Fleas

[digitroll (ron)]

They were really bad today on the main lake. The braid on the slide diver was covered with goo. The #30 wire on the other slide diver was minimally affected. The other two rigger rods were covered. I will need to change out my reels with #30 lb to deal with them we use in Ontario. Had to clean them 4 times in the 2.5 hours of fishing today. Took about 15 minutes to clean the 4 rods each time. A lot of resistance in the water especially the braid Lite Bite after 20 minutes. It's unbelievable. You have to see it to believe it. The fun meter was running low today.

They will not shake off. Have to be picked off by hand with fingernails like plucking a chicken.

Hopefully the water will cool off enough they will disappear soon! They seem to thrive when the water is warm around 70 F.

[digitroll (ron)]

Added a second Wire Lite Bite rod tonight with #30 wire. Have a couple Shimano Triton 100 reels with Ugly Sticks 8 ft 6" 8301BWD we use for the Bar in the Spring loaded with 20 lb. Berkley Big Game line. I stripped off 250 ft of each and added 150 feet of #30 Berkley Big Game to each rod and reel.

[Justin89]

I had fun with the fleas over the weekend as well. When do they usualy leave?

[digitroll (ron)]

Not sure. Might be November? Time will tell.

[Justin89]

I was going to switch to 30lb too....let us know how it works out.

[tmcaul]

We switched to 30lb mono and had no fleas on the rigger lines last Sunday. But they do latch on to the places where swivels are tied on. Don't know if the 30lb mono is going to spook salmon or affect lure action...anybody know?

Tom

[JTM203SOUTH]

At Lake Ontario the fleas usually only latch on to the vertical lines down to the release. The horizontal line from the ball and the leader are usually pretty clean. I would use your standard leader and maybe run the lure a little farther back from the ball.

[C-Hawk]

At Lake Ontario the fleas usually only latch on to the vertical lines down to the release. The horizontal line from the ball and the leader are usually pretty clean. I would use your standard leader and maybe run the lure a little farther back from the ball.

Nice tip, I think you are right. Just pull your lines every 25 minutes. Might as well change your lure, can't get a bite anyway. Thanks Jack

[C-Hawk]

At Lake Ontario the fleas usually only latch on to the vertical lines down to the release. The horizontal line from the ball and the leader are usually pretty clean. I would use your standard leader and maybe run the lure a little farther back from the ball.

Nice tip, I think you are right. Just pull your lines every 25 minutes. Might as well change your lure, can't get a bite anyway. Thanks Jack

[digitroll (ron)]

Not so true with the Lite Bites with braid at a 45 degree angle. Wicked bad! The 30 lb wire worked great though! Even 20 minutes intervals it was pretty ugly.

[keithm87]

They have been brutal on the slide divers, and my 200lb braided rigger cable has been coated with them. There is no getting away from them.

[digitroll (ron)]

Today the 30 lb. 150 ft Mono leaders kept the fleas at bay. The 30 lb wire Lite Bites had just one flea clump instead of a dozen. Nice not having to clean them off every 20 minutes after 4.5 hours today. The rigger wire cables were fine as well. Braid is the worst medium for these fleas.

[keithm87]

Were the fish biting?

[digitroll (ron)]

Not yet for silver... A bit early. Mid October things should start.

[digitroll (ron)]

Were running 12 lb 6 ft fluro leaders on the 30 lb. to answer an earlier question.