Well, I have wanted to hit Cranberry for many years. We used to camp there as kids in the '70's. I spent a lot of years on those big rocks as a 10 y/o fishing into the night, etc.
I piled the gear up and picked up my partner, Wayne, (motoboat) from the forum. We launched about 0830. The launch is a dirt launch, and limited trailer parking, 4-5 short trailers, etc.
We headed down from the N. along the far side of the lake. This lake is mostly about 15' deep, and it is hellu weedy! That is to say, if there is 15' of water column, then you may have winter weeds all they to within 3' of the top. I wound up surveying the entire lake bottom in search of the clear spots. It is fairly clear straight out from the dock, and then mostly clear going back N. as long as you stay along the roadside.

Fished a Tom Mack chrome dodger followed up by a small kwikfish. Also a black and tinsel wooly bugger on a sinking fly line, trolled.
No bites, no fish, no nothing. Did spot a few schools of something on the sonar, as well as a few clear arches. One guy on the beach released a 14" rainbow, so said. Couple of bait fishers, mostly in their chairs. One other angler in a large Lund. My partner, Wayne, had a few hits in the shallows, throwing a Rapala. Water temp. 43 deg. air temp less.
Had a good opportunity to test out a new Scotty mini-troller down rigger in my Pram. Can't say that I am very impressed. I need a very small DR in this Pram, as a normal size DR would be ridiculous. Both the Scotty and the Canon mini trollers have no actual clutch.
You have to unscrew a little knob to let down your ball, and then at the same time use your hand as a break. Very awkward! Plus no depth counter, as well as no rod holder.-- If anybody has a different 'Mini-DR' that they recommend, speak up.

robert53a

2/12/2018 7:32:44 AM

let it down like you bring it up by winding. Its slower but way more controllable.

The Quadfather

2/12/2018 7:49:05 AM

I realize that you can let it down by reverse winding, but either way you still need a 2nd hand to unscrew the tension but on top.
I can let down 12 lb balls on my manual Scotty 1080’s with 1 hand, smoothly, and lock the clutch with the same hand.
Anyway, I discovered a way to mount my 1080 DR on the smaller Pram.

rseas

2/12/2018 9:16:30 AM

I too spent many hours fishing off the large rock as a kid. We caught many planted rainbow, perch and bullheads. I had planned to fish it Sunday but when I got up it was blowing here at the house. Wind, my drift boat and a set of oars are not friends...

Salmon King

2/12/2018 11:52:26 AM

I’m trying to figure out how to attach a picture of the Scotty I use.
It sounds like exactly what you’re looking for....
A little help please?

Salmon King

2/12/2018 11:52:52 AM

I’m trying to figure out how to attach a picture of the Scotty I use.
It sounds like exactly what you’re looking for....
A little help please?

The Quadfather

2/12/2018 12:11:53 PM

Salmon King, you will have to just cut/paste an online link into your comment. Cannot add a pic to comments
For what it’s worth, I have devised a way to mount my large Scotty 1080 onto my Pram’s gunnel. Although, I did discover that there are ‘add-on’ components which can be bought for the mini-troller. This includes a add-on rod holder, but still... the mini-troller’s are just janky

Still trying

2/13/2018 5:41:36 AM

Hi Quadfather, I was the guy in the Lund. I also didn't get any hits that day either. Most of the fish I saw on my fish finder were sitting above the weed line at 13' to 16' and not to many around the surface. The down riggers I have are a 1050's with a 1021 mount. I use a piece of wood to give the down rigger more support since my rails are thin. You only need one hand to use. The clutch releases when I turn the wheel to lower the ball down and locks when I release the wheel. Holiday Market has the down riggers and mounts as a package deal if you want to see one.

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