GAMBLER

55 works but don't rule out 60-65 degree water. I find 62 degrees the sweet spot.

Brown fishing is good all season. if you change tactics and stay on them, the fishing can be better than it is now. I find more big browns once the move deeper and the thermal cline sets up.

Every clown converted is a plus. If they would just realize learning to fish tribs the right way, they would learn it is easier and more fun. Although, they would be stripping eggs and skeins to have more bait.....

Education is a great starting point. The biggest issues are lack of enforcement, courts throwing these tickets out and laughable fines. If the DEC could make strides on those three things, it would make a big difference. If guys were getting tickets, the violations stuck and they had to pay a real fine, they might think twice.

I have been running them too and feel they are not as durable as the Heartlands were and the medium action rigger rods seem a little lighter action than the heartlands.

Sounded like no life jacket. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Reaching out to the trib guys for pen rearing? If that is what you are talking about, Dave Agness has gotten involved in the pen rearing to bring more trib guys in. The sandy project we have not seen it (one or two new guys) but our project has a great volunteer base compared to other projects. I don’t know if those efforts were focused elsewhere or not. I can’t speak for the other projects. Like you, I look at it from all sides. I trib fish on occasion, lake fish and have worked for charter captains over the years. The trib section has rules about naming small tribs. It is LOU policy. If guys can’t follow the rules, they should be called out. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

I do agree that some people are having a power struggle issue with these regs. When a small group of trib guys pushes the DEC to change the regs for their own sake, it pisses people off. You also have to look at things from a charter captains point of view. Every time creel limits are reduced, it has the possibility of affecting their business (that most depend on as their livelihood). There are some people that come to get a great day on the water and bring some fish home for some meals. These charter clients are making one trip to Lake O and getting their fish in one shot. It is not like myself that wants a meal and keeps one for the grill when I am ready to have a meal. These new steelhead regs do not affect me much since I do not fish them often. Last season I only caught 18 steelhead over the entire season. I don’t care if a guy keeps a steelhead and uses the eggs to make egg sacks. That is perfectly legal and ethical. Stripping eggs and stressing the fish, slitting their belly’s and discarding the carcasses stream side is what burns my a$$. You may think I am against trib guy but I am not. I have spent many hours on the tribs in the last 25 years. These discussions should not divide any of us. This photo should piss sportsmen off and want to push the DEC to do more about these issues that affect us all. With the pen projects, most projects want to keep the steelhead. Also trib anglers participation is VERY VERY low in the pen projects. The sandy project we get a couple of guys and that’s great. These pen projects benefit everyone and participation is lower than it should be. No one has trouble going out and using the fishery but when it comes time to give a little time, donations, etc, a small group comes forward to help. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

For some it may be a power struggle. For me it is about what is best for the fishery. Having trout stuffed in the tribs as easy pickings and very little enforcement is an issue. Enforce the laws on the books and clean up the tribs and I have zero issues with changing the regulations to have more fish in the system. Then again, isn't this fishery a put and take fishery?

The mud slinging towards the trib guys is towards the Non-sportsmen (snaggers, lifters, egg strippers, trespassers, ect.) in the group yet some respectable trib guys defend the entire group. I'm shocked they have not been on this thread yet.....

Correct. All of us sportsmen need to be on a united front and push the DEC to enforce the rules in place. There needs to be a bigger presence by ALL anglers in pen rearing and the state of the lake meetings.

NY will never close the tribs. They used to manage this fishery as a put and take fishery. They are slowly getting away from that. The fishery is a huge money maker for the state. As for the guys that think a "few" are abusing it, spend some time during the brown runs in the fall at Burt, Oak Orchard, Sandy, ect and you will see a lot more than a "few" snaggers. in my very limited time I spend on the tribs I see way too much of it happening. When bubba from the back woods comes stolling down the middle of the creek with a snagging rod with 10z of weight, you know what he is up to. The salmon season brings the worst out in the tribs and the illegal clowns kill a lot of early run steelhead and browns during their visit illegally. The solution to the issue needs to be address by the DEC before they manage the steelhead fishery for the tribs only. If they did more about the issue I would have no problem with the changes. Unfortunately for us fishermen, deer hunting takes a front seat once the season opens.

So we are supposed to ignore the illegal activity that goes on in the tribs? Come on HB2. It shouldn't be swept under the rug. These outlaws affect all of us in a negative way. This video is a prime example of my concern.

Extra butter or kettle corn Bill? Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

These regulations are to preserve the steelhead numbers so the tribs guys can catch more steelhead plain and simple. The illegal activity on the tribs like this is why this should not happen. Charter captains rely on these fish in hard times to survive but we are saving them so they can get raped on the tribs. For the record, I am not against legit trib guys that respect the fishery. It is the snaggers, lifters, egg strippers and guys that don't respect the fishery that drive me bonkers.

Its open year round on the Lake Ontario tribs.

[emoji1303] Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app