Cowbells for Lake Trout

[pmjasper]

I was just wondering who uses them and how do you set them up....assuming you make your own.

I fish for lakers down in NJ and this year was going to try Spin-N-Glo's on a 27", 30lb leader behind cowbells. My thought is to make the cowbells out of #5 or #7 Colorado blades strung on 60lb nylon coated wire. Since I fish uneven rocky bottom, I would be fishing this rig on wire line with a dropper and meatball weight. I have fished dodger and flies in similar fashion and caught some fish this way. The average lakers down here is a pount or so but the state record is 32lbs. Any insight to the rig or your own rigs would be appreciated. Thank you.

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[ERABBIT]

I don't make my own lake trolls but bought them. Wildman put me on to them and a peanut rig when he had his bait & tackle shop at the end of Cayuga. He told me to drop my balls down to the bottom of the lake and run two boat lengths and I'd have a laketrout on. I stop back in to tell him how I made out told I had some good news and bad news.The good news was his system worked but the bad news was I had to go 6 boat lengths. He asked how long my boat was ,I told him 20.5' his eye's lit up and said that's it your boat shorter then mine and then a BIG belly laugh!!!!!!!!!!!!! Any way don't rule out the peanut rig (Wobble-n-Glo) also made by Worden's Lures Yakima Bait Co. You can get more or less action out of the peanut by the line you use to tie them up.

[Billy V]

Northern King is now making Lake Trolls. I don't fish for lakers, but they look to be well made.

www.northernkinglures.com

[emtystringer]

jasper,i made my own rigs,bought some clevis's,crimps and beads.went and got some 4"or 6" round alluminum insulalation covering and cut my own 4" and 5"large cow bells and added some tape to themi, i then punched a hole on one end added a clevis and attached like 3 or4 with some beads on both sides of bell to wire or mono leader.i then added a glow peanut to the say 3" leader. troll them slow,1.5to 1.9.troll them near the bottom so as to hit bottom every once in awhile you should have someone working the riggersup and down.

i would like to use them on round valley but the bottom isn't as level as lake ontario and would be afraid to get hung up.you can also buy the same rigs for $15 to $20 bucks a peice.

[pmjasper]

Emtystringer....you're in NJ? On RV I will use this rig off of a wire line thumper rod. Easy to fish near bottom and not hang up so frequently. I used Spin-N-Glos because peanuts are hard to find down here. Should work as well. Now i just need to make my cowbells.

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[emtystringer]

jasper,i live in phillipsburg nj ,i fish the valley and merrill creek pretty much the same way i fish L. Ontario eccept on a smaller version.

[pmjasper]

Maybe we could trade tips sometime. I like camping there and trying for lakers and browns. The wire line has been fairly successful but we'll be trying new things this year as well. Hopefully we can get started soon but I still have some boat modifications to complete before being ready for the season.

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[pmjasper]

Any local shop carry wobble-n-glos? I have checked the Wordens website and they don't even list them. The Spin-n-Glos are popular in NJ but you can't go into any store and find Wobble-N-Glos or peanuts.

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[ERABBIT]

Sorry about that it's WOBBLE GLO® , if you order there catalog your'll see them in there. They come in 5 sizes I like the 1" size the best. Most any bait store on Lake Ontario carries them also the one's around the finger lakes.

[ERABBIT]

Some on e-bay but shipping is like $6.00+...........

http://search.ebay.com/WOBBLE-GLO_W0QQf ... EQ20GLOQae

[pmjasper]

Thanks I picked up a pack and will give them a try.

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[pmjasper]

Well I ordered some Wobble Trolls and components to make my cowbells that will hopefully produce.

As far as lake trout are concerned in Lake Ontario, are they readily accessible in the spring and do people target them? It seems like more people go after salmon or browns than lakers, but I wouldn't mind dropping a thumper rod and cranking in a few during my trip in May. Just curious. Thanks

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[stinger]

...been reading your posts on this subject and haven't responded because I don't use cow bells or fish lake Ontario but couldn't help myself after you seem hell bent on catching Lake Trout.

If your really into lakers then the finger lakes is were it's at. Lots of fish and some nice average size - 4lb to 10lb with several every year over the 10lb class. :shock:

These lakers fall for most any lure and presentation. Your job would be to use them to your advantage when the time is right. Lake trolls are a proven techinque on these lakes and there shouldn't be any reason for you not to catch them on it. Spoons, plugs, flies, streamers will all take their share of lakers. Pick a finger (watch out for the middle finger, it could be habit forming) and fish it a few times, more lakers will be in your freezer than you can eat.

[pmjasper]

Thanks for the info. I would love to try a few finger lakes as well. I just fish for fun, not for food and it's not that I'm hell bent on lake trout, it's just that down in NJ that's the only somewhat large trout/char species I can pursue. As far as fishing for them up in Lake Ontario, I'll take anything that decides to hit our lures. If it's a slow day and lakers can save the day, than so be it. I'm just out to learn as much about the big lake and its species before I get up there in May. All I'm looking for is a safe, successful trip.

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[Toonfisher]

Hey Stinger,

Why don't you fish the big O? I see your name on the open water discussion frequently.

BTW You are right about lakers on the fingers. We catch dozens evert year on about anything you drag behind a boat. My biggest last year was 34 inches.

[nyforests]

I fished Keuka last year and caught lots of lakers all clones, 3 lbs and barely knew they were there. I can't speak for Seneca or Cayuga, but my hunting partners, first mate caught a 38lb slob on lake Erie 2 summers ago. That would be one reason for fishing the great Lakes over the Finger lakes

[Yankee Troller]

I would check out Hammerhead cowbells. These have brought many a fish to the scales in the LOC.

[pmjasper]

Thanks guys. I already ordered some supplies from Stamina Tackle and will make up the cowbells for the coming season. I'll let you know how it works out once I get a chance to get on the water. Thank again.

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[rustyrat]

Laker fishing on Cayuga is excellent. Especially when the thermocline sets up. All you want and the DEC is promoting catch and keep because there are too many. All that stuff mentioned works.

RR

[pmjasper]

Any size to the fish though?

As I've said before, I'm not a catch and keep fisherman and I love lake trout fishing, but unfortunately Round Valley Reservoir here in NJ gives up lakers but a lot are the cookie cutter pound or two pound fish. The thing that always keeps us going back are the reports of 15, 20 and 30 pound fish being caught. One day we'll hook up on a better fish but to date it's only been the smaller variety.

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[IRISH56]

PMjasper - if you're headed to the western end of Lake O. then the Niagara Bar is the place you want to fish lakers. I fish Cayuga L. pretty steadily during the year and we mostly target lakers, they are by far the dominant species, and you can catch a lot of fish and some real beauties.

The Niagara Bar holds a ton of lakers with some real monsters. A few years back when my brother had a smaller boat we would head in to 20 - 40 fow when it got too rough off shore (I should add in the spring). We had multiple 20 - 30 fish days targeting lakers.

DAN

[pmjasper]

Thanks Dan,

For our first time up we opted to fish and stay in the Sodus Point area. Since I already booked our trip, we will most likely stay in that vacinity but with all the talk of the Niagara Bar, maybe next year we will head further west.

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[pmjasper]

Oh, what pound test line are you guys using for the leader between the cowbells and the peanut? I am currently using 30lb clear High Impact line. Just curious what others use. Thanks.

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[Silver Fox]

15# trilene big game between the hammerheads and the "lure of choice". I've never had a break off and the lure dances better w/ the lighter line.

[SkeinMachine]

Cowbells/peanut behind a thumper rod,no worries about loosing rigger balls on bottom,plus easy to see a fish on