Cayuga 4/3/11

[lil' troller]

We launched at long point and went north and had a very slow morning. We marked tons of bait and fish in spots, but no takers. Around noon we went out deep with our laker set ups and found them. We had all four rods fire within a couple minutes. Had a tripple, but landed a double and landed another double later in the day. We were working 130-150 feet of water down 100-120. Our 600' copper did most the work with a grease trap and peanut, but or riggers took a few on an R&R spoon and one off the dipsey with mountain dew spinny and a green/black fly (not sure of the name or make). Besides one 6# fish everything was over 7#. One made 10 pounds. We pulled up around 4:30 and put 8 fish total in the boat with just as many lost due to bad hand offs or fighting other fish. Turned out to be a great trip for our first trip of the year and had some great fighting fish on the line. We were running our light action rods with 12# test on the riggers and we had a few fish peeling drag. This was our first trip with our copper rod and it worked great. I'm looking forward to the season ahead. The old man is probably putting ice on his arms right now after all the copper reeling . Great day even though the numbers weren't there, they were all quality fish.

Ben

[jason]

good job...nice report.

[Hookedup]

Nice report sounds like a great day

[dubblec]

Nice Report Ben, good to see you could get out today.

We stayed away from the fingerlakes because of the wind forecast in the am and trolled the oswego harbor instead.

wtg, thanks for the report.

[quality time]

Yep, the copper worked great! I seem to remember that if I bought the copper rod you said you would reel them in. I hope I don't miss any work because of sore arms. That was a great day Wes

[rshubuck]

600 ft of copper on the first trip out! Your Brave! Sounds like a great day on the water. Especially with the 10lb laker I won't lie, but I am a bit jealous Good Job!

I spent most of my day in my boat scrubbing But I got all the wood trim back on and the gas tank floor cover resealed! Now I just need to put all my gear back in the boat and I am ready for splash down! Can't wait!

[quality time]

Ben, you forgot to mention that we released all those lakers (including the 10 lber) except a couple for the grill. These fish were very healthy. I do not rember catching lakers 30 years ago that peeled so much drag off.

[mdrducks]

Fished Saturday... We had a slow day as well. Lauched at T-falls around 7:30 and trolled south. Started in close running boards to shore... nothing on a south or north troll. Started working to deeper water and marked a few dense spots of fish, the sonar lite from 25' to 50'. Not sure what it was, didn't look like bait.

Ran sticks off boards early. In 80'+ switch to a downrigger with flasher/fly and dipsy with evil eyes. Just couldnt' get the right pattern. Anyone have any luck Saturday?

Overall, had a good time. First time running a planer mast on boat and glad had a trial run on fingerlakes. Need to switch from used downrigger wire to dacron. Too heavy.

Wind blew us off in the afternoon.

[lil' troller]

Ben, you forgot to mention that we released all those lakers (including the 10 lber) except a couple for the grill. These fish were very healthy. I do not rember catching lakers 30 years ago that peeled so much drag off.

We never keep many fish, one dinner for each of us tops. Those were some spunky lakers too, they were fighting like hell. I had one laker on the rigger that had to take 10-15 minutes to get in.

mdrducks,

We had to do alot of trial and error to get into them. speed, depth, presentation. Theres fish everywhere on the lake, just keep changing things up untill something works.

Rob,

I figured the Obsession would be out there soon. did you get your truck taken care of?

RJ,

I bought spoons off from you last year, and its a good thing because somebody forgot the big tackle box and we ran what we had on the boat lol. The lake was bumpy in the morning, but flat most of the day after 10 am.

Great day! I have no complaints. I hope everyone gets out there and has as much fun as we did!

[rshubuck]

Yep! The rear end in my truck is all rebuilt! I though it went bad from towing my boat. It started making noise when I towed it up to Ontario with you! But it turns out I bought it that way. Some one put these homemade chims in to hold everything good and tight but they worked there way out causing all the bearings to go bad. Still lasted 36,000 miles. New bearings and seals! And factory chims! I'm all set Mayble I will start the year out like you with a 10lb Laker

[lil' troller]

I hope so, we had a ball. Are you hitting all the fingerlakes tourneys this year? We may have to bet a case of tootsie pops or cheese crackers to make it interesting, lol.

[rshubuck]

LOL! We were just talking about what food to restock on the boat! Tootsie pops, PEANUT BUTTER CRACKERS, chili cheese fritos and Doritos!. Bottled water, cheese sausage, italine sausage, hotdogs and hamburgers. I'm planning on putting a new grill on the boat too

Tip of the year, Listen close, if the fish aren't biting you must sacrifice a couple hand fulls of chili cheese fritos to the fish gods and you WILL CATCH FISH! Guarented!

I'm definetly planning on hitting all the tourneys on Cayuga! Both B&B's Redcross and 2nd annual one on Myers. I like to do at least one on Lake Ontario but not sure which one yet. I will take you up on that bet now that my secret is out!

[lil' troller]

lol, thats funny! My bad on the cheese to peanut butter cracker mix up lol. You can leave out your old mans sea sausage. Don't forget NO BANANAS! lol!

[rshubuck]

Seasausage! Banana? Not on my boat

[quality time]

You just had to bring up the old man forgetting the tackle box. I still say anyone can catch fish with a big box full of new lures , it takes a real fisherman to catch fish with a handful of lures scrounged up in all the nooks and crannys of the boat. Thank god for poor housekeeping

[Mower]

Sounds Like you guys had a great trip. Keep that copper rod on hand all season. I run 400 and 500 way to much according to my wife, but you'll find days where when everything slows that rod keeps firing. I'm in the boat prepping mode myself. A few more hours of waxing and a quick touch up on the bottom paint. I am hoping for two weeks and she'll be in the water.

[stoutner]

That's funny that you saw all kinds of fish on the finder. We didn't see many at all. You are right that the 130 -150 range was the hot water depth. I cannot believe how big the lakers are up in that area in the spring. They seem to move south of Deans by beginning of Summer but in the Spring they are big and nasty up there. I agree that they are putting up a good fight too. Once you get over 5 or 6 lbs they usually fight like hell.

Those fish are the reason that the Seneca Guys cannot keep up during our Seneca - Cayuga league

P.S. If any of you EVER see me buy a copper set up please wrap it around my neck and throw me over board and put me out of my misery. I reeled in 600 feet once and will NEVER do it again....unless I am on someone else' boat and have a 30 LB King Salmon on it

[quality time]

The copper rod is not to bad. I bought a blue diamond roller rod which makes it much easier. I liked the fact that if you get a hit and the fish gets off you don't have to reel it back in like a dipsy rod. Stoutner I am sending you a pm. Wes

[rshubuck]

I been meaning to ask if the roller rod was worth it or not! By the sounds of it I will take that as a yes.

[quality time]

Yep! But 600 feet is still a long ways.