Sodus Bay newbe

[vinny]

Hi,

 

I'm from Pa and coming up with a friend to Sodus Bay in less than 2 weeks. Looking forward to the trip. Just purchased a used 17 ft Lund several months ago and want to go fishing. Would like to get out to Lake Ontario and use downriggers. I am an amateur for the most part and could use some good advice. Thanks in advance, Vinny

[TOP SECRET]

Vin, lots of info on this site. Do you have riggers, dipseys, etc?

[vinny]

Hi bobs_boy,

 

Yes, have Cannon Easy Troll mechanical downrigger. Don't have any specific questions, just looking for some pointers on downrigging.

[tinfin]

Vin, lots of info on this site. Do you have riggers, dipseys, etc?

 Vinnie you may be doing some combat fishing with J-plugs, Fish may be pretty close in 2 weeks. If I were you I would check back in 13 days. Good luck!

[vinny]

thanks tinfin, going up to Sotus Bay first week in Sept. What should we be fishing for?

[gander lander]

Kings!

Sent from my SCH-I200 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[gander lander]

Make sure you pack some j plugs. Later on in that week there may be kings heading for the chute.

Sent from my SCH-I200 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[tinfin]

thanks tinfin, going up to Sotus Bay first week in Sept. What should we be fishing for?

King, Kings,Kings! Vinn what part of Pa. are you comming from? I'am from Pensciltucky also!

[vinny]

Kings, sound great tinfin..From Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area. I know this is a general questions, but how do we go about fishing for some Kings.  Thanks in advance.

[TOP SECRET]

What do you have for gear? Dipseys? Downriggers? Nothing? If nothing, what's your budget for new gear?

[vinny]

Yes, have Cannon Easy Troll mechanical downrigger (may have a second rigger too), friend has a copper box, spoons, but will pick up some lures this weekend.

[TOP SECRET]

Not sure how much you want to spend, but recommend you pick up two spools of Malin stainless wire and put that on two line counter reels. Then buy two size 1 dipseys to run off them with a spin doctor and ITO fly behind them. Then on your downriggers you can run spoons or spindoctors with flies.

If you want to stop by Arneys Marina I can help show you how to set things up.

Do you have a gps? If not maybe a smartphone? There are smartphone apps that show you your GPS speed and you could use that to determine your speed.

[vinny]

Thanks a bunch bobs_boy Really appreciate the tips. yes have a GPS on the ff. Coming up next Wed. We are staying at the Bay Bridge Sports shop. Trying to get rigged up, will have to pick up some stuff up there, no time to order anything online now.

[TOP SECRET]

Vinny if you can stay closer to the lake you'll be thankful, it's a long long ride from bay bridge to the lake. The money you save in gas will buy you dinner!

[vinny]

Is anything biting near the bay bridge? near the  bay bridge sport shop? That's were we are staying, or should we head right for the lake?

[TOP SECRET]

I don't fish the bay, so can't really help you there.

[Sk8man]

Vinny,

The Bay Bridge is at the extreme south end of Sodus bay and is very shallow and weed infested for many hundreds of yards toward the lake which is quite a haul from there. You may want to consider trailering your boat to the public launch near Arney' s Marina  and launching from there as it is closer to the lake. The Bay Bridge area is pretty much panfishing or fairly close by there -pike fishing. Most years in the past there was also the possibility of launching right near the chute (channel) near the Coast Guard station and pier where the lighthouse is. It used to open after LaborDay but I don't know if this is still the case. There is a parking area there near the beach.

 

TiP: Leave the copper box at home. If you ever caught a king on copper by hand it could rip your fingers off.

 

I'd also suggest you review over the extensive information on this site regarding dipsey diver and downrigger use prior to coming and try to obtain at least some basic equipment so you'll have fun and avoid frustration/disappointment. Make sure you have VERY sturdy rod holders as a first step, high capacity trolling reels and rods with 30 lb test Berkeley BigGame mono on it, salmon spoons, J-plugs, and flashers or Spin Doctors with flies. You can get all this terminal tackle right in Sodus Point in the tackle shops. They can also help you with "specifics". You can read about all this stuff in the previous postings on this site and there are some pics of the stuff as well. After doing so you will probably have plenty of specific questions that folks here can respond to. Good luck. Les

 

P.S. Lake Ontario can be a very rough and brutal lake when the wind kicks up. You still may be able to fish in the bay this time of year. Get a map of it. The salmon do come in there in the Spring and Fall (maybe starting now or soon). People catch them off the pier when conditions are right. A friend of mine who lived near Bonnecastle point used to have kings come under her dock in the Fall and that is quite a ways inward in the bay. It also is less busy after Labor Day (usually) than just before.

Edited September 1, 2013 by Sk8man