Any suggestions for trolling in Hemlock?

[Luck E Reel]

_{^{This time of year, I would work back and forth (East & West) across the bar / drop off at the south end of the lake.}}

_{^{Small spoons off riggers or you could get into a small Seth Green set-up.}}

_{^{In either case, if you don't have either, you can work with flat lines but give them some weight to get them down to 10-12ft.}}

_{^{You can also work the shore lines, but I find the west side usually produces better.}}

_{^{As the year progresses, you will need to work much deeper and sometimes bumping bottom to stir up the lakers, so to speak.}}

_{^{Side Planers with stick baits work well as long as you get them back a ways. (80' - 120')}}

_{^{Ideally, you should have some type of depth recorder, but that being said, I have fished the lake for years and back in the day when my father was around, we never had a depth recorder, downriggers, or side planers.}}

_{^{Back then it was Hand Seth Green Rigs, Old Victrola Jug Rigs, and in the spring, a lot of Slip Sinker fishing on bottom for the lakers.}}

 

_{^{Good Luck, Don't give up, It's a great lake to fish and you can't beat the scenery.}}

_{^{Just enjoy the serenity and being out doors.}}

 

_{^{Fish Safe}}

[Sk8man]

SwedishFish I don't want you to think I was criticizing your boat or the size of it as that is certainly not the case. Especially so as I spent 22 years in a 13 ft. Whaler that ventured to the middle of Lake Ontario more than once  but I have also hung up two Seth Greens at once and I know fully the forces exerted on a small boat in that siituation and it can sink you if unlucky and that is what my comment was directed to. Safety first fishing second

Edited April 12, 2016 by Sk8man

[SwedishFish]

 ...I used a temperature gauge to locate the thermocline, which is much more exact than trying to find it on a fish finder. The key is to locate that band of water where the water rapidly goes from warm to cold. Of course this is not a concern this time of year the fish could be anywhere even as shallow as 5 to 10 feet deep.... Caught quite a few form 1 to 5 pounds as well as the occasional SM_Bass and even a pickerel

 

Npike...I've tried to adjust my fishfinder to pick up the thermocline but never could quite figure that out. Do you use a temperature gauge built into your fishfinder or is it a whole separate unit?

 

I didn't realize you're trolling with an electric motor and a quite small boat. This could be dangerous. I had a narrow 12' boat with a 4 horse early on and got swamped by a large wave. It filled the boat with water and ruined the day to say the least (nearly capsized us). Hemlock is not a large lake but it can wipe up a bit when a north or south wind starts blowing.

You might consider a 14' boat? Or at least a wide reasonably - deep 12' boat. Just thinking about safety?

 

Yes Safety is definitely my #1 concern when I'm out in the boat. Its one thing to row it around a little pond in the summer. But when It's loaded with (1) 185# Adult (1) Huge deep cell marine battery,trolling motor, poles,anchor, etc... its loaded! I really watch the wind and don't even try to go out in any chop. Its just not worth it!

 

And that North South wind that can pick up on Hemlock is no joke... I was caught out in it once a few miles from the launch. By the time I made it to the launch a few waves came VERY close to breaking over my transom. Not fun.

 

Thanks for all your suggestions and concerns!

 

-Steve

[SwedishFish]

On your dipsyrod you should use steel line hooked drive toy to your dipseydiver then about a 3 or 4 foot leader rule of thumb 3 times your line out to depth for lakers fish the bottom as close as possible 40 foot and deeper at about 1.8 mph good luck

 

Any steel line you would recommend? I stopped in Cabelas in Cheek-ta-Vegas on Friday and was lost in the fishing section for a while....

 

And does anyone run a snubber of your diver? I have gone back and forth sometimes using it and sometimes not.

 

Thanks britty

 

-Steve

Edited April 12, 2016 by SwedishFish

[SwedishFish]

Get a good fish finder and learn how to use it. I catch fish out of "temp" all summer long. Fish marks when you can, and fish temp when you have no marks.

 

Zack... I do want to... Workin' on a bigger boat first. Fell into the "cheap boat" trap a few years back. Learned my lesson and won't repeat it twice.

Edited April 12, 2016 by SwedishFish

[SwedishFish]

SwedishFish, you have a PM

(Personal Message -Look at the top of the page for the envelope icon)

 

Replied... Thanks!!

[SwedishFish]

 

SwedishFish I don't want you to think I was criticizing your boat or the size of it as that is certainly not the case. Especially so as I spent 22 years in a 13 ft. Whaler that ventured to the middle of Lake Ontario more than once

 

Sk8Man... Don't worry about that! I was not at all offended. I KNOW its a small boat and not designed for what I'm doing with it. I am definitely pushing the limits and I should probably dial it back on the trolling until i pull the trigger on that new boat! Or at least just pull a diver or two like I have been. 

 

I'm just always looking for better ways and more productive fishing. That's how I found you guys!

 

Which BTW this forum is amazing. Lots of Kudos to all the guys (and girls) of the forum for sharing all their knowledge. So many people willing to help and share what works for them. I've learned a ton. Its like an apprenticeship program on a fishing boat without the seasickness...

 

And that's crazy. I've been on a few small whalers but never out into the big O...

 

 

Safety first fishing second

 

I totally agree!!

 

Thanks!

 

-Steve

Edited April 12, 2016 by SwedishFish

[zackblain]

Zack... I do want to... Workin' on a bigger boat first. Fell into the "cheap boat" trap a few years back. Learned my lesson and won't repeat it twice.

PM me sometime, Ill let you know if I have an empty seat on hemlock or canadice. 

[britty]

I run 30 pound to it works the best for dipseydiver divers easier to release. I've used snubbers but in my opinion I lost more fish with them maybe it's personal preference . Any questions give me a shout good luck and have fun, and maybe you'll even see a eagle