Summer cottage

[tbone1088]

Probably a weird time to bring this up but I'm pretty excited and wanted to post. Me and my family are renting a cottage for a week on Skootamatta, it's going to be awesome! We have not done a cottage trip in 3 years and we all miss it so much. We are going july 12-18 and I am already started my fishing recon... you have to be thorough u know... and obsessive doesn't hurt either lol Already found two good maps, and the fishing there is supposedly very good. We will have one bigger boat with gas motor, no trolling motor. Then a smaller tinnie with trolling motor.I would like to see if anyone has tackled this lake before and has some good advice. Can't wait to go... SUMMERS A COMING BOYS!!!

[flewdogg]

Staring out my office window looking at a -25 degree day... Your optimism is much appreciated! I have a fishing/camping weekend booked in June and I'm like you, already counting the days. Only 90-120 days to open water season!!!

[tbone1088]

lolz ya this is going to be a long winter. Doesnt' help that I still haven't gone ice fishing yet...that eases the pain a wee bit

[tbone1088]

Anyone have some tips for this lake? If not how about tips for fishing in a boat with no trolling motor? Feel like I could be more successful in the boat, make less noise and kill the motor further away from the good looking spots.

[fishin mission]

Skootamatta Lake is a Dam Controlled Oligotrophic Lake, with fairly low nutrient levels. Water levels will fluctuate from spring to summer. its Located in the Addington Highlands 1.5 hour North of Bellivelle it is the head water of the Skootamatta River. The lake has easy access from three boat launches. The Skootamatta Rate payers association maintains the lot near the Hwy. if your going to park there please pay the 5.00$ launching fee to help support such great access to the lake. It is dotted with highend homes, modern and rustic cottages. boat traffic is minimal when the weather is cold. The lake has Deep Open water in the North arm and its main basin is also over 100 feet deep. the south end near the dam and south of big island is very shallow. This is primarily a Walleye, SM Bass and Northern Pike fishery.Perch Rockbass and Pumkinseed are available. There are other opportunities for Rainbow smelt and burbut as well as Sucker. it is a cold water lake so it wont be as productive for Largemouth bass. The Pelagic fishes in this lake can however contribute to healthy sized game fish. As an Oligotropic lake fish will relate mainly to rock and sparse edges and over the tops of the most prolific weedbeedbeds. pay attention to main lake points, mid-lake humps or shoals,exposed rock out crops as well as boulder Fields. Lower water temperatures from surface to the lower strata near the thermic line will hold most of the schooling Bass or Walleye if they are suspended in the main lake. Pike can be found here as well but of course these fish are accessible only to people with electronics and trolling gear to get to these depths of 20,30 to 60 feet. Jigging tubes,Bucktails,grubs or live minnows,leehes or worms produce very well on this lake. fish are exposed to alot of diffrent presentations due to its easy access by anglers throughout the open water and hard water seasons. Trolling throughout the lake is also effective. use large deep diving cranks and stickbaits or rattlebaits, use inline spinners or bottom bouncers tipped with worms,leeches or minnows. Casting cranks slash baits and jerkbaits are also effective of course for active fish in 10-15 feet of water. I have fished this lake during some of the toughest times of year, usually in May,September and October with little success. these months being the most difficult times of year when conditions are in transition and are unstable. Fishing on this lake should be good from May through early September. for Bass,Walleye and Pike. Accommodations can be found at one of the local resorts or at Bon Echo Park north of the lake. Belliville and Hwy Seven has access to hotels also. Review the maps for key fishing locations and narrow down the spots you think to be productive.

[Fishoholic]

Damn Dano, good info.

Hey Tbone, don't be shy to troll with the gas motor either, especially if fishing deeper. Gas motors don't scare off fish as much as people think, especially pike. I have caught all kinds of fish trolling with gas motors. We've had awesome days trolling for specs with a 20 horse motor (although I'd prefer a trolling motor for shallow trout). Don't let the gas motor limit you to no trolling because some days when I have both the gas motor or trolling i do better trolling with the gas one (Shirley's comes to mind as one of these spots I do really well with gas motor for everything, bass, pike, eyes/saugers, cats etc etc).

[tbone1088]

I have never tried trolling for pike with the gas motor, that sounds like a good idea. What kind of baits do you troll this way?

Thanks for the info mission, but I beat you to the punch; I have the map you got all the info from Do you know if walleye are worth chasing on this lake, I have read mixed reviews about the pic fishing there.

[campnfish]

Nothing wrong with setting up a drift either if you prefer to keep the engine off.

I drift in my tinny and use a paddle to make small course corrections. Personally I prefer the drift as its quiet (for my sanity) and I can hit interesting shoals / structure / weed beds as I slowly move by, or troll a bit if the breeze picks up.

That said, it IS nice to have an electric motor to keep the boat going where you want. Easy to flick on and off, no firing up the engine every time you want to move etc..

I don't think they're that expensive for a simple model (used) - $100? Might be worth looking into

[Super]

We fished it 2 years ago.
It is supposed to be a good walleye lake but we did not have much success with them fishing from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.
The smallmouth are where you would think they should be. Drifting with the wind pushing you past rocky points and reefs should keep you busy with lots of fish. Crank baits were the key for us.
Start getting excited, it is a very interesting lake.
David

[Fishoholic]

Spoons, cranks, spinners, anything that requires movement really. My go to are a little bigger flashy spoons (favorite is 2 toned gold) or jointed rapalas. I have caught pike trolling the yellow with red diamonds Len Thompson spoon going over 10km/hr just fooling around in Appleton.

[tbone1088]

thanks so much for the inside info, I love this site never get these kind of tidbits anywhere else but fish-hawk keep up the good work guys.
Couple follow ups for fishoholic and super:
-Is there large pike in skootamatta worth chasing
-Does the speed trolling with a gas motor work on clear oli lakes? I don't fish lakes often, and when I have it seems the fish spook very easily.

[Fishoholic]

Hey Tbone. I've never fished that lake in particular so couldn't tell ya. Most of my trolling for pike is in Murky/ tea colored water like the Ottawa or Mississippi and usually not that deep. If trying to target deeper fish get some lures with real big lips on them but not much experience trolling deeper water at fast speeds. Another technique that works for deep trolling is heavy jigs at slower speeds. If your gas motor doesn't go slow enough can always try going in reverse if it's calm enough (wouldn't recommend this if real choppy because waves can start crashing over the back and possibly sink the ship). Or just drift with the jigs. Not much help but it's all I got haha.

[RJ]

Only fished it once but did have a great day on it. Typical Shield lake with great Smallies and the odd duker Largie.

Did bump into this Gator on a crankbait. Nice Surprise.



FishTV just aired a Smallie show from there this week on WFN. Land'O'Lakes is lining pockets to get guys to do these shows which is great but I'll never understand why they have to NAME the lake, it adds nothing to the show and can only drive traffic to the lake. Just dumb.

Enjoy your week. We rented a cottage last summer for the first time ever. We loved it and have plans to do it again this summer. Awesome vacation.

RJ

[fishin mission]

I'll never understand why they have to NAME the lake, it adds nothing to the show and can only drive traffic to the lake. Just dumb.

RJ you have to give up your secrets sooner or later

[Super]

When fishing with the gas motor hopefully you can get it going slow enough.
My buddies proved to me that letting out lots of line is the trick so the fish are not spooked, and I mean lots of line, almost down to the reel. Your lures actually do not keep going deeper and deeper the more line you let out, they just level off and stay at the same level (14 feet for a rapala) so get to know how deep the lure goes and troll in water a few feet deeper than your maximum lure depth.
David