new salmon and trout fishermen... suggestions on tackle?

[OSUgoodOLboy]

Hi All, I just move to the Rochester/Greece area about a month ago. I am originally from Ohio and have never fished for salmon or trout. I figured i'd post on here to see what type of line, lures/bait, rod/reels, and techniques you guys suggest. Also, the best places to catch the different kind of trout and salmon in the area. Any help and suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I live about 1/2 from Lake Ontario and about 1 mile from the port of Rochester. Also, I unfortunately do not have a boat in NY.

[OSUgoodOLboy]

Hi- this reply is to Kremer01... Sorry its not a pm but it will not allow me to send a pm due to the fact that i'm new to the forum (i think thats the reason anyway).

Sorry I didn't get your message until now. Thanks for the invite and your willingness to help.. I actually lived in Columbus for 5-6yrs during my undergrad at OSU.

I have only lived in the Rochester/Greece/Charlotte since the end of August. The only rod and reels i have in NY are a 9'0 fish eagle II with an Shimano Aero Stradic 4000 on it, and the other is a fish eagle II 7'0 with a shimano stradic 3000fl on it. I have 8 and 10lb line and an assortment of lures and such.

[Make the Turn]

well you picked a perfect time of year to learn most of us cant wait to talk fishing all winter. where do you want to start??

[Big Dave]

Welcome. 1st boat,then wire dipsie rod with 30# wire and line counter reel. Your spinning rods could be used for flatlining in the spring for browns and such. There will be fleamarkets and seminars in Feb. that will help you too.

[Blind Squirrel]

A good way to learn is book a charter next spring or summer and ask questions and pay attention to what is being done,I was lucky I had a friend that chartered in the late 80's,early 90's, one trip was all it took to get me hooked on fishing Lake O. There will be a fishing expo in Lockport on the last sunday of February with new and used equipment and seminars

[frm03064]

All winter you can get steelhead and brown trout in the creeks using drift or fly fishing methods...catch and release only of course. Come spring and open season for trout, you can still find em in the creeks, especially after stocking... April-June is a great time to learn how to fish the creeks using either fly fishing gear or light spinning tackle... The piers also provide some action in early spring as trout that have been in the streams over the winter head back into the lake... Spoons, spinners and medium gear are great for casting from the piers/shore.

Come the second week of june, the temps usually get up and the action slows down. Anytime the water temps are over 55 the trout start to slow down alot and will become more sluggish. June-August are very slow in the tribs...Fish in the lake move into really deep water to stay cool. This is a good time to either have a boat, book some charters, or change your focus to fishing bass from the shore.

Late august you will start to see some salmon action from the piers, especially overnight- casting glow spoons and egg sacs bottomrigged... This continues well into the fall... Come late september the trout and salmon will run back into the creeks... fly and drift fishing eggs and egg impressions is the way to go. Special regs go into effect for the streams in the fall, so no trebles, no big hooks, no jigs, limited weight...

I use a medium spinning reel with 12lb line and a 6.5' shimano rod... Its a good all around package for most the year and for most species of trout and salmon... In the spring i tie a long leader of 2lb test onto the main line when fishing the creeks, as it allows for a more believable presentation. Cant get away with it in the fall though, given the size of the fish moving into the streams.

As for bait, i prefer spinners, especially really small panther martins. They work great throughout the year and produce. Single hook variations are availible for fishing the tribs in the fall under special regulations. Some of my other favorites are vibrax spinners, cleo spoons, KO Wobbler spoons and even small plastic worms produce in the streams. Egg sacs, single eggs, egg respresentations and skein are best in the fall IMHO, though spoons and spinners continue to produce off piers.

Also, remember to check local regulations for any streams you might be fishing, and remember catch and release is always a great thing.