?'s after fishing for a few months

[sslopok]

This is my first year salmon/trout fishing on my own boat. I fish Lake Huron. Right now I only have 2 electric big jons and 2 braid dipsy diver rods, so I have a small setup. Wanted to start out small to get comfortable before I started to run a larger spread.

Question 1. I want to add 2 more diver rods. Should I do 2 more braid or wire?

Question 2. I ran free sliders off my riggers for the first time yesterday. Want to make sure I did it right. I set the mainline like I normally do then clipped on the snap swivel with a 6 foot leader and then let it slide down the mainline. Pretty sure I had a few bites on the sliders because the pole tip would shake, but when I grabbed it noone was home.

Question 3. Do Lake huron guys use paddle/sd's and flies or just clean spoons?

I have had a blast learning/fishing the big water so far. Only been skunked once so far in 6 trips. I have learned a boatload from this site. Thanks guys!

Lake trout 3

King salmon 2

Coho salmon 2

Steelhead 5

[Just Hook'n]

These are all opinions of course, but here are my answers/suggestions.

1. I love my wire divers. If I had the choice, I would personally run wire vs. braid.

2. What you ran is a "free" slider. It finds its normal resting point in the bow of your line. They can be affective. When a fish hits on the slider, you have to reel like a mad man to catch the slider up to the main line.

3. not sure - but I'm betting you will get some answers from guys over there.

Glad you are enjoying the site and getting out there.

GREAT to hear there are fish returning to Lake Huron.

[Line Dancin]

1 i like wire for deeper presentations and braid for shallower

2 like mark said you can half hith a rubber band and pass your line and swivel through it then clip to your main line and set it where you want it

3. yes they do i have a few friends that use paddles spin doctors and dodgers over there.

[jimcr]

I will 2nd the wire , and for the braid early and shallow then it gets put away.

I would much rather run a couple of boards than run sliders.

[Paulywood]

Brandon, if you are going to add more diver rods I would definitely go with wire. Personally, I would go with board rods, either leadcore or copper. They are a little more versatile than divers, they can be run farther away from the boat and can be very effective after the sun comes up. Also, with a smaller boat it's easier to run board rods than 4 diver rods. The sliders are correct as free sliders.

[Reel Screwd]

Brandon, if you are going to add more diver rods I would definitely go with wire. Personally, I would go with board rods, either leadcore or copper. They are a little more versatile than divers, they can be run farther away from the boat and can be very effective after the sun comes up. Also, with a smaller boat it's easier to run board rods than 4 diver rods. The sliders are correct as free sliders.

I would suggest copper or leadcore for additional rods as stated above

on the sliders i love the elberta clippers, they have a free and a fixed slider and they work great .

[jimbobber]

in michigan sliders are free bees dont count as lines in the water we catch lots of fish on free sliders.

I love my wire dipseys for deep divers and run braid for the highs.

[Turfwrench]

As you know Pt Sanilac is where I do the majority of my fishing. Spoons rule these waters. Running sliders either free or fixed should always be on your rigger lines. We have boxed a lot of fish on them. You may want to consider using single hooks on your spoons. You must keep them real sharp. Our hook-up and catch ratio went way up after switching over to the singles. Never really had a lot of success running paddles/dodgers, etc out there unless targeting lakers near the bottom but found running mag spoons in their place near the bottom will get the lakers.

Yes on the wire divers, I run 2 and they have accounted for plenty of fish in the box. Braid has a disadvantage here as the sea fleas stick to it an can be a real pain, and the fleas do get bad out there at times.

Running highlines either off inline boards or big boards should always be considered. These lines have taken plenty of steelhead, walleyes, and an occasional atlantic. Usually I run my highlines with a 3 way swivel - running a diving body bait off a shorter lead and a spoon trailing behind the diver on a longer lead. A deadly tactic.

Keep in touch, the fishing is still good and anticipating it getting even better!

[marty59]

.....Usually I run my highlines with a 3 way swivel - running a diving body bait off a shorter lead and a spoon trailing behind the diver on a longer lead. A deadly tactic.

Keep in touch, the fishing is still good and anticipating it getting even better!

Could you explain this a little more. I am having a hard time visualizing this setup... could be I'm just a dumb newbe!!!

Marty

[Turfwrench]

Ok, the easiest way to describe it:

to a 3 way swivel attach one of the 3 rings to the main line

on another ring attach 2-4' piece of mono and then attach diving bait to this short line

on the last ring attach a 6-8' piece of mono and attach a spoon

lower the body bait in the water and it will start to dive, then toss out the spoon. The body bait will dive down to depth pulling the spoon down with it. So in the water the body bait will be running a bit deeper and in front of the spoon, the spoon will be fluttering up a bit higher than the body bait and further back.....most fish will hit the trailing spoon.

[marty59]

Now I got it. Some days are harder than others!

Thanks

m

[snowfish]

Ok, the easiest way to describe it:

to a 3 way swivel attach one of the 3 rings to the main line

on another ring attach 2-4' piece of mono and then attach diving bait to this short line

on the last ring attach a 6-8' piece of mono and attach a spoon

lower the body bait in the water and it will start to dive, then toss out the spoon. The body bait will dive down to depth pulling the spoon down with it. So in the water the body bait will be running a bit deeper and in front of the spoon, the spoon will be fluttering up a bit higher than the body bait and further back.....most fish will hit the trailing spoon.

Great set up for walleye on sag. bay also:D

[Blaze]

Thank you for this great tip....I would never of though of it.

I have to try this one out soon!

Have you ever tried this with a J-plug, or are you referring to rapala's, reef runners, and thunder stick type body baits?

Next question is when you refer to high lines, i know you are referring to the higher lines in the water, but could this apply to dipsies, and leadcore and copper?

I am relatively new to salmon fishing as well, 5 or 6 years now, but this is a great tip in my opinion, something I have never heard of anyone doing.

Thanks Again!