Otisco Lake a Put/Grow/Take Fisheries

[justtracytrolling]

Usually I don't start fast trolling until summer after the lake flips. I relate speed to water temp...as the water temps rise so do my trolling speeds. The hardest part is you really have to be able to precisely control your depth. The closer you can get the bait to the fish the better your chance of hooking up. Its best suited running 6-9 rods. The hits can be crazy, but you need fairly heavy tackle and rugged rod holders to do this at Otisco because the Tigers love speed also. Combine this technique at daybreak and if you manage to get all the rods out without a release don't bother sitting down it wont be long! This works very well on otisco and even better at Oneida. Should be noted that you have to slow down as soon as the fish is pumping or you will pull a lot of hooks. You also need baits that troll fast without washing out. The thing that can really hamper you is floating weeds. At fast speeds you cover so much water you pick up a lot more weeds. I use clip weights just under the surface of the water to collect weeds and or down rods and riggers to overcome this, but if you hit much grass with the otters you have to start over. Ask Tim about that...we try to run all the lines in and back out like a NASCAR pit crew! In tough times we do one side then the other over and over till we get tired and then drop back on the rods. Im not saying its easy but its cant miss for me I was 100% success for 6 straight weeks and had only 2 zeros from july to September and had weeds and lost fish on both occaisions I think.

justin

[Ronald Allen Sellers]

Thats a good idea I never thought of running clip weights that way. I tried runing fast after catching that hog in the mud puddle during may never got another one. I must have run that rouge inches from his head that day.

[rnsurfnturf]

yes it is a lot of work..however..thats why we are out there.....more rods with more lures actually fishing and not just pulling grass allows for more chances at a hookup, obviously.

putting walleyes in the box is the goal for everyone and if it that means constantly bringing rods and cleaning and sending them back out...so be it!

 

and when you got 2-3 people that know what they are doing...its not a big deal cuz everybody is after the same thing...GOLD!

 

Tim

[justtracytrolling]

4-5 mph is a little fast even for me...my max is more like 3.8...but I sure would be interested in trying faster. You must of just about jerked that pig right out of the water with the drag screaming! Cant believe you didn't get any tigers at that speed tho May is still early. I seem to remember Captain Larry, mostlymuskies, saying that time of year 3-3.5 for tigers. Crazy the number of ways to catch a walleye. From blazing fast to crawling harnesses to top water with F18's.

As far as clip weights for weeds goes I lay my line and clip the weight at the desired set back then hold the rod tip level with where the release will ride the planer line then pay out line till the clip is in the water. Then attach the release and send the line out till the clip weight just enters the water. The end result is clean lures and precision depth control as you know exactly how feet are in the water.

justin