bulletbob
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Everything posted by bulletbob
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Once they started hitting size or color didn't seem to matter.. First one was caught on a dopey looking, stained old white twister tail, they whacked that hard a few times.. Others were caught or hooked on a Chartreuse fluke, also, Shad Fluke[i think this one was bit off as well],.. also landed one on a 1/2 oz chartreuse/white hair jig.. bob -
You know, its funny.. I am a firm believer in being on the water while its still dark in the am.. Right around "false dawn".. However Cayuga isn't always that way.. Some days I don't get a touch in the morning, and then get them at noon.. Other times, evening is better, like its been lately by some accounts... I usually like Seneca in the early am, but at times I do better there when the sun is higher in the sky, late morning.. The only lake that never fishes well for me except in the morning is Keuka.. I might be doing something wrong, but at Keuka, I start at first light and usually don't get a hit after 11.00 am.. Its always best for me between 6 am and about 9 am.. Maybe I should try it some late afternoon... bob
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I read a report from a member here stating he was doing better jigging in the evening than he was in the morning... I have had times in the past when I have seen that myself.. I left candor around 2:30, and by the time I launched at T park and got to the area north of the plant it was about 4.. .. For the first couple hours it was a skunk.. No hits, no follows, and a sickening blank screen, in all depths.. I was not far from another boat with 3 guys jigging, and as they were pulling drift socks in and getting ready to leave, I idled up asking how they had done... They weren't real specific, but said they had caught some.. Then I was told that they were there all week, and that the fish were really turning on before sunset.. So It was around 6, and I decided to tough it out and check out his report.. made a move a bit further north from where I was, not more than a few minutes drive, and started my drift again in around 70 FOW where most of the few marks I had seen were located.. At about 6:30 I began seeing that blank bottom start to come to life.. The fish were there all the time most likely, just laying inactive on the bottom.. All of a sudden, I could see swipes at my jig as it fell.. You know the score,,Big red lines crisscrossing the bottom of the graph nere the jig,, Started hooking up regularly.. I brought 4 to the boat by about 7:45, all nice clean fish, no marks.. I kept the first one to eat, released the others... Had several solid hookups that got off halfway up, numerous hits, and had a jig cut off by teeth it seems... It was a hoot watching that color screen.. there were a TON of lakers down there milling around the jig, but not grabbing.. At one point, I reeled a laker up and he was followed up by a big swirling ball of other lakers, probably 10 or more.. Never saw that many follow a hooked fish.. One or two yes, but never a big school like that.. Anyway, the fish went from dormant to very active in an instant, and then shut down completely as it got darker around 8.. As always, you need to be there when they want to eat... I had decided I was terrible fisherman that could no longer fish a jig properly. Until the fish wanted to eat of course, after which time I was reveling in my remarkable skills with a jig!. Met some guys at the ramp that had been south trolling with riggers.. They had a few very small fish, nothing legal, and a couple of other guys that were fishing the shorelines with bass tackle, and they had caught nothing at all. It sucked going out alone , but I usually have trouble getting people to go.. Most of my fishing friends don't like to jig or don't have the stamina it takes to work the jigs, and stand up a lot, or thet simply won't fish from a boat.. whatever... btw, it was windy early on,, and when the wind dropped off is when the screen became more active, so its possible that my presentation became more vertical, and thats why I started getting hit a lot.. Not sure, but when they started, they hit quickly, and when they shut off it was OVER... It was good to get out again, even if it was solo... bob
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To put it very bluntly, most of them are dead.. I posted about this subject perhaps 6 years ago, and was hammered as a know nothing doom and gloomer. Cayuga experienced a massive die off in mid spring in 2008 I believe it was, and I was a witness, several times and places around the lake as a matter of fact.. Much of the lake was absolutely COVERED in dead fish.. Thousands upon thousands of SMB, Rock Bass, Pike, Suckers, Bullheads, Sunfish, lesser numbers of,various "herring like" species. Also a few carp, pickerel , even one Walleye etc... Did not see many LMB for whatever reason. The feeder creeks were also covered with floaters.. They had to bring in a bucket loader to Taughannock Park to take the huge piles of rotting fish off the swimming beach.. I remember it very well.. I brought a friend one day to walk the shoreline and witness what I had seen.. We were in shock.. I called the DEC, and they said it was "thermal conditions, and "spawning stress".. I smelled BS, and told them so..The bottom was also littered with thousands of dead crayfish. No trout seemed to be affected, mostly warm water stuff and bottom dwellers..There WAS a story in the Syracuse paper about it, but they basically said the "DEC was investigating".. Any follow up I did revealed nothing but a lot of stone walling..used to catch SMB by the dozen just standing on shore on the south end of Cayuga.. Stupid fishing really. We would catch big 12 inch rockies, massive bluegills and pumpkinseeds and perch up to 14 inches just using worms and bobbers/... I mean buckets full if you wanted them.. Those fish are simply no longer there.. I have stopped fishing the south end shoreline, because there is just nothing left to catch.. I have a good friend that lives on the lake near the Lake Source Coolng plant.. He witnessed what I did, and has told me stories about how for decades he would fish off his dock and be able to catch big pike and bass at will.. All the big panfish anyone could imagine.. Now its sterile. He no longer sees dozens of spawning bass, rockies , and sunnies off his dock,, There is nothing to see except bare sterile lake bottom.. I have gone from catching a dozen or so SMB every time I went to the lake to catching 1 or 2 a year.. None at all this year in about 6 attempts... I now mostly just jig for lakers.. Something hit that lake VERY hard several years ago, and it still has not recovered for some species.. The DEC knew it then, and does now, but they won't talk.. Personally I think it was VHS, but they said no.. They say it was a "thermal event and spawning stress"... I dunno.. I called BS then and still do today.. All i can say is this.. Try very hard some day to catch a few nice rock bass out of Cayuga to fry up. They were there by the millions, you simply couldn't get away from them.. Past 6 years I haven't even caught ONE of keeping size.. Something happened, I wish I knew what.. Yes you can call me a gloom and doomer, but I have good reason.. So did the friend I brought as a witness, and my other friend that lives on the lake... I would imagine the dozer operator too,.. If he fishes the lake... I hope the SMB recover, but have my doubts...bob
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Guys regularly catch over a dozen lakers in a few hours on Keuka with a bass sized rod, and a 1 oz jig... On a really good day you might catch 20 or 30.. No muss no fuss,no bait... Pulling copper is fine, and it works, there is no doubt.. However, its time has come.. Simply no need for it, unless you just like to do it I supppose.. Same as meat rigs.. They work, and are cheap, but for most are just a big pain in the ass to be honest. I suppose if you really WANT to drive a car with straight axle, king pins, ,3 on the tree, points,, no ac. no power brakes or steering, single master cylinder, bias tires, bench seats with no belts, etc, you certainly can, but the modern cars are better in every respect, except for nostalgia... As far as lakers are concerned, why bother with hundreds of feet of copper wound on a massive Victrola, when a one handed light as a feather bass rod will catch as many or more fish, with a lot less hasssle...bob -
In Keuka pulling copper just seems like an outdated method.. Pulling copper works, but jigging is every bit as effective, probably even more so. Lots more fun and less work as well... bob
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Chris.. I dunno man, bright crystal clear skies, awash in brilliant sunlight.. Not the best day for walleyes!.. I was catching some decent walleyes and BIG smallmouths in the river on days with a bit of cloud cover.. I go on a bright clear afternoon, and don't get a touch... Try again when its not so bright.... bob
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I never was much into fishing the tribs during the spawn.. I like to let the fish to reproduce in peace.. Just wondering why more guys aren't trying these days. Trollers still catch bows on the lake, so there must be some left to spawn.. It makes me sad actually.. Used to be quite a sight.. Cars from Pa, NJ, and guys all over rt 13, some dragging big tails on the way back to the car.. Haven't seen that in a long time... bob
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I am very close to Fall Creek from the falls to the inlet each and every day during work, as well as cayuga Inlet from the lake up to Newfield.. Since 4/1 I have seen a grand total of maybe 3 guys fishing.. I know the runs are not what they used to be and the big crowds are gone, but this is by far the lowest participation I have witnessed in 22 years here.. Conditions weren't bad until tuesday 4/8... Just wondering whats going on??.. Is the Cayuga trib rainbow fishery really that bad here now that no one at all fishes for them ?.. I saw a grand total of 1 guy below the falls at fall creek across from the high school , and 1 guy at the black iron bridge.. That is since the 1st.... Anyone try Cayuga tribs yet this year? Lost cause??... bob
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80 grams is less than 3 ounces.. Minnow bait! Guys going for Cod use jigs between 16 and 32 ounces and a foot long.. A laker would have a heart attack if he saw one of those!!!... bob -
There was a time when I kept any keeper walleye, years back.. I just don't need to any more.. kids are gone, wife doesn't eat fish... 1 maybe 2 smaller fish is plenty... The river isn't accesabile in a lot of spots, and doesn't get overfished for much of its length, and there are plenty of fish/ so I am not trying to be noble.. its just that, the fish aren't everywhere, and the big ones are the breeders, and are more valuable alive than dead... Next time I go I'll keep a small one to fry up.. Thats plenty for me... bob -
I hit the river down at Cannon Hole in Barton.. Not as many walleyes down there as there are at Sluggo's stomping grounds, but I get some pretty good size ones every year, just casting from shore.. Got a VERY good one saturday morning very early before the bright sun came up over the trees.. She was about 27-28 inches, and as big around as a football. I mean shoulders like a big Carp.. Probably close to 7 pounds if I had to take a guess... I thought hard about taking her home, but you know, that big old breeder is worth a lot more in the river than she is cut up into chunks, and placed on a hard roll with some lettuce, tomatoes, mayo and a slice of cheese.. if it was 17 or 18 inches, I would have kept it... From now on I plan on returning most really large fish.. There just aren't enough of them, and I simply don't need them as food... Kept a monster smallie I caught at Keuka a month ago, and I still feel awful about it... Never again.. It was really nice to see a walleye that size again.. Been a while for me. Hit a really ugly GULP purplish minnow thing on a jig head bounced along the rocks... bob
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They will go shallow during the spawn, but here in NY they are typically deep water fish.. They spawn in shallow ice water in mid winter... they like it VERY cold... Colder than almost any freshwater fish.. They are closely related to salt water Cod , Haddock, Pollack and Hakes which are all great eating.. In Lake superior they have been found as deep as 1000 feet! I have read that burbot has the taste and texture of lobster, so yeah I would cook it and give it a try... bob -
Keuka is a great laker fishery, but you can have dead days as well.. Over the years, I have a had a few skunks, and a few 1 or 2 fish days.. Like anywhere else, there are days when you'll see fish stacked up everywhere on your FF , and they will hit nothing.. Other days they shut off by 9 am after you catch a few.. once in a while its lights out all day, sore arms, but thats not an every day occurance.. Lots and lots of lakers there, very good to very excellent fishing, but there are no guarantees.. I have had some tough days on that lake as well as some very good ones....
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Still available,, Brand new... $30.... bob
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I sent a reply to the PM, but it seems as though you might not have gotten it.. $36 shipped to your door -USPS Please respond to my regular email, as I don't get on the LOU forum every day.. [email protected]
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too much?? $30.. Brand new in box...
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Never used,brand new... My son bought it for me thinking it was a salt water reel for deep water fishing for Cod ,Tilefish etc... He didn't realize it was a fresh water trolling reel for big trout ,salmon, walleyes, etc.. anyway, its brand new, never used, and has all the original stuff in the box, reel clamp, oil etc... first $40 takes it away.. bob 607-659-5334
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Cayuga needs the lamprey problem attended to.. They are destroying the fishery there,,, DEC doesn't seem to care... Long as they have Ontario to stock with salmon for the tourists to catch.. Why bother with cayuga? No money to be made there.. -
Very nice thing you guys did, helping those folks out, and ending your fishing in the process.. I have done the same several times, and would hope most fishermen would as well, but I Have personally seen guys in a big boat keep fishing and not move to help 2 guys in a sinking 14 footer in heavy wind and waves.. You fellas did the right thing! We ALL need to realize at some times, our fishing trips become insignificant, and we need to be good neighbors.. it is VERY scarey indeed to be "dead in the water".. Been there done that, but somehow, always got back on our own.. My luck WILL run out someday, Law of averages... Nice job!... bob
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Pros are coming to Cayuga in 2014
bulletbob replied to Yankee Troller's topic in Finger Lakes Discussion
Not impressed at all.. I don't think Cayuga needs the pressure personally... Might just be me, but I caught a LOT more fish there at one time than I do now.. Warm and cold water species... Last time the "big tour" was here years ago, guys were screaming about the piles of dead bass near the weigh station.. Lots of bass die after spending the day getting slammed around in a live well of a boat hitting waves at 70 mph.. Just my opinion for whatever its worth... bob -
still available... I am in Candor...
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With all due respect... Its a 14 foot aluminum boat, and its painted white outside... Its older but solid.. Not really that much to see in a low res picture.. Its also DIRT cheap.. If it doesn't sell now, it will sell in the spring.... I am not going to take pictures of a boat that I am practically giving away....
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I just have no use for it.. Its old but is in decent shape.. Freshly painted an ugly white, and has a brand new transom that will take up to a 25 or so.. This boat will be great with as low as a 9.9..... Not one leak anywhere.. I bought it to use as a car topper, but its just too big... I will need a 10 or 12 footer for that... Some dents here and there, but its solid and ready to go.. Has a good set of oars too. I bought it from a man that used it with oars on a small pond on his farm. It has no paperwork, and i cannot find any manufacturer or ID numbers on it... Not a problem. I called the DMV and they said to register it as home made.. Has full foam floatation under the seats, so its newer than 1972,, Great price, I just want it out of the yard.. Bring a pickup or trailer, and take it home.. First $150 FIRM takes it.. If you can find a solid 14 foot aluminum boat cheaper, you really need to grab it.. 607-659-5334 bob
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I dunno,,, It sounds like an awful lot of work to fish something like that... Trolling meat rigs is bad enough, but hanging them at staggered depths under giant bobbers??...ugh.. I guess I just don't need the fish that bad.. I'll stick to jigging....bob