Billy V Cayuga report Aug 18, 2012

[Billy V]

We started our day at 6am in 100 FOW up by Milliken and had a field day with the lakers for the first few hours. DW Super Slims in SSW, Midnight Special, and Green Gator parked at 100, 95, and 90 ft. were on fire for the first few hours of the trip. Most of the lakers were in the 5-7 lb range. That bite slowed a little bit around 9:30am so we trolled over to the west side and pointed her south. We worked 70-120 FOW on that side and had a steady pick of fish the whole way down to Crowbar. We managed to find a couple of browns and some smaller salmon on that troll, but it was mostly a laker bite for us. It was definitely a rigger bite for us at Milliken, but we managed to get our divers and cores dialed in on our troll south. Divers at 210 and 180 on a #1 pulling spinny/fly combos took a few fish and we had our 8 color core take a few fish when we had it pulling a GFR Rapala. The fishing was great all day today - come up and getcha some!

On a side note, there's something I've been wanting to mention here about etiquette and safety when fishing a particular spot. It seems that jigging is fast becoming a popular way to catch lake trout. I'm all for it, but I've witnessed some questionable moves by a few boats up near Milliken over the past couple of weeks and I think it needs to be brought up here so that we can all work together and avoid any issues. Here's an example of the types of things I've been seeing: On Saturday there was a boat trolling comfortably behind me at Milliken and he and I had been on that line for well over a mile. There were 2 or 3 other boats trolling that line as well. I watched another boat come from the middle of the lake and slowly motor in between us. We could see him scanning the bottom for fish. When he found the spot that he wanted he shut his boat down no more than 100 yards directly in front of the boat that was trolling behind me and began jigging. If the boat that was trolling behind me was fishing that spot in the same manner that I was he had most of his gear very close to the bottom and simply couldn't turn towards shore as he was fishing at the bottom of very steep ridge there and he would've wadded up all of his gear. Fortunately for him there wasn't another boat outside of him and he was just able to make a turn to avoid the boat that stopped in his line of travel. I'm not sure he could've avoided him if he had been running planer boards off of each side. Guys it's one thing to be the first boat to a spot and shut down there and fish it. If you beat the other boats there then they'll have to troll around you. No one owns a particular spot on the water and we all have to work together to be able to fish it. But when there are 5 or 6 guys trolling on a very specific line and you show up late for the party it's very poor form (not to mention unsafe) to wiggle your way in between the whole fleet and shut down in the middle of them and block a guy who has multiple lines in the water and expect him to alter his line to avoid you - you probably should consider another spot if this is the case. I know that I have a hard enough time keeping my gear safe when I'm fishing that ledge near Milliken when there isn't much boat traffic let alone when someone stops right in front of me. Let's use our heads out there so that we can all enjoy the fishery.

[dbutts]

Good post

[rustyrat]

I was that other boat. Its has been happening a lot more frequently with the popularity of jigging increasing. I could have tossed that guy a sandwich and a beer. Just look around at the trollers line before you set up in the middle of it. As Bill said, I can cut to the outside but not the inside. We are riding the rail on that ridge. I have been forced in a few times in the last several weeks and that results on dragging all my gear on the bottom. Then I have to pull every rod and clean off the zebra mussels. The jigging guys can maneuver much more easily than we can. So just be courteous and look around for the trollers before setting up. I give you guys plenty of room when i come upon you all I ask is the same.

Good post Bill.

RR

[Splitshot115]

I agree, it's been happening more frequently this year than years past and I'll bet it'll be worse in the next few weeks. Worst part about it is most of those guys don't see anything wrong with what they're doing.

Scott

[lakebound88]

I agree with you guys. Also remind people though, the boat that is under power must avoid the collision. I just hope nobody thinks that if there is a collision that it is the jigging boats fault. Never know when someone might try to push their luck..

Nick

[ Post made via Android ]

[Splitshot115]

I realize that Nick and I'm sure Billy and RR do also, but there is such a thing as courtesy.

Scott

[hermit]

I definitely agree. As a (I hope) conscientious fisherman I do my best to stay out of the way. I think of it as "don't do anything you would find rude if you were in the other boat." If I ever do anything to piss someone off please let me know, it's not on purpose and I'll definitely take it into account the next time.

I see your points for sure but also think about this- if I'm fishing an area and the fish move or aren't biting, I need to go elsewhere. If there's a line of five boats coming I don't want to wait 1/2 hour or more for them to clear out before trying a new spot. Last week that was happening and I tried to cross the lake to get out of the way only to find the same situation of a lot of trollers on the other side. Other than fishing dead water my only option was to sneak in there and try to fish a little shallower.

In general I try to fish the shallowest lakers I can find so often the trollers are going past in water 30-40 feet deeper and there is no overlap at all. Other times we want to be in the same depth. When I kind of set up in front of Billy V during the Lighthouse I thought I left him more room than I did (maybe outside boat was sliding in, maybe I mis-judged it, effect was the same) he didn't have anywhere to go- but if I fished the spot I wanted I would have been directly in front of him. So I compromised, going shallower than I wanted to until he passed by. Still didn't work out for the best.

So even as someone who tries hard I still make mistakes- and there are plenty of bumdasses out there who don't even try, or seem to do it on purpose (the bass boat jiggers.) Another example I was fishing just off Taughannock about 40-50 feet from the creek mouth casting in and some guys go between me and shore, right over my line and the fish I'm fishing to. Thanks for nothing fellas.

Anyway, I'm glad the topic came up... maybe some guys will read the thread and re-think their strategies. It's always best to think about things from both sides.

[lakebound88]

Scott, that was towards people who do know know the basic rules of the road... Right of ways... Etc.... Not towards you guys. Hopefully someone might read it and say oh boy I didn't know that!

I backed down Saturday and Sunday both to a pleasure boater was was making an incorrect passing. If course was held an acident could have been capable...

Courtesy is a must, but safety should always come first.

[ Post made via Android ]

[quality time]

Trollers use vhf to keep from getting in each others way. If you guys have a radio just call us and tell us which way you are headed. When we are pulling 600' copper we have to make our decisions to turn 1/4 mile before we get to a spot. I am for all types of fishing and I am sure these other guys are as well. The jig fisherman has advantage of staying right on top of the hot spots, we only pass through. This is why we like to fish right down the middle so we don't tick anyone off even though we give up some of the best spots. You guys should try fishing the middle. You will find lots of room and some fish as well. Wes

[Billy V]

Like I said, if we all use our heads out there and take into account what other boats are doing and where they're likely heading then there's a high probability that there won't be any incidents. It's guys like the one I mentioned above who literally put their boat 100 yards in front of RR's boat and then refused to move that are the problem here. Any closer and Scott may not have been able to avoid him without wadding up his spread or worse. If you set down in a spot and there's 5 trollers coming and they're 15 minutes away then they need to troll around you because they have plenty of time to react. But to run in front of a troller and shut down a few hundred yards in front of him is uncalled for and is unsafe. As quality time mentioned, we have to pick our spots as to when and where we're going to turn. You guys that jig are far more nimble than us trollers are and you're entitled to fish the same water that we do. But you have to realize that trolling has its own set of limitations and we need your help if we're going to peacefully co-exist. If you see a situation coming where a troller has nowhere to go, just move for a few minutes till they pass. Shoot, we have to troll around you when you're there first and get knocked off of our line for a while so why can't you slide out of the way too? That's the thing that has been bothering me about this lately - it doesn't seem to be a two-way street. I've yet to see a jigger move to avoid a trolling boat and too many of them are moving directly into the paths of trollers. Like RR said above - we give you guys all kinds of room when we come upon you, all we ask is the same courtesy.

[stoutner]

Just proceed on a course that takes you 15 feet from him and your nearest wire diver on a #3 setting should clear his lines out nicely

Maybe he'll think twice about pulling in front of you and anchoring up.

[Splitshot115]

Just bustin your chops Nick, Two derbies coming up in the next few weeks on Cayuga, you'll see more of this happening.

[gonefishing71]

the morning of the lighthouse derby we were setup jigging a mile south of AES....here comes a troller he came within 50 feet of us my partner tells me if he gets any closer i'm gonna bounce a 1oz jig of his mellon.....

I told him let it go .... guys just a ****

point being ....always going to be that guy out there.....1 bad troller don't mean their all like that....1 bad jigger...don't mean their all like that

sad thing is....those guys will come here for tips.....but will never register

by the way...I'm the big guy....in the little green crestliner...if I get close let me know

rustyrat....if you got sandwiches and beer...you can troll as close as you want....but you have to throw me one

[vogel451]

I been waiting for your report Bill. That boat you were talking about trolling behind you was definatly me on Saturday morning ! Jim from old lady fords marina. I was in my 20' Penn yan. I spoke to you on the radio about it and asked you how your day was going! Ive never seen anyone pull up infront of me like that and shut there boat off while I had 7 lines out, including dipseys. As I went by he waved at me and said hello... yes my divers were under his boat.

[fish-on]

Well said Billy V,Well said all of you. We have to look out for each other out there, Some people just don't have a clue what is going on! They don't have any respect for others, Cayuga lake is loaded with em!

[hermit]

I think part of the problem is a lot of jiggers don't have radios. I don't. So then we can't read minds. Maybe I'll get one sometime now when I can. The irregularities of the structure don't help either. If someone is trying to hold a 100' line for example, they could be weaving in and out quite a bit. If I see a boat coming I have no idea what they are going to do or no idea what depth they are fishing. Rarely is someone pointed directly at me for any length of time. And if you guys are starting to turn a 1/4 mile away it's hard to know if it's b/c of the depth or the jigging boat.

I personally don't care if someone trolls past a few feet away, it's nice to have a quick chat as they go past, this happens every time I see a few boats and it's a good thing. I can only speak for myself but a lot of my previous post was explaining that some of us do think about you guys and try to accomodate what you're doing, I was trying to say I do get out of the way so that's one example of someone doing what you ask. Same as it's hard to see if you're trolling straight at me, if I'm moving in a direction at 1 mph you might not see that either.

If something is bugging you out there say it out there otherwise nobody learns anything. Vogel what was your response to that guy when he said hello? Did you tell him he cut you off? If not he probably didn't learn. I see your points for sure and troll myself early in the year, true there are fewer jiggers but they're there, and guys drifting bait or pulling copper with big S turns or whatever. There's going to be idiots of one stripe or another. Pleasure boat guys seem to be the worst. It's always a bit of a dance and as you say there is more planning ahead with a big spread. Don't want to beat a dead horse but it's better to discuss it here than everyone getting teed off at one another.

[quality time]

They sell handheld vhf for around 100 bucks good thing to have if you get in trouble. From a trollers view it is hard to tell which way a jigger is going, are they on drift with wind , moving with trolling motor? I am more than happy to go around but sometimes can not tell which way to do that. I agree jerks will always be out there. Last year I had a bass boat run 50 behind my boat at 60 mph. Not sure how he did not cut my copper off but I got lucky. Two years ago I was fishing Senaca derby and we had a guy trolling copper at a 1 mph slower than we were going . Each time I tried to go around him he would pull in front me blocking me. I would make a big loop and would soon catch up to him again. Tried to hail him on the radio, nothing, First time he blocked me on the deep side next time I raised my riggers and went shallow he blocked me again. I made 4 loops and had to resort to doing the same thing as his him being an *** hole I started to go around deep , he blocked so we set course right up his tail. He got the message and let us by after he reeled his copper in real fast. Mind you I am not that kind of guy and hated to do that. I myself was trolling around a point going south another boat was doing the same heading north and we could not see each other untill we came around the point. We both made a loop called each other on the radio and said we were sorry and went on our way. As long as the intent was not to cause a problem most people will understand. I always hail on the radio when I am crossing behind another boat to see if the other boat is running long lines. I find most the guys are great and have had few problems but you remember the jerks. Wes

[Charley Tuna]

This was a very good post. I hope that it will help improve consideration for others on the waters.

[guff]

Not having done a lot of trolling myself, I have got a question. If I am jigging, what is the minimum distance from a trolling boat that I should be? In other words how far away from the side of the trolling boat and behind the trolling boat should I be so there is no chance I can mess things up for the troller? I certainly do not want to mess up someones fishing if I can help it.

[BarringtonTrapper]

I had a troller turn 90 degrees right in front of me on sunday at fairhaven. I was able to turn a 180 and slip away with no problem. a few weeks before I was on an east troll and someone else was on a west,we would have passed a 100 yards from each other and been OK I think,This guy got all bent out of shape and started waiving his arms for me to turn away. i try to stay well away from everyone on the water. If you want to see rude try the Hudson river in the spring,I have had many a pleasure boater fly past at full speed not more than 30 feet from the boat.

[Mortigan]

Not having done a lot of trolling myself, I have got a question. If I am jigging, what is the minimum distance from a trolling boat that I should be? In other words how far away from the side of the trolling boat and behind the trolling boat should I be so there is no chance I can mess things up for the troller? I certainly do not want to mess up someones fishing if I can help it.

Worst case - if they're running copper off big planer boards, they could have line out more than 100 ft to each side and up to 1500 ft (assuming a 600 copper, 300 yards of backing and one big fish, headed for the hills) behind the boat.

[quality time]

You should be able to see planer boards but many of us run dipsy wire rods. I run mag rings on my dipsys and I would guess on #3 setting they would be 50 to 75" beside the boat. Wes

[lavarock64]

I troll and jig. I can relate to the limited mobility while trolling a bunch of rods and have had my fair share of problems with other boats.

This year while jigging North of Long point, a troller with a boat around 30' trolled between me another fella jigging 100 feet away. Way to close in my opinion.

As mentioned there are plenty of boaters that think driving on the lake is the same as driving a car on the highway.

As Hermit mentioned. Give the Knob "your a bone head" soapbox speech and hope he / she gets it....... Some will - some won't - but ya gotta try...

[fish-on]

Send them up to Mexico Bay, They'll get a schooling they never seen, The East Enders will eat you alive up there.