TOPIC:

I know most of yuse-guys don't like lakers but in 45 feet of water and with braided line, they will really shake your rod tip.

Headed to the gong, this morning, actually to the gong "anchor", the gong is still in dry dock for the winter. Stopped right there, dropped dodger/spin-glow to the bottom, reached for another rod and #1 was dancing. I managed to get 2 down and 2 dipseys deployed before it all collapsed and me and my crew were slimed up and had a limit in the cooler. We trolled due north 1 1/2 miles then one mile back before we had our limit. Crazy fun.

Moved back to nearshore and took one coho by the Hole in the Wall. Nice people, fun day, calm seas......

I'm smiling!

Thanks for the report! The gong might be a bit far for a quick afternoon run for me out of Portage, but maybe I'll head NW out of the ditch until I hit 45FOW and drop lines and continue heading NW. I'll report back and thanks again for the update!!! Always appreciated!

I guess I had the wrong colors or setup Sunday for them. I had the ball bouncing the bottom all around the gong Sunday and nothing (although I only had one rigger set for Lakers). I want to figure them out and see what they are like - never caught one or ate one but seems that is going to be the long term fish to target and seems they are available most of the year.

Excellent. I bet your crew had a blast.

BigEdV wrote:

I guess I had the wrong colors or setup Sunday for them. I had the ball bouncing the bottom all around the gong Sunday and nothing (although I only had one rigger set for Lakers). I want to figure them out and see what they are like - never caught one or ate one but seems that is going to be the long term fish to target and seems they are available most of the year.

I am like you Big Ed, I have tried off and on for a couple of seasons and have yet to slime up my motorized Dr. Pepper can with one. I have taken all the other species though. It would be good to know how to catch a few when nothing else is biting or around. I know they are for the most part a bottom dweller where water is cooler they will take flies and spin n glows fished near or on the bottom. That said I have taken a few when chartering on spoons that were put out as salmon and steelhead lures.
Does anyone have some tips or pointers to share?

I have never really targeted lakers, but that may change - conditionally warranted. With that being said, I always have a spoon or two deep, targeting pissy kings that I hope to sway - sometimes a FF as well. I end up catching a bunch of lakers every year and they are happily released unless a crew member wants them. Keep some baits in the lower third of the water column and you will find them.......and some kings as well.

The above is mostly in regards to summer. This time of year they could easily be anywhere in the water column but deeper is probably better overall. I am sure many here could offer some better wisdom.

At this time of year when the trout are in 45 to 60 feet of water there's no better set for them than a Dipsey Diver with a big silver-glow dodger with a white, little boy blue or green crinkle fly about 22 inches back. I like spin n glows with a fly behind it and when the fly gets sparse or the fishing is tough, I put a Gulp nightcrawler on the hook for some added scent. Run the lure about 2 feet behind the dodger, then run the dipsey out until it's ticking along the bottom. I use a big single hook since they are less prone to picking up mussels on the bottom. You have to have either a wire line diver or 30# braid to get the divers down to the bottom. Yesterday 150 feet of wire had the divers in the zone.

From EC, head NE for about 7 miles at 44 degrees and you'll be in the zone. From Gary it's almost due north, from the mouth of the ditch head WNW about 10 Miles. You can stop a couple miles short and troll up onto the shoals.

Set up 5 miles East of the gong, and trolled to and around the gong. Saw some fish on the sonar, but nothing in the boat. Dragged bottom bouncers, riggers, dipsey's trying all my good lures. Must have been doing something wrong. Oh well always next time! It was a nice afternoon to be on the water!

Thanks for the report.