire in the conventional ways it quite reliant on being able to discriminate bottom characteristics to be successful (that is soft bottom areas from cobble and rocks etc.). Frequently lakers hang out on or near bottom feeding on small bottom oriented food sources like fresh water sculpin, smelt, alewives, and even crustaceans (e.g. crayfish) and sometimes appear to be "resting" down there in the depths. Most copper line ( not copper rig setups on rods) methods try to get the lure such as a Twin Minnow, Pfleuger 4 or 5 or "look alikes" like the Ace spoon in both sizes, Barracuda spoons, or other heavy spoons as close to or on the bottom as possible. These spoons are specifically designed with the large hard sturdy hook placed in an upward position so that they can avoid hanging up on bottom (most of the time ) Even the flutter spoons designed specifically for this type of fishing are with the upward facing hook. If you are dragging copper at uneven speeds you will be prone to hanging up on bottom....too fast and you will spend much of the time in unproductive areas, too slow and you will hang up or snag material off the bottom. This scenario is probably what you are encountering. Try using a heavier spoon such as the Pfleuger or Ace (Fishy Business over near the State Park on Pepper Road has a few of them) and use your trolling motor to provide the right speed. You will know this speed when you feel the spoon "tick, tick ticking" the bottom and you keep taking up or letting out wire in light of what you are feeling and with changes in depth. Do not use a leader tie the spoon directly to the copper wire with sort of a loop in it to allow movement but no swivel...this will allow you to feel the spoon and bottom better. The flutter spoon approach is a little different - here you can use a strong swivel on the copper wire and then use a 4 to 8 oz bell sinker on it and then a 10 or 12 ft. 20 lb mono leader with a barrel swivel spliced in about 4 ft from the spoon. tie the spoon directly to the leader. The reason you use 20 lb test is so that if you snag bottom it will break before (and instead of the wire). Slow trolling is essential to guide your wire along the bottom properly. Here are pics of the Sutton flutter type copper spoons (compartment on right side of tackle box) and 2 of the Pfleuger spoons for an idea: