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Questions about fishing Round Valley

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iluv2hunt

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I live very close to RV and want to really start learning and fishing for trout at RV. I know i just need to go fishing and try to learn some of this on my own but its a big lake and that can takle a lot of time. I have two younger sons who i plan on taking out so i want to be able to catch some fish to keep them interested. So any information is greatly appreciated.

I know this lake has a thermocline at a certain time of year which forces the fish below fourty feet. From what i heard. My first question is can the trout still be caught using lead core line right now at this time of year or do i need drown riggers?

For the guys who fish it regularly when do you see the fish start to go deeper? Is it at a certain time of year or when the water temps reach a certain temp?

Do you typically have more luck catching trout on spoons or stick baits? Do you troll both? Do you find one color that works better than others?

What trolling speeds do you typically run at?
 
#3 ·
No to the downriggers. They are a thing of the past on RV. Set yourself up with some lead core and you will easily be able to troll the thermoclines once they set up. The water is still really cold for this time of the year so the fish are all scattered. we have been catching fish anywhere from flatlines at the surface 150' behind the boat, to 25' down using the leadcore set ups. This time of the year it is a slow, slow ,slow, troll. 1.6 and less. As far as the lakers go I never run them past 1.3mph. I will send you a pm with my number. There is way too much to type as far as tips for that lake go. It isn't that hard of a thing to learn as long as you have someone give you the basics. We have a tight knit group of guys that fish that lake consistently and we are always willing to teach. The whole philosophy of " nobody taught me! I had to learn from time and hard work!" is all BS. It is why sportsmen face the issues today that they do. We have become completely unraveled as a unified group. Give me a call and I will have you and your kids headed in the right direction.
 
#6 ·
X7_ said:
No to downriggers in a reservoir that deep. Why?
Click to expand...
The downriggers work fine on the lake trout but the Bows and Browns have become shy to all the garbage in front of the lures for one. That's why the planner boards have become so effective. it seems that the disturbance from the ball and the wire hum pushes them off to the side. Plus you get 10x more action out of your lures on a leadcore set up then you do the down rigger. As far as the lakers go they eat anything. You can set 10 feet behind the ball and they will hit all day long.
 
#8 ·
Makes some sense. Running lures through bait (if there is any) in any fashion should work on catching the trouts. Has anyone ever tried replacing the wire with power pro to eliminate the hum?
 
#10 ·
glasswater good information. years ago I had two boats set up for round valley depending on how much work I wanted to do! lol
I always ran down riggers had electrics. find the bait drop live bait 5 feet below the school of bait and run. I ran 4 down riggers and varried depth a little until the bite was on then adjusted to that level. we probably average 1 fish an hour and most times decent went trolling no guppies. interesting how times change your a good guy for sharing information. we always fished as soon as it was light until about 9 or 9:30
 
#12 · (Edited)
while not as advanced as downriggers or leadcore, a simple method I use for trolling live bait in lakes for trout, walleye, and big smallmouth/largemouth bass, is a nice supply of sliding egg sinkers, up to 1/2 ounce but generally 1/8 to 1/4... I put a 3 foot floro leader other side of the swivel, in either 6 or 8lb test, and a good wide gap sharp hook on my live herring (which are getting rediculously expensive). I slow troll at varying speeds, when I see a school of fish or bait on the sonar, and they are deeper than my lines are running, i just slow down and often stop and watch those baits settle deeper and deeper. That often provokes strikes. Of course I also keep at least one bait very high in the water column with no weight or a small split shot, that usually gets a big smallmouth or trout too. On a calm day I may even fish several rods vertically, hook the herring through the back and measure off the depth I am marking the fish, always keeping some lines above the markings (fish do look up), and some right in the thick of it... (also do this on anchor over a hump, or rocks, etc - when I mark good fish). Caught some real nice fish this way over the years. I am not sure it would work in RV though - or if you can even get live herring around there???? I really like fishing live bait!
 
#13 ·
I have used those methods as well, Jack. I used eggs sinkers and bead chain trolling weights before they got ridiculously expensive. Double anchoring over any structure fishing herring was very productive in most places. Herring is in big demand and in short supply causing the prices to be stupid. There is only one netter licensed to net herring in NJ the last I knew.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Like glasswater said leadcore and planner boards for
rainbows and browns is the way to go on the valley. Downriggers work for lakers.
Rapalas and spoons for bows and browns. Trolling speed is 1 to 2 mph Meatheads and spoons for lakers
You can also go to rvta message boards and check out the fishing reports at home
 
#16 ·
My father and I fished Round Valley from the 1970's to 1998 with great success using lead core line. We used Penn saltwater reels with multi colored led core line. Remember, this was before depth finders were perfected. We had about a 100' long 20 to 25 lb test mono line with swivels attached in various locations. We would attach a lure at the beginning usually a flatfish and then about 20' up, we used clip on a 3oz dropper weight and send it out the back of the boat. Then, we would take another lure and attach it to a leader usually about 50' long or so. The leaders were usually 10 lb test. We would attach approximately three lures to a rod. We called it a Christmas tree set up. And then we would set out a second rod with the same enough and troll around the lake. Worked like a charm.
 
Discussion starter · #20 ·
X7 from what I have been reading about lead core line. The weights refer to the breaking strength just like mono not how heavy it is. There is a very slight weight difference between 12lb, 15lb and 18lb lead core line. There sink rates vary slightly. The factors that affect sink rate are trolling speed and weight of your lure. I have been using 12lb lead core. Most guys like 15lb or 18lb because I guess you never know when you might hook into the next state record at RV. The next two rods I set up will be with 15lb lead core. I’m no expert so if anyone with more experiences wants to add to this feel free.
 
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