Brook Trout pond patterns: favorites

[mikevalla]

When you streamer fish for salmon, do you use sinking, sink-tip or floating line? I know the full sinking is supposed to be most effective for trolling but would be kinda difficult for cast and retrieve right?

It depends whether if wading and casting---or float tubing and casting.

>If I'm out on a gravel bar---on Cayuga lake, I've used "shooting" heads were introduced to me by a Prof. at Cornell who was a west coast steelheader transplant.
They are self-made---and nothing fancy. Cut a section of level line (sinking) and attach to "running line"--black mono. stuff. He showed me how to handle it. No issues casting. However---if the landlocks are right on the surface, in early spring, I've used a level floating line section, shooting head style.

>Canoe trolling: Sink tip line.

>Float Tube: Sink tips, often floating lines, too.

By the way...I just purchased a new float tube--Fish Cat Deluxe-4. My old Caddis brand, simple round doughnut tube that served me well---and is over 25 years old, is being mothballed. I used that float tube on every kind of water---bass ponds to brookie ponds, to big lakes like Cayuga.

Time for an upgrade. Will take it into the ponds...To not disappoint our Corlay, I got the red one.

.

[northcountryman]

Thanks for the info, BTW, how much does that puppy weigh, humpin it on your back like that??

[mikevalla]

That one weighs 10 lbs.

I had ordered, last year, a back pack, light weight 6- lb. Fish Cat from Kaufmann's last year. Very pricey. Then, I got a notice that they went bankrupt---and I never received it.

My new Fish Cat-4 model is a bit heavier---but I'll just pace myself.

[SgtMajUSMC]

Mike,

You've re-kindled fond memories! I've also fished many of those spots, throwing streamers in brutal conditions. Seemed like a cold wind with a stiff wind blowing toward the shore you were fishing from really stirred up the fish. Good teaser from your book, too!

Milliken Station was always a good spot, and some other points on the west side.

I recall taking two nice landlocks and a big lake trout one afternoon, then I hooked a big fish that just sounded, slowly taking line, deeper and deeper. I could feel him shaing his head, then slack. The barbless hook must have just fallen out. It's always the ones you never see that not only keep you guessing, but coming back.

Speaking of summer dry fly fishing, how about the Skaneateles Lake brown drake hatch? I've only fished that twice, from a float tube. Very neat experience. Strange to see landlocks, big rainbows, smallmouths, bullheads, and panfish rising to the big flies.

Lots of great fishing in NY State.

Best,

Tim

[major257]

Mike,

Don't you have a Hornbeck to carry into those remote ADK ponds?

That is the way I fish most of them.

Matt

[mikevalla]

Matt:

We talked about Hornbeck brand canoes very recently on another recent topic thread:

>>Check topic thread-: Summer fishing: Adirondack ponds

-I don't own a Hornbeck brand (yet), but have access to one; My friend Bill (who caught the new record brookie) offered it to me--a few years ago.

(-There's a well "hidden" stash of other types of water craft, up on the ponds, too---in the woods )

[major257]

I carry mine in the first trip to a pond and if I find a boat in there it doesn't go back in but most ponds under 2 miles I still carry it in.

You know once you get comfortable fishing out of something it is hard to switch back.

Pete and Simon are nice guys to deal with. They both are avid fly guys. I have 3 boats now so I can do family trips.

Let me know in the spring and we can do a few trips. I can't wait to be home and fishing. Not much fishing here in Afghanistan.