Dogfish Days of Summer

[Silverspring]

How is the dogfish action this week? Haven't read any new reports since Lucas over a week ago and Dave not being able to catch any off his dock this last weekend.

These are the "dog" days of summer, right? Somebody must be catching them. I've always had my best success fishing for dogfish during August. This is when the weed growth is at its peak and you'll find the dogfish nosing around in thickest part of those weeds trying to scare up a meal. They don't mind getting down and dirty to get something to eat. So now is the time to break out the shrimp and hit the edges of the nastiest looking weed beds you can find.

Any dogfish news, I'd love to read about it.

Oh and Dave, I keep forgetting to ask you - In one of the posts you had mentioned a bay or a pond that is right behind your place that is good for dogfish. I kind of recall seeing it, but never considered fishing it. I take it that there is access to it from the river? Or do people fish it from the shore?

[Aquatic Arts Fishing Pro Shop]

Yep, theres a channel just down from our docks to get bank in the bay (Sawdy's Pond) Lots of weeds back there now. Give it a try!

Dave

[Lucas lake]

Silverspring, wish I could give you a report but I have not been able to get up recently. I can tell you last time I was out I only managed 2 one day and 3 the other. They all came on cut gills and raw shrimp( make sure they are kept cold and fresh, if not they tend to come off to easy). Chumming shrimp didn't seem to help either. I can't say I've had any better luck in August then other months. Saying that I'm looking forward to getting up there hopefully tomorrow afternoon if I can finish up work early. Silverspring one thing you might want to try going into late August and September is that I'll have good luck chasing them in shallow bays during the day after very cold nights. Wait until noon when the water starts to warm back up. Another tip is to use circle hooks. I seem to get alot better hook up rate. The top and bottom Jaws are hard to get a hook into them but with the circle hook I get them all in the corner of the mouth. The trick is DON'T set the hook like you are used to. When you feel the bite just tighten up and the hook will find the corner of the mouth, at this point give the line a good solid sweep to the side and the hook will be set. And if your not keeping it for the table it will not be deep hooked either. Good Luck and tight lines I'll put up some post over the weekend on how I did. This could be the weekend that the Mohawksin will claim its first state record. Don't forget to enjoy a Blatz when your out.

[Silverspring]

Thanks Dave.

I'll be sure to check it out.

[Silverspring]

Hi Lucas!

Your last trip didn't sound all that bad. 5 dogfish over a 2 day fishing period is okay. I had plenty of outings that were way worse then that.

You mention that you did some shrimp chumming with little result. Did you happen to notice if you were running into perch where you were chumming? And I haven't tried the circle hooks yet, because the ones that I've seen, all seem to be made a little to flimsy for live baiting dogs.

I get the feeling that an average size dogfish would have little difficulty straightening out or completely breaking one of those hooks. If I can find a heavy duty one, I'll give it a try.

Do you use a heavy duty one? If so, where do you buy them?

Good luck & hope you get to go this weekend.

[supra8795]

Does anybody have any pictures of these dogfish? I dont think i have ever seen one before. Are these fish in lake alice also?

[Silverspring]

supra - check out this website.
http://www.bowfinanglers.com/recordtips.html

There are plenty of pictures of dogfish & excellent info regarding them.
Another poster on here named Jim, posted the same link one week ago.

As for Alice, I'm not sure because it has been a long time since I've been on that lake. But, I'd bet there's dogfish there. Most every lake has them. The exception being deep, clear water lakes with little weed growth.

Give dogfish a try, I'll guarantee that they'll give you a great fight. And they're a very good eating fish as well.

[supra8795]

Wow thanks silverspring. Now i know i have never seen one before. Would be nice to catch one to see how much of a fight they put up.