# Tappan today



## TClark (Apr 20, 2007)

We were on the water by 6:50am and it was indeed a beautiful morning with light winds and clear skies.
My son and I gave it a good try with worm harnesses and Slow Death Hook Harnesses with night crawlers. We caught 3 dinks, one perch, one large mouth and one wee lil catfish.

The water was horrible, 8" visibility if that. BUT we had a great father son outing none the less. Fished till noon and called it a day. We trolled several miles today, well pretty much the whole 5 hours.

I think we'll opt for night fishing for cats next time out...one of our favorite species.


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## Skippy (Dec 2, 2009)

Next time out you mite try trolling some crank baits and kick your speed up. Wife and I were there Tuesday evening running super shad raps, bluegill and perch colors, at 2.5 to 2.8 mph running between 8 and 12 foot of water. Lots of S turns. 6 saugeyes, kept 4 and a few channel cats that we kept for the smoker. Hand held rods just pulling the lure forward then dropping it back.


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## ILikaFish (Mar 13, 2018)

e


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## TClark (Apr 20, 2007)

Zero again this morning. Our last trip to Tappan till cold weather sets in...the water clarity is horrible. This lake just hates my guts....


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## Specwar (Sep 22, 2014)

Terry you're not holding your tongue right or something .


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## TClark (Apr 20, 2007)

I honestly don't know how anyone catches fish from that mud hole. The water looks like billions of mud particles floating through it...leaving about 8" of clarity.
Sound and smell catches only cause they sure ain't a gonna see it....lol


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## promag (Aug 21, 2011)

It's better when it's dirty. Seems when I go anyway. I do better unless the water is cold and dirty then it's game off. Try some dark colors blacks or or something that shows more contrast and gives off a lot of vibration. Then go with rattle and really cover an area. I been over several of my same spots I usually like the windy areas and I just work different depths until I produce something then go off that.


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## promag (Aug 21, 2011)

So I went out there this wonderfully wet morning. Found only 2 small saugeye and a couple channel cats. Got them trolling 9-12 fow trolling about 2.5 mph. Saugeye were on a red tiger flicker shad and the rest were on a purple and white tail dancer. I thought I would have gotten more action but I was wrong. Tappan is a tough lake at times but I usually catch something.


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## ristorap (Mar 6, 2013)

Promag what size flicker shad and tail dancer were you using?


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## TClark (Apr 20, 2007)

Them tail dancers look allot like a Wally Diver, eh?
I've never heard of them...good looking crank for sure!!


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## ristorap (Mar 6, 2013)

The tail dancers are a good trolling and fish catching bait.


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## promag (Aug 21, 2011)

I think it was a size 7 flicker and a 15ft tail dancer. Not sure on the size but yeah roughly a 4 inch bait. I lost it in the rocks by the causeway. They are great baits but expensive. I do like the Wally diver plugs alot too. Gold and black and natural perch is a killer at tappan.


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## ristorap (Mar 6, 2013)

Thanks Promag


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## Taylor6400 (Jul 29, 2018)

Just bought my first boat and took my son to Tappan Saturday to troll for saugeye. We were not successful. But the boat ran well and no problems so it was a win. Now I will be more concerned with catching fish. We caught a few bass...are they striped or hybrids, or what are they? 










Anyway we mainly trolled bouncers and harnesses. I had something big break me off close to the boat and I missed a couple strikes. But largely unsuccessful. I put an ounce on my son and I ran ounce and a half. Probably too heavy but wanted to stay on bottom. I kept speed around 1.5. Targeted 6-12ft. Sounds like I need to stock up on more cranks and try that. Any other tips? 

We had fun which is what it’s about. Sons first time really fishing on a boat and he said I could do this every weekend lol. 


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## Specwar (Sep 22, 2014)

White Bass.


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## Taylor6400 (Jul 29, 2018)

Specwar said:


> White Bass.


That’s what I originally thought and then I showed the pic to a guy who said striper. Then after researching I thought it looked more of a hybrid. Definitely more pronounced stripes than the white bass I have caught in Erie. Of course it took me a long time to realize a lot of what I thought were white bass there were actually white perch too lol.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

The easiest way to tell the difference between a white bass and hybrid is by looking in their mouths.

https://www.ohiogamefishing.com/threads/hybrid-or-white-bass.323998/page-2#post-2416066


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## promag (Aug 21, 2011)

When I use harnesses I like to drop as little line as possible, to achieve that I use a big weight like 2 or 3oz then I drop straight down letting line out slowly to avoid tangles and keep the line tight. I don't like slack in the line because fish will hit while it drops. So I use a baitcaster and drop the line and using my thumb to control the speed until I hit bottom. Once it's on bottom I continue to troll and pump the rod up and down all while keeping the line tight. I usually use the wired bottom bouncers. And trolling speed for harnesses I usually go 2mph or slower and change it up quite a bit. Even back troll if I want a slower speed. Hope some of this info helps. I generally feel the slightest hit even when the perch or whatever nibbles the end of the worm off. You can catch a bunch of fish on harnesses but you can also get alot of fish you aren't looking for.


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## Lewis (Apr 5, 2004)

Same here...I use 2 or 2 1/2 oz even for water as shallow as 5 feet.


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## Taylor6400 (Jul 29, 2018)

Interesting. I’ll try 2oz next time! 


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## EitherFishOrCutBait (Apr 20, 2008)

did anyone get water temps?


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## shorthair (Jul 21, 2009)

70 on Saturday


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## shorthair (Jul 21, 2009)

shorthair said:


> 70 on Sunday.


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