Paul Czarnecki

My biggest was caught just last week. I was using a chartreuse and white toned jig tipped with waxies, fished under a float. My gear was a 9ft l/m action rod with an Okuma reel spooled with 6# trilene low vis green line and a 6# flouro leader.

The big boy tipped my scale at just over 16#'s. Didn't get a length as I wanted to get the picture and release it as quickly as possible. Wish I did so that I could get a fiberglass replica of it.

Most good taxidermists can get a repro based on the weight and do a good job for you. That's a nice steelie and would look great as a repro. Give me a call if you can't find anyone to do it.

Paul

Howie....I just don't want to discuss this particular issue with you any further. It's not being constructive and I feel you're miss quoting me. That's all I'm saying.

We can kiss and make up in the spring....

I wanna see that! I'll be there with my camera and maybe you two should get Bob to stand between you. It could be a "group man-kiss"........OMG---my eyes!

Paul, thanks for you're post! For many years I have guided hunters informally as a service for my landlords when they bring up guests and I find most people quite misinformed about coyotes and their role in the ecosystem especially w/ respect to deer population dynamics. In this area I firmly believe the greatest factor influencing the average hunter's "perception" of the deer population is the constantly changing pattern of hunting pressure w/ respect to very specific parts of an area's geography. I find that most hunters greatly underestimate a Whitetail's ability to adapt, survive and actually thrive amidst hunters.For better or worse they don't do quite as well against cars.

Coyotes certainly have a role in any ecosystem they inhabit. They are a predator--that's what they do! And they are here to stay--get over it. And NO...they weren't stocked.

Chowder I fully agree that its the HUNTERS that are the biggest problem today. An inherent unwillingness to adapt coupled with gross laziness (in some cases) and a deer population that is constantly adapting in an environment that is constantly changing is the biggest reason we hear these rumors of "no deer" or "few deer". The deer are still there---some hunters just don't see them because of the rose bushes, flower beds and swing sets that hide them. Hunters leave their homes to go into the deep woods to look for deer and they walk past a dozen in their own backyard. I know, I've done it!

That said, one only needs to look at the stats on road kills to see if there are deer in an area. Like Chowder said....its amazing how a deer that is so adept at avoiding hunters can fail to see a car or truck coming down the road with its lights on and horn blowin'! (Thanks Ron White )

I think the effect coyotes have on deer populations is GREATLY overestimated by eastern hunters. Coyotes will certainly take fawns and perhaps an injured adult now and then. And they certainly do a good job of cleaning up gut piles. However, a coyote is FAR too efficient a predator to waste its time and energy trying to bring down a healthy deer---especially when there are plenty of mice, squirrels and wood chucks around. If coyotes killed as many deer as you guys are thinking they do Kansas, Illinois and Indiana would have absolutely NO deer because they are simply covered up with yotes. I've hunted all 3 of those states for nearly 15 years and can honestly say I will see more coyotes in ONE DAY in Kansas, Illinois or Indiana than I will in an entire season in NY and PA combined. I've watched packs of coyotes chasing deer in those states and the deer seem to enjoy it. They bounce ahead of the coyotes and wait for them to catch up and then continue on. Its like its a game for both. NOW.....I imagine if one of those deer appeared injured or couldn't keep up the coyotes would get serious but a healthy deer is simply too much hassle for a coyote to attempt to kill---especially when easier-to-obtain foods are readily available.

As many of you know I have been a professional taxidermist for over 30 years. In my career I have established many contacts in the industry all over the country and I keep in touch with those taxidermists on a monthly basis. The "problems" NY and PA is having with its deer herds is nothing new and certainly not confined to just NY and PA. This year especially, the deer kill has been off in the entire country---certainly every state east of Wichita KS has had a less than stellar season. All states seem to be showing declining deer populations and in all the states the hunters are blaming the same things---

--too many doe tags

--coyotes

--DEC/DNR stocking mountain lions

NO ONE seems to want to look at other factors like weather or fawn mortality. No one ever mentions the possibility of a widespread disease that we don't know about.

What I'm trying to say guys is, the "deer problem" is not unique to NY and PA and its not caused solely by coyotes or mountain lions or big foots. The problem is far more widespread than any of you realize and I'm sure its far more complex as well.

Just my opinion based on 32 yaars of working with both hunters and deer!

Have a good Christmas everybody!

WOW...you lost a drake Eurasian wigeon?? That sucks dude! I killed one in NC back in the early 90's. It went on to win a National Championship for me. They are really cool birds and a true trophy in the eastern states. Its a shame you lost yours.

Here is a pintail and a mallard I just finished for a client. He is a guide in Arkansas and they are headed to the lodge he guides for.

OH GREAT.......now all the deer really ARE gone!

What are we gonna do next year?

Nice job on the big baldy! They are fun to shoot late season.

Thanks Melissa. Saw yours on Facebook---GREAT first buck! Its all down hill from here, ya know?

SEE BOB.....there are NO deer left in NY. You might as well take up racket ball. That would be a great game for you----you lock up a little ball in a room and then beat the snot out of it! Its a great stress release----and it can't get away!

You should sell your guns and bows. What do you have anyway? My wife wants to take up bowhunting (because there are no deer) and I've got a kid that'll be ready in a few years. Let me know.

LOLOL....it was killed at a high fence operation in Wisconsin. I know the taxidermists that unloaded that deer and we have been having quite a chuckle over where its been reported to have been killed. Now I have to add Genesseo and Bergen to my list.....

Its ridiculous how many people love to start rumors on the internet using someone else's pics. This year seems the worst yet.

Any one got the mountain lion trail cam pic where the cat is dragging the deer past the feeder? That one REALLY made the rounds this year with everyone blaming their lack of deer on the PGC, DEC, IDNR stocking mountain lions......HA!

OOOPS...forgot to compliment you on writing the longest continuous sentence in LOU history!

And while I'm at it.....Ohio does not have anything that NY doesn't. You just need to find a better spot Bob. There were only 2 deer left in Ohio after the rut this November anyway. Melissa killed one and here is the other one. LOLOL THERE.....I just saved my dyslexic little buddy a trip all the way to Ohio.

YEP......you're right Bob. No deer left in NY or PA or anywhere. I just shot the last one in NY this morning. Just so you can check her off your board she was a 3 1/2 year old doe and weighed around 95 pounds.

Just like the last passenger pigeon.......they're all gone!

Glad you're still getting a chuckle out of that Howie. I, however, am still stewing over that day.

Here are a couple of waterfowl pieces I just finished for a client.

YOU GUYS!!!!!! That pic has been going around for months----as Diversion said, each time with a different location. It was NOT taken in PA, NJ, NY or anywhere near here. In fact, if you enlarge the pic on your computer monitor you will see several things that show the entire pic is Photoshopped. The most obvious is that the hind leg of the cat is visible THROUGH the leg of the deer. Take a look at it!

Pics like this, as well as those resurrected big deer pics that are given new locations really tick me off.

"Here's a pic of a great buck my uncle's cousin's brother killed the other day in Henrietta".....

Good luck! Have a great SAFE season!

Paul

The past three years have seen tremendous fishing from July 15th through August 15th. I run trips almost every day then and that month has definitely been the best and the most consistent. This year the last week of July through the first week of August was "stupid" fishing---we actually had to pull rods out of the water to keep from limiting clients out too early. You couldn't "drive out" of the fish! Now that I said that....next year will be different!

I believe it was pulled because it hasn't been approved for viewing yet. The agreement they had with the ProAm Series was that the Directors would get to preview the edits and make any necessary changes so that the Tournament Series was presented in the best light possible. What you saw was the "unapproved preliminary" version and never should have been posted.

No dead fish pics here...This is a fall stream steelhead I just finished for a client. Good luck to everyone hitting the streams and rivers!

Move to a port where the fish are. Your spelling and punctuation problems will probably get better too, BOB. LOL

Fishing Report

Your Name / Boat Name:Free Spirit

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TRIP OVERVIEW

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Date(s):9-20

Time on Water:6:30- 1:30

Weather/Temp:Sunny

Wind Speed/Direction:calm to light NE

Waves: calm

Surface Temp:63-64

Location:wall to 50'

LAT/LONG (GPS Cords):

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FISHING RESULTS

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Total Hits: 11

Total Boated:10

Species Breakdown:kings

Hot Lure:White on white Spin Doctor with Sigg's Green Hypnotist and Lime/ice glo

Trolling Speed: 2.7

Down Speed: 2.0

Boat Depth: 50

Lure Depth: 30-40

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SUMMARY & FURTHER DETAILS

====================

I was hoping to get a trip scheduled for Sunday as the forecast was supposed to be terrific but the crew couldn't get it together so Chad Terlitsky and I made the trip anyway. I needed to do some "pre-pulling/winterizing" work on the boat and Chad wanted a king to mount for himself. Chad occassionally mates for me and has fished dozens of tournaments with me but we have never just "gone fishin" with no pressure or outside circumstances.

We started "on the wall" and watched "almost everyone" boat fish around us. What the heck!! We made several passes with only one bite until the sun came up and we could see the gin clear water. We trolled out to the 50' level and the screen lit up with fish. I switched from the spoons and plugs to spin doctors and flies and the games began.

It was a nice steady pick of mature kings all morning long. Most were in the 20# range but three were solid mid-twenties fish and ALL were very dark and gnarly looking. We finished at 1:30 with 10 matures, most we released for the stream guys to catch, but Chad took these two home for the wall. White on white doctors with Sigg's Green Hypnotist and Sigg's Lime/ice glo flies did all the damage although a white paddle with a Lime ice took three quick ones to finish the day.

The hardest thing to remember when you're fishing for late season staging kings is PATIENCE! For every bite we took we had to endure the sight of at least 60 or 70 fish coming up to swim through the riggers. I shut the radio off so I wouldn't have to listen to the "offshore crowd" pounding the 3 year old kings and steelies.

It was a great day to be on the water and a great way to end a terrific season. The boat comes out of the water this week and then its HUNTING SEASON!

You cant miss them! Bob is right on the money. IF your trolling the 100' depth from the harbor when you hit them stacks you will want to point the boat on a NE direction. There is a little current in there the fish love to hang in. I was heading down there this past weekend b4 me and some idiot got into it!

I'd love to hear the story on that one Rick. Care to elaborate??

How about trying a different port?? The fishing on the east end of Lake O has sucked all year while Oak Orchard and Olcott continue to produce banner days. You have to fish where the fish are if you are going to expect any kind of success.

2 more rods CONGRATS

I did not think of that.....yet. COOL!

Congratulations. I can hear it now when he's 10 yrs old, as he hands a rod to you: "Here Dad, you take it, It's a little one."

Tom B.

(LongLine)

Yeah Tom...I've got a feeling he's gonna be a good one for the Tournament Team.

Meet Dylan Connor Czarnecki. The new future First Mate on the Free Spirit. He was born on Tuesday August 18th. He weighed 7 pounds 10 oz. and was 21 inches long---a keeper for sure!

With as much fishing as I've been doing the past three months it was a miracle I was able to be present for this miracle---but I was . What an overwhelming experience! Christie and the baby are doing great! Anyone know where I can get a life jacket for a new born?

Can anyone tell me how long of a drive it is from Pt breeze to Olcott. Staying in Pt breeze weds through sunday but might pull the boat to olcott a day or 2 if the fishing continues to be better there. I googled it and it is showing over an hour just seemed kind of long?

Scott

The fishing is better in Olcott????? REALLY???? I don't know how much better it could be than it is at the Oak right now. There are fish from 60 fow all the way out to the border. But.......drive an extra 45 minutes if you want to.

GAMMA Fluorocarbon! 16# for the spring and 20# for the summer. I've been handing out samples of the stuff to a lot of the Oak Captains and everyone agrees the stuff is pretty amazing. Expensive and worth every penny!