mustad

Hi,

For the first time starting last spring, I tried trolling for lakers at the bottom of the lake using a linecounting reel, stainless steel trolling wire tied to 20 lbd test and upside down streamers. I did have a reasonable degree of success with this method and had a lot of fun. At the same time, I experienced a great deal of frustration with the equipment I was using. I will try to describe what I was doing and specifically the equipment I was using and hopefully you will be able to help me determine if it was a mistake in my technique or faulty (or incorrectly selected) equipment that is the cause.

I used a rod/reel combo from Cabelas. Specifically the Depthmaster gold reel/trolling rod combo. I think the reel is essentially the diawa counter reel oem'd to cabelas, but not sure.

When I let line out, I slow my boat to about 5 miles/hour. This enables me to keep the tension on my line as i put it out. The general rule of thumb i try to follow is between 60-80 feet of line per 10 feet of depth i'm going to be fishing in (as long as the lake is not crowded, i have gone over this since the hook us upside down and avoids snags if it goes too shallow). Once I have the line out, I slow the boat to between .5 and 1 mph. It is at this speed that I troll. When I reel in, I maintain a steady rate of line retrieval and keep constant tension on the line as i do it.

My problem is that I will often find the metal line get jammed between the spool and reel casing or gets wrapped in itself on the reel. This causes major issues when I try to put my line out next time. Your dealing with a ton of line here, so this really causes a great deal of frustration.

So, can somebody help me determine if this is me or the equipment? Also, what would be the difference between using this steel wire and a leadcore line (except the leadcore taking up more spool capacity).

If there is anymore information I can provide to help, please ask.

Any input is appreciated.

Cheers

Champlain Islander

Get a small downrigger and fish with normal fishing gear. There are electric models for large boats and clamp on light weight models forrow boator skiff applications.

mustad

Hey CI,

I have downriggers as well that I run, but I'm trying to figure out how to make this other method work better.

Thanks

Champlain Islander

I would go with the lead core line then because that is what it is made for. I don't think you would need to let so much line out with LC line. Around here on Lake Champlain the Lakers are in 75-120 feet of water most of the summer. Some of the old time guys do very well with LC line but a vast majority use riggers. Good luck with finding what will work for you.

mustad

Hey CI,

How much water are you trolling with these Lakers at the 75-125 levels? I've been fishing the Lake Memphremagog and have been seeing lakers in the same depth in about 300 feet of water; especially lately. Early season, however, there is a sandbar on the lake which brings the levels from about 200' up to 30' fairly fast. It's in these waters that early season we see a ton of lakers feeding off the bottom. It's tough to get to them with downriggers since the level changes so quickly, so I've seen this method most effective there.

Otherwise, I agree with you on using riggers. I made the stupid mistake of getting hand crank scotty's; which WILL be remedied this winter when I install electic riggers (speaking of which anybody wanting one season old hand crank scotty downriggers, let me know).

Maybe what I should do next spring is switch one of my reels from stainless steel wire to LC and see how it does. I'm a little concerned that I won't be able to fit enough LC on it though. It is just holding 1000' steel wire, which is pretty thin.

Thanks for the advice.

Champlain Islander

Mustad in years past I was a licensed charter capt on Lake Champlain and always fished for lakers at or near the bottom after the spring time. In spring they were on top and we caught them running off planer boards in shallow water. In summer I always did best bouncing bottom on any reef in the 50-100 foot range surrounded by deeper water. I had 4 Big John electrics on my boat and found them to be top of the line riggers. I kind of got bored with trolling and sold my rigger boat and switched gears to a bass boat. I fished Lake Ontario lots of times and we caught the Lakers there suspended in 75-130 feet over deeper water. I guess every lake is different. Magog is a cool lake. Good luck!

jerseyhunter

Champ, I used to go up there all the time, NY side though.Ever hear of Goose Gagnon, Wayne Wilkins or Pete Casemento. Fished with those guys alot. Learned the ropes then went out on our own.

Champlain Islander

Jersey, I did most of my chartering from 1981 to 1986. I was one of the original guys to get the 6 pack license to legally charter on the big lake. There were 6 or 7 of us that formed the Lake Champlain Charter Captains Association. I kind of burned out on it. I recognize some of those names and think they came up in the late 80's and early 90's. Most of the decent Laker fishing at that time was on the NY side. Pumpkin Reef, 4 Brothers, Willsboro Point, Schyler Island. We fished south on the VT side off Converse Bay, Gardiner Island, Shelburne Point, Thompson's Point, #7 and #9 buoysand Diamond Island. Lots of Walleye, Lakers, Browns and Salmon. Now it is Bass and panfish!

mustad

Hey CI,

Are the lamprey still an issue on Lake Champlain?

Champlain Islander

Yes they are. They are starting to treat again but it needs to be in NY, VT and Quebec. The lampreys are even attaching to rough skinned fish like bass and walleye. Saw a news clip earlier in the summer and a woman swam the lake and had one get on her just off Juniper Island.