Rainy Day Salmon 7/2
- Dilly Worm
- Posts: 277
- Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2019 9:22 pm
- Species: target salmon & catch togue
Rainy Day Salmon 7/2
I took the rowboat out Sunday for a rainy day of solo trolling. Surprised to see not a single trailer or vehicle at Ft Cassin at 8 AM, and hardly saw any other boats in 6 hours on the water around Town Farm Bay.
Didn't get off to the best start when the portable Lowrance sonar wouldn't turn on (it's fixed now, but not repairable in the rain and without the right tools). But in this day and age we can always rely on our cell phones for everything, so I went to plan B and used Navionics on the smartphone to navigate w/ the depth contours and avoided going too shallow - didn't snag a single lure on the lakebottom, so that was a success in itself
Went 5/5 with 2 lakers followed by 3 salmon which makes for a very good day of coldwater fishing by rowboat standards. I'd started trolling 2 lines of leadcore with 8 colors each based on the FishHawk TD finding 55 degrees 40 ft down, but fish #1 was a 9 lb laker so I went to 4 and 6 colors to target salmon. Another laker, maybe 5 lbs, came on 4 colors, then 15 minutes later the first salmon hit the moment the inline planer board was attached - took a minute to figure out why the board went under water right after it was clipped on the line ! The next salmon make a few huge leaps but stayed hooked. So far all fish came on a CI Split Rock while various lures on the other line did nothing. Finally I put on a CI SMG since the fish clearly preferred gold/copper Crazy Ivans, and a few minutes later salmon #3 was in the boat.
After 13 miles of rowing and a bit of reeling in, hands were starting to cramp trying to unhook the last fish, so it was time to head back and call it a good day. A couple soggy photos:
Didn't get off to the best start when the portable Lowrance sonar wouldn't turn on (it's fixed now, but not repairable in the rain and without the right tools). But in this day and age we can always rely on our cell phones for everything, so I went to plan B and used Navionics on the smartphone to navigate w/ the depth contours and avoided going too shallow - didn't snag a single lure on the lakebottom, so that was a success in itself
Went 5/5 with 2 lakers followed by 3 salmon which makes for a very good day of coldwater fishing by rowboat standards. I'd started trolling 2 lines of leadcore with 8 colors each based on the FishHawk TD finding 55 degrees 40 ft down, but fish #1 was a 9 lb laker so I went to 4 and 6 colors to target salmon. Another laker, maybe 5 lbs, came on 4 colors, then 15 minutes later the first salmon hit the moment the inline planer board was attached - took a minute to figure out why the board went under water right after it was clipped on the line ! The next salmon make a few huge leaps but stayed hooked. So far all fish came on a CI Split Rock while various lures on the other line did nothing. Finally I put on a CI SMG since the fish clearly preferred gold/copper Crazy Ivans, and a few minutes later salmon #3 was in the boat.
After 13 miles of rowing and a bit of reeling in, hands were starting to cramp trying to unhook the last fish, so it was time to head back and call it a good day. A couple soggy photos:
I do not exaggerate when I talk about fishing - I underestimate, like I say "just one more cast honey, then I'll come home" !
Keep Calm and... Fish On !
Keep Calm and... Fish On !
Re: Rainy Day Salmon 7/2
Outstanding didn’t really need all the downriggers, and gadgets
Re: Rainy Day Salmon 7/2
You are a MACHINE!! Between the rain and rowing you more than earned your catch
Re: Rainy Day Salmon 7/2
That’s a great day of fishing! Out in the rain in a rowboat brings back lots of memories
- raz
- Site Admin
- Posts: 4299
- Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 6:02 am
- Species: Coldwater fishes!!!
- Location: LAKE CHAMPLAIN UNITED!
Re: Rainy Day Salmon 7/2
That''s just gotta be fun.
Very cool and a couple of nice silvers!
Very cool and a couple of nice silvers!
Catch and serve with lemon.
Gerry
Gerry
Re: Rainy Day Salmon 7/2
Your post kind of reminds me of Fishy1. Low tech + perseverance with good results.
Way to go!
Tom
Way to go!
Tom
Tom
"Tyee, Too"
18' Lund
"Tyee, Too"
18' Lund
- Reelax
- Site Admin
- Posts: 5792
- Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 7:27 pm
- Species: Salmon, steelhead, brown trout
- Location: Fletcher, Vt
Re: Rainy Day Salmon 7/2
Amazing effort and results. Just think of all the gas you saved!! Thanks for the looks…
Matt B
- Dilly Worm
- Posts: 277
- Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2019 9:22 pm
- Species: target salmon & catch togue
Re: Rainy Day Salmon 7/2
thanks for the nice replies, guys.
There's nothing like the solitude of a rainy day on the water under your own power. At least its a good workout on those days of getting skunked... but when the peace and quiet is interrupted by the clicker on the drag buzzing, its a great bonus.
Happy 4th of July everyone !
There's nothing like the solitude of a rainy day on the water under your own power. At least its a good workout on those days of getting skunked... but when the peace and quiet is interrupted by the clicker on the drag buzzing, its a great bonus.
Happy 4th of July everyone !
I do not exaggerate when I talk about fishing - I underestimate, like I say "just one more cast honey, then I'll come home" !
Keep Calm and... Fish On !
Keep Calm and... Fish On !
-
- Posts: 4477
- Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2011 12:26 pm
- Species: whatever crazy enough to bite
Re: Rainy Day Salmon 7/2
Nice report.
Rowing 13 miles is a full workout on a kayak, specially on a rainy day.
You got rewarded with some nice catches.
Rowing 13 miles is a full workout on a kayak, specially on a rainy day.
You got rewarded with some nice catches.
Gecha (Gerry North of the Border)
- Bearcat
- Posts: 374
- Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2015 6:31 pm
- Species: cold water!
- Location: RensselaerVILLE, Westport
Re: Rainy Day Salmon 7/2
Crazy that you could fish leadcore all day without MAJOR flea issues! Seems they’re becoming a real problem lately and leadcore is brutal when they are in thick.
- Dilly Worm
- Posts: 277
- Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2019 9:22 pm
- Species: target salmon & catch togue
Re: Rainy Day Salmon 7/2
I use the Sufix 27 lb performance leadcore. Fleas were noticeable but didn't make reeling in impossible.
When I was in the other boat and using downriggers earlier last month, reeling in was not even possible without cutting them off. Am putting on the 40-lb mono for the riggers, but leadcore seems to work fine until the fish get too deep to reach with it in August...
I do not exaggerate when I talk about fishing - I underestimate, like I say "just one more cast honey, then I'll come home" !
Keep Calm and... Fish On !
Keep Calm and... Fish On !
- raz
- Site Admin
- Posts: 4299
- Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 6:02 am
- Species: Coldwater fishes!!!
- Location: LAKE CHAMPLAIN UNITED!
Re: Rainy Day Salmon 7/2
I've used lead core on riggers before. It's quite stealthy as the line sinks below the ball. Loop a rubber band around the lead core and attach your release to the rubber band. Voila! give it a try...Dilly Worm wrote: ↑Fri Jul 07, 2023 9:28 amI use the Sufix 27 lb performance leadcore. Fleas were noticeable but didn't make reeling in impossible.
When I was in the other boat and using downriggers earlier last month, reeling in was not even possible without cutting them off. Am putting on the 40-lb mono for the riggers, but leadcore seems to work fine until the fish get too deep to reach with it in August...
Catch and serve with lemon.
Gerry
Gerry