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I have tried unhooking the fish while still in the water and haven't had much luck. I'm just not very good at it! My high gunnels don't help either and when I open the "tuna door" I always feel like it's a bit unsafe. I do have to agree with Has Been a bit in that I've lost quite a few pairs of pliers and sunglasses as well! I've begun to net every fish and then unhook them in the boat. I'm sure the net puts some stress on them, but on small fish if I'm not careful I have torn their jaws in the past trying to unhook them in the water. Nick

Two weekends ago driving through the channel at Sodus there were a few fish (prob 15lbs) jumping off the wake on the side of the boat. I just figured they were normal carp, but really wouldn't be all that surprised if the Asian carp were already in the lakes. They're going to get here sooner or later. Do they eat Gobies at least? Nick

Yes we usually offer $50/day = $100 total for an observer. We also offer them the chance to prefish with us. We do things a bit different if we place though... although we've only done two pro-ams so it's only happened once We gave the extra trophy to the observer that was on OUR boat. I guess we felt they were as much a part of the experience as we were. You'll learn though how valuable a good observer is the first time your observer is an hour late forcing your team and the team she's supposed to go with to sit at the dock while other teams begin to fish. Not only the time lost, but the way it screws your mental game will make that $100 seem like $ well spent on a good observer. Oh and in terms of sharing information.... some teams have their observers give them the scoop on what the boat they went with used, their locations, etc. Personally, I don't like to do that... just feel it puts them in an uncomfortable situation. Of course if they start blabbing I don't close my ears either Nick

Good!!! With any luck the shelf will have raised and brought the water level up with it!!! I know I could certainitly use another foot or so. Be careful when you guys come for the Wayne Pro Am... water levels in the bay have gotten very very low! Nick

Been there done that. My wife caught a 31 lb salmon a couple of years ago when the $1k/day tournament was going on... would have won that day by 3 lbs. After netting it, I was excited and looked over at my dad who had come up for the day and he had one of those puppy dog / don't kill me looks on his face. All he said was "I never thought we'd catch one big enough to bother" even though I told him he had to get it. In the end it wouldn't have mattered as the tourny went belly up and didn't pay the winners anyways. It also happened to my uncle in the late 90s when he landed a 40lb king that would have won the LOC, only to find out that the captain hadn't registered for the LOC, even though we all did... Of course, $900k is a much bigger loss. May even be worth a civil claim, although I doubt the mate for hire has anything worth taking, even if just to cover the tournament fee. Nick

The one problem I have with some of the posts here is you guys keep saying it's "their job". When using words like that, it turns your tournament into WORK as opposed to FUN. Some teams make the tournament a weekend job, but I'll be damned if I'm going to drive the 7hrs to the lake to "work". Our team consists of myself, a fellow fisherman, and my wife. We alternate drivers based on catch... if I'm driving and not catching my wife takes over, if she drives and no catches our friend takes over... just to switch it up a bit. Everyone likes to run their own things, so I setup the left side, our friend sets up the right side. If something works, we switch to that presentation. First person to a rod fights the fish (my wife can't get wire rods out of the holders though). However, safety decisions are made by me, myself, and I and in that order. I cost our team a top 10 finish last year in Sodus because I thought we were having engine issues... turns out we weren't, but I'd do the same thing over again to make sure my crew was safe. Another thing people tend to forget is their observer. Maybe they're getting paid, maybe they're there just to learn or were swindled into it by a friend/significant other... but I always feel it's important that they have a good time as well. We include them in conversations and even lure choices (pick one type of thing). I for one try to have fun during the tournament. It's a passion, not my profession. Nick

I'm personally beginning to think there just isn't room for more than one derby. What about the option of combining the 1k per day with the LOC? The LOC already gives x amount for big fish of the day. Why not remove the current LOC fish per day and make it an option. Now if a one day fisherman wants to get in on the LOC the ticket price is only $10, but if he wants to get in on the LOC AND DAILY FISH the ticket price is $35. (these $ are guesses) I'd really like to see the LOC price for a daily ticket come down. I know I have people who want to come out with me in August and don't want to spend the $25/person (family of 4 = $100). Nick

I ended up exchanging the 700 for a 600 and $50 gift card, which will be used towards another 600 for the other side of the boat. The 700 was a pretty reel, but it was pretty big. I kinda wish they had a 650 or something in between. Nick

Got an email last night, looks like we're set for an observer... thanks all! Nick

So my father surprised me for my birthday with a Tekota 700LC for my wire dipsey rod... my question now is it's pretty big, would I be better off exchanging it for a 600LC? Do you guys prefer the 600 or 700 for your wires? Nick

Still looking ladies and gents... $100 cash and a free boat ride! Nick

Our observer backed out this year, so Team Ruff Rider is in need of an observer. We pay for both days as well as offer for the observer to prefish with us (Thursday and Friday). If anyone knows someone that is interested please have them drop me an email at [email protected] or call me at 484-302-1590. Thanks! Nick

I won't be out this weekend, but good luck. A bunch of guys will probably still be on Ch9. Nick

If this is still available, please email me at [email protected] Thanks!

Hey Brian, Yeah I think I saw you guys out there. Myself and a bunch of us usually hang on CH.9. Feel free to join in as we usually tell eachother where the fish are (should be). Nick

The fishing in Sodus remains dead. The thunderstorms wouldn't let us out early, but we got out from 11-3pm. There were bait pods in 120fow, 160fow, and 200fow. I didn't mark a single hook with them though. Normally this time of year there are a few steelies to be had, but I couldn't find them. It got snotty around 2 and we packed it up and trolled in. The fleas started to show up a bit on the divers, so it won't be long now. Out of the people I talked to there was the occasional coho/small king (5lbs) caught out in 250 fow. But for most Sodus continues to be dead water. Hopefully the fish will find the bait soon. Be back at it in a couple of weeks. Nick

Your bad week of fishing out there sounds like our good week Even out at the bar we're happy when we catch a few kings a day. Sure we have days we the rods never stop moving, but each year seems to be hit or miss depending on the week. We'll be out there the last week of May, so hopefully the fish are hungry by then. This cold spell probably won't help much. Nick

why get rid of it, looks like the hooks work just fine!

If you were indeed in a sailboat, then yes you were wrong

off track what's the issue? He was probably over 100 ft from shore? Were you thinking that carcasses should not be disposed of in the bay or just not that close to the swimming hole? Nick

yikes where to start.... How much money you spend has no correlation to how the fishing is. period. Some weekends the fish just don't want to bite, the next weekend you slaughter them. Having a "few bites" each trip is better than some of us do at times, let alone someone who isn't at the lake each weekend. Also, asking cannon to send a "replacement"... hopefully you mean you BUYING a replacement as it was your fault, not theirs. If so, you can buy them online, just do a google search for replacement cannon probe. Lastly, be a bit more grateful that you have the health and wealth to go fishing on the big pond... many aren't so lucky. Only advice I can give is work different depths next time. If you aren't hitting fish in 100fow, slide out to 200fow, then out to 300fow, etc and move back and forth between them. When you find fish/bait on your screen work them for a while and hope they turn on. Nick

Yes I agree with outlawing smoking and drinking on a boat ... I did on mine We can't outlaw guns or how else would we enforce the no smoking/drinking and pfd law ... duh! Nick

Perch, I agree with the swim statement as well But then again, I go on planes and don't know how to fly haha Nick

I'd say 42lbs, but I'm a fisherman Nick

Sorry ladies, but I agree with this law. For a lot of us on this board, I don't think it is necessary... but out of Sodus, I see a lot of row boats out there getting smacked by other people's wakes. A friend towed in three guys (adults) last week after their small motor on their RENTAL boat broke down... all three said they didn't know how to swim. I think this law is good for all the irresponsible boaters out there and a bit of a pain for the responsible ones. And on a personal note.... you're a frickin moron if you don't wear a seat belt or a helmet on a bike for that matter. Nick