Weekend Report - Solo and with FLX

[Pete Collin]

Hello All,

I warned my wife that, after a long hot summer, this fall I am going to want to fish, fish, fish. This weekend kicked off what I hope will be a long series of trips.

The full moon is a real wild card. It can either kill the bite, or move it to an unexpected time of day. One of my best days last season was during a full moon, so you figure just go and see what the day brings you.

Saturday, I found the fish at Belhurst where I left them two weeks before. Conditions were what I associate with a slow day - bright and calm. The fish were at first hard to see on the graph because they were laying so close to the bottom. They didn't chase too much. After a few lost fish, I figured out that a slow crank was what they wanted. I managed 4 fish this way, and lost several others. Two were nice and big - 29 and 28 inches. But that day the lakers really lived up to their reputation as being poor fighters. You'd get the strike, a couple headshakes, and after that I might as well have been pulling in the drift sock. Ddin't even need the net for the big ones. They laid there until i could scoop them under the belly and bring them aboard. Upon trying to work the hook loose, THAT is when the fight began. Nothing like having a head full of sharp teeth spring to life when your fingers are probing around inside its mouth. At least they revive quickly upon being released. My fingers will take a little longer to recover.

Around 9:30 when it was clear that the fish weren't going to hit another jig, I took to trolling. I just mounted a second downrigger and was eager to play with it. It is an old Riviera that I paid 25 bucks for. Something about boating brings out the thrifty yankee in me. it worked really smoothly, but the scary thing is that, when the weight is being deployed, the device is in free spool. Your hand on the crank is what controls its descent. So an unexpected distraction could cause a big expensive mess. Will have to be careful.

I set up the rigger with a rod that I inherited from a friend who passed away. This was the first time i used it. Well, with the setup in the water for 10 minutes, i got a big strike. CAN'T BELIEVE MY LUCK!! THANKS TIM!! The ball was only 60 feet down. The lakers came from 120 feet of water or so. So I was eager to see if it was a big rainbow or a big salmon I had. Would you believe.....another laker? That full moon.....you just never know.

I'll post later with a report with FLX in Canandaigua. Have to go to work!

Pete

[JJBat150]

Saturday, I found the fish at Belhurst where I left them two weeks before. Conditions were what I associate with a slow day - bright and calm. The fish were at first hard to see on the graph because they were laying so close to the bottom. They didn't chase too much.

Me and the family were out there the same time & pretty much had the same luck.

Probably saw us, we were the Bayliner bow rider dragging the drift sock with the sleeping kids up front.

[tcon]

Way to go Pete, love reading your posts! You certainly enjoy your time on the water .

Tom