Who's catching what, and where?

wsconner · 07-06-2015, 09:08 AM

We've been at the lake since 6/23 and normally troll between 6AM and 8AM. We're just a novice Dad and two boys trying to figure this sport out. First two days we had good luck--a few rainbow and lakers, plus a couple of ~18 salmon. We didn't fish again until after that nor-easter on 6/28. Since then it's been pretty quiet.. only a few small salmon (less than 10") and lakers (less than 15"). We've been varying depths of line between 20 and 40' and now and then troll really slow at 55'+ looking for lakers.

Anyone else experiencing the same and is it because the couple of big rainstorms (6/28 and 7/1) "turned the lake over"?

Thanks!

Mink Islander · 07-13-2015, 08:32 PM

Can't explain it. But I guess that's why they call it fishing and not catching.....

Last I checked a couple weeks ago the thermocline was around 35 ft. I have a temp sensor I can attach to the downrigger, drop to the bottom, and retrieve. It gives me temp read outs at every five feet. That can be helpful for target depth.

Good luck!

Mink Islander · 07-20-2015, 08:42 AM

Caught a couple decent salmon off the downrigger oscillating between 25 and 40 feet at 10 second intervals - love the new Cannon Digitroll. One small laker caught out six colors on lead core. Hammered silver with a blue stripe top gun on the rigger and a Maine guide (Orange with black dots) db smelt on the lead core. Was trolling mostly in 60-80 feet. Was nice to get some reasonable action after a few quiet weeks.

AC2717 · 07-20-2015, 09:21 AM

30 Plus Rock bass in 3 hours in paugus bay again on sunday morning

bt99 · 07-20-2015, 09:21 AM

The orange with black DB Smelt was working Saturday morning. 40 feet down, first 10 minutes picked up a laker. About an hour later, good sized salmon swallowed that same lure

pjard · 07-20-2015, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bt99

The orange with black DB Smelt was working Saturday morning. 40 feet down, first 10 minutes picked up a laker. About an hour later, good sized salmon swallowed that same lure

Feel free to tell me I'm wrong but that Orange w/black dot DB Smelt has got to be the number 1 color scheme. I bet half my fish are caught on that lure.

That Guy · 07-21-2015, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjard

Feel free to tell me I'm wrong but that Orange w/black dot DB Smelt has got to be the number 1 color scheme. I bet half my fish are caught on that lure.

Orange has always seemed to be a strong color for some reason.

I've been too busy to get out on the lake. I bought a motorcycle so all my time has been on that.

PaugusBayFireFighter · 07-21-2015, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by That Guy

Orange has always seemed to be a strong color for some reason.

I've been too busy to get out on the lake. I bought a motorcycle so all my time has been on that.

Every summer for me has been spent fishing. Then I bought a bike. Same "problem" of not enough time to fish with riding as an option. I still fish, but riding has given me another summer obsession.

bilproject · 07-21-2015, 02:04 PM

This time of the year fish on the lake seem to feed more on the changing barometer than anything else I can see. The big fish are deeper than the 30 to 40 feet most people are fishing. That's not to say you will not catch 19" stockers at 30-40 feet and small lake trout. Friday I caught a 24" salmon at about a depth of 70 feet on 14 colors of lead core line at 2.1 mph using a silver and gold Williams 40 in 125 feet of water. I carry all combos of the 40 as on any given day the fish seem to want a different combo of color and finish. Monday after the storms passed I caught a 20" 9# rainbow on the same combo of line depth and water. Others in the boat fishing higher caught small lakers and salmon. Big lakers don't seem to be caught until we get into August so I'm hoping to catch that 30 incher for a summer hat trick.

MAXUM · 08-03-2015, 06:05 PM

Caught Sunday morning on 10 colors of lead... and that is the best rainbow I've ever caught.

dt5150 · 08-04-2015, 11:47 AM

a couple of the salmon from saturday. both were caught 5 colors down on a maynard marvel fly.

ishoot308 · 08-04-2015, 02:40 PM

Nice fish guys!

Dan

MAXUM · 08-04-2015, 04:59 PM

Boy those are some beautiful salmon. Don't get much nicer than that.

07-06-2015, 09:08 AM	#1
wsconner Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 8 Thanks: 3 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	doldrums? We've been at the lake since 6/23 and normally troll between 6AM and 8AM. We're just a novice Dad and two boys trying to figure this sport out. First two days we had good luck--a few rainbow and lakers, plus a couple of ~18 salmon. We didn't fish again until after that nor-easter on 6/28. Since then it's been pretty quiet.. only a few small salmon (less than 10") and lakers (less than 15"). We've been varying depths of line between 20 and 40' and now and then troll really slow at 55'+ looking for lakers. Anyone else experiencing the same and is it because the couple of big rainstorms (6/28 and 7/1) "turned the lake over"? Thanks!

07-13-2015, 08:32 PM	#2
Mink Islander Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 753 Thanks: 59 Thanked 271 Times in 129 Posts	Yeah, it's been slow Can't explain it. But I guess that's why they call it fishing and not catching..... Last I checked a couple weeks ago the thermocline was around 35 ft. I have a temp sensor I can attach to the downrigger, drop to the bottom, and retrieve. It gives me temp read outs at every five feet. That can be helpful for target depth. Good luck!

07-20-2015, 08:42 AM	#3
Mink Islander Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 753 Thanks: 59 Thanked 271 Times in 129 Posts	Sunday, July 19th report Caught a couple decent salmon off the downrigger oscillating between 25 and 40 feet at 10 second intervals - love the new Cannon Digitroll. One small laker caught out six colors on lead core. Hammered silver with a blue stripe top gun on the rigger and a Maine guide (Orange with black dots) db smelt on the lead core. Was trolling mostly in 60-80 feet. Was nice to get some reasonable action after a few quiet weeks.

07-20-2015, 09:21 AM	#4
AC2717 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Maynard, MA & Paugus Bay Posts: 2,582 Thanks: 755 Thanked 355 Times in 267 Posts	30 Plus Rock bass in 3 hours in paugus bay again on sunday morning __________________ Capt. of the "No Worries"

07-21-2015, 02:04 PM	#9
bilproject Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bear Island/Fort Myers, Fla Posts: 231 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 1 Thanked 59 Times in 41 Posts	Fish the change in weather This time of the year fish on the lake seem to feed more on the changing barometer than anything else I can see. The big fish are deeper than the 30 to 40 feet most people are fishing. That's not to say you will not catch 19" stockers at 30-40 feet and small lake trout. Friday I caught a 24" salmon at about a depth of 70 feet on 14 colors of lead core line at 2.1 mph using a silver and gold Williams 40 in 125 feet of water. I carry all combos of the 40 as on any given day the fish seem to want a different combo of color and finish. Monday after the storms passed I caught a 20" 9# rainbow on the same combo of line depth and water. Others in the boat fishing higher caught small lakers and salmon. Big lakers don't seem to be caught until we get into August so I'm hoping to catch that 30 incher for a summer hat trick.

07-20-2015, 09:21 AM	#5
bt99 Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Oileán Fada Posts: 25 Thanks: 2 Thanked 13 Times in 5 Posts	The orange with black DB Smelt was working Saturday morning. 40 feet down, first 10 minutes picked up a laker. About an hour later, good sized salmon swallowed that same lure

The Following User Says Thank You to bilproject For This Useful Post:
secondcurve (07-21-2015)

08-03-2015, 06:05 PM	#10
MAXUM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kuna ID Posts: 2,755 Thanks: 246 Thanked 1,942 Times in 802 Posts	Caught Sunday morning on 10 colors of lead... and that is the best rainbow I've ever caught. Attached Images

08-04-2015, 11:47 AM	#11
dt5150 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 401 Thanks: 4 Thanked 107 Times in 72 Posts	a couple of the salmon from saturday. both were caught 5 colors down on a maynard marvel fly.

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to dt5150 For This Useful Post:
Top-Water (10-09-2016), wynndog (08-04-2015)

08-04-2015, 02:40 PM	#12
ishoot308 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Gilford, NH / Welch Island Posts: 6,296 Thanks: 2,404 Thanked 5,307 Times in 2,068 Posts	Nice Nice fish guys! Dan __________________ It's Always Sunny On Welch Island!!

08-04-2015, 04:59 PM	#13
MAXUM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kuna ID Posts: 2,755 Thanks: 246 Thanked 1,942 Times in 802 Posts	Boy those are some beautiful salmon. Don't get much nicer than that.