Gator

Yup, I'm in Ireland. At the airport waiting for my flight back right now, dead tired, too many pints of Guiness last nite, and wasting time cruising the net. Hope you guys find them this weekend. The forecast looks dire for tomorrow; we've got to tow the Lund up to Canada for holiday, so fingers crossed the weather cooperates. Tight lines! Gator

Scott, I'm gone for the next two weekends, but Keith will be around and probably fishing. Hopefully things light up while I'm gone and it'll be happening when I get back! Gator

Scott, Do you know whether anyone has gotten those deep marks to go? We found them from ~150 and in and tried it for an hour at the end of the day yesterday, but couldn't move a rod. The marks are far enough off the bottom that I'm wondering if they're not kings hunkered down and inactive. Of course, with the temps yesterday, "far enough" meant only 110 down I saw that Jason did a great fish; we were right next to him. If they're all kings, then the fireworks should start soon! Gator

Seems like last year the salmon were way up out of temp, too. Is there some new invasive that's responsible? I saw fleas off Braddocks Sunday morning...do they move through the water column like the Mysis shrimip out West? Maybe attract baitfish higher up, with a chain effect? With the "way deep" fishing we hear so much about and the warm water salmon that we've seen, who has time to fish preferred temps anymore Gator

Wow, the current are ripping! Both Saturday and Sunday saw what appeared to be a strong surface current running from West to East; bottom line was that it took about 10 minutes to troll from Wautoma to Lighthouse and an hour to get back! We tried to keep downspeed consistent in either direction, but still ended up with a one way troll. Most of the fish came traveling East (with the current), maybe because of the blowback on the riggers or the coppers lifting up with the "ludicrus" speed we were traveling... The tally was steel, steel, steel (7 for 9 today), with a few small kings thrown in. Purple seemed to work as well as anything, with a couple hits on Orange Crush and NBKs. The Copper out 200-250 in 90-120 fow took most of the hits. Still not much bait showing on the screen, and the water temps were ~65F on the surface with ~57F 60' down. No real defined vertical breaks and the scum breaks on the surface didn't seem to hold temp breaks, just lots of crap. Lots of marks deep that we couldn't get to go; maybe lakers? Maybe kings? Hopefully we'll get a chance to find out this week. Gator

Good to see you getting the young ones into it early! I hope that I'm understanding your question-I assume that you're looking for information on Braddocks? Braddocks is fine fishing on occassion, though I've not caught a walleye there. Perch swarm the bays in March/April and can be caught on a minnow under a bobber, for the most part. The big guys will scatter a bit and move back to the lake as the year wears on, then reappear in the fall. The channels in the back of the bay have undercut banks and are loaded with pike; a spinnerbait cast several inches off the weedline will attract attention...though this may be too much to ask for the youngsters. And there are bass galore and a whole lot more (by which I mean those prehistoric monstrosities bowfin) that will hit a topwater lure or a Senko. I have a seven year old girl myself and I know the attention span:) It seems that she really wants to do everything herself, and watching a bobber for hours isn't that enthralling unless it's gangbusters catching. I'd chose my times carefully, let them handle the rods, maybe cast a topwater plug so they're doing something, and when that big bass hits...kaboom, they're hooked for life. The area between the Marina and point on the East side is as good as any. Have them cast near the weedlines. Good luck! Gator

I wondered if I could get some general feedback on who does the best work rigging boats for Great Lakes/trolling near Rochester (ie Oak Orchard to Sodus). We're thinking about making some changes to our setup (24' Wellcraft), maybe adding a trolling motor (not easy with the size of the main motor as currently rigged), some other goodies, and I'd like to see it done professionally, rather than messing with it (and more than likely messing it up) myself...know thy limitations! Anyway, much appreciated. Gator

Hey Guys, I've noticed over the years that the walleye above the falls taste great, but below the falls there are two distinct populations and one of them tastes like rancid porpuse pus. I think it has to do with diet selection...maybe alewifes? Anyway, I managed to pull a couple of fish from the Genny this year, never enough to fillet so they're still in there, but I'm guessing that the river got muddy and spiked with yesterday's torrential downpours. Gator

Hey Scott, We've been calling him "black cloud" for years, but if he'd just quit eating broccoli and Cheerios for dinner, he wouldn't have that problem! Better a black cloud over the boat than a black cloud hovering in the cabin... This is our weekend, though, things are going to change, I can feel it! In fact, the surface temp map shows 39 degrees everywhere. I'm hopeful that we won't be the only ones stinking up the water. Gator

Hey Phil, Sorry I couldn't join you...Wed nite at Honeoye ended up a bust, too, as Steve (Triple S) got caught at work and we didn't go. Instead, spent a little time at dark pitching jigs into the canal without much luck. Spent mornings on the water this weekend (Lake O and Keuka) with limited success. I do hope to get out one evening this week. Give me a shout. Gator

Jigged the PennYan branch today, concentrating on the channel in 30-50 fow. Deadly Dicks accounted for a dozen fish before 11:30, and we saw some enormous schools of bait scattered here and there, but the fish weren't on them like we figured. Surface temp was 57.6. In the schools of bait, we snagged several alewifes that were full of spawn. I'm guessing then that the bait has just moved in? And the fish are right behind? Anyway, beautiful day on the water. Gator

Finished 4/7, all small kings, caught anywhere from 65 to 150 fow and 30-92 ft down. The only consistent pattern was the spoon...an NBK, and moving fast. Tons of bait in 70 fow clumped on the bottom. It sounded like from the chatter than most were having a tougher time than over the past week. Gator

I guess you don't read his fishing reports

Hey Phil, Take the yak down about a mile South of the state launch at the North end and drift from that point, working shore with a combination of Senkos, topwater, and leadhead jigs. You can't miss on the smallmouth over the next month, with largemouth like the one in your photo thrown in, too. It's a great lake for the kayak and canoe fisherman, given the 10 hp limit. Tough nut to crack for trout and walleye, but bass are plentiful this time of year scattered along shore...the more rubble, the better. Give me a shout if you decide to try it, as I'm on your way down and might join you. Gator

I'm sorry to hear of your loss. I hope that you and your loved ones find strength in each other to keep up the faith through the tough times. Gator

This is from the Department for Homeland Security's webpage: "Any small pleasure vessel leaving a United States port into international or foreign waters, without a call at a foreign port, does not satisfy the foreign departure requirement. Therefore, certain fishing vessels, cruises to nowhere, or any vessel that leaves from a United States port and returns without calling a foreign port or place, has not departed the United States." If the Border Patrol is requiring I68s for vessels that neither docked, anchored or moored off another vessel, then they have veered from the stated policy. However, I do realize that you can't argue with the Border Patrol, and any confrontation would cost valuable fishing time. I also realize that there has been quite a bit of misinformation floating around on the web, including the mass hysteria seen in Ohio last year by the Erie charter boat captains. That having been said, I would be surprised if the Patrol tried to force an I68 requirement when it clearly conflicts with the published information. For example, they could require I68s if your boat crossed over the somewhat arbintrary line in the middle of the river when running in and out of the mouth, which would be ridiculous. But then again, nothing the US government does surprises me too much anymore... Gator

So, anyone else notice that the original post was put up over a year ago? Then the thread continued this year as if nothing had happened? April Fools? What got me was the comment about how rough it was on Saturday...we were on Seneca perch fishing and it was a sheet of glass. No fish. Gator

Hey G, Sorry I didn't join you. The reason I got out Tuesday afternoon instead was a meeting came up for Wed morning that I couldn't blow off. Keep at 'em! Give me a call if you're off this weekend. Maybe one day next week trailering the boat South, you know? Gator

Ditto. I was out of the canoe Tuesday evening on Long Pond and had a brief run of nice fish where I kept maybe ten. It definately seemed like a school moved through, but I couldn't find them again. Very little action on the shore. When the fish were there, they hit well, so I don't think the murky water's the problem. In the past, first ice-out action was the best. Of course, I've also noticed that when people stop talking about how slow it is and the posts dry up, that's when you need to get down there Hopefully back out on Friday. Gator

Congratulations! Between you and Gambell, we're going to get a reputation going for LOU guys! Did you find that the perch had started poking into the shallows, or were they still out in the basin between the islands? I was planning on Sodus yesterday, but a friend had a commitment at 11am, so we hit Irondequoit instead. Surprisingly, we did well in 30 fow. Nothing shallow, though. Gator

I've been consistently pounding the bass on small jigging rapalas (perch color) in 17 fow. The key is to fish outside of the main weed growth, near where the weed "clumps" form in the deeper water. Jig using a long, 3' rise and steady fall...be ready at the bottom, cause that's where they'll hit. If I really want to find fish I don't bother with tip-ups or tip-downs. Just move. You'll catch fish in the first 10 minutes if they're around. This lake is absolutely polluted with 10-14" bass. Go 50 ft and try another hole. Using the camera, I've found that it's amazing the funnels that form through the weeds, like fish superhighways. Positioning is everything. And if you like tip-ups, listen to Gambler. The details of his rig sound simple, but make a big difference. Good luck! Gator

Brian, $10,000 payout, but what's the prize structure? And how many teams have to enter to get to that payout? Not that it matters much to me...good opportunity to fish the South end of the lake! I've no illusions about being able to put together a winning bag, especially of all three species. If I were a betting man, though, I'd guess that guys who've got some insights into the crappie on that lake will clean up. 1 lb+ bluegill are commonplace (well, common enough anyway), but big perch and crappie are more likely to win the tournament. I've seen honest 3 lb+ crappie from Honeoye. That's alot of weight if you can get into them. Five crappie alone could put you in the money. Give me a call if you're fishing Thursday. Gator

Bosco, Tell your older brother that Gambler says the check is on it's way Maybe next time we'll set up in one of those "proven" spots on the North end, or if I'm seeing enough crappie on the South end with my camera, down there. Either way, I'm in. I'd bet we can get Brian to go, too, if he's not working. I think he owes me twice over now! Gator

So, what you're saying is that you own a 10" auger? Gator

My vote's for "normal", but on the somewhat overendowed side...much like myself:) (okay, if you've fished with me, you know that's a blatant lie). The second set of pictures looks like most of the large male browns that I've caught; the first picture, I'm guessing that the hump is accentuated because of the way the fish is being held. As is typical with most large fish, the spine won't hold the body weight. This is, I think, creating an illusion that the hump comes to a crease just anterior to the dorsal fin. Just a theory though...and they still haven't proven or disproven the "world record" muskie based on a picture, so I doubt this will solve anything. Gator