Northeast, PA Lake Trout

[Char_Master]

2 hours ago, Eyecatcher said:

Wonderful pictures!  Maybe I’ll take a stab at them this week. If anyone wants to take a ride, I’m off all week.

Thanks! If I wasn’t booked solid I’d take you up on that haha.

[Char_Master]

Fished off North East Sunday and went 5/5 in 4.5 hours or so, not bad for a Spring morning session! A bit better size than last week too, all of them were in the 29-32” zone. Even had one fish go on a blazing 50-60’ run as soon as it popped the release, only to dive and thrash for the rest of the way to the boat! Fished 58-120 FOW and took every fish in 88-112 FOW tight to the bottom. Surface temps 42-47°. Once again, I ran every style of lure in my arsenal, but caught them all on cowbells and gambler rigs on the downriggers. No idea why they haven’t been eating spoons or Dodgers for me this year, but they’re loving those loud, noisy chains of metal blades! Hoping to get out one or two more days this month before the water gets too warm for the Spring fishery.

[Eyecatcher]

Wanted To make it up but the Olcott bite has been incredible.  Drove right past Northeast to catch Kings!  Best spring fishing I’ve ever seen.

[Char_Master]

13 hours ago, Eyecatcher said:

Wanted To make it up but the Olcott bite has been incredible.  Drove right past Northeast to catch Kings!  Best spring fishing I’ve ever seen.

I’ve seen some guys pulling nice ones up there! The Spring Laker fishery on Erie should still have another two weeks or so left anyway if you want to make it up. Memorial Day weekend is almost always the last good weekend we have for them every spring. Once the water hits a uniform 50-52°, it’s done for awhile. Then you have to wait for the thermocline to set up in July for the Summer fishing.

Edited May 15, 2018 by Char_Master

[jigstick]

Try dragging some kwikfish along the bottom. Funny...the last few times out for me its been a better spoon bite than cowbells. Who knows

[GrumpyFisherman]

x2 on the kwikfish

[Char_Master]

4 hours ago, jigstick said:

Try dragging some kwikfish along the bottom. Funny...the last few times out for me its been a better spoon bite than cowbells. Who knows

 

I tried a Silver M-2 Flatfish right on the bottom towards the end and still nothing. What speed have you been running? I’ve been doing 1.4-1.8 for the most part and I’m wondering if I’d get more spoon action at a higher speed. But at that point it’s too fast for cowbells so I guess I have to pick one or the other.

[jigstick]

When I’m trolling lakers I’m going slow. 1.2-1.5. The Moonshine spoon Oscar is deadly on them...year in year out. I also run some hammerhead cowbells, peanuts, spin n glows, etc. troll the humps in 90-110fow west of Dunkirk. I can’t make a pass without hooking up left and right

[Char_Master]

Well this was our last weekend of Spring Lakers for the year. Hopefully we’ll be at them again this Summer after the thermocline sets up in a month or so. Fished yesterday and today, took every fish 115-130 FOW on the bottom or not far off, 1.5-2.0 mph at the boat. Surface temps were 51-59° so I can’t imagine it was too much cooler down there this time of year. Went 5/5 yesterday with cowbells and spoons and 3/4 this morning with spoons, dodgers, and flashers. Hit a 37” 20# fish yesterday and a 37.5” 23# today! Unfortunately, the 20# was hooked in the gill raker and the 23# wouldn’t go back down (guessing it didn’t decompress). The former swam back with tons of energy but I doubt it survived very long after losing blood. Kept the 23# to use as catfish bait and aquarium fish food since I didn’t want to waste the meat on seagulls haha. Other than those two, we hit several 10-18 pound fish, all of which were released unharmed. June is going to be a slow month for me but maybe I’ll make it up to Lake O for some Lakers in while I’m waiting for Erie to set up for summer fishing. Hope everyone had/is having a good weekend!

[Fishnut]

Nice job!!!


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