08-14-2008, 12:40 PM
Just since last week the ramp with two docks was closed due to low water. The ramp with the single long dock and two lanes is still open but one of those lanes is pretty muddy. The good news is the kids are going back to school now and there should be fewer lake lice to deal with.
I was on the water at 0600, and back to the ramp at 1100 to beat the crowd at the single ramp - and to avoid the afternoon lice infestation!
A feisty six pounder hit about 0800 at 30' on the Pro-Troll RotoChip lure with an anchovy attached. He put up a grand fight; I couldn't keep him on the right side of the boat, and struggled to keep him away from the other downrigger which still had a line attached. He insisted on staying deep and getting him up that last few feet was a real chore. But after about 10 minutes or so, I had him netted. He was a male, full of milt and made quit a mess in the boat.
The next striper hit about 0930, again on rolled anchovy in a RotoChip. He also put up a good fight, but I had him in the box in less time than the first. He weighed in at five pounds and I had a total of 11 pounds in the box.
Photos on my homepage: [url "http://www.fishwisher.com/"]http://www.fishwisher.com[/url]
I met Wacky D as we prepared the boats to go home and he reported seeing boils upriver. I assume the fish are in the main lake this time of year, but I guess not! He and his friend had (I think) three stripers in the boat.
I fish Hogan with my kokanee rods which are very light. They make for real sporting fights from the Hogan stripers, most of which average around four to five pounds. Those kokanee rods bend very well and that works best with downriggers. Because of the deep bend, they snap up line quickly when a fish hits, and that takes up more of the slack line which is inherent in fishing with a downrigger.
With the ramp closure and essentially one lane to launch from for now, I may be done for awhile at Hogan. I'm due for some bait fishing - and it's a lot easier. Just sitting at anchor is a wonderful change from the busy-ness of trolling with two manual downriggers. I think I'm due for some lazy, kicked back, bait slinging...
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I was on the water at 0600, and back to the ramp at 1100 to beat the crowd at the single ramp - and to avoid the afternoon lice infestation!
A feisty six pounder hit about 0800 at 30' on the Pro-Troll RotoChip lure with an anchovy attached. He put up a grand fight; I couldn't keep him on the right side of the boat, and struggled to keep him away from the other downrigger which still had a line attached. He insisted on staying deep and getting him up that last few feet was a real chore. But after about 10 minutes or so, I had him netted. He was a male, full of milt and made quit a mess in the boat.
The next striper hit about 0930, again on rolled anchovy in a RotoChip. He also put up a good fight, but I had him in the box in less time than the first. He weighed in at five pounds and I had a total of 11 pounds in the box.
Photos on my homepage: [url "http://www.fishwisher.com/"]http://www.fishwisher.com[/url]
I met Wacky D as we prepared the boats to go home and he reported seeing boils upriver. I assume the fish are in the main lake this time of year, but I guess not! He and his friend had (I think) three stripers in the boat.
I fish Hogan with my kokanee rods which are very light. They make for real sporting fights from the Hogan stripers, most of which average around four to five pounds. Those kokanee rods bend very well and that works best with downriggers. Because of the deep bend, they snap up line quickly when a fish hits, and that takes up more of the slack line which is inherent in fishing with a downrigger.
With the ramp closure and essentially one lane to launch from for now, I may be done for awhile at Hogan. I'm due for some bait fishing - and it's a lot easier. Just sitting at anchor is a wonderful change from the busy-ness of trolling with two manual downriggers. I think I'm due for some lazy, kicked back, bait slinging...
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