jpiatkowski

That is a GREAT idea. Wearing the lanyard around the neck is a built-in safety feature.

Thanks for the responses!!

I have seen many videos on the advantages of the iPilot, but no real info on my particular interest. I have a 16' Tracker with a 60 hp Mercury and fish solo out of Olcott almost exclusively. This can be challenging when trying to set riggers, dipsy's, and other lines all by myself. As well as catching and netting fish. Especially with a cross breeze or head wind. I would like to attach the iPilot to my 12v 42# thrust Minn Kota to use in conjunction with my main motor. At idle speed the 60 hp Mercury moves me just under 2 mph. My thought is to use the main motor to provide the majority of the propulsion and the iPilot to add a little thrust and keep me on course at 2.4-2.7 mph for proper trout and salmon trolling. Any thoughts or concerns? Has anyone had experience with this?

Sounds like you did better than me. I got shut out Friday and shut out Sunday.

I've been skunked the past two times out. Same word from my friends, also. What is going on?

Were you targeting any certain depth or temp range?

So I went out on Saturday and didn't do so great. But I hear good reports in the 100 - 120 fow area as the sun comes up.

Well, today was the best day fishing that I have had in quite some time. I'm not saying that it was the best day ever, but things have been so poor lately that it was nice to actually get a few in the boat. (And release) I set up this morning (Friday) just after 6:30 am. I fish alone, so I only had 3 rods out. Turns out I only needed 2 any way. I started a north-bound troll in 150 fow. 1st rigger set with a dodger and green spoon, the 2nd set with a Spin Doctor/fly setup on bottom and another green spoon on a stacker. The stacker produced nothing. The spin Doctor caught the 1st fish. It was a tiny king. Perhaps 3 pounds in 170 fow. The 2nd fish was a HUGE laker in 200 fow. Not the biggest I've ever caught, but pretty big. That came on the dodger/spoon combination. The 3rd came on that same rig in 220 fow. It was the biggest Coho I have ever caught. The 4th was on the Spin Doctor again, also in 220 fow after I began heading south. It was the biggest King I have ever caught. It wasn't 30 lbs, but it sure was over 20. Maybe 24 or 25 lbs. Riggers were set between 55 and 60' down. By 8:45 I had pulled in my last fish of the day. I went the next 2 hours with nothing, so I headed in. 4 for 4 in 2 hours is pretty good for me. I almost forgot what it was like to pull in a big King. To hear my spool sing as 200' of line rips out in no time flat. Sure was fun. I always wonder how I am going to land those big hogs by myself, but I always seem to manage.

I've been starting in about 200 fow and heading out from there. Surface temp was about 68 degrees yesterday and 55 degrees about 35 feet down. 45 feet was about 45 degrees. The lake FINALLY seems to be setting up. That said, I set up my riggers anywhere between 40 and 60 feet. Shakers are deep and I have got kings and lakers between 40 and 60 feet. Things are still slow, but better than last week.

How deep were you fishing? I was out from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. I worked 100 - 250 fow. 30' - 55' down. Got just one small king. Any thoughts?

Always looking for king info......

Shoreline fishing for me this year near Olcott has been very disappointing. I have targeted 8-10 fow with very little success. Anybody else having the same issue? Luckily the lakers have saved the day a few times. But they won't be around for long. 1st I was getting them in 30 fow. Then 40, then 50. I hear they are in about 70 fow now. Any thoughts?

What depth were you working? I am presuming the shoreline 8-10'.

The water was murky at Olcott when I checked. I couldn't see how far the ramp went out into the water. It can't be far. They just dredged that marina. There could be a substantial drop-off at the end of the ramp. I have a 16' Tracker. There may not be enough ramp for me either. Add to that a missing part of the dock. Crazy.

I checked out the Olcott Marina. The water there appears to be between 3-4' lower that normal. If you are lucky enough to get out on the lake......beware. Beware in marinas and beware in the pier channels.

I felt like I was dreaming while I read that. Maybe I am dreaming. Ahhhhhh, just weeks away!!

Conditions were GREAT at first. After a couple drifts the wind started to pick up. 2 lb salmon seemed to be the hungry fish today.

Has anybody been out to the green can at the Niagara bar? I'm hoping to head out tomorrow (Saturday) morning. Any thoughts???

Gill-T: I will definitely try the small spoons and Rapalas. Truth be told, I did not have much success at all this summer going offshore. 300', 400' and more brought me little success. I heard people say that they were down over 100' to get 40 or 38 degree water. Maybe I should have targeted water 50-55 degrees? Here is the big question: After the salmon spawn is over in 18 Mile Creek, do the browns stay on the shoreline all winter until the water warms up in May? I would like to troll the shoreline if there are browns along the shoreline in November, December, and January. That is, if lake conditions permit.

I eventually got a nice brown in out 35 fow off a planer board. Rapala J-11 firetiger. I added a weight above my fluoro leader to sink down a bit deeper. It seems to have worked. Gill-T: Thanks for the info. Will the steelhead hit only as the sun comes up?? It sounds like you are recommending a presentation similar to spring trolling along the shoreline. Small Rapala or small spoon. Except you recommend primarily in the pier area? In the spring I focus on 8-10 fow along the shoreline.

In front of Olcott piers again. No hits yet. Running J13 rapala.