Ivan
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Everything posted by Ivan
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http://www.cabelas.com/product/Blacks-Downrigger-Releases/737049.uts I like Blacks downrigger releases best Brent. We use them for muskies and salmon. They have adjustable tension and are designed to not release from above so you can really load your rod up which helps with the slack line when you get a hit/release. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app
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I heard it was sold to Mustad. A friend also just bought some of the Mustad staylok snaps and said they weer backwards or something. I'm not sure exactly what he means because I haven't seen them. The way he described, it is like they are now a mirror opposite of what they used to be (like they are made for left handers or something). Quality can be a concern when a big company buys out the smaller guy that made a high quality product. I hope the new ones are just as good as the old ones. -
Cool. Do you know what all those little black spots on the fish are? -
Otisco lake tiger on the fly
Ivan replied to justtracytrolling's topic in Musky, Tiger Musky & Pike (ESOX)
Good reports, stories, and pics in both threads Justin. Nice of you to put those guys on some fish. 2 tigers for the boy and a tiger on a fly....awesome. -
The stay loks are what i use for my leaders. Biggest ones i saw were 350# size 6. Do they make bigger? Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app
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Must have been posting at the same time Capt. I'll check those out too. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app
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You must be using that spectra planer line. I havent tried that stuff yet. I'm still using 200lb dacron planer line. I'm glad you mentioned the snap swivels for the tow line. I should replace mine too. I don't even remember where I got the ones I have. They are probably pretty old. I have always liked Sampo swivels best though. I just looked and the biggest Sampo snap swivels Tackle Direct has are 300lb and about 3.5" long. Those should work. What do you think? Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app
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Found our plans. Our boards are 8.25" tall and 33" long. The tow eye is 3.3125" down from the top of the board. So it is slightly above center. The biggest advantages of big boards over inlines for me are: Big boards run better than inlines in rough water. Generally speaking you can run bigger baits at faster speeds off big boards. (Although the tx44 are pretty good) Dont have to fight the board when fighting a fish. Much easier to run longer lines off big boards and dont have to mess with removing board from your line while fighting a fish. Can run multiple lines off big boards. Can get farther from the boat with big boards. Easier and faster to check lines off big boards. Myself and a couple friends have had trouble with the tx44s breaking our braid at the back of the board. There are some disadvantages too but the positives outweigh the negatives by a good margin in my opinion. I guess it's also worth mentioning that I don't use boards unless the water I'm fishing is suited for it, and I want to run more than just 4 boat rods. I normally don't run boards unless I have at least 6 rods out. Boards are more of a spread tool to run more lines than targeting boat shy fish for me. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app
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I'm not sure about the height of the tow eye, but i will find out for you. Here is a pic i found of a set my buddy just made from our plans. You can see he had to move his tow eye back a bit from where he originally had it. Looks like the tow eye might be slightly above center but ill find out for sure and make another post within a day or two. Need to look at my plans or measure my boards for you. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app
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http://www.offshoretackle.com/OR30.html I use these. I've tried different releases and these have been best for me. The only thing I don't like about them is the price. They last as long as you don't drop them in the water though. You can also replace the pads when they get worn. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app
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As far as a bracket goes, my buddy just had these guys make him one for his Grady White. Really nice stuff and were good to work with for him. They made a custom bracket and support that mounted to his swim platform. http://www.saltbossmarine.com/fixedbrackets.html -
St Lawrence Muskies- July and August
Ivan replied to EsoxAC3's topic in Musky, Tiger Musky & Pike (ESOX)
Awesome fish Chad. Congrats. Is that a new personal best for you? -
Pretty easy fix. Move your tow eye back towards the rear of your boards a little. That will make the boards pull out farther.
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Thats cool. Pretty fish. Ive seen some super heavy fish from the st john. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app -
Seems like I may do things a little differently than has been suggested so far. I run my drags where I would want them set for fighting the fish while reeling it in. I would call it a medium drag setting. Hard to explain what medium is though. If I were to just put my bait in the water next to the boat, at the speed I would be trolling at, if I jerk the rod in a hook setting motion, the drag will slip slightly, but not much. It takes me a medium amount of force to pull line off my trolling reels with my hands. Sometimes while fighting a very large fish, I will need to tighten my drag slightly to be able to gain on it, but most fish I never have to touch my drag setting to effectively fight the fish. I also never set the hooks with my rod or jerk my rod in order to set hooks, but I'm also not trolling as slow as you. When I'm trolling along at 4+mph and I get a strike, drag peels off the reel while the rod is in the holder. Don't stop or slow your boat until after your rod is out of the holder and in your hands. The forward momentum of the boat and the resistance of your drag has set the hooks. Then put your boat in neutral, and reel the fish in. A few other things I have found to be true. Bigger baits and hooks require a tighter drag setting than smaller baits and hooks. Shorter lines with braid require a looser drag setting. Slower speeds require a tighter drag setting to set hooks. Your rod action also plays a part in how your drag should be set. A softer rod requires a tighter drag to get a good hookset. Bigger muskies have harder, bonier mouths than smaller muskies and therefore are harder to sink hooks into. I would say if your hits sounded like a screaming salmon then your drag was probably no too tight. Sometimes they just don't hook up. Are you sharpening your hooks with a file? Are you "T ing" your belly hooks on your cranks? I would probably run heavier line than 40lb on 13" baits also. As suggested, I'd try some 80lb power pro for that size bait...at least 65lb.
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That was probably the second chq show he did with Chris Depaola. I never got to see that one but I talk with chris And know those guys did well. The original poster may also want to go down to Lakewood and stop in Chautauqua Reel Outdoors. Mike Sperry is a good guy, owns the store, and guides on the lake. He carries some good local baits like Bakers etc. You might also consider hiring him for a day of trolling. I think mike is more of a caster, but im sure he could teach you quite a bit about trolling chq for muskies also. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app -
Your downrigger cables, balls, and releases will all help catch weeds. I just think of downriggers as a tool to get your baits deeper, not a weed catcher. Most muskie lures will go as deep as you need on a flatline, but i also understand you are trying to do the best you can with your current set up. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app
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Should really put your rod tips in the water to avoid the floating weed problems. Close to the water wont stop weeds from running down your line. Those Hammers will catch you fish. Paul that makes them catches fish at Chq. Not to sound like an ass but... Are you prepared if you actually catch a muskie to safely handle and release it? Muskies can be tricky for a newbe to handle sometimes. There is a sticky post on the site with catch and release techniques. Look it over well please and try to follow the suggestions. The biggest thing is having a net to keep the fish in the water while unhooking. If you net a muskie, bring it in to your boat, flop it on the floor of your boat like a salmon, try to unhook it, take pictures, etc, it probably wont swim away when you put it back in the water. No muskie fisherman will want to help you if you aren't prepared to handle them properly. These fish are very valuable to us. Again... Not trying to be a jerk. Take it for what it's worth. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app
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Probably need to set your boat up differently to be able to dunk your rods. Most of those weeds that give you trouble are floating on the surface. By dunking your rod tip, the floating weeds collect on the rod instead of running down your line to your lure. As mentioned, a big barrel swivel at the top of your leader will catch the weeds that do make it down your line. And then, just check often as you see weeds build on your rod. There really isn't any reason to run downriggers at Chq. I've done it and caught fish off them, but it isn't the most effective way to catch muskies at Chq. The weeds have been very light, almost non-existent on Chq this year. Myself and several of my friends have been running our big boards on Chq this year because there aren't many floaters. I haven't been up there for a couple weeks but last time I was there, I could go over an hour without checking my baits for weeds, which is almost unheard of for Chq. My typical trolling set up at Chq for 2 people is 4 boat rods and 2 planer board rods. There are fish in open water, in the weeds, and everywhere in between. Also, I usually troll 4 to 5mph at Chq. I've even caught fish in 40 degree water there going over 5mph. Muskies like speed. What kind of boat do you use at Chq? Do you have track on your boat to mount rod holders? Do you have Down East rod holders?
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That is really cool. Great picture. I had no idea bears could have that many cubs at once...I figured 2 or 3 max. -
Thanks again guys. We haven't even been able to get back on the water since Dad got that fish. Can't wait to get back to Chq one of these weekends. Cody...nice of you to say about international, but we won't fish enough the rest of the year to keep up with those guys now. I just try to get a little better, personally, every year. Its usually a guy that fishes LSC all season that wins the international release contest. My friend Tad has been fishing alot this year and has been tearing them up. He has a chance at first without any LSC fish... That would be impressive. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app -
Glad you are ok old man. That didn't look too good. Did you get the "catch" on your go pro? Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app -
Good job mike. Congrats on the tourney finish. I thought i saw a black kicker on the crestliner. You didn't waste any time...what did you buy? Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app
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82...thats really high. A friend was on chautauqua yesterday and said it was 68! Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app
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Wow! Huge. Any other pics with the whole fish? What's to verify if they let it go? Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app