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Charleston Lake Trip Report

Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 12:23 pm
by ontariodreaming
Spent a week up at Charleston Lake from June 25 to July 2 with my two sons and wife. In addition, a buddy joined us for the first two days. This trip marked the first long distance tow from my new boat and SUV and I must say it was learning experience. Going through mountains of PA and NY made me wish I went with Nissan Armada instead of Pathfinder. Although Pathfinder can tow 6,000 lbs, it did work pretty hard pulling the 3,000lb boat/trailer/motor/gear combo.

As for the fishing we targetted lakers the first two days. The first day we caught our limit trolling both the eastern and big waters. Since I do not have down riggers yet, we used Dipsey Divers and Fish Seekers. The fish were mainly caught 60 to 70 feet or 100 FOW on williams wablers (Silver, Silver/Copper, and Silver/Blue). Fish were all between 2 and 5lbs. The second day we were skunked, so we focused on Bass the rest of the trip. In the course of the 5 days we could not keep the SM or rockbass off our lines. The totals for the 3 of us was approximately the following:

100 SM (20 were 2.5 lbs and bigger - Largest 5.5lb)
150 Rockbass (Lost so many senkos with them before I remembered I had O-rings :shock: )
70 LM (20 were 2 lbs and bigger - Largest was 4.5lb)

Had good luck with White Big-Os, senkos of any color (mulberry swirl Tiki-Sticks Best), and perch x-raps (Caught 2 SM at same time with xrap, thought I had HAWG :lol: ).

Most of the pictures were taken with disposable cameras (wife read too many stories of digital cameras overboard) so I will need to post them later especially the LARGE SM.

Buddy with Typical Laker (Good Pic of boat rear with bench seat up.)
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Son #1 with nice SM
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Son #2 with Better SM (Dropped it as pic was being taken :lol: )
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Son #1 with nice LM and good pic of boat with rear bench seat folded down. Boat was great even with 4 people casting.
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Son #2 with nice SM with a two handed hold this time :lol:
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That is it for now. Will post pic of large SM. I need to take a measure of my net since fish was nose to tail across the entire net. (I believe it is 24 inches across) :shock: Also the Boga grip marked it a shade over 5.5lb

Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 12:26 pm
by FLOATFISHIN
Awsome report and trip OD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

24" smallie thats a pigggggggggggggy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great report, and great to hear you guys had a good time!


F.F

Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 12:36 pm
by jig head
Awsome report. Those are some nice size smallies, good work guyss. :lol:

Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 1:54 pm
by big-o
Hey OD


Great report Bud, glad to see you had a good trip, awsome report on the Smallies and Buckets, Charelston is still on my to do list. I never did make it to Charlston Old blue(my truck) decied that going for Lake trout on opening day of Bass was not right, so she started to act up...no power, so topwater and I turned around and limped home about $1700.00 took care of her little fit :evil:
The Salmon are in at Porthope but I'll be on Charlston on the 23 of July...I'll be sending you a few pm's to pick your brains for Bass :lol: :lol: :wink:

Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 2:01 pm
by ontariodreaming
Big-O,

Thank You and Sorry to hear about truck.. I was looking for you since we did get on lake earlier on saturday. I Definately have a few choice places for you.

I also forgot to mention that I had the pleasure to meet Ganman... Great talking to you Ganman. Your posts and fishing knowledge of Charleston was such a big help. Definately need to hook up sometime. Ever come to DC area? :lol: Show you some Potomac River Hawgs...

Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 3:08 pm
by wolfe
The more I learn about Charleston, the more I like it. While there in May, we kept noticing how much exceptionally and potentially good looking bass habitat there was, both for largies & smallies. Gotta get there during bass season next time around!

Nice to hear you had such a great outing with your family.

W.

Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 4:12 pm
by RJ
Great report OD.... :D

Glad the fish cooperated for yas.... :wink:

Can't wait to see the pic of that smallie!


RJ

Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 4:18 pm
by BASSSTALKER
Good trip OD, nice smallies to boot!!

Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 5:04 pm
by ganman
OD great meeting you too. He's got a great looking boat folks.....you'd never know its plastic :lol:

I've been trying one of my honey holes down by the Outlet that always gives a few nice bass. It's been strangely quiet :wink: You must've given them a real workover :lol:

I think I might have found that spot at the top of Runnings Bay last night.

Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:00 pm
by ontariodreaming
Pulled a few out of that area Ganman. The youngest got 3 bass within 15 minutes all between 3.5 and 4. (2 SM and 1 LM) We still was skunked with the Pike. You are going to have to show me how to get those toothy critters. Could not keep them off spinnerbaits last year on red horse and the gan...

Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:06 pm
by Muskiemagnet
I'll be up at Charleston tomorrow for the weekend. Going to cull some Lakers for the derby and load up on Bass. :D

You are dreaming

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2005 12:49 am
by tr21chris
in Ontario..especially at Charleston Lake if you plan on catching Northerns on spinnerbaits....you guys know how to catch them??(big northerns that is)

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2005 6:28 am
by Muskiemagnet
I catch good sized Northerns (8-10lbs) all the time on Charleston. Not too many on spinnerbaits unless its early in the season. I like large crankbaits and spoons and fish over tall cabbage 15-20ft deep.

There are some real giants in the Lake 20lb+ but unfortunatly they are only available out of season :cry: or through the ice. The real Big fish tend to go deep early and run with the schools of lakers. I've seen a few big fish come off the downrigger and leadcore.

If you ever get a chance to sneak up Leeders Creek or way up the back of Runnings Bay on the very first hot sunnny day after ice out, you will get a good look at the quality pike in Charleston :shock: ......... :D

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2005 7:56 am
by psufishing
Great post OD.

Three of us are heading up to Charleston in two weeks planning to catch some SM and LM. Last year we got sort of skunked other than a few bass and one big pike. We did have a little fun cathing a ton of perch one afternoon. Much better eating than the Dinty Moore stew :lol:

Anyway, I'll do a new post for a Charleston Lake update next week. Any help is welcome.

Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2005 8:13 am
by Muskiemagnet
Three of us are heading up to Charleston in two weeks planning to catch some SM and LM
In two weeks the Charleston Lake Adventure Weekend is going on. Good timing :D