Why can't I catch Mature Kings?

[John Kelley]

Best advice!

X2

[garrymny]

I won't be able to get out until the weekend after next try all the advice. Out of town this week, then when I get home I have to change the prop seals in my 9.9 evinrude, its leaking.  I will try to apply what was said here and see if we do better.

There is some difference in opinion on the temperature importance. From that, I will use it as a reference or starting point, and keep looking for big fish on the FF, but we have not seen many.

[rocky1]

could always tune your speed in with a thumper rod, thats how i first started

[Paul Czarnecki]

Temp is overrated. Fish the fish. You need the probe for speed more than temp, and a good FF.

EXACTLY!!

Have you considered taking a charter to see what they are doing? I routinely have clients that have become good friends by bringing their own boats up and taking a charter with me to see current programs. I have no problem sharing. You can then duplicate the same program on your own boat and do it yourself.

10 fruitless trips would buy several charters. Jmo.

[Sk8man]

Garry - Paul makes a great point here . It is like the old saying "A picture is worth a thousand words". Viewing this stuff firsthand you shave many years off the learning curve when you get to see things in person with a competent charter guy and then transfer what you learn to your own boat. Being able to ask pertinent questions and  the give and take can be invaluable.

[IUP30]

EXACTLY!!

Have you considered taking a charter to see what they are doing? I routinely have clients that have become good friends by bringing their own boats up and taking a charter with me to see current programs. I have no problem sharing. You can then duplicate the same program on your own boat and do it yourself.

10 fruitless trips would buy several charters. Jmo.

Paul is right on.  I hadn't fished Lake O in a few years and a few friends and I fished with him on Sunday for a charter trip.  I definitely picked up a few things first hand that I wouldn't see just reading info and comments from others.  I'd take him up on his advice and book a trip with him... you'll be on fish, have a great time and LEARN a lot if you watch and ask questions.  Seeing first hand what's working and how to run the program will give you more confidence when you go and do it yourself.

 

Paul - all of us on the trip had a blast fishing with you and we'll definitely do it again!

[garrymny]

Paul, I met you at the lotsa meeting. You gave a good presentation. I'll consider taking a charter as a shortcut to learning all this on my own. It is good advice for sure, and I actually thought about it before. I'll start budgeting for that.

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[Silver Fox]

Yep, 4 guys $150-175 a guy. You'll spend that on tackle you won't know how to use unless you take a charter. Take the trip

Lake Ontario salmon fishing charters

[dvdegeorge]

It's all about the bass,no treble

You have to target mature fish to catch them

If you are having trouble catching mature fish on your own heed the good advice given an book a charter and ask questions and bring a note pad

Details that seem insignificant and minor are really what make the difference

[dvdegeorge]

Yup, my 2 biggest kings this year were in 68deg water. Caught many there this month. Some days they're in ice and some up higher.

One more thing, save the meat program for after you get comfortable with flasher flies and spoons. I catch fish on meat, but not nearly as many as most guys. This weekends tourney I stuck with flasher/fly and spoons. Did well.

Good luck

Good advise but don't let running meat scare you,it's not nuclear physics

Once you have the basics down run it

My largest fish every year have come on meat

Edited July 26, 2016 by dvdegeorge

[jason]

Throw the temp out the window. I've taKen all my big kings this yr in the warm water. Smaller kings in colder water. You need to know down speed. Buy the probe.

[jimski2]

The big Kings will soon stage off the creeks in 120 foot of water awaiting the cold August nights where the streams send cold water into the lake. This cold water does not mix with the warm water quickly but stays on the bottom flowing into the lake where the mature kings are going to come in to spawn. Fish the 120 foot contour with slow moving flashers that irritate the big ones driving them to strike. Deep plugs can elicit a strike also.

[TyeeTanic]

On riggers I would go with a clean spoon with 20 ft of lead out and one cut bait or whole herring on an 11" paddle, with about 40 to 50" of leader between flasher and spoon, and 20 ft of lead out from cable.

 

On divers I would use flashers and flies. I don't ever use flasher and spoon.  Spoon doesn't need the action of a flasher.

 

In terms of depths, you should as a minimum check out this site and determine what depth you want to be in. You want to be fishing in 42F to 48F water. If you can find a slice that's around 30 ft thick with 42F on bottom and 48F on top, that's great.

 

Speed at 2.5 mph average but try changing  between 2.2 and 3.0 mph until you generate hits. Remember hits in one direction, may not mean hits in the other direction. Normally if I get hits I confirm depth of line, speed and direction, and color/bait. I then repeat, repeat, repeat.

[garrymny]

Great advice everyone. Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience.

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[relentless]

Meat, meat, meat, meat!

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