Cayuga New to trolling, no luck yet on Catuga. Any help?

[sstout]

I am trying something different this year and trying to learn trolling. I've been out two or three times on Cayuga lake but no luck. So far I'm running two rods and two downriggers. Usually launch out of myers and troll north towards AES. One rigger set around 60 to 70 feet and the other set to 80 to 90 feet over 140 ft of water. Ive used dodgers as well as a set of cowbells. Mainly used spoons of all colors. Trolling around 2 MpH. I'm just wondering if I'm missing something, or just keep pressing on with this setup. Any advice is appreciated

[suttontroller94]

That sounds like a solid set up. Maybe bump speed up to 2.2-2.4 and bring high rigger up between 50 and 55ft with a spoon with a slide cheater and use the dodger and a peanut or spin and glow on the deep rigger. Dont be afraid to work in shallow til your deep rigger bounces bottom or out deeper. If you think your in to shallow or to DEEP of water your probably not you will pick up lakers on the deeper rigger and bows and landlocks on the high rigger this way

Edited August 22, 2016 by suttontroller94

[alex1young]

I agree with Sutton. Go just a little faster and run your baits higher in the water column. Small spoons can be very effective this time of year as well.

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[suttontroller94]

Also dont be afraid to just ditch the dodger and run a spoon on the deep rigger you'll still get lakers but thata where my better landlocks have been hanging. Purple is a good color and that way you can put a slide cheater on that too (Your 2 rods will contain 4 lures) and you will be able to tolerate higher speeds better than using a dodger

[suttontroller94]

Oops Double post.

Edited August 22, 2016 by suttontroller94

[lily]

Last 2 trips I made my downrigger were no where as active as my dipsy rods. I was also having alot more luck fishing over 140 to 300+ fishing suspended fish. Chartreuse black white and purple and Blue and silver are normally my go to colors on cayuga that will produce fish. My speeds have been better close to 3 MPH also. If only using the to rods I would cheet both of them with spoons in the 40 to 50 range to cover more water. And like Sutton trolley said keep wandering from shallow to deep. Don't worry about just 1 death of water. There are alot of suspended fish amongst bait out toward the middle of the lake. Just south of T falls right across from Myers has been holding alot of fish to

From there all the way up past the boy scout camp. Good luck hope this helps.

[Nautitroller]

The purples were cold this weekend, FLT anaconda 44' down was hot in 50-65'. I agree with the above posts, start early and keep changing lures and checking for weeds. The cheater is very easy and deadly.36" of mono with two swivels one on main line that is placed on after connected to the down rigger.( Slider)

If it doesn't fire after ten min, change up speed or colors. Good luck!

[Sk8man]

Some real good suggestions above. Slow speed is probably the culprit unless you are fishing solely for lakers and if fishing for s the landlocks you probably don't need the attractors just the plain medium and small spoons with sliders. You will have a  lot more range to play with the speed without using attractors on your riggers.

[goin hungry]

Also, don't know if you're talking about speed at the surface or the ball, but these speeds should be at the ball. Down speed probe is vital.With the current in these finger lakes you can be doing 3mph on surface but closer to 1 at the ball. Mix up your trolling directions too. Some days we kill em going one way and nothing the other. They must face upstream

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[goin hungry]

Also, turn often. This allows you to see if they hit on the outside (faster lure speed) or inside of the turn (slower lure speed) then adjust accordingly.

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[lily]

Also don't forget to take blow back of your riggers in to a count just because you have your riggers at 90 doesn't mean that is how deep they actually are.

[Frisco]

Don't be afraid to vary your colors our last trip greens worked early then we switched to blue/silver later in the morning. Greens and blues are our favorites tis year, we target silvers and pick up occasional lakers, seldom deeper than 50"

[sstout]

Thanks everyone! It definitely gives me more ideas. I'll have to give it another shot this weekend

[back on eerie 2016]

I am trying something different this year and trying to learn trolling. I've been out two or three times on Cayuga lake but no luck. So far I'm running two rods and two downriggers. Usually launch out of myers and troll north towards AES. One rigger set around 60 to 70 feet and the other set to 80 to 90 feet over 140 ft of water. Ive used dodgers as well as a set of cowbells. Mainly used spoons of all colors. Trolling around 2 MpH. I'm just wondering if I'm missing something, or just keep pressing on with this setup. Any advice is appreciated

i"m in the same boat

[goin hungry]

We use 8lb flouro leaders too - heavier line can spook fish in these clear waters

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[Playing Hooky]

I was breaking off my 8 lb. Floro on the big ones. So I went with a 15 lb. Vanish floro and it works well.

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[suttontroller94]

Vanish line= vanished fish and lure try seagaur 12lb

[goin hungry]

We use seaguar too. I had bad experiences with vanish and heard same from others. No problems with 8 or 10lb pure flouro seaguar with drags set properly and not horsing in bigger fish.

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[sstout]

I've been using Vanish 20lb flouro between dodger and spoon. Would that be too heavy(thick) to use for a leader?

[Sk8man]

The advice above is good. Vanish is about the worst fluoro (breaks easily) of any in my experience (also tried a number of other brands and it performed the worst) I have never had any problems with Seaguar. If you go with Seaguar I'd go as light as you can get away with when the water is clear (e.g. 10) on Fingers. I know  a lot of folks swear by the expensive leader stuff but on the Fingers the less expensive  Red label stuff works fine

Edited August 23, 2016 by Sk8man

[Playing Hooky]

Awsome info! Thanks fellas! Time to switch.

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[Roadhog1973]

Alot of good advise posted. Down speed is very important and can vary quite a bit from surface speed. If you are not running a probe to give your down speed, your cable angle is an excellent reference also. I run the Fishhawk but my cable angles reflect the information on the display as well. Often I will be trolling near other boats and can see we are trolling at nearly the same speed, sometimes for miles, that indicates we are doing something right (or wrong if you are not catching fish) don't hesitate to break off from the pack and run your own program. I have been using P-Line flouro 15lb for leaders with no problems. If I am marking alot fish at a certain depth I will generally try to run one rigger above them by 10 to 20 feet, often I can see the fish coming up to the tackle on the sonar. Cheaters are worth the aggravation, they produce fish. Keep trying different things and when your rods go off remember what you were doing and then develop a pattern to catch more.  

[usmc2111]

sent ya a pm. would be willing to ride along with you. using your gear. can bring sum tried and trued tackle to use also. will get you on the fish. 

[sstout]

Thank you everyone for the advice. For the fist time trolling, I hooked four fish, but landed 3. They were all lanlocked salmon, with the last one being a decent size. Sliders definitely work. Blue and silver spoons worked the best. Not the best picture, but I've added the last fish.

[lily]

Nice work. Way to go.