Hughes 4/25

[Reel Doc]

Enjoying all the reports posted today....here is mine.

Felt like the first great Spring day out there.  Being an Ontario rookie I don't know where colored water typically builds around Pultneyville so went over by Ginna as fish were there earlier this month.  Started in 10-20 fow while the sun was low but all quiet.  Moved out as the sun went higher and the lake went flat.  Finally a good Brown took a UV Naked Jordo Stinger down 25 over 40 fow but then continued quiet.  Kept working a little deeper and found active Lakers in 55 fow so boated 3, all on spoons down 40-45.  I know many of you dis Lake Trout but I had to post a pic of the first Ontario laker to see the bottom of my boat!!  Remember I cut my teeth on Cayuga Lake Trout!

A little chop started up on the water so decided to get skinny again and see if the fish weren't going to stay spooky.  Rewarded with a great double off Bay Rats Cant afford it and glow frog.   My first Ontario steelhead and a really gnarly Brown who fought hard for at least 15 minutes.  Got to say I'm just loving the early season fishing out on Ontario.  Water temps hung between 44 and 45.  I assume when the water warms the fishing techniques will need to change.  If anyone is willing to give me a primer for fishing Ontario in May, I'm all ears!!

 

[shawn393]

Great job

[whaler1]

Good for you!


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[landingzone]

Your departure and sunrise pics make me feel like I’m there! Beautiful.


Sent from my iPad using Lake Ontario United

[reeltrout]

Great job! Nice mix of fish! I like Lakers as a fall back plan on a slow day. I also got started on Lakers in keuka and Seneca. So any big fish on Ontario gets me excited. Nothing like a king though! Last year we had good luck on kings in may an June in 80 to 120 fow. How do you like your planer boards I see you got center pole for them in pic. My buddy just dug one from his pole barn I want to put on boat. Looks just like yours.

[Reel Doc]

3 hours ago, reeltrout said:

Great job! Nice mix of fish! I like Lakers as a fall back plan on a slow day. I also got started on Lakers in keuka and Seneca. So any big fish on Ontario gets me excited. Nothing like a king though! Last year we had good luck on kings in may an June in 80 to 120 fow. How do you like your planer boards I see you got center pole for them in pic. My buddy just dug one from his pole barn I want to put on boat. Looks just like yours.

This season has been loaded with firsts for me and hard use of the planer mast is one of them.  When I bought my boat 10 years ago the only fishing equipment it had was a little Hummingbird fish finder.  So I jumped on a LOU classified ad for a package of older gear that had a pair of manual downriggers with swivel bases which are still going strong.  In the package was the Invader mast, (no base), and a set of Super Skis.  Last year I finally installed the mast with help from Great Lakes Planers who custom built a base that fits like a glove.  Tony Salerno is great to work with, highly recommend!!  This Winter really put the system to work on Cayuga lake with great results.  Starting last month it has had to tackle Ontario for the first time.  With the wider rolling waves the harder tension caused the line to jump the pulleys several times and when I switched to Amish Outfitters boards the stronger tracking by the boards has stretched the Springs.  Last week I ordered new pulleys from Great Lakes Planers which look to be more suited to the task.  For me, I love fishing off the big boards compared to inline.  Setup and takedown takes some time, especially in rough water, but when a fish grabs and goes you are directly on them which is thrilling all the way and no awkward inline board removal.

[Doc]

Nice, great post!

[piscataquis]

Great post. Keep picking way and picking the brains of the fishermen on here. They often feed a few tricks of the trade. This is a great resource. I am from Maine and I love the lakers. Yes kings are a blast on the rod and reel, but being a laker fishermen. Nothing like boating them in the high teens low twenty. 

[troutman10]

Great to meet ya at the dock! Good looking dog you have. Sounds like a fun mixed bag for you out there. Keep those reports coming. I'm interested in what the coming months bring on the big lake as well. 

[chowder]

Way to go!

[pukingdog]

You don't need springs on the top of your mast. Attached is a jpeg of the top of my Big Jon manual mast. I've been using it for over 25 years. Never needed a spring and never jumped the string over the pulley. I have broken 2 of the reels over the years because they are plastic, but parts were available from Big Jon for a fairly reasonable price. If reels were metal like Cisco, these things would be perfect but I'm sure would be way more expensive, so I get it. This year I'm going to try to build a cordless drill attachment that will allow me to wind in with my cordless Milwaukee drill. I'll probably be buying another reel if things don't go according to plans.

[Reel Doc]

2 hours ago, pukingdog said:

You don't need springs on the top of your mast. Attached is a jpeg of the top of my Big Jon manual mast. I've been using it for over 25 years. Never needed a spring and never jumped the string over the pulley. I have broken 2 of the reels over the years because they are plastic, but parts were available from Big Jon for a fairly reasonable price. If reels were metal like Cisco, these things would be perfect but I'm sure would be way more expensive, so I get it. This year I'm going to try to build a cordless drill attachment that will allow me to wind in with my cordless Milwaukee drill. I'll probably be buying another reel if things don't go according to plans.

Thanks for the pic.  That is precisely the plan.  Spings to be removed and new sturdy pulleys coming that are metal with carabiners to attach to the rings on the mast.