Time to dig this one up...
I was just wondering if anyone has had any consistent luck with anything other than pop gear at or near the top of the water column. I think it was Mike that talked about using a kokanee sized dodger? And what about deeper trolling, there are some big boys in there are they deep or up around the thermocline? I am planning to hit this pretty hard for awhile so any help would be greatly appreciated.

try the mouth of junita bay at about 70 ft. I like to use small dodgers and really small hoochtis in white or green. 1 inch to 1/2 inch. I also meet a guy who was having good luck with spoons. always use scent on the dodgers, tom

I'd suggest sending Carl, moniker "Easy Limits" a message or email. From past posts, it seemed like he hit the big lake a lot, and usually had some success.

For myself, I'd suggest using a coyote spoon... That IS what that big 15 lber was caught on last year wasnt it?

Curtis

Tom... Thanks for the heads up...I'll give it a shot.
Curtis...I'm hoping he will read this and respond. As for the 15 lb one caught last year I don't remember what depth he was trolling and where in the water column he was, I do believe it was a 3.5 or 4 rainbow coyote( I think). Seems like you could use a regular salmon set up at that point? I know very little about trout other than Mineral lake and Koks in Riffe, Mayfield, and Taidnapaum...
I gots lots a learnin to do...

Check the archives for last year's monster cutt caught by Sok. It was a coyote spoon trolled deep - I think 70 feet or so.

Big Cutt time is almost here!

Right around the beggining of May till about the second week the big lake will be red hot for big cutts around the I-90 bridge.

The smolt flush out of the Cedar heading north to the locks. The whole lake literally boils with smolt. Those big cutts ambush the smolt under the bridge(s). During this time of year is about the only time you can limit out fairly easy on cutthroat all over 20".

I can't wait!

Hey easy, what is your prefferd method for the big cut's. I have been out to the I-90 bridge a time or two with no sucess. Was thinking about going out there pretty soon but getting tired of coming up empty handed. It is frustrating living so close to the lake and never catching any cutthroat out of it, all we ever get is smallmouth and perch.

I don't fish it much but seem to nail fish each time I head out. I run small spoons like a dick nite (they seem to like silver) off the DR. Let out some line between the release clip and the lure, apx 50-60 feet. give it a slow troll with a zig zag pattern. Works for me.

I usually run pop gear, wedding ring, and a worm right on the surface. I do put 2oz of lead in front of the pop gear just to keep it below the surface. The smolt are on the surface and so should your lure/bait.

Easy,
If you are running a pop gear plus 2 ounces and keeping it near the surface, how fast are you trolling? I have tried several set ups and found a dick nite (silver with a red head) to work ok of the rigger, but would love to hear more about the pop gear worm set up (what type of pop gear, how far back an what trolling speed.)

thanks

I troll at 1.5 MPH. I use willow leaf pop gear. I also use silver bladed w/ red bodied wedding rings that have two single hooks to hold the worm on. I put out 20 spins of the reel handle for line. I know, not an exact science but it works.

One other thing about using the DR w/ just a small spoon is that there is nothing between you and the fish. You will normally find them in the upper 25 ft of water. The other thing I do and don't know if it makes that much difference is a 4-6 ft florocarbon leader.

Here some pix of last years cutthroat fishing.



Something to look forward to.

Hey Easy I just noticed that you are a carcass now, I was gonna see if you wanted to go fishing again, but I have to wonder about the smell

If you are up-boat from me you won't smell anything.

Those are some nice fish

Nailed a 17" 1lb9oz 'bow today, Sure smmells good on the barbie right now
Easy her stomacch had 3 full little "sardines" in it, I am assuming they are smolts?

JD, would you mind telling the class what area of the lake you caught her.

SE corner of poverty rock just north of the hump between the old mill in Newcastle and the little park on the rock