dogfish Posted January 21, 2011 Posted January 21, 2011 I know there are a lot of different methods to fishing lakers. What do you think is most effective, I know it depends on time of year, but in general when you go out targeting lakers how do you fish them? Do you like running straight spoons, spoons with meat, cowbells and a peanut, dodgers/fly/meat, straight meat rig off the ball or do you like to run cranks off the ball in a rocky area? Or do you think that they will hit on anything? Do you think it helps to drag bottom with the riggers when you know your in a soft bottom area? Any tips/tricks would be great too.
gordymohr Posted January 21, 2011 Posted January 21, 2011 a spin n glo behind a small PM gang troll with the cannon ball dragging bottom really slayed them for me last year. If you dont have a soft lake bottom, add a jumbo jet diver off a 2 or 3 foot dropper so it taps the bottom instead of the cannon ball to avoid snags
Turfwrench Posted January 22, 2011 Posted January 22, 2011 Cowbells and peanut have always been my go to ran a couple feet off the bottom. Otherwise magnum spoons. But my favorite method was bobbing for them in Lk Superior with a 1 -2 oz jig tipped with belly fat.
Line Dancin Posted January 22, 2011 Posted January 22, 2011 Dodger and glow squid, spin n glo or peanut.
Priority1 Posted January 22, 2011 Posted January 22, 2011 A LJ Chrome dodger and a Army Green Peanut.
Always Gone Posted January 22, 2011 Posted January 22, 2011 This only applies to Lake Superior (since that is the only spot I have fished for Lake Trout). 3 weeks from now - Get yourself a Gaebo and a finnlander from the Copper Country to show you where to catch them on Keweenaw Bay. If you don't know what a gaebo is (not certain on the spelling), ask the finnlander. Don't let the hook show, bait it with sucker or smelt.As far as lake trolling goes - I only use spoons, light spoons, gold for overcast, silver for sun. Lake trout seem to like the ugly colors also. Stuff that a normal salmon fisherman would cringe at. Puke yellow color, or green with dull finishes. Usually one person stands next to the downrigger and the captain calls out the depth. The guy on the rigger keeps the lure 3 feet off the bottom. The other riggers on the boat are set in the safe zone (not a chance of hitting bottom). I have fished downriggers on Superior in areas where the front of the boat was in 10 feet of water and the back of the boat was in 75 feet of water. Throw out a pump pole with a big silver spoon, single hook, and and piece of old rag attached to it for bait. A plastic grocery bag works well too.If you want to catch big Lake Trout in Superior you have to be willing to travel big distances in your boat to one of the top 3 spots.
tracker targa Posted January 22, 2011 Posted January 22, 2011 i fish alot on lake hjuron jusjually the southern end harbor beach and port sanilac and good setups in the spring are bombers fished off planers boards greens also blacks orange or gold dujring the summer jussujalyy 85 to 130 fow fishing between 5 and 15 feet off the bottom mag sppons green dolphin watermelon or lemon ice also a green jp slammer is good and dodgers and flies trolled between 1.8 and 2.4
adrenalin Posted January 24, 2011 Posted January 24, 2011 In April they are on shallow water structure near baitfish and love Orange and yellow spoons. In May-June use a white Luhr Jehnsen dodger and a yellow spin and glow bouncing the bottom with a lead ball. Lakers LOVE yellow. Whether it's flies, spoons, flashers, or whatever. If you need fish and have big hooks on the bottom put some yellow on the bottom, and you will get lakers.
jimbobber Posted January 24, 2011 Posted January 24, 2011 In the spring ,april til may in close I like to put spoons gold or copper with yellow white or orange on bottom,cus the lakers are keying in on gobies that time of year the rest of the year i like a trash can dodger with a green spin-n-glow on bottom.Bounce the bottom with the ball occasinally also helps.
adrenalin Posted January 24, 2011 Posted January 24, 2011 This is one of Mikes eyeflies, #9 White Glow Eye Ghost, www.eyeflies.com it took a ton of Lakers for us last year.
jimbobber Posted January 24, 2011 Posted January 24, 2011 I am going to try MIkes eyes flies he sent me last year for lakers, I think I may have that one.What color dodger do you run in front of it?
adrenalin Posted January 25, 2011 Posted January 25, 2011 I am going to try MIkes eyes flies he sent me last year for lakers, I think I may have that one.What color dodger do you run in front of it?The white/pearl pro troll flasher.
ChampionShip Posted January 25, 2011 Posted January 25, 2011 Short answer for what I use for lakers.......anything that keeps them OUT of my boat. They seem to fancy lighter shades of green spoons and often anything that looks like or is a hammered copper spoon.
dogfish Posted January 25, 2011 Author Posted January 25, 2011 That's a nice looking laker on the "eye fly". I am new to running dodgers so I have a couple of questions.For those of you who run dodger/peanuts how long of a leader do you run between your dodger and peanut? What do you consider "good action" when looking at the dodger and peanut? Does the distance from the dodger to the release affect the action? If so, how far do people usually run them back from the release? What size of dodger do most people use for this type of application, 8"? Has anyone tried a one color SWR for lakers? This would keep your rigger weight in the no-snag zone and still allow you to fish the bottom 2ft effectively.When running an SWR does anyone have problems with the stacker getting caught on the knot between your main line and leadcore? Thanks in advance!Joseph
Priority1 Posted January 25, 2011 Posted January 25, 2011 Nothing is cast in stone but LJ recommends 20-30 inches. The shorter leads whip the lure around a bit more. We used to run ours about 16-18 inches and go sloooooooooooow 2mph or less.
Priority1 Posted January 25, 2011 Posted January 25, 2011 I'm not sure what you are asking about the SWR and stacker.We used to run an old beat up ball with nothing on it bumping the bottom.8 inch Dodger about 35-50 ft back
adrenalin Posted January 25, 2011 Posted January 25, 2011 That's a nice looking laker on the "eye fly". I am new to running dodgers so I have a couple of questions.For those of you who run dodger/peanuts how long of a leader do you run between your dodger and peanut? What do you consider "good action" when looking at the dodger and peanut? Does the distance from the dodger to the release affect the action? If so, how far do people usually run them back from the release? What size of dodger do most people use for this type of application, 8"? Has anyone tried a one color SWR for lakers? This would keep your rigger weight in the no-snag zone and still allow you to fish the bottom 2ft effectively.When running an SWR does anyone have problems with the stacker getting caught on the knot between your main line and leadcore? Thanks in advance!Joseph24 inch lead from the loop to the front of the spin n glow.The spin n glow has alot of action on it's own.The distance from the dodger to the release will affect the action if it is very close to the ball. I set the dodger about 10feet behind the ball. You want it close so when the ball hits bottom and stures up clay it's right their for the fish.8 inch dodger.I don't use swr's for Lakers because they aren't that "moody" usually.Don't use stackers either.
Line Dancin Posted January 25, 2011 Posted January 25, 2011 The best method for determining the length of the lead between the dodger and bait is three times the length of the dodger you are using. This is a method that was taught back in the late 70s early 80s and has always worked. I cant remember who it was that came up with that. I was like 8 yrs old at the time but remember my dad always doing it that way. I also remember it from a speech at the detroit are steelheaders from when i was a kid and actually payed attention to a speaker. From the cannon ball to the dodger 10 ft was the other part to the success of the dodger peanut/spin n glo /glow squid rig.editthe best dodger we use is a white luhr jensen with lazer tape on both sides and a green glow squid. SHHH dont tell everyone my dads secret rig.
Killin' It Posted January 25, 2011 Posted January 25, 2011 I will be alot next summer around mid day... heck why not:)
SUPERTRAMP Posted January 25, 2011 Posted January 25, 2011 The lakers are Charter boats money fish! I love salmon snobs, if you have ever had a 20# laker on a wire rig you will be amazed at how hard they fight. I will take every one I can get especially at tournament time. They are the winning fish everytime. Quit being such snobs.
Salmon Assassin Posted January 25, 2011 Posted January 25, 2011 A box full of lakers is better than a box full of nothing.... The only time I specifically targeted lakers was in early April last year, after that it was all silver fish. The lakers really loved the moonshine jj mac muffin fly....Mid Day I like to run DEEP and pluck rainbows in the upper water column.
Priority1 Posted January 27, 2011 Posted January 27, 2011 Whoa, people target greasers?Awhile back we won a May tournament out of Harbor Beach by running all the way to Grindstone Port Austin area. We never took a King and targeted the big Lake Trout. Ya do what ya have to do.
jimbobber Posted January 28, 2011 Posted January 28, 2011 I used to be one of those salmon slobs til i smoked a laker last year YUUUUUMMMMYYY! I will not put a 20 to 24 Incher back ever again! The bigger ones are great for tourneys or a nice picture but then they go back to make more! jimbobber
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