Slimy Hooks

People were walking into S&R bait, saying they were going to the south end and guys have been out...Didn't hear about ice thickness...

Perch fished the Bay this past weekend...Concentrated on the south end from 25'-45' of water... Fishing was good and managed limits both days and the jumbo's came out to play Saturday as I had 8 over 13" with one taping out to 14" and 1/4" biggest perch I have ever caught...Sunday only had one over 12, but lots of fish over 10" to fill the limit... Smaller fatheads seemed to work better, as I always toss a second rod over the side with the biggest fatheads I can find, and the fish did not want them... Light crowds as well, saw 6 boats all weekend...Great time to catch'em, if you dont mind the cold...

Excellent perch fishing to be had in the right places...Steep drop-offs, holding structure had schools of perch stacked up...Fished by my lonesome and went through a pound and a half of fatheads keeping a easy limit of 10" on up to 14"... Bonus catches included a pair of 20 pound carp, a 10 pound catfish and numerous 2-3 pound sheephead which proved to battle very well with the ultra-light gear and 6 pound line... It was very close to a day of no fishing, as on my first pull of the cord to start my motor, it snaps... It was dark, frustrating, and since this was the 1st day I have been able to fish in at least 4 weeks I said, this is what the paddles are for...So, made the hour and 15 minute paddle to my destination, fished the day, and made the paddle back in the dark hugging the shoreline...Still sore, and it was very, very worth the effort... Good fishin' to be had, go get'em guys...

Last November, slowly motoring across Irondequoit Bay to go perch fishing, I caught a glimpse of something swimming paralell to me and it turned out to be a very big pike, head out of water and I swear that thing made eye contact with me as the fish was less than 30 feet away... I turned the boat to get closer and he dove under and I never saw him again...This was at first light over about 50 feet of water...I just kinda thought this fish was wondering what I was and just checking things out...Never saw that before and this thread interested me as I wondered what that fish was up to...

All the areas people mentioned are good ones... My only additional information is at Hamlin the park police told me fishing is only allowed on the one main jetty...They kept kicking me off the other ones last year, thankfully no tickets just warnings...

Very nice brown trout...Have you ever fished the creek that those fish run??? Its small, but have walked out with 40+ fish days numerous times...I highly suggest trying that...

Fished the Bay, same way as usual... Very good action, but tons of shorts...Still managed a 3/4 full 5 gallon bucket and was done at 10:45 due to an eye appointment... Spent an hour at the crappie zone and pulled 5 over 10 inches plus a few shorts, then off to the perch zone and non-stop action which also included some very nice silver bass...A few sheepshead left me dissapointed hoping for a slob perch... Bottom rig was hot, could barely get a twich of the jig before the bottom rig was getting pulled over-board... Never tried the night-time crappie game, but have heard its productive...Tried a few times arriving an hour or so before sunrise and caught nothing until the sky lightened... 10 hour shift tomorrow, good luck everyone!!!

Last reason that came to mind of you asking for a picture was because you've never seen a crappie...Considering this is the internet, fingers are quickly pointed and doubts quickly raised, I was just giving my 2 cents for non-believer's before it came out from anyone... Fished the Bay yesterday...Crushed'em...Never left a strech of drop-off for over 6 hours...Fish averaged a little smaller, but still pulled a few 12"-13" and my crappie spots only gave me 2 over 10"...

No pictures...Rarely if ever take pictures, unless I am with someone that has a camera and i'm fishing out of a 10-12' inflatable so no one is there to take my picture... If you dont believe me thats fine, most people dont but the crappie population is decent in the bay...Some days ive caught over 20 shorts, and 3 weeks ago one spot gave me and a friend 15 over 10 inches and many shorts...We fished side by side in 2 different boats that day... Been finding them on the North end, on vertical structure in 10-25 feet of water...

Thanks for the advice Grady...Think I might have to do that, as it would store better on the boat and wont have downrigger balls rolling all over especially when my stubborness makes me plow through boat wakes instead of slowing down... Cant fish this weekend, but will be anchored up and ready to go by first light Teusday...Thankfully, where I launch at the Newport blow-boat club, is 2 minutes from my house... Good luck in your quest for bambi, and see ya on the water sometime...

Thats a good idea for making a anchor...Been using downrigger balls for anchors...16 pounds on each really holds the small inflatable well...When I cut the fish, I could'nt tell what was inside them besides fathead minnows...Was surprised to see that and there was food in there stomachs but very digested... Was fishing north of the 104 Bridge, not the small one at the launch ramp...

Late report but the weekends coming up so maybe this will help a few people...Fished North of the bridge last Sunday, east and west side drop-offs from 20-40'...Steady action all day with more quality fish than i've seen this fall... Brought home 42 perch and 9 crappie...Biggest perch was 13" and the biggest crappie was 12 and three quarters, biggest one ive ever caught... While it was difficult fishing the small glo cubby jig in 20-40' it made the difference as my bottom rig with a sinker and 2 snelled hooks above, caught less than 5 keepers...They really wanted the jig with a fathead...Wish I could get niagara's though... Highly suggest thoroughly fishing a stretch of drop-off...Anchor up, fan cast all around, and if nothing move over just out of range of your casts and start again...This was how I managed to find a pod that gave me a keeper a cast for a few hours...Hardest part was figuring the angle of the wind and how it would push me and still let me cast and fish effectively...Things to take into consideration instead of just throwing the hook and hoping for the best... Good luck to everyone this weekend, going to the Niagara aquarium or i'd be perch fishing...Took a vacation day on Teusday so I dont go through fishing withdrawl and will be back at it with my 12' inflatable and pound of minnows...

Great catch of perch Tom...What a diverse angler you are, not just a trout and salmon fishermen...Thats great to see... Seeing that makes me want to find a few maps, due some research and make the drive...Catching plenty of perch at home but your catching more keepers than I am shorts...

Fishing drop-offs from 20-40' has been making me go through a pound of minnows a day, but I am fishing dark to dark... Also, can say i've not seen any other boat doing well but I dont go to a spot if there are other boats and move if someone shows up...Just a personal preference thing... One of these years i'll actually fish the 7 and 8 marker's but would take a vacation day when the weather is terrible to avoid the armada...

Your welcome... Just to let you know dont expect a lot of fish...Hope for a bite or two and be happy to land one...Multiple fish days will happen, but not every...Been skunked about half the times pier fishing and I show up before sun-set and leave after sun-rise... If you want you can try a floating egg sack, slip sinker rig with a glass bottle...They do hook fish but i'm still waiting to see one landed with the hook in its mouth...I dont fish this way as feeling the crunch is amazing and I dont like my fish foul-hooked...

From now on you have a shot at catching one at night from the piers...Later in the season when the run is in full swing you can catch them during the day but for the next few weeks night time is best... Glo cleos and yecks in the 3/4 ounce size and your good to go...

I'll second what Zero Limit mentioned, we were skunked...Thankfully we got into the fish when the sun came out... We set up during the sun setting with a near blank graph...What was once a blank graph then developed a solid 10' band of "something" that was not there before and it stayed with us until the sun-rose then slowly dissipated...Could only guess all the micro-organisms and the like...Also, the graph which was near barren was lit up with marks in and around that band that was much higher in the water column than anticipated due to knowing what the temperature was and where we had been catching them the last few days... Was very fascinating and would not mind giving it another shot...

What a great fish to catch and even better timing to do so...Congratulations!!!

Hey Rodney, Been doing fairly well...Just working and fishing...Getting ready for a New Jersey fishing vacation with my Father...Last time there, lasted 4 days before I fell asleep...Day trips for summer flounder and they like atomik flies BTW, and night fishing for bluefish...No time to sleep inbetween trips as I show up hours early to make sure we can get a good position on the boat... Hope all has been well with yourself Rodney, have'nt forgotten watching you hook 2 kings on Summerville to my zero, then you went directly to the Oak, great to see such dedication...Have'nt heard a word from Matt in a long time...

Yes there is a lot wrong with that picture... The diver rod snapped right above the reel seat while trolling and I grabbed it and brought it back to the boat...

Never wandered in to where we exactly got'em yesterday...If anything we fished deeper off yesterdays waypoints and a little further East... Our big king was 22-23 with a couple near 20 and some upper teenagers...Mark's twins as well as 3 of there friends were fishing today and I guarantee none of them had a derby ticket...

That was a incredible day that I wont soon forget...That many fish, let alone in June was amazing... Also, I only held that steelie broad-side so Mark could get a good photo, much better holding them straight up and down as they naturally are... Went back there today and managed 35 bites or so, but more bigger kings...Things changed a little, surface warmed up 4 degrees, and the colder water got pushed down further...Took fish 50-120' down over 140-200' with the best fish coming from 90-120' down and 300-350 on wires...Fly bite today, spoons did not move to much...

Congrats to team Devonian on there 3rd place finish... Mark Lewis and myself attended the same Captain's course and he was a very pleasant individual to be around and a all around good person...Well done guys...

A fantastic job done by team Screamer/Zip-n-Zim...Conditions changed over-night and these anglers obviously were able to adapt and put together 2 consistant days of fishing to beat out 40 pro boats and take home the prize... Congratulations you guys...

Great job guys... Sorry to here that Saturday did not turn out as you wished but you made the correct adjustments and boxed out with some great fish...Congrats on the comeback award... See ya in Oswego...