Steelman

G5's. Last broadheads you will need to buy, they are easily sharpened, no cheap replacement blades to worry about holding in place, they tune nice. Been shooting them for 6 years. I prefer 100 grains broad heads and Im shooting over 300fps with Easton Full Metal Jacket arrows. Get your FOC right, your broadheads tuned properly and you will shoot them like a field point shot after shot. Biggest mistake in my opinion is not having the weight behind the broadhead to penetrate bone if the shot is not ideal. I wont go less than 500 grains total.

As a kid growing up when we had the august 15 opening date on the SR I fished it from that day on. Until I was old enough to bow hunt that is. Then I cut off the river and still do by sept 27th. As far as I can remember there were always salmon in the river by end of august and by end of september I was pretty much burnt out on fishing for them anyhow. It seems to me over the past 10 or so years those early runs declined with an exception here and there. Like 2013 we had a good early run but that use to be the norm, or so it was to me. I never payed attention to the fin clipping back then unfortunately. I would have to believe that you guys are correct that they were natural spawning salmon coming in early back in those days. If this is the case then natural reproduction has declined drastically over the course of 35 years of so of fishing it. Heck when I was first started fishing it the norm was a 6 foot piece of close line, a broom stick and a big ole snag hook for anyone who fished it. But I also know that there was not dead salmon that had not spawned out back then either. I also dont recall water levels in the reservoir being 8 or 12 feet below normal back then either from summer kayak water releases. A few degrees is a lot, with a difference in the oxygen levels as well. I find the coincidences a bit hard to ignore.

http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/ny/nwis/uv/?cb_00065=on&cb_00060=on&format=gif_default&site_no=04250200&period=&begin_date=2015-05-18&end_date=2015-09-15 50ft. Look at the discharge cfs graph. Note the 22 year median stats in comparison to the current. Yes the water flows lately are the same or close, however not the median compared to this year, then look at previous few years since the water releases. With the releases before the spawning there is no way I believe the water temps are not higher due to there being way less water in the reservoir. I never ever remembering seeing dead salmon in early September on the river banks with bellies full of eggs or sperm until the past few years. I have grown up and lived on the SR for 42 years.

Question. If there is concern or blame put on the warm water temps in the SR during spawning stages, and the river is bottom fed from the reservoir, then why are they still emptying it all summer long for kayak and rafters every other weekend? On many occasions throughout the summer you can go to Redfield and see how empty the reservoir is. The river being fed from the bottom of the reservoir is it not clear as day that the deeper the water the colder the temps will remain at the bottom, therefore when spawning fish arrive timed releases of that colder water will keep the river cooler. Seems to me that since they have been releases water on a regular basis for summer rafting the salmon fishing has really started to deteriorate. I think one could do the math and figure out the cycle of the decline in numbers may just coincide with this. Why in the world are they messing with a world class fishery that brings millions of dollars annually into the local economy for some rafter and kayakers who come up for the day by bus loads, float down the river only to get back on the busses and head home? They are not spending the money fisherman do by any means. I personally feel these summer water releases that serve no other purpose than take a lazy water ride down the river need to stop.

Looks like you were either one under or two over to be boxed out. Persistence pays off. I stay away on the weekends now, too many boaters, too many who dont know etiquette. Not to mention the tournament today.

Your close. Here is a link to what you need, and make sure the registration is on the boat and you can show it. http://www.nysparks.com/recreation/boating/documents/VesselEquipmentGuide.pdf

Justin is correct the lake is full of walleye, you can find them to your fishing style. You can troll deep like some but I think that gets a bit boring after a couple hours, you can jig the shoals, jig deeper water, jig the shallows, drag a harness in the process, throw sonars, stick baits there are endless ways to catch walleye and just about any time of the season. Theres days where the lake just shuts us down with good bites no matter what you try. Just the other day I was fishing close to shore in 10 feet of water mid day and jigged up my limit plus in couple hours, back at the launch guys who trolled deep took all day to limit. Day after it was just the opposite. Patience and dont be afraid to switch your tatics up at any point in time. Keep your eye out for pin buoys if your not familiar with the lake, you be surprised how in the middle of nowhere they show up. OH and be prepared to get surrounded by boats if someone sees your net go over. One last thing is make sure your boat is up to coast guard regs, chances of getting stopped by sheriffs dept is pretty good, if your not up to the regs you will get an escort back to the launch.

At my local Mercury outboard dealer. They had several used ones for 100 or brand new for 150.

Before I got to the part about the starter I was thinking you got a starter going bad. I had this problem once as well. Just a quick test with jumper cables attached to your battery, attach ground to starter frame and positive to the terminal on the starter and if no spin there lies the problem. When you first hit the key you while this was happening you should here a click noise, if not you may have a bad solenoid. Last fall I started having this same issue, I could go days and starter would be fine, then one day I would have to hit the key several times before she took. Was late in the season so I dealt with it till this spring, but only after I actually remembered I was having problems with it. Took it apart, brushes were good, armature was good, bearings good etc. I suspect the windings were taking a dive, 150 bucks later, an hours time and back on the water with a new starter.

Lake has been fishing real good and seems to be a nice size class of fish to boot. Hard to give advice where to start as everyone fishes a little different. Past week I have gotten fish anywhere from 5 foot to 27 fow. Here many say East end is where its at but can tell you the whole lake is fishing good. Shakelton, Messenger, around Frenchman and Dutchman, 15 fow and less in evenings in the bays are doing good. You can be on fish marks and get nada, but move and start producing well. I have days were all my fish came all in an hour. Then days where I pick them up here and there. They are moving around quite a bit I feel and yesterdays bite has disappeared the next day. Thats Oneida and why its so much fun to fish and why I love walleye fishing.

Oneida always amazes me with its walleye. Sounds like you had a good day. Middle of day I limited out in 5 feet of water. Last time out it was in 23 feet. Talked to guys at the launch and guys fishing in 23 to 27 foot did well, guys in the deep water did well. Fish all over the place.