Trolling deeeep

[Troutbeck]

Okay, without using downriggers, what's the best way to troll really deep for lakers. We fish a lake in Canada (Dog Lake near Wawa) and mark tons of fish at 50 - 70 feet. We assume they're lakers.

So, do I use dipseys, leadcore, in-line sinkers, all the above? How about flashers to attract attention--with a spoon? What would you do?
Thanks guys,

Trout

[Gumbo]

I've been experimenting with using walleye-style 3-way rigs for macs. A dropper to a big wad of lead (4-8 oz) with the trailing line holding an oversized blade, big beads, and trailing a frozen chub. You can move slow, but still cover water. Then if you find concentrations of fish, you can jig of keep pulling through them.

[Gilligan]

Not a laker fisherman but catch some by accident on the deep end of Erie. Most come off the large dipsies with leads in the 150' area. Drop your speed to about 1.5 for a short time and you can bounce bottom at 75'. 10 colors of lead will get you at 50-60', add a snap weight to that or a deep diver. I've never fished wire but been told that is an effective way to target them also.

[fishinnut]

I have had good success using snap-weights with 6-8 ounces of lead. Blue/silver rapalas or sutton spoons. You would think bouncing bottom with that much weight would release the snap weight but I've never had that problem. Those fish you are seeing could be whitefish.

[sacdjh]

Simplest/best way is to purchase a Scotty "Lake Troller" downrigger. This little rig is small, light, totally portable; comes in many mounting styles (clamp, oar lock, etc.). It's made in Canada, so you can purchase it up there for minimal cost - little more than 2X what you'd pay for a good lead core setup. Use this with 4-5# lead ball. As I remember, it comes with a Scotty "pin" release, which works OK. Using this setup, you could easily troll at +/- 70 feet, much more precisely than with lead core, divers, etc. I used to carry one of these and a one man inflatable raft when I backpacked into Sierra Lakes. I could troll at 40-50 feet while rowing that little raft (even carried a small Bottom Line Fish Finder and two 6 volt batteries).. what you'll do when you're young - caught alot of trout that way though!...

[Little Fish]

I fished this lake about 30 years ago. We jigged with hand lines, baited the jigs with sucker strips. The jigs were probably 3 - 4 oz. Caught all the trout that the camp (12 people) could eat for a week and brought some home too.

[Smokin Al]

I like using the three-way with 5 oz. on about a 12" dropper. Very good using Rapala's, Rouges and Thundersticks about 6ft back from the three-way. Have also used leadcore with good results but lot's better feel with 10lb fireline going down to the three-way.

One more thing that really works good. Get some 1 1/2 oz. white Roadrunner jigs with the little blade attached. Put a blue & white skirt (like the ones on spinnerbaits) on it. Then add about a 5" white twister tail. Go out and find a 40' flat with all that deep water around it. Once you get the jig to the bottom reel it up about 10-15' as fast as you can, stall it and free spool it back down. What you are imitating is a dying baitfish that the Lakers feed on. If the lakers arn't up on the flat start trolling the edge and working deeper until you find them.

[Ohio fisherman]

Hi Troutbeck: I am going to that same lake in June. Where do you stay when you fish that lake? Please tell me about the fishing there. Do you see many other fishermen? Thanks, Ohio fisherman