SW St. Lawrence and surrounding bays

[Chas0218]

Anyone seeing any action. I've caught a bunch of perch and every other species trolling but the eye fishing has been slowwww. I've changed baits and locations nothing seems to be firing a rod.

 

Anyone else struggling too?

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

 

 

[Pierce1308]

I went out Tuesday night first time since the opener ended 4-7 on eyes 30,29,27,22 and missed 3 near the boat all jigging deep where I expected them to be but quick fire drill at sunset no early or after dark fish , mark quite a few eyes with a few being suspended 

[Pierce1308]

Went out Thursday night picked up 3 eyes in a half hour between me and a buddy then jig bite went cold, switched things up went out of krings point last night solo trolled for an hour nothing , then started jigging some deep spots at 830pm found a pod of eyes at 840 boxed out 3-4 in 3 drifts by 850pm and headed in 

[Chas0218]

Man I'm green with envy! Haha sounds like they're out there still I just gotta put in the time. I've only been able to do a dawn troll 5:30am-9:30am lately.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[reeleyz]

I am curious what weight you use and do you drift or anchor lock?

I am assuming bucktails?


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Pierce1308]

Control drift with the trolling motor , bucktails during day and before sunset 5/8oz down to 70ft or so if current isn't too bad, and bladebaits after dark, heavy current, or deeper than 65ft 3/4 oz mainly once and a while 5/8oz 

[reeleyz]

Good info thanks.

I was thinking I needed heavier weights.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[hntnfsh00]

What speeds do you all troll at? I am assuming troll up, controlled drift down? Thanks very much. Coming up mid Sept and am planning on putting my riggers on and bring my dipseys this year. Last few years, went only with bottom bouncers with sticks and worm harnesses, and lindy rigs w just the harnesses. Not a lot of success except on SMB. 

[Kevin J Legg]

If you’re going to run downriggers you have to know the area. Best to have trolling routes on gps.Lots of up and down structure and the fish are usually close to bottom near the drops.. Easy to loose gear.
Small dipseys can get you to 20’ but big ones would be tough in the current and 30-50 ‘ is often where they are.
I usually troll up river at.5-1.2 depending on the current. If your running stickbaits proper tuning is a must.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[reeleyz]

That is about the same speeds I run. .5ish into the current and 1.8ish down stream. I don’t change the throttle going into the current or with the current. I seem to get an even number of fish both ways.

 

And you definitely want to heed Kevin’s advise on knowing where you are fishing. I have a set of trails on my lowrance that I use.

 

If you plan on fishing riggers or dipseys I would lay down some trails first if possible. Figure out where all of the high points are.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

 

[Roughrider IV]

If you have a mapping unit, make use of it. I spent some time this year just to map certain shoals, a huge difference from pre loaded maps.

[hntnfsh00]

On 8/21/2020 at 4:03 PM, Kevin J Legg said:

If you’re going to run downriggers you have to know the area. Best to have trolling routes on gps.Lots of up and down structure and the fish are usually close to bottom near the drops.. Easy to loose gear.
Small dipseys can get you to 20’ but big ones would be tough in the current and 30-50 ‘ is often where they are.
I usually troll up river at.5-1.2 depending on the current. If your running stickbaits proper tuning is a must.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Thanks very much. Very good tips. Definitely going to take yours and others advice. I know some of the few spots  I have fished, but am going to try different ones this time, maybe right off Kring as others have suggested. Will try running the drifts w just electronics (and mapping function on my Simrad) and lay down a few trails I can safely navigate w riggers (being aware of high spots.) Maybe will leave my ole salmon dipseys at home then, and stick to my other stuff. Thanks all so very much. Gonna work hard at learning the finer points here. 

[Kevin J Legg]

There’s a decent long troll from Whiskey Island shoal up to Sand Island shoal out in channel not to far from Krings. I’ve trolled it with riggers and you can stay in 30-46 fow range for a fairly long troll.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[hntnfsh00]

On 8/24/2020 at 12:08 PM, Kevin J Legg said:

There’s a decent long troll from Whiskey Island shoal up to Sand Island shoal out in channel not to far from Krings. I’ve trolled it with riggers and you can stay in 30-46 fow range for a fairly long troll.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

I see it on the chart.

Thanks very much! Just had to smile. Based on what you told person on "First Walleye Trip" thread, I started pouring over charts near Kring (we are staying in Goose Bay), for a piece that fits those parameters (where flats drop off to deeper channel). Piece I picked was immediately south of what you just said!! Just S of the unnamed shoal S of Whiskey I shoal. Guess I was close. Will definitely give these pieces a good try. After coming up there every summer for almost 15 yrs now, have no problem catching LM, SM, Perch and Pike(several off that unnamed shoal that I STUCK my boat on last fall! lol), walleye (other the incidental to other fishing) have eluded me. And not for lack of trying. Put quite a few nights and early mornings on river in last few years trying and learning. 

Thanks again for the help. I have been studying charts every day for a month already. The planning for a trip is half the fun. 

[Kevin J Legg]

I see it on the chart.

Thanks very much! Just had to smile. Based on what you told person on "First Walleye Trip" thread, I started pouring over charts near Kring (we are staying in Goose Bay), for a piece that fits those parameters (where flats drop off to deeper channel). Piece I picked was immediately south of what you just said!! Just S of the unnamed shoal S of Whiskey I shoal. Guess I was close. Will definitely give these pieces a good try. After coming up there every summer for almost 15 yrs now, have no problem catching LM, SM, Perch and Pike(several off that unnamed shoal that I STUCK my boat on last fall! lol), walleye (other the incidental to other fishing) have eluded me. And not for lack of trying. Put quite a few nights and early mornings on river in last few years trying and learning. 

Thanks again for the help. I have been studying charts every day for a month already. The planning for a trip is half the fun. 

Diamond Island shoal is also a possibility. Actually most buoy markers near the main channel have potential. You could likely catch fish on most of those markers but those that have longer shelves with current are easier to fish and likely more productive.

I have many places I hit. If I find bait I give it a couple passes. If no bait I move on. If you hit a fish keep on that areas till it stops producing, then move on.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[hntnfsh00]

On 8/26/2020 at 1:59 PM, Kevin J Legg said:

Diamond Island shoal is also a possibility. Actually most buoy markers near the main channel have potential. You could likely catch fish on most of those markers but those that have longer shelves with current are easier to fish and likely more productive.

I have many places I hit. If I find bait I give it a couple passes. If no bait I move on. If you hit a fish keep on that areas till it stops producing, then move on.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

I am amazed at the similarities with saltwater fluke fishing! 

[Kevin J Legg]

I never thought of that but I have caught them in Cape Cod off Monument Flats, and Orleans. There I used jigs with zoom flukes, strips of squid, mudminnows or sand eel.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

 

[Lake forest beach]

Past couple nights been tough down towards the lake. Wind and weather all messed up

Sent from my moto g(6) using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[hntnfsh00]

15 hours ago, Kevin J Legg said:

I never thought of that but I have caught them in Cape Cod off Monument Flats, and Orleans. There I used jigs with zoom flukes, strips of squid, mudminnows or sand eel.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

 

I basically drift or power drift (w trolling motor) breaks or drop offs while bucktailing or bouncing bottom w what is VERY similar to a drop shot rig, w either gulp or bait.