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some nice shoulders on the Pickerel

I typically clip off one hook on any trebles I am using, regardless of lure type, or method of fishing.. Never in all my years have I noticed a decline in hookups vs. hits over trebles, and release is SO much easier, with less handling of the fish, and a lot less damage to the mouth.. I look over all my lures well and if the trebles are of good quality, I clip one point off each treble and call it good.. If the trebles are crap, I take them off and simply replace them with a better quality treble sometimes with a slightly larger size from what originally came with the lure, and clip off one point/barb... I know a lot of guys replace trebles with a single Siwash style hook, but personally I find 2 points superior to a single hook when it comes to hookup rates,, YMMV..... bob

I give credit to those that can catch any fish at all in water thats 33-34 degrees.. I was never any good at it... I still use small swimming plugs, as we did for decades, but these days it seems guys that troll with streamers catch more fish in very cold water... I have no idea where to even buy good streamers for trolling in the Finger lakes, or what patterns to use.. Maybe someone can enlighten me?... Are these run with a split shot or two to get them down a few feet?.. Are they weighted?.. I have caught fish trolling hair/marbou jigs in the past, but I am sure streamers would be a lot better... no idea how to get started.... bob

With the forecast, had to give it a try after reading some good reports.. When I got to the ramp at Taughannock, I was shocked.. Lines to get in to the ramp at daybreak, in 28 degree weather.. It was packed!... All the docks and bulkheads in the park were railed as well! The water at the ramp is really low, and I mean a foot deep, maybe 18 inches at best,- almost up to the footbridge. Guys with power tilt were ok, barely, but had to go really slow.. In my 14 footer with a 30 HP without tilt 2 stroke, I had to paddle almost to the bridge before I could go under power... Fishing was dead for me and everyone I talked to or saw... Water was 33 degrees , and the highest I recorded anywhere was 34.8... Thats a tiny tick above ice. Steady south wind with caps, bright sunny bluebird skies.. Not my favored conditions,, Bright sun, white caps and ice water.. I know some guys can clean up and have a great day in those conditions , but not me... Tons of guys fishing everywhere, in boats and from shore.. Looked like a May day when the trout are being caught everywhere... Despite the nice day, it was cold on the lake even after the sun was high.. Strong breeze across 33 degree water will do that I suppose... Most guys were using planers, did not see any boats using their downriggers.. I ran 2 flatlines, hundreds of feet back which usually works ok for me... I am not a big troller, and typically only do it when the fish are shallow, and can be caught flatlining or casting.. Anyway, it was good to get out as they say, but I think I will wait a few weeks until the south end turns on a little bit... bob

I dunno, the creeks and rivers around me are at the very tops of their banks and threatening to spill over.. Mostly due to snow melt. . Cayuga Lake is very low, I agree, but thats due to seasonal drawdown, not lack of rain... We had a LOT of snow this winter, and in many areas there is still plenty on the ground, and the ground everywhere is saturated. I wont worry about droughts just yet...

I called, emailed DEC 7 several times, left messages, but they aren't working at the office, working from home I was told, and they can't be bothered taking the time to reply.. I envy the fact that you are aware of areas that are holding fish.. I personally have no idea where to go as my section of the rive is mostly ice floes, floating masses of slush and no fishing access due to the depth of the snow, even if the river itself was clear enough to fish.. Obviously, there are some sections that still hold fish if they are getting that much pressure at this time of year..I have not seen a fisherman down here in 3 months.... bob

I moved here in 1991, and learned about the Smelt runs within the 1st year or two... Love to eat Smelt, so went and bought a net... Just as I was ready to get started I kept hearing about the great downturn in the fishery.. Went a few times, never saw anyone with more than few, and lost interest... Basically was the "you should have been here 10 years ago" type of thing... Oh well, missed out... Maybe they'll come back, but with the Goby infestation, I have my doubts..

pretty much closed out the year this past week, -couple of trips without a hit last week or so.. Not even one fish the entire fall, and caught just one fish this spring a month before the season opened-[returned to the water of course], and I think one short this spring, maybe two. That only keeper size fish was a VERY nice 28 incher. Glad some guys are still catching fish in the river, but for me, I have never seen anything like this.. Went from catching hundreds of fish every fall years ago, to not even one this fall, and I think 3 last fall. I have also not seen even one other fisherman Walleye fishing the river since early October, so others are having a similar experience to mine I would imagine.... bob

I fish Owego down to Barton.. It was all I ever needed for many years, and I never moved around much.. I might have to learn some new areas... The guys that fished alongside me for years, are all gone, most just gave up.. I seldom see any fishermen any more except in the rocky bottom Barton area, as the SMB fishing is very good in the late fall.. Only heard one guy say he caught a Walleye there this fall.. Most caught none, and for years they were caught regularly with bass, and then as it grew towards twilight the Walleyes would take over.. Lots of shorts, but they were there by the hundreds, for many years... No longer, at least not for me... The river has had several massive floods since 2006, and the contour has changed.. Might be as simple as the areas I fish the most are simply no longer attractive to walleyes... bob

Ok then. I guess its just my problem.. I DO use a boat at times, but it has not helped much in my case. past few years.. Never needed one years ago, shore fishing at dusk or dawn was always productive from mid sept onward, and then from early May into early June... However as I said, we would catch dozens of shorts every single trip year after year, day and night... I have caught about 10 juveniles total in the last 5 years.. The areas I fish and were historically really good, are totally devoid of fishermen these days as well, and as we know, where there are fish there are always fishermen.... Maybe next year... bob

All points are well taken of course, and I won't argue with any of them.. All are valid.. The susky is, was, and has always been a VERY lightly fished river here in NY state along most of its length, so I don't think its a problem of internet lurkers going and cleaning out a spot...That DOES happen no doubt, in many waters,and its a major problem. In any case, I put a call in to the DEC Region 7 in Cortland to ask a few questions, but big surprise, I got a voice mail and they never called back...I will report back if I hear anything.. Meanwhile, looks like my days of Walleye fishing are at an end..... bob

Probably not the best place for this post as there seems to be almost no mention of any Southern Tier fishing, but here it is anyway, looking for thoughts/opinions from others. I have lived in Tioga County [Candor } since 1991.. 30 years this coming June... I have fished the Susquehanna for Walleyes every year since the early 90's. I knew little about Walleyes then, being a salt water guy from NJ, but they responded well to techniques I used for decades in salt water...It was nothing to catch a dozen in an hours time from shore, Lots of shorts and juveniles I called "spikes" as I used to call juvenile Weakfish or Whiting in my salt water days... Water was FULL of them, sometimes one every cast... Guys would be lined up, and everyone caught, every trip.. Some were kept to eat, but many were returned as well... Then I noticed a slowdown as we got closer to around the year 2000... In the next 20 years, the fishing got slower and slower, each year showing less and less fishing success, and fewer and fewer people even fishing for them... This year I caught one very fat 28 incher in March, returned to the river of course, and I think one 9 inch spike.. Thats it,,, for the YEAR.. I recall, that when a light was shined into the water as it got dark, the bottom was paved with glowing eyeballs... Today, NONE show up.. The fish are simply gone.. One thing thats a constant anywhere.. Where there are fish, there are fishermen.. These days, you see very few boats on the river, and only guys that do fish are Musky or SMB fishing.. I recall a sunny Sept afternoon in bright sun many years ago at a river "hot spot" I knew, catching 26 keeper sized Walleyes in about 2 hours, while standing on the same rock... This past year, I have caught none at the same place .. all year... Just wondering what could have happened?.. Its not pressure, because even in areas with very poor access, the fish simply are no longer there, and as long as I have been here in NY state, river has never had much pressure along much of its length. I am planning on contacting the DEC and asking them where this fishery has disappeared to. I really began to worry in earnest a fall season about 20 years ago... That fall I caught ONE keeper Walleye, and FOUR Tiger Muskies as long as my leg while fishing for Walleyes in a 2month period... I am getting old I know, and maybe my lures and methods are outdated, but still, something is wrong... When there are fish, there are ALWAYS people trying to catch them.. No longer,- when I do fish the river for Walleyes these days, I am always alone, and the water itself and the boat ramps that serve it are desolate... bob

Be great if they can stay open.. Thats a tough business with more failures than success stories. I have seen dozens and dozens go under in too short a time. I wish them well, and hope they make some money... bob