Only pick them up by the eyes if you plan on eating them. The DEC has a little article about the vertical thing. It can damage their spines and internal organs.
I hear you Rich. I'm wondering if they do not want to tell us the truth about the bait situation so they do not have to hire more people and spend the $$$ to stock more fish. They are a government agency. We all know how honest our government is.........
What ever it is, it is not good. Can't we ever get a year where one species does not have an issue? VHS, Stocking issues, Hatchery issues, ect. We cant catch a break!
Don't listen to the two old guys above! Buy more stuff! I like the Daiwa Sealine 27 lcs or Saltist 20's on Daiwa Heartland 7'6 medium action rods for brown set ups. Browns are not much fun on Salmon gear.
Another way too look at is are you ever going to get better fishing at the same level? Learning by competing against a higher level of competition will make you think outside of your comfort zone and keep you on your toes. You will learn a lot more and become a better fishermen.
Charter captains can enter any derby on the lake. I look at it this way, any day you can have a good day and beat some of the best charter captains on the lake. Come fish the Sandy Creek Shootout. Lots of recs and some charter captains. Every year recs place ahead of some big name captains on the lake.
The Salmon River run was missing the early run of wild fish. This just goes to show that we can not rely on Natural reproduction. We all have been spoiled by all the extra wild fish in the system in the past four or five years.