Sodus 9-1-14

[reelintense]

I know you all get enough information from Nick (Ruff Rider) to figure out what to do, without my little tid bits of information, however I did want to post yesterday's results, as some of it is different and goes to show you how still whacky the fishing is right now for early September.

 

We (like the Sodus Armada) was out on the water at 6am and set up in 60 fow and started north towards the previous day's hot bed of 120-150fow.  Screen was amazing, with most marks and bait down 60-80fow as we trolled out.  Didn't take long to lose a nice fish on the 50 rigger....not sure if it was a main line or a free slider hit, but I broke off at the swivel and lost the set up.  Time to look at all my lines again...LOL

 

Wasn't long before we lost a hit on the port side 175 diver, #3 setting... 0 - 2

 

Took a rip on the starboard 150 diver (Mag size on #1 setting) and lost the fish, when the leader from SD to fly broke off and swam away with said fish... 0- 3

 

As my son Josh was resetting that line, the 10 color with a fire-frog spoon takes a rip and I can see a nice steelie come right out of the water with line and all!!!  Now I am worried about losing another fish and as I am fighting, he is setting the starboard diver back out and BOOM.....Port side diver goes screaming and before long that fish is 400.....500.....600 foot back and he is into a nice long battle.

 

I get my 8 lb steelie into the net by myself.....and now we are 1 - 4.....thank goodness for that. 

 

After 15 minutes or so, Josh gets this brute (and it definitely fought like a 20+lber) to about 180 foot of line back, he turns, makes a run towards the boat......and guess what...... G O N E..... popped the hook right on out.  About 90 minutes into the day and we are 1 for 5!!!   UGH

 

Lets just say that over the next 3 hours we take 2 more rigger hits that are there and gone.... 3 solid diver hits that make off with 40-50 foot of line and then are gone and we are staring at 1 for 10!!!!! 

 

The bait and marks were in that 100-150 fow, as many of the armada continued to do battle for the fish that were there and with a couple of hits here and there, we wanted to stay, but calm waters for the first time that weekend, made the call to point north and go for deeper water.  Boats were still getting fish here and there at this point, but not lighting them up, like it was the first couple of hours of the morning.  So we set out towards Canada...

 

At some point after 190 to about 250 fow, the screen seemed much less, with a couple bait pods and a couple marks...but btw 260 and 290 we lost 2..yes 2 more hits on the port side dipsy...which all day was my favorite WHITE Pearl Glow SD and Green Hijacker Atomik fly.  UGH 1 - 12

 

Then we hit 300 and a lot more bait and marks and a good screen and before long we are hooked up on that port side dipsy and while Josh is fighting his fish, the starboard dipsy hits and starts really screaming good...woohoo doubled up again, and I feel like I might be into a 20lber.   Josh gets his 10 lb king into the boat and after a very nice battle, with several good runs and wanting to stay deep, a very respectable 18lb king hits the back of the boat as well.  Was surprised it wasn't bigger, but frankly this year, an 18lb king is good!!!!   So 3 for 14 on the day...!!

 

We turned around at 420 fow at that point and trolled all the way back to about 200 before we had to leave.  We had one more rip on the center rigger when we weren't paying attention and couldn't get the hook set.  All in all about 3 for 15 for the day......  My normal hookup ratio is 70%, so hard to see a 20% day as a good day, but Josh and I had a wonderful day on the water.

 

What I am still in amazement about is that Nick and others are catching matures in 80 fow on a free sliders on a 66' rigger, while I am catching matures on a #1 setting mag diver at 220' fow back, so under 100 foot of water in 350'fow off shore.  Fish are scattered everywhere...reading other peoples reports off Ibay.... 400-500 fow and while they are darkening up....and I am guessing by my hookup ratio, jaws are getting hard.... they are still not staged and are ALL OVER THE PLACE. 

 

I think the fishing off Sodus is the best it has been all season, drop a line in 50fow and start trolling everywhere.  Just make sure to check all your lines and sharpen your hooks. 

 

okay, I will be out tomorrow.....I can only hope my CATCHING rate is better!

 

Jason

[woody 184]

Jason awesome report... That's still a great day of action...

[woody 184]

A

Edited September 2, 2014 by woody 184

[tlombardozzi]

Great report, thanks.

[Sk8man]

Jason great report and what you are noting is pretty common at this point in the season the matures are "homing in"from all over the place and some may be hitting out of aggression rather than feeding per se...I suspect some folks are getting their flashers hit rather than spoons or things are getting "slashed" at rather than getting grabbed.....underwater videos of the action would be VERY interesting and perhaps informative right now. The whole preferred temp thing can go out the window too as some of these fish will be caught on 70 degree water. They are seldom where conventional wisdom suggests we go at this time of the season and this season has been a real question mark for most folks right from point one anyway. At least some matures are now being caught and that is a plus.

[tiogafishaddict]

I'll be out from port bay Thursday til Sunday or Monday hopefully weather permits a few hours on the water.... Great report. Good action at least fish are spread out some still

[Nontypical]

We've been having a fair amount of fish smashing the spin docs and hotspots, see the teethmarks

[Gill-T]

When fish start true staging they are creating a "meet and greet" before running up the rivers.  If boat traffic is not too bad,  they will often stack vertically in a lose ball and chase each other around.   I caught a King last year 15' down on a flasher in 70 degree water when I was setting a cheater line.  High marks often get missed on our sonar because zoom is set lower.  Next time out before you set lines, just sit in the water and don't move.  You will be amazed at how many marks appear on the sonar at all different levels this time of year.

[Cheers]

We saw kings breaking the surface in 100 to 140 on Sunday and have seen this in past years at this time!

[Adm Byrd]

We where out Monday as well and half our fish came off free sliders, leadcores & shallow dipsys, we landed all kings but only one mature. Even the small guys where out of temperature, largest bait pods where up high so maybe that was the reason. We ran 350 - 600 fow.

[GAMBLER]

[chowder]

Nice going!

[PolarBear]

Like Big Water told me the other day , it's hard jaw season , it's going to be tough to land 100% of your fish right now

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[chucknmel]

we also were out on monday and went 5 for 19 just couldn't keep the hook in them 1 of the fish we landed was hooked in the side and 1 was hooked in the top of the head so I agree they are just slapping at the lures out of aggression. we were out of the oak fishing 65 -85 ft of water 60 -70 down with spin dr and fly and 1 jplug on the 300 copper

[momay4000]

Great narrative buddy - keep at it and be safe.

 

Tight lines,

 

Chris