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Old 10-01-2017, 10:19 AM
SNAPFisher SNAPFisher is offline
 
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Default Sylvan whites

Met up with a buddy yesterday at Sylvan. First two at the launch...too bad the weather started off bad and really didn't get much better. Fished for 2-3 hours and nothing... tough day. Couldn't really see fish in the shallows either due to the cloud cover.

Finally went to the West side where the wind was coming from. Switched hooks and first cast...fish! 2nd cast, fish! Repeat many times.

Nice fall colors




Whitefish burgers in the fall. MMM mmmmm good!


Might get out one more time in Oct...but rivers are calling too.
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Old 10-01-2017, 04:12 PM
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iYearn iYearn is offline
 
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Those are awesome Sylvan whites.

Do you think your sudden improvement in results was due to moving spots, being able to see the fish (assuming you could on the West side) or the change up in hooks?
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Old 10-01-2017, 07:32 PM
pikeman06 pikeman06 is offline
 
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You trolling or stripping or what? Still fishing with indicators or small bobbers gets me bites but the hooking percentage is dismal especially without bait. Good job on the whites. I don't fish sylvan just buck battle and gull for whites and sight fishing is out of the question there but they still don't like vertical under the boat. Get bites away from the boat and the odd fish but good hook sets are few and far between with wire worms.
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Old 10-02-2017, 08:42 AM
SNAPFisher SNAPFisher is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iYearn View Post
Those are awesome Sylvan whites.

Do you think your sudden improvement in results was due to moving spots, being able to see the fish (assuming you could on the West side) or the change up in hooks?
Moving spots for sure was the start but got nothing until I changed over to a silver chironomid. SJW and other chironomids did absolutely nothing in the same spot until I changed hooks. And then it was game on
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Old 10-02-2017, 08:43 AM
SNAPFisher SNAPFisher is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pikeman06 View Post
You trolling or stripping or what? Still fishing with indicators or small bobbers gets me bites but the hooking percentage is dismal especially without bait. Good job on the whites. I don't fish sylvan just buck battle and gull for whites and sight fishing is out of the question there but they still don't like vertical under the boat. Get bites away from the boat and the odd fish but good hook sets are few and far between with wire worms.
Fly fishing with an indicator. Since we were one the quiet side I was stripping every once in awhile. It was usually after a strip that I got a hit,
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Old 10-03-2017, 06:15 PM
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jkind jkind is offline
 
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I caught a few at the north end using SJW under an indicator from the kayak. Took a limit home for my Stepmother.
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2022

Pike 25
Walleye 5
Lake Whitefish 6
Suckers 1
Lake Trout 22
Tiger Trout 5
Rainbow Trout 26


20 days fished
18 days fished from my Hobie
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Old 10-10-2017, 04:59 PM
slingshotz slingshotz is offline
 
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Went out yesterday, first time ever at Sylvan not ice fishing so didn't venture far with the pontoon. Was really surprised how shallow it stayed even really far out from shore. Luckily it didn't get too windy in the afternoon but it got choppy enough where I couldn't sight fish for them anymore, but at least the choppy water helped "jig" the flies.

First started with a red SJW and green chironomid without any interest. Saw a few whites cruising in 4-8 fow so I knew they were there. Once I changed up to a copper wire worm and a copper bead head red/black nymph they started biting. Probably a 30/70 split between ones taking the bottom wire worm and the higher bead head.

Had the entire lake to myself as far as I could see
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Old 10-11-2017, 08:27 AM
SNAPFisher SNAPFisher is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by slingshotz View Post
Went out yesterday, first time ever at Sylvan not ice fishing so didn't venture far with the pontoon. Was really surprised how shallow it stayed even really far out from shore. Luckily it didn't get too windy in the afternoon but it got choppy enough where I couldn't sight fish for them anymore, but at least the choppy water helped "jig" the flies.

First started with a red SJW and green chironomid without any interest. Saw a few whites cruising in 4-8 fow so I knew they were there. Once I changed up to a copper wire worm and a copper bead head red/black nymph they started biting. Probably a 30/70 split between ones taking the bottom wire worm and the higher bead head.

Had the entire lake to myself as far as I could see
Nicely done!!
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Old 10-11-2017, 11:58 AM
SNAPFisher SNAPFisher is offline
 
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Changing topics a bit from Sylvan, I went out to Pigeon on Monday. Nice and calm and a great morning to be out. The idea was to find some whites, hopefully in the shallows. After checking quite a bit of shoreline...nothing, nada...
So much unlike Sylvan. I thought I would at least spook one fish. The only fish I saw was a medium sized pike. There was no surface activity either. Lots of nasty green stuff floating around depending on the wind direction. Generally I stuck to the South side since that is the direction of the wind and the cleaner water. I ended up chucking a streamer and full sink line to catch a few walleye before leaving in early afternoon.
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Old 10-11-2017, 01:17 PM
calgarygringo calgarygringo is online now
 
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I bet the old Mcgregor dam whitefish run is now heading north. Nice haul.

Planning on a south run to my honey hole soon too.

Quote:
Originally Posted by slingshotz View Post
Went out yesterday, first time ever at Sylvan not ice fishing so didn't venture far with the pontoon. Was really surprised how shallow it stayed even really far out from shore. Luckily it didn't get too windy in the afternoon but it got choppy enough where I couldn't sight fish for them anymore, but at least the choppy water helped "jig" the flies.

First started with a red SJW and green chironomid without any interest. Saw a few whites cruising in 4-8 fow so I knew they were there. Once I changed up to a copper wire worm and a copper bead head red/black nymph they started biting. Probably a 30/70 split between ones taking the bottom wire worm and the higher bead head.

Had the entire lake to myself as far as I could see
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Old 10-11-2017, 07:36 PM
pikeman06 pikeman06 is offline
 
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We got whites at battle this time last year snap. They were over deep water but surfacing even in the chop. If you strike out at pigeon giver a try. Double shrimp on a floating line long leader strip and pause. North half of lake. Too busy myself but someone should sting a few on my behalf.
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Old 10-11-2017, 11:27 PM
slingshotz slingshotz is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by calgarygringo View Post
I bet the old Mcgregor dam whitefish run is now heading north. Nice haul.

Planning on a south run to my honey hole soon too.
Yeah I was thinking of giving McGregor a shot before the ice as well but I have no idea if similar tactics will work there since the whites are so much larger compared to Sylvan. I'm also a little more wary with going out on a pontoon on that lake due to the abrupt wind changes that can happen.

I have quite a bit of experience now with first ice and know the whites come in shallow in Nov, but anyone ever spot whites in the shallower areas at McGregor in Oct before the ice comes?
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