Chowdaire

Hopefully someone can give you some more relevant advice but I was out of Oswego on Tuesday. Think I went 8/12. 135-270fow was best. Almost exclusively a meat bite. Had my deep rigger with meat out 80. I fish alone most of the time and run a deep rigger with meat or an MC Rocket, higher rigger with a spoon and a slider and a dipsy with a flasher fly. I feel like that covers the most options I can with 3 rods (deep meat, deep spoon, shallow spoon and ff in the middle). And some days only one thing goes so I wouldn't want to commit to just spoons or ff until I see what they want. Good luck!

Yeah. Spending money on lures won't guarantee you fish. I dragged around a Mattlock and a Headlock to no avail last week. Even left the price tags on the lips so the musky would know I was serious but they didn't fall for it. Oh well. Actually. In my short time musky fishing I've caught (hooked) them on my cheaper lures. A couple on a depth raider, one on a Tuff Shad, 2 on a big jointed Shad Rap (casting) and one on a Giant Flat Stick. Just getting started, obviously, but my big money baits haven't done anything for me yet.

Got the FLT’s today. Look great. Thanks! Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

I know I mentioned this before, but maybe rubbing against the head/entrance into the bait. If it’s spinning and abrading while it runs it’d be weakened like that. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

I don’t think the Trollmasters are very precise. Lots of threads online about it and how to upgrade servo, etc., to improve it. I just threw mine out. Between the lcd crapping out and jumping half a mile an hour when you only want a tenth it just wasn’t worth it to me. I’m back to using the tiller handle on my 9.9 merc Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

I gave Cape Vincent a shot last week but no luck. I mostly trolled for musky along the edges of the shoals and island. Lots of bait out in 50fow+ but seemed like a deadzone from 20-50. Marked very little in that range. I didn't get to give it as long as I would have liked but made probably 3 full passes around the whole area. I didn't try jigging but did throw a few musky baits in between shallow casting for bass but nothing there either. We did at least get some nice bass though. I'll probably try giving it another shot in the fall. Good luck to all.

i'll take the FLTs

I use side imaging way more than down imaging, myself. Side imaging is awesome for shallow water fishing targeting structure. You see where the weeds, boulders, humps, bottom transitions, etc., are out to the side of the boat. You can also see bait and predator fish once you get the hang of it. With big fish, like staging salmon or muskies, you can see the whole fish right down to the shape of the tail. The structure alone is worth it to me though. Knowing you're 20 feet off a weedline instead of just guessing saves a lot of wasted casts or fouled lines if you're trolling. Watch some Youtube vids and that should help you decide.

That’s awesome! Congrats Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

Great fish! I just bought 2 TDR's and had to return one due to a badly bent guide and popped insert. Definitely worth checking.

I was thinking the same thing. I use the minis on Oneida. Copper Jerry Lee is a killer. And great report, as always. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

Yes. All still available.

Nice job. It's not easy right now. Was a lot easier last week when the fish/bait were more concentrated. I was out there from just after sunup on a solo run. Bite actually turned on for me in the heat of the day, as much of a bite as I found. Also went 5/6 with a 24# to end the day around 13:00. Made sure to smile pretty for this one.

Great info. Thanks! I plan to mostly troll but I will have my casting and jigging gear with me too. Not sure how much fishing time I'll get because the docks are all still flooded, so no easy access to the boat, but hopefully I'll get a few hours free to poke around.

Nice looking fish. Congrats!

Near Cape Vincent, btw

Nice job, White wolf. That's a pretty fish. And muskiedreams, thanks, I did check the bite marks. There were teeth marks just behind the head of the lure and a scale on the middle treble. I may give the SLR a try for the full moon next week. I know it's a one in a million to even see any fish up there but my buddy wants to give it a go. If anybody has any tips I'd be happy to hear them. Otherwise I'll probably just try trolling around some deep structure.

Well. I got my shot yesterday and blew it. Started trolling around 11:00 and nothing until 15:44 when I got a vicious rip on a big flat stick. Super heavy fish. Definitely the biggest I've had on but shook the hook before I even got her near the boat. Must have never gotten the hooks in solid. After replaying it a thousand times, I think that my drags were too loose and my rods too soft. I've been using 9'6" MH Talora dipsey rods and will probably try to pick up a couple of 8' heavies for next time. I'll also check/sharpen my hooks more and make sure my drags are a bit tighter. Just so painful to finally get a big one to bite and screw it up. Figured I'd post this here to show what not to do. Good luck!

I have the following rod holders with sporttrak mounts from my Lund Impact 1775. I used to use these to stagger the rod height when trolling walleyes. 2 Ram Holders with extension and trak mounts - $60 for both 2 Cabelas Rod Holders with 6" extensions and trak mounts - $70 for both 2 Cabelas Rod Holders with xtra long, angled extensions and standard short risers and trak mounts - $100 for both I realize that one of the mounts in the pic is with the wrong rod holder but I'll set them right. Would prefer pickup around Oneida Lake but may be able to work something else.

Done & done. Thanks for the advice. Also just downloaded this week's Fat AZ podcast to listen to on the drive to the lake tomorrow. Looking forward to that.

Shimano TDRs are glass rods. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United