what size copper for victrola rig?

[sparkyice]

so, i'm movin stuff around and find gramps victrola. i need copper for it, but not sure what gauge, #22 is what i think i remember hearing or maybe i dreamed it.

i found a few old fluegers and twin minnows i remember from when i was a kid.

i never had the chance to pull copper with the old boy so dont know much about it.  he had a place just south of plumb point.

 

http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-copper-wire/=mjt880

http://www.mcmaster.com/#9896kac/=mjtgkt

 

these link to a good source, for any kind of wire

 

 

so, any info or tales of days gone by would be very much appreciated.

im gonna give it go next  weekend or so.

good luck an tight lines thanks

 

joe

 

[ac holmes]

We used to use #22 or #24.  Never reeled in when bringing laker up.  Used to pile the wire in the middle of the boat and then just let it back out carefully.  Single strand copper will not tangle so much or kink, if you are careful with it.  South end in the spring and peach orchard late summer and fall.  I don't know how deep but based on current depth readings, I think between 80 and 140 feet.  You can feel the spoon banging the bottom and you know you are deep enough.

[Sk8man]

One of the things to consider is whether you have a spring loaded victrola or the motorized version. I think the lighter the wire you can get away with onthe spring loaded one the better I've always used the 20 guage for the victrola and 22 for my A &S automatic reel (spring not as strong as victrola). 20 on motorized. AC is on target too ....it's mainly a preference thing and what you get used to. No matter what you use remember to wear finger protection because if you hang up on bottom unexpectedly  or get a big one on you could lose a finger without it. ( Cut off first finger and thumb from pr. of leather work gloves)

 

As far as stories go.....I once lost my favorite ultralight perch rod and reel in 59 ft. of water on Seneca (my knee popped it out of a rod holder) a couple months later I was jerking copper  and making a pass by there and pulled up my rod and reel....after drying it out ...good as new   What do you think the chances of that happening are in terms of probabilities?

Edited May 1, 2013 by Sk8man

[ac holmes]

Pulling copper with a Pflueger #4 (we always put on a #5 hook) directly to the wire (no leader) is a highly effective way of Lake Trout fishing on Seneca.  I think there is something about the wire and the spoon hammering the bottom (maybe an electrical pulse) that catches lots of fish.  Lake trout are bottom fish mostly and the copper rig fishes the actual bottom.  I have been thinking that the way we fish these days with dipseys and riggers, does not really dig up the bottom the way copper does, and I also believe the biggest fish lay on the bottom and wait for food...they do not move around much because they are so big and fat.  I know some of the Ontario Lakers have their nose all beat up digging around for sculpin on the bottom.  So then, where I am going with this post is as follows:  how big do Seneca Lake "Lakers" get these days?  Maybe we don't know too much about that anymore, because we do not fish in their environment.  There is no rational reason why Seneca does not support real big Lakers, like in the 20-30 pound range.  Maybe the way to win the Lake Trout Derby is to pull copper with a Pflueger #4.  I think if somebody went real slow pulling copper on the bottom in 100-150 feet of water, and actually worked at it, some big surprises might be in store.  By jeepers, I have talked myself into it.  I am going to dig out my copper rig and #4s and give it a try sometime soon.  

[sparkyice]

well, thank you gentlemen. this will be something new to me, and i've always liked the idea of it.

on the odds of catching your lost rod, well, that's why you'll never hit the powerball jackpot, my freind!

[Sk8man]

Thanks for the laughs fellas

Edited May 1, 2013 by Sk8man