Newbies out of the Oak 7/27

[LooseEye]

My good friend, my father and I set out if the Oak at 630 Saturday. We gunned out slightly NW to 250fow and started our troll N. Running 2FF rigs and 2 silver streaks, one FF rig on the rigger and one on the dipsy 200' back, then the opposite on the other rigger/dipsey. Slider on the spoon rigger.

With no down temp and going off of reports and some info from a guy at the dock we targeted 60-100fow. I had just rigged up an old eagle claw star fire combo with leadcore and my buddy pushed me to put it out even though I thought running all 5 lines would be disastrous if we started catching fish. Over about 320fow the leadcore(8colors, green and black silver streak) went and I landed a 7.5lb steelie, my first "real" lake o fish on the troll. Man was it fun seeing that fish jump!!!

That would be the only fish until just before we left. we had trolled out to 450fow and were on the way back in when in 250fow when my buddy landed a nice 7lber on the same 8 color leadcore.

All in all we had a great day and on the boat. It would have been nice to get a king, talking to some guys at the dock while pulling out we found out we may have been trolling a bit too deep and we stopped short of the 30 line where they reported multiple king hook ups. A down temp/speed would have been key but after dropping 400 on a new elect rigger I can't budget it, had I known I might have spent that$ on a sub troll instead of an elect rigger. Anyone know where I can get one reasonable so the little lady won't blow a gasket when I tell her what I spent? HAHA

One last thing. We ended up keeping the steelies and I normally practice C&R. The first fish my buddy wanted for table fare and I obliged, the fight had seemed to take a roll anyway. The second fish we released after it kicked but it then promptly floated, two turn arounds and re-nettings later we decided we would keep the fish and I would have to clean one too when I got home. The long fight on the leadcore seems to be deadly to the fish, has anyone else has this issue? Maybe we just played them too light? I was thinking of just hammering down the drag next time, any advice?

Thanks to everyone who reports because without this site I would have been twice as clueless yesterday.

Cheers

LooseEye

[K Gonefishin]

Leadcore = dead steelies not much you can do. I usually try and target kings with leadcore, I'll run it early and late with a mag glow spoon right at first and last light, then I will kill it then switch to copper and go for big boys running it in colder water. If your running 8 color that bait will almost always be in the high riding steelie zone so your best to not run it unless you want to catch steelies. 

[LooseEye]

Thanks for the feedback, I had no idea. Maybe early and later season when the water temps r cooler it wouldn't be so deadly. Ill pocket that advice for the future as I don't intend to be keeping them pretty things every trip.

How much does it cost for a decent copper setup? You need a special rod or tip right?

Cheers

Kyle

[Adk1]

yeah thanks, that is a good idea running lead early then late. I had planned on running lead down the middle but dont know. I am thinking that if  Iget a king on one of the riggers it would get tangled in the lead before we got it in...Hell, I am ready to catch a steelhead for sure! anything!