bulletbob

just a shout out to an LOU member that is a straight shooter. I recently posted a WTB for a small insignificant elec trolling motor.. No bow mount/foot control, just a cheap little thing for a little Jon boat.. I dunno, I wanted to spend maybe 50-75 bucks or so .. Forum member HOP [real name is Gary] PM'd me and told me he had one laying around, and if I didn't mind the drive up to OVID I would be welcome to have it-free. I thanked him for his kindness and generousity, and went up and picked it up, and was shocked.. Its a gorgeous old Evinrude, in simply spectacular condition, very well built, and very unusual in form, never saw one like it, and they simply don't build them like this anymore. Gary could certainly have sold this for a decent buck, but instead chose to give it to someone he only met once for about 2 minutes. My only "payment" is he wants me to show him how I jig for lakers,, Pretty brutal price to pay , right?.. My techniques should increase his catch by a FULL 2 or 3 fish a YEAR! lol.. Also a shout out to ontherise ]Joe]another member that sold me a very nice 2007 Tracker/Fisher Jon boat in VERY nice shape for $200... Most I had seen before buying his were a LOT older, in a lot worse shape, for a lot more money. I got a really really nice deal on a nice little boat. I appreciate guys like this, and when I see a member here that has a need or simply a want, I will certainly do the same as I was done... Over the years, I have bought/sold/traded stuff here, and never had a bad deal, always positive.... thanks again!... bob

You are correct of course. However, as we know, there are always cycles in these large lakes.. Smelt were being out competed for years by sawbellies, and then piled on by zebras and now those damn gobies.. However, anything might have a few down years due to any number of natural factors, and the Smelt might be able to rebound some.. Personally, I would rather see fewer sawbellies and more smelt in the lakes.. I have my doubts of course, but you never know... bob

Smelt still there, but in greatly reduced numbers. If we are smart as fishermen/ conservationists we will leave them alone and maybe in time, there will be a comeback of sorts in the species.. I hope so... bob

Its not horrible, but you do need to watch, especially the closer you get to the creeks/inlet... We dodged a few nasty half submerged logs, and other pieces of wood... Should be ok soon.. Didn't see anything out there that would sink you, but there is still stuff floating that will take your prop/skeg out and leave you rowing back.. bob

south end cayuga 4/13 Did a shakedown of my battered but trusty OLD starcraft holiday 18 yesterday in the afternoon.. treman ramps were high and full of junk, but usable.. i was the ONLY rig there which surprised me.. Not 30 seconds into trolling[flatline only] I had a hard hit on a chartreuse hair bucktail I was trolling/jigging.. I troll the jig but keep a steady jigging motion going as well.. Works pretty well actually if you don't mind the exercise. We landed a nicely shouldered 19 incher.. Not 2 minutes later my son had a good fish on a really small silver black rapala, but it got off.... We thought it was going to be a great afternoon but it wasn't to be... Not another hit for probably 2 hours trolling , and then I got a good hit on the jig and a pretty good battle as we were casting in the mud at the very south end where we caught the first salmon.. I was shocked to see a very sizable bullhead hooked directly in the tail.. They fight pretty well when tail hooked!... I also lost another very nice size fish on the jig shortly after.. It was slower heavier fight and may have been a carp, or pike, or something other than a salmonid.. We could not draw any hits in the clearer water, The one salmon we caught, the 2 or 3 other fish we lost while trolling and casting and the stupid bullhead were all in the shallower/ more colored water.. Saw a guy in a tricked out kayak trolling out there as well, not sure if he had anything.. So for certain there are some fish active in the south end, but it was no great shakes.. Got a flat on the way to the lake, had no time to even put the FF on the boat, just starting to get my boats/gear/junk in order.. Its funny -last year in May, the same son and I fished Cayuga for salmon off shore with live sawbellies, and our tally was exactly the same as yesterday... 1 salmon and one bullhead.. I'll bet YOU guys don't catch bullheads when you're salmon fishing! lol... bob

No messages came through hop.. Kindly try again, and if it doesn't work for some reason, please email me directly [email protected]

Wow, terrific! tell you what hop.. Don't you like those old slow conventional reels??. I thought I sold you one a while ago.. I might still have one or two in good working condition, I think its an Ocean City and it still works smooth as silk.. and hell, I'll buy lunch on top of it if you'd like.. Can you PM me so we can set up a time??.bob

WTB- Small transom mount electric motor Not looking for a high end high price unit.. The one sitting in your garage unused for 20 years will do fine as long as it works well.. Just a cheap working motor with no frills is fine.. it will be going on a 12 foot Jon boat in small ponds backed up by a paddle or oars... It will also be used on the boat as a backup with a 2 HP gas motor on the susquehanna river here and there. I don't need a very high power one, just something that will move the boat a 2 mph when run full power is fine.. If at all possible i would prefer to stay within an hour or so travel time from Ithaca... If anyone is interested, i can also trade a like new condition Walker portabble downrigger for the right unit, as well as like new boat seats, several seat swivel basses, Planing fin [Doel Fin] etc... I have the cash too of course, but I know guys are always on the lookout for boat fitting stuff as well, and I have a ton of crap laying around that will never get used... Let me know what you have, and price.... bob

WTB.. 12 foot aluminum boat Just to row around small ponds,lakes and calm waters with my grandson.. I have 3 other boats with trailers, and just want a rowboat to throw in the back of a pickup.. I am 63 and my grandson is 4 so looking for something thats light enough to slide into a pickup bed.. Not looking for a newer high end boat, just something that floats, and isn't total trash.. not too worried about a few leaks or cosmetics.. the cheaper the better considering how it will be used,- very lightly.. V hull, or Jon boat is fine...Call bob 607-659-5334

south end of Cayuga has big bullheads as well... Sometimes in big numbers too... bob

Good.. better they get to spawn and bring the population up. They are lousy to eat anyway when in spawn condition.. Too many get taken and baked, or nailed to a wall when they are trying to reproduce... bob

Yes i am aware of Owasco, have fished it for lakers.. Its 10 miles further each way than Waneta/Lamoka, so its not a deal breaker, and I do know its a good lake.. Certainly a possibility

thanks suttontroller , i appreciate the offer and I will PM you. i like cayuta, and its one of the closer lakes to me, and according to my color FF it is LOADED with life.. tons of bait, that I think are sawbellies. We went in summer and didn't get any Crappies, but I know they are there, and I hope to find a few there this coming spring. Walleyes in there as well . I think know a good way to catch them but won't reveal it here... bob

Panfishing smaller lakes in FL region Which smaller lakes do you guys like, if you want to panfish with little ones? I don't like cayuga these days, as the Gobies are fierce, and i want to be able to fish with my 4 YO grandson, and have him catch bluegills, perch and maybe a bullhead here and there without those damn Gobies tearing the bait off if the hook gets near the bottom... Not only that, but the Fingers can get nasty on any given day,and I want him to love his fishing time with PaPa and not want to leave because he's scared of the rough water. I fished with him last year at Cayuta a few days, and we did well with mostly medium sized gills and pumpkinseeds, and a few good size perch, so thats one lake we have done ok at .. I imagine waneta/lamoka are good panfish lakes as well. haven't fished there in years, and maybe someone could give me a thumbnail without revealing any "hotspots". Also interested in Whitney Point, as its not too far from here.. I am between Ithaca and Binghamton and nothing is real close but thats ok. I have any number of boats I can use from 14 to 18. If anyone has thoughts on panfish lakes that a little boy and his grandpa can enjoy please chime in.. I am NOT looking for anyone's spot, or techniques.. just ideas on good smaller bodies of water to take my grandson fishing that are at least decently productive and hassle free.... bob

Perch reports around here?? Good luck with that... You'll get info on big Pacific Salmon on the big lake, landlocks , browns, lakers and rainbows in the Fingers. Bass,Pike, Walleyes? no problem you got questions, you'll get answers.. Yellow Perch?,Crappies?... No one talks about them much around here,,, Best answer would probably be.. yep, there's perch in Keuka.. start looking around... good luck.. I am being just a little sarcastic of course, but in all my years here, I have seen scant specific information on yellow perch fishing in any of the Finger lakes,,, the guys that fish for them on Ontario and Erie and are members here seem a little bit more forthcoming with perch fishing information on the big lakes.... It is what it is... bob

That's the NY DEC for you... They live by the millions in Cayuga, but you can't take one out, put it on a friggin' hook and throw it right back where it came from with a hook through it.. Doesn't make much sense to me... bob

Gobies for bait? Anyone tried yet??.. I stuck one on a hook/bobber in Cayuga a few years ago, and got nailed by something good , probably a SMB, swung and missed when the bobber dove under fast and deep,, Never tried catching them in bait quantities, but it would seem a screen minnow trap with a little cat food or something would catch dozens at a time... Of course they would ONLY be used at Cayuga, where they are already taking over the damn place.. Just wondering if anyone has given these little SOB's a good try as live bait???... Lakers, Bass, Big Perch, Pickerel, maybe even a Brown would be possibilites I would think.. any opinions or experience?... bob