Newbee on the Lake...

[Woody5442]

Ok Guys I have been reading quit a bit on the forums but with so much info, I am getting a little overwhelmed with it all. Let me start this post by saying I first got to go out on the lake 2 summers ago with Hooked Up Charters on the 3rd of July. Had a great time and caught a nice 23 lbs salmon, and lots of Lakers, and got the bug right there. I recently bought a 1969 19 ft seafair and got two cannon esi troll 2 downriggers, went out and got Okuma rod and reel combos. I got 4 8 and 1/2 ft combos for dipsey divers and 2 7 1/2 ft for the downriggers.

Here are my questions, with everything that has been going on with the family havent got out yet, just finishd this semester with school, got 3 kids and a wife that was on eggshell with Kodak, but am getting her (the boat) in the water for the first time. Boy have the little ones been begging to go fishing with dad so on Saterday am going to take them out. I am going to put her in the water on Irondiquoit Bay. With being new to the lake were do I start?, I mean I want to go were I can get some browns in the boat for them I dont want to take them out for the first time and strike out, so any help wold be appreciated. Colors, depth, speed, location. I have mostly spoons in my takle box, I have a few flies, and flashers, dodgers and other things that I dont even know what they do but got them on Ebay cheep. So any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for the time guys hope you can get me pointed in the right direction.

Woody5442

AKA "the Newbee"

[nyforests]

I have never fished Rochester, but right now the shoreline seems to be pretty hot along the entire lake. Read all the other posts over the past 3 weeks and you will see the trend; colored water, 5-20 fow, stick baits, riggers just below the surface. speed about 2-2.5 mph, warmer water is better. Past that you will need to just get out there and give it a shot. Another site that has great info just west of you is attheoak.com . read the fishing report and scroll down to the link for total chaos, they hae some great info there on spring fishing.

Good Luck

[Woody5442]

Jim,

Thanks for the advice, now with the stickbaits how long of a leader do you run with them, never seeing on fished, do I run it with a small dipsey diver or just off of the boat?

Thanks

Tracy

[woody 184]

Hey Woody pm me and I can get together with you and go over some spring needs for you......Thanks......Woody....

[nyforests]

Leaders the length of the rod, no dipsey you are in shallow water and the stick will dive a few feet on its own. Last week we had a flasher fly combo on a rigger and during a fight with another rod we raised the rigger to the surface. the fly was creating a wake and we caught our nicest brown of the day. You'll do fine!

[J.D.]

The information posted below was written by Capt. Steve Drave of KING ME Sportfishing a few years back and was lost from this sites archives when the site was hacked a few months ago. I am re-posting Steve's article for the Newbies who would like some insight into Lake Ontario brown trout fishing

Jim S.

Lake Ontario Brown Trout Fishing:

Well the time is growing shorter till spring arrives. Soon we all will have our boats shoveled out and in the water. Time for spring Browns.

You send out your planer boards and start to set lines. 3 rods set off the starboard planer and you start to send out the second rod off the port board. “Fish On!â€Â

[Woody5442]

JD,

Thanks for the article it was very informitive, know I know, and like GI Joe said "Knowing is half the Battle", so again thanks.

Woody5442

[Woody5442]

Now here is the million dollar question, I do not have planner boards, I have riggers and dipsey poles how do I set up with this gear. I am limited on the funds that I have, am going to go get some stick baits at gander MTN tomorrow but as far as the set up with the gear that I have how do I do that.

Thanks for the help in advance....

Woody5442

[Billy V]

Woody,

Run either spoons or stick baits off of those riggers you have (50-75ft leads), and flatline a couple more stickbaits off the back of the boat. Don't be afraid to send them a ways back either...150ft. or more if there's not much color in the water.

Look for the stained water and have fun!

[J.D.]

Woody, My planner boards are home made. ...$10 material cost per board. My first mast was a length of old closet rod with an eyebolt at the top and 2 old coat hanger hooks .... I wrapped the line around the hooks by hand :roll: .

It doesen't have to cost a lot or be fancy, it just has to work. A bag of JOLLY realeases is about $12. The guy who makes the releases has an Ontario, N.Y. address. try this number: 524-2626. ( 713 Boston Rd. ) This can be an expensive sport only if you let it. I've been working out of the same boat for 11 years now and keep adding / upgrading toys and equipment a little each year. Sometimes we have to "eat the elephant" one bite at a time. It looks like we have a bit in common, I used to have a home in Walworth, and I'm a mold maker. I can PM you some pics and dimensions of my boards if you like. Let me Know.

Jim S.