Mexico 7/26-28, this is my story

[newmike]

Let me start off saying I am from Valley Forge , Pa. I fish from a 1983 16' Sylvan open fishing boat with a 40 HP. tiller. SO I am a little behind the 8 ball and I fish alone.I've been doin this for just 3 yrs. I am still open to helpful hints. This may be a little longwinded, But I hope some my find this useful. I stayed and launched from Catfish Creek camp its halfway between Mexico and the  power plant. I trolled between mex. and plant back and forth. 

     Day 1:On lake at 6:30 130 fow riggers at 80 wht/wht meat rig and 100 Green NBK stinger, Dipsey' out 200" (I actually use a 104mm Deeper Diver) with a Green Tuxedo Stinger. about 9:00 I got a nice 20" brn.on it. Thought I had somethin goin, but rod didn't move again for an hour so I put on the dipsey a 8" Lances 2 face and Atomic S500 grn Hammer fly ( 22" leader to rear treble) out 280'( which I got most of my fish on). Lances 2 face UV flasher and Super frog UV seem to be hot. The stores in Pulaski can't keep them and the hammer fly in stock. A lot of guys were really successful with all chrome flashers also. At 10:30 15 lb. king slammed it in 144'.Landed a 15 lb king. It looked like kings were onto F/F's. took spoon off rigger, put on a Burkes Valium w/ stud UV adjusted riggers to 70' and 90'. At noon dipsey took off screamin with drag dipsey tight even, took it from 280 to 380 I pumped in about 30' then it took out to 420' after a great 20 min. fight I landed a 26 lb King nothin else quit at 3:00. So I got my 3 fish and was a great day.

           Day 2:  Seemed like an f/f bite so I rigged everything with F/F s set up  riggers 70' and 90' dipsey out 250'. At 7;00 hooked up 90/140 UV/Wht Spindr.. It stayed deep and shook its head  for 4 or 5 secs. til it got off. Don't know what that was about. I thought F/F s were lookin good, wrong again!  trolling 140-160  (most of the charters were trollin 150'- 200'). Then nothin, so at noon I put out a Grn. Tuxedo UV stinger on dipsey out 250. In 10 min. I had a jack then in another 15 min. I got an 21 lb. King. Now it looked like a spoon bite. Switched to spoons and nothin. Quit at 4,

 

Day 3: Fished from 6- 10 had 1 fish on dipsey 220 out on Lances 2 face. It took off screamin then broke off for some reason the rear treble broke off. I never had that happen on a Atomic tourney rig. and that was it.

Lookin forward: I had great success last year end of Aug.100 fow down 70 dipseys out 220, all F/F s Burkes Valium and grn hammer. I went 11 for 15 in 3 days and had a couple doubles. Mostly dipseys.

 

Considerin 100 - 1000 guys go out and only a handful print successful stories, its not always as good as it looks guys. Fish hard and stay hopeful. My successes are small but growin'. 

 

I stayed at "Catfish Creek Camp" they have older mobile homes for daily rent ($110) 1- 4 guys. and new cabins price on website. It was wonderfully adequate, full size frig w/ freezer. Best part is their boat launch. You wouldn't know the lake was high. I didn't even get my rear wheels wet launchin. Free dock space and only 200 yds. to main lake. I saw a 30 footer launch there. "  Catfishcreek.com  "

 

And that's my story, Good Luck out there

 

If you click on the letters beneath the pic a video will play

 

 

Edited July 31, 2019 by newmike

[erik1225]

newmike,

Thanks for the report, will be heading up to Lake O on Thursday for a couple of days.  I usually go out of Oswego.  I live a little west of you near Downingtown PA.

 

Regards,

Erik

[Hachimo]

Hey Mike,

nice work and thanks for the report. 

i’m from Lake ariel,pa. Usually do weekend trips out of mexico state launch. Usually sleep on the boat. I’m on a waiting list for next avaible campsite at salmon country.  I really like the atmosphere there.  Great people and all longterm, diehard fisherman. Do you have a campsite at catfish? Just wondering how the area is there. Heard second hand theres alot of riff raff and partying goin on there With all the rentals and short term residents.  Just in case I can’t get into salmon country next year i may inquire there. 

[Fishnut]

Great report. Thanks.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[newmike]

Hachimo, Catfish creek is not a campground or RV site. They rent what I said above, Cabins and 60' mobile homes.

I've Never seen any wild partyin there in 3 yrs. Everyone seems to be old like me.

But if you do know where there is any wild parties let me know!  HaHa

[Dirty Oar Adventures]

Well done. I have a home at the mouth of Catfish Creek, we fished most of the day on Saturday. The magic number for us was 185 FOW, fishing from 110-80 down. Took fish on Moonshine Blue Jeans, Caddy Shack UV, and Blue Jeans UV Dreamweaver with a custom blue teaser rig and the Soco Prime Cut in Lights Out. We couldn’t get a hit on FF combos, but we were happy with the spoon bite. 

[Hachimo]

I must be talking about another place then.  I’m frequently lookin for cabins/cottages to rent near mexico. Especially if they got docking available. If you got a website please let me know.   Hopefully i get into salmon country next year definitely will make trips much more comfortable 

[newmike]

"Catfishcreek.com"

[newmike]

If you click on the letters beneath the pic a video will play. I don't know why it happened like that

[Adk1]

6 hours ago, erik1225 said:

newmike,

Thanks for the report, will be heading up to Lake O on Thursday for a couple of days.  I usually go out of Oswego.  I live a little west of you near Downingtown PA.

 

Regards,

Erik

I am headed to Oswego Friday am

[Hachimo]

16 minutes ago, newmike said:

If you click on the letters beneath the pic a video will play. I don't know why it happened like that

I think your new bigger cooler is to small!!!   Lol.  Good stuff.  

[hookedupf7]

I’ve stayed At catfish quite a few times. Great people. How are the trailers inside? I usually stay in the cabins. Very convenient.!!

[Low Baller]

Hey newmike, another pa runner with a short rig. Out of the Reading area near blue marsh. Run a 16 with a 25 tiller, hand cranks, etc. Been doing it for 12 years now. Tough fishing, but very rewarding. Keep your head on a swivel out there.

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[rswanson330]

Hi Hookedupf7,

We stayed at Catfish in a trailer this spring for our brown trout outing.

They are plenty adequate, but a little beat up.

Mid-April nights were cold and the windows didn't lock shut (they fluttered in the wind), but it stayed plenty warm in the trailer.

Running water, stove, refrigerator with freezer, bunks, a queen bed (I got the bed), toilet, TV and a shower.

It ain't the Ritz Carlton, but it served us well for a week.

The trailer we were in could sleep five, and that would be cramped.

But there were only two of us.

Edited August 1, 2019 by rswanson330

[hookedupf7]

I am hoping to make it there Labor Day weekend if all goes rite 👍

[greenhornet73]

Awesome job, I am still looking to get my first salmon hookup.  Last weekend was my first trip and got a bagel.  How did you measure down speed or did you wing it?  I don’t have a fishhawk and wondering how to improve my chances until I bite the bullet and get one

[Adk1]

I made several trips to lake o with little success. Then I bought a fish hawk x4d and would never fish without it. Wish I had bought it earlier

[Dirty Oar Adventures]

2 hours ago, greenhornet73 said:

Awesome job, I am still looking to get my first salmon hookup.  Last weekend was my first trip and got a bagel.  How did you measure down speed or did you wing it?  I don’t have a fishhawk and wondering how to improve my chances until I bite the bullet and get one

 

A couple of tips for fishing without a FishHawk. First, use your rigger cables as a guide for speed. If they are blowing way back you need to slow down a little.  They should have some blow back and a nice hum. Second, fish multiple depths until you find kings. If you’re in 120 feet, set a deep rigger at 100

and work up from there with your spread. Also, if you average 2.4-2.8 top speed you will be relatively close on the down speed. Pay attention to when bites occur. Were you turning?  Was the rod hit on the outside or inside of the turn?

 

Lastly, I would recommend fishing very speed tolerant spoons and flashers. NK28s, Stingray Stingers, Spin doctor flashers. 

 

That always worked for us back in the day. A fish hawk is a great tool, but far from a necessity. 

 

 

[greenhornet73]

Yeah trolling deep without a fishhawk is reminding me of back in the day when I used to ice fish without electronics.  I wouldn’t even bother going out without one now.  Looks like I may have to do a little overtime for the winter and invest in one for next year

Edited August 2, 2019 by greenhornet73
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