Skaneateles flat line question..

[bulletbob]

 I only troll flatlines in spring, and sometimes a bit in the fall..
 I have NO interest in riggers although I own a couple, and even less interest in planer boards.. A few flat lines out the back when the fish are shallow is all the trolling I will ever do...

 Never tried it at skaneateles, but would like to in the next few weeks.. Can I expect decent  action on Rainbows/Salmon/Lakers simply flatlining small plugs and spoons there, or would I just be better off staying at the south end of cayuga???.. Not looking for spots , just basic info.. is it worth the effort??/.. bob

[kayslay]

Hey Bob, don't know about skan. Have you ever thought about lead core? I was picking off the bigger ll's last year running core all the way out with a flat Dodger and a hammer fly. Just a thought for you to get a little deeper when needed:)

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[cinnamon fish]

kayslay, how long of a fluoro leader do you use for that lead core setup?

[kayslay]

8ft to the Dodger of 15lbs the 24-30 inches of 8 lbs fluoro to fly. Usually have to back up middle of boat to land.

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[cinnamon fish]

Gotcha, thanks.  I just setup my first lead core rod/reel last week and been experimenting with leader lengths.  I've seen guys using up to 30 ft. sometimes, which seems extensive.

[bulletbob]

4 hours ago, kayslay said:

Hey Bob, don't know about skan. Have you ever thought about lead core? I was picking off the bigger ll's last year running core all the way out with a flat Dodger and a hammer fly. Just a thought for you to get a little deeper when needed:)

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 Its not for me really.. I enjoy shallow water trout/salmon except for jigging lakers.. Trolling with riggers or with  wire, lead core,dipseys etc is very efficient,but I  prefer light one handed tackle, and stopping the boat when I hook a fish... i see SO many 15 inch trout skittering across the top of the water when hooked, dragged by a 25 foot boat with 8 lines out..  Trolling  with planers in spring is  the best method for  catching trout in these big lakes, but its just not what I do personally.. When the trout are no longer within reach, I jig for lakers, or fish for bass/panfish.. bob

[cinnamon fish]

A med-lite spinning setup with a 3 way swivel rig and a small torpedo weight works great, all year around.   

[Thinkin'Big]

21 hours ago, cinnamon fish said:

Gotcha, thanks.  I just setup my first lead core rod/reel last week and been experimenting with leader lengths.  I've seen guys using up to 30 ft. sometimes, which seems extensive.

Food for thought...I was listening to a seminar about 2 years ago, a well known charter captain from Oswego was talking about leader lengths in lead core set ups. He said that there is no reason to have a lead core leader length any longer than the length of the rod that you are using (and quite a few people in the crowd agreed with him). He basically said, the longer the leader, the more it screws with the presentation of your spoon or whatever your using. But especially with the lighter flutter spoons, the long leader and light flutter spoon attached to the heavy sinking lead core will actually float its way upward messing with the presentation and action of the spoon. I took the advice and shortened my leaders to between 8-15 feet and it has helped a ton. Tight Lines.

[cinnamon fish]

29 minutes ago, Thinkin'Big said:

Food for thought...I was listening to a seminar about 2 years ago, a well known charter captain from Oswego was talking about leader lengths in lead core set ups. He said that there is no reason to have a lead core leader length any longer than the length of the rod that you are using (and quite a few people in the crowd agreed with him). He basically said, the longer the leader, the more it screws with the presentation of your spoon or whatever your using. But especially with the lighter flutter spoons, the long leader and light flutter spoon attached to the heavy sinking lead core will actually float its way upward messing with the presentation and action of the spoon. I took the advice and shortened my leaders to between 8-15 feet and it has helped a ton. Tight Lines.

 

Thanks very much, this makes a heck of a lot of sense.  I appreciate the info.

[Skidplate]

1 hour ago, Thinkin'Big said:

Food for thought...I was listening to a seminar about 2 years ago, a well known charter captain from Oswego was talking about leader lengths in lead core set ups. He said that there is no reason to have a lead core leader length any longer than the length of the rod that you are using (and quite a few people in the crowd agreed with him). He basically said, the longer the leader, the more it screws with the presentation of your spoon or whatever your using. But especially with the lighter flutter spoons, the long leader and light flutter spoon attached to the heavy sinking lead core will actually float its way upward messing with the presentation and action of the spoon. I took the advice and shortened my leaders to between 8-15 feet and it has helped a ton. Tight Lines.

That is correct.

[bulletbob]

 still wondering if flatline trolling skaneateles with small plugs is somewhat  worthwhile compared to  south end of cayuga??... bob

[TyeeTanic]

When I started out, I would hang 1/2 lb weights off my lines. It worked to catch rainbow for sure as they are typically higher in the water column. One thing though, this is experience from Lake Ontario. Anyhow, doesn't hurt to buy some heavy weights and hang them off the line. I basically used a split ring connected to the main line, and tied a short leader (5 to 10 ft of fluoro) from the ring to the spoon, and I snapped a heavy weight off that split ring.

[Thinkin'Big]

2 hours ago, bulletbob said:

 still wondering if flatline trolling skaneateles with small plugs is somewhat  worthwhile compared to  south end of cayuga??... bob

I have trolled Skaneateles quite a few times....Never had much "luck". I produced fish but nothing to write home about. Mainly small LL Salmon, Lake trout, and a few just legal rainbows. I myself would never compare Skaneateles lake with the trolling of Cayuga. So I guess to answer your question, in my opinion of you have means to go to Cayuga, fish Cayuga!

[cmc5028]

2 hours ago, bulletbob said:

 still wondering if flatline trolling skaneateles with small plugs is somewhat  worthwhile compared to  south end of cayuga??... bob

 

I would just go try it vs. sitting behind a keyboard

[Skidplate]

4 hours ago, cmc5028 said:

 

I would just go try it vs. sitting behind a keyboardkeyboar

 

Yes thank you 100%

[peptalk]

Bob.... I've lived/chartered on Skaneateles for 30yrs.... very tough to troll directly behind boat and catch consistently.... even then your presentation better be back 150 ft min.... if you don't want to deal w/ plannerboards, try the inline (birds) boards to get away from boat while trolling. I also agree w/ member advising on Cayuga. No finger lake has been hotter than that lake the last few yrs.... much more forgiving for the guy that wants to keep things simple.

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[bulletbob]

Thanks peptalk.. I appreciate the straightforward, honest, and knowledgeable reply...
 I kind of thought that might be the case, as there just aren't that many conversations about spring trolling on Skinny..
 I have come to like Skinny for panfish/bass as they are always available, decent size, better eating than some other lakes, and there are NO accursed Gobies there [yet]... Cayuga is much closer to me, I  usually  get some fish there , and  it is indeed  forgiving of simple, basic  techniques such as the primitive trolling I do...

 I will stick to Cayuga...  I understand about lure setback, even at Cayuga, I troll way back of the boat, close to 200 feet....
 Thanks again,,, bob

[cmc5028]

I would consider buying some Offshore Tackle Tadpole divers. Very simple to use, run them out the back of the boat. They will get your stick baits and spoons and harnesses down deep enough. I run them with 10 lb mono.

 

 

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[mako20]

I would consider buying some Offshore Tackle Tadpole divers. Very simple to use, run them out the back of the boat. They will get your stick baits and spoons and harnesses down deep enough. I run them with 10 lb mono.
 
 
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Flatlines do work. Gotta get it back 150-170. Often stick baits or smaller profile spoons on lead or copper are the ticket.

Number one dipsys far out with stickbaits sometimes get a grab from the silvers. 7-10 mph Wind seems to be the most important ingredient on this lake for silver bow action.




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[Sk8man]

You might want to try using small to medium PERCH colored sticks and small spoons there As long as you don't go too shallow you'll avoid unwanted species grabbing them....

Edited May 16, 2018 by Sk8man

[Fishnet]

Good read guys! Better than magazine articles.


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[vogel451]

Skaneateles is one of my favorite lakes to fish.  Nice rainbow fishery, crystal clear water and scenery.  Hard to pass up if you ask me.  Back ten years ago I bought some Luhr Jenson needle fish spoons for Skaneateles on a hot tip.  Didn't fish it till last year lol.  We hammered em.  Good luck

Edited May 16, 2018 by vogel451

[bulletbob]

On 5/13/2018 at 5:39 PM, cmc5028 said:

I would consider buying some Offshore Tackle Tadpole divers. Very simple to use, run them out the back of the boat. They will get your stick baits and spoons and harnesses down deep enough. I run them with 10 lb mono.

 

 

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 Understood, I had some Dipseys, but didn't like using them.. Typically when the trout are out of reach for surface trolling/casting, I fish for Panfish/Bass/Walleyes,  or I jig for lakers.. I am not a troller, even though I understand it is far and away the most efficient fish catching technique there is.. bob

 

[Sk8man]

You can cast spoons and sticks from a boat without actually trolling. The fish there don't feed on alewives so you have to have a little different mindset than on some of the other lakes. They even fish the rainbows different there with beads and marshmellows etc

Edited May 16, 2018 by Sk8man