Cross Lake

[pro-fish-n-c]

Inspired by justtracytrollings awesome results on Otisco, I figured I would try some of the same techniques on Cross lake, as it also has monster walleyes and tigers, and has already produced tigers and several large pike for me this year.

It was a fish less day for me, but my first attempt at down rigging went well. After locating multiple groups of suspended fish, I trolled over them with flatlined rapalas and reef runners at 28' feet, and several different baits off the downrigger at 20 to 30'.

Several big shorts hits, but couldn't get to them in time. Still a great day on the water.

[justtracytrolling]

Glad you got out there!  Love that panoramic picture...gopro?  I have a little footage to post  that I haven't even looked at yet.  A big part of the recipe that Im doing well with is timing.  What I didn't always post was that a lot of days I trolled 16+ hours and all nighters in order to make sure I knew when to fish.  The bite doesn't last long when its on so you have to be on the pattern and on the water.  Sure I get a fish here and there at off times and they are usually big, but those stragglers are hard earned.  Basically for eyes I wouldn't miss first or last light OR any time when there is a drastic change in light.  Tigers we do the best from after the sun is up till mid afternoon.  Don't be afraid to go 3mph or faster especially with the tigers, and speed changes from fast to slow briefly and back to fast can definitely work.  Often times after we hook up as soon as the boat slows we get a double or as soon as we net and speed up we get bit.  Now I routinely do this in a few of my hot spots. 

justin

[pro-fish-n-c]

Justin, I know you put your time in, the three times I fished otisco this year you were just leaving to go out. This trip out was a shakedown run on how to use the rigger also, which I borrowed from a friend. I suspect the release I have is outdated and a little heavy for walleye needs, so I will look into updating that before I go out again, next time will make it bright and early to hopefully increase my odds of hooking up.

Also, that panorama pic was taken with the trusty iphone.

[justtracytrolling]

Guess i better check out my phone see if i have that option....i like it! Kevin got me onto the blacks release and they are the ticket. Cheaper too! I set mine hard enough to bend the rod way over, and when it fires i have a fish. Before id run back and it was 50/50. The pinch pads just dont give a hard hookset...the line slips thru. I do tow the occaisional brown, but anything else trips the release. Plus the blacks can be adjusted for a shad rap or a hard pulling reef runner, and still give you a hookset before it releases. A long moderate action medium power rod will recoil and take up the slack quickly and fish on! I owe all that to kevins posts and this forum. Next time you see me give a holler!

Justin

Sent from my N9500 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[pro-fish-n-c]

Justin,

I'm running an 8.5' medium power rigger rod, with a cabelas accudepth line counter reel.

Are these the releases you are referring to ?

http://m.basspro.com/Blacks-Downrigger-Release-Clip/product/97412/

[esox]

Justin,

I'm running an 8.5' medium power rigger rod, with a cabelas accudepth line counter reel.

Are these the releases you are referring to ?

http://m.basspro.com/Blacks-Downrigger-Release-Clip/product/97412/

BINGO!!!!

[Kevin J Legg]

I agree with Justin. The morning and evening walleye bite is best here on the St Lawrence. During the day the fish seem move much deeper. Boat control and depth are crucial. Lots of techniques can work but they all require knowledge of the bottom contours and proper presentation. There is no substitute for experience. Sometimes they suspend but most I catch are near bottom.

[Gill-T]

Remember if you are downrigging for suspended fish with stickbaits you have to consider how deep the lure dives.....you don't want to be below the fish.

[justtracytrolling]

Gill-t is spot on...for any of you trying to troll with diving baits you MUST have a dive curve so you know exactly how much line to let out before clipping to a downrigger ball, inline board, or planer line in order to run the lure at the desired depth. This is not poke and hope the box says dives 8-15 or whatever...the book you want is precision trolling. It details multiple techniques to fish precisely where you want. Ill take a picture of the book and the dive curve for the flicker shad as it is free. I have posted others before but shouldnt have. If you look on this site hard enough i put up all 3 deep taildancer curves. BTW its pricey but worth it just like divorce. You can buy individual pages, and they are finishing up an app for your phone...also not cheap. The book gives you clip weight curves, lead core, and how different diameter lines effect depth etc. Reef runner and cotton cordell give dive curves on their sites for free, but there is more info you need in the book.

Justin

Sent from my N9500 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[justtracytrolling]

Sent from my N9500 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[pro-fish-n-c]

Thanks for the advice everybody. I don't have the precision trolling book, since it went out of print the prices skyrocketed. I have been able to find just about every dive curve I need online with some thorough searching. I intend to buy the iPhone app when it is finally released though.

I did just place an order for two chamberlain releases, instead of the blacks. Hopefully they work just as good. A little more expensive, but they looked easier to use once they are dialed in.

http://www.downriggerrelease.com/

[Iceman]

Pro;

 

You might want to consider a Fishawk TD, I use one to calibrate my junk rods.