BP Swing

Nice catch and release! Congrats! Wish more guys would release. The fishery needs those slobs to keep the genetics going for big fish. Too much pressure too especially from tournaments where bass are bounced around for hours and then release 10s of miles from the catch spot. Way to go buddy.

Wow 9 miles out in a 19 foot open bow boat and 4-7 foot waves? Crazy.!!  The lake must be respected as things can change quickly just like Erie. Just not worth it going that far off shore. Prayers to the fishermen and family.  

Catch and release is bad enough early in the year for reasons shown but even worse is tournament anglers keeping bass in the livewells and not releasing them for hours later and many miles away from the nest. Even though the catch and release trophy season seems like a cool idea, obviously its very bad for the fishery. When will the scientists at the DEC stand up?

Very cool! Glad to see there might be at least a few out there but still not enough to fish for in the central basin. Thanks for the proof BWHIPS! Wow in 160 feet.

It would be nice to see a pic as its so rare in these parts. Good to hear but dont expect another one there. like winning the lottery in these parts.

Problem is being on the safe side may result in less hits since 30 lb test is like anchor rope.

wow 30 # seems like alot but they put alot of strain on tackle I guess.  

What # test flouro leader do you like for all around Salmon/Trout on Lake O?

Talk about a pain in the a%^! Trying to calibrate the Fish Hawk speeds to my Lowrance GPS speed. Cant seem to get it right. It changes every direction I go on Lake O. Directions say to lower the probe 5 feet below the surface and then make the same as GPS but it keeps changing. I went back to the factory defaults but that doesnt help as it seems way off the GPS speed. Personally I dont think any water wheel speed indicator is very accurate. Looks like this device is good only for temp but speed at the ball would of been nice. Anybody have any similar experience or tips?

Whats the best 30 lb mono flouro connection method? Uni knot or barrel swivel or something else?

Same problem here yesterday. What a mess.

Shouldnt the DEC approve any tournaments after monitoring current conditions to see if the bass are still on the beds? The thought of putting these spawning mamas in a livewell and bringing them 50 miles upstream to weigh and then release is just sickening to me. Keep that up and populations will be down. I think there should be a 2 week buffer before any tournaments and the start of the season just in case you get a year like this year where its 2 weeks behind schedule.

On 6/11/2018 at 1:23 PM, Wish’n I was Fish’n said:

Catch and release is legal on bass year long. I too used to frown on it but so many guys are out there early fishing em kinda have to join em to stand a chance. I’ve read many articles on bedding bass and it’s split right down the middle between it hurts the fishing or they just go right back to the beds. What I can’t stand is number of bass tournaments starting to pop up before the season even begins .  Another problem is the amount of pressure these fish are seeing. Seems everybody and their brother has a bass boat these days 

Not in Jefferson or St Lawrence County it's not!! Its illegal to even target them! That includes Henderson and Eastern Lake O and St Lawrence River. Other parts of the state, yes but not there. I have a cottage on one of the Indian River Lakes in Jefferson County and its poacherville! Freekin rednecks catch and keep everything out of season including Bass through the ice. DEC needs to do way more enforcement in the North Country. Its shameful behavior of some of these guys. If I see it, Im writing boat numbers down and reporting. These as&h&**& wont keep me silent!

Yes it is what it is. The DEC is so trout happy state wide so it doesnt surprise me. Ive been fishing Hemlock 45 years and nobody asked me to do a survey. Good thing because I prefer toothy crittters and Bass. I like trout too and really all species but I just wish NYS wasnt so trout heavy. So are they blaming the Rainbow decline on the 5 yr stocking of Walleye by the rod and gun club then? There are so many bait fish in that lake, I doubt that had anything to do with it. I dont think Naples Creek or Catherine Creek gets the run like they used to either. No Walleyes to blame there. Whatever...its tough to please everyone. Hemlock/Canadice is cool regardless.

Big Walleyes were  common in Hemlock in the 1940s and 1950s. Several really big fish to 14 lbs were caught as shown in the Genesee Fishing Contest Guides (Whele Contest back then). They died off when the Alwifes were introduced as they preyed on the young Walleye. Yes the Finger Lakes for the most part are suitable for coldwater species like Trout BUT Hemlock could be managed as a trophy lake not a numbers Lake. Seems like most of the ones caught there were big and even now you see an oddball big one from the Rod & Gun Club stockings. All I'm saying is how about giving us a trophy destination for Walleye instead of worrying about Rainbows. Pickerel eat small trout too. The Lakers and Rainbows are mostly stocked there anyways. Why can't both be stocked there since it has a track record of producing trophy size Walleye? Not everyone worships Trout!!! There are alot of Walleye guys out there too. Also I wouldnt say we have lots of places to fish Walleye in Western NY either. Honeoye, Conesus, Silver, and maybe an oddball spot. After that you are driving 2 hours or more, one way.

Nice. Didn't realize that. Never hear much about Tigers from Onondaga.

I'm a little late reading this. LOL. Great job releasing it! You are a true sportsman. The big ones are no good to eat anyways compared to the smaller ones. I have fished hemlock for 45 yrs and have only caught 2 of them by accident. Both around 7 lbs and released. Its a shame the DEC wont allow the rod & Gun Club to continue stocking. This lake has a history of producing some of the biggest Walleyes in the State. In the 1940s and 1950s, Hemlock was at or near the top in the Whele (Genesee) Fishing Contest several times and those fish were in the 12-14 lb range. I guess they think guys would rather catch dink rainbows. Thats the official word. Nobody asked me..... Anyways awesome fish and job releasing it...Can't we change the DECs mind somehow on the stocking?

Too bad they stopped stocking the Walleye at Hemlock thinking it was causing the Rainbow population to decline. They must have ordered the Springwater Rod & Gun to stop because of that. Too bad it was producing some beauties. I for one am tired of NYS putting Trout on the highest throne. There arent many lakes in NY to get big Walleyes either and this  was one of them. Very rare now.

Are there skis in Onondaga? Or is this for Pike?

I will believe it when I see it. Its only been what 20 yrs like this?? Are they really going to the Oak? Would be nice.

Thanks all the kind words. I'll tell you what... you guys and this site are a bunch of classy guys.

I just got my reproduction mount back from Rick Lax in Wisc. He does really nice work. This fish was my favorite fish story of all time for me in 55 yrs of fishing. It went something like this:

On 12/20/2017 at 8:21 PM, Matt ching said:

Perhaps all of the sewage that was dumped in this year. 35,000 partly treated out of Dresden. Also 5,000 of raw sewage out of marsh. Just seems like no one is aware, or really cares it a shame. If there is anything I could do to get more involved please let me know I would love to help! I know a few web designers who could possibly set something up.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

Since when are they dumping sewage into Seneca? I thought that was outlawed years ago? Sounds like some sort of viral disease or waste from the Salt plant? This is so sickening..... No wonder when I put the camera down I never see anything other than a gin clear sterile bottom..... 

OK so you had me wondering about Lamoka. I went through every single Whele/Genesee Fishing Guides from 1947-1990 and found 1 (I think). There was one caught from Lamora Lake in 1978 which weighed 39 lbs 6 1/4 oz. I think it was a typo as the R could of easily been a K. Does anyone know of a Lamora Lake in NY that holds Musky? Keep in mind the contest published the top 3 for each month so there was about 10-12 listed for each year. The St Lawrence totally dominated in most years by a wide margin. There were several from Waneta from the 80s on. Back then you had to weigh the fish on a certified scale to enter it. I thought I would see more from Lamoka but I guess not. Strangely I do remember the almost 40 lber caught from there. Weird how I remember things like that but not what I had for lunch. LOL

One other item of note was the 68 lb 5 oz Musky Ruth Lawton caught in 1961. If Art Lawtons 69-15 record was disqualified (in some states and by the IGFA but not NY) then why is Ruths not the record?

In the Fishing Hall of Fame they recognize Cal Johnsons 67 lb x oz as the record (probably because it was caught in Wisconsin).

I can remember from The old Genesee Fishing contest that huge musky were occasionally caught in Lamoka so it did support them at one time. Unless they stock it again, I guess we'll never know. What would it hurt? There are no trout too worry about there and with them already in Waneta, why not?  I will look at the old guides and see what was caught there was from 1947- 1990.