Gill-T

We are two weeks behind last year in terms of water temps and bait in the creeks.

I think I am going to write my next article on this. For the sake of "sanity", no one should every have to dispense more than 400' of copper (PITA). Here is a hint. Aftco roller release, Planer line, 16 oz balls.

Youngtown for the best year'round fishing port. Wilson, if you include amenities such as shops, marinas and restraunts.

Talking to oldtimers, there used to be a ban on using eggs on Naples Creek? The oldtimers talk about thick fish runs of yesteryear. Maybe a ban on eggs should be revisited?

This does not bother me much. I enjoy Lakers, but I prefer the other species. Lakers live a long time and consume a lot bait in their lifetime. Nobody eats them. Other than the Niagara, there is not shore fishing for them. Plant more cohos, steelhead, browns and kings. We have more than enough bait year'round on the west end of the lake, but I have seen a lot of vapor screens on the east end. I don't want to see our Kings look like Michigans.

You don't need expensive flurocarbon leader material if you are fishing stained water.

40# fluro for fly leaders, #20 fluro for leadcore, #15 mono and #30 mono for rigger rods, #30 mono for dipsy leaders. I have had a problem with light fluoro breaking.

I assume you were running fluro leader Glen? I have been having trouble with the lighter fluro breaking as well. Green #15 mono from now on. Rodney.......you are like CNN News........you are everywhere!

The one thing you have to watch with braid is allowing it to dig into itself. After spooling it on the reel, go down to the school ball fields and hook a swivel on a chainlink fence and walk back in free-spool and take almost all the braid off the reel (1000' is a long way, give yourself room). Engage the reel and under tension, reel the braid back onto the spool tight ( I do this for my wire and copper as well). If a school is not available (what?), then when you hit the water for the first run, put on a dipsy and send it out 400', trip it and reel it back in. A few times a year do the dipsy trick. When that king salmon is ripping line, you don't want any hesitations or you will loose your gear and your MIND . The diameter is larger than power pro. If you get any fleas on the line just slap the line on the surface as you bring the dipsy back in (can't do that with wire!). The surface tension of the water pulls off the fleas as the line breaks the surface. I just replaced my braid, but the old stuff looked as good as the day I bought it-minus the first 50' of line. I reused the old stuff for backing on some leadcore set-ups.

Olcott piers with light north or NW winds fish the inside water. With southerly or western winds fish the end or lake side mostly. Minnow under a bobber with a 4' lead, and second rod to chuck small spoons or stickbaits.

Your options would be browns, cohos and lakers off Olcott or launch in Youngstown and fish for kings, lakers, cohos. If it is too rough, you could drift the trench hole at the mouth of the river for lakers (near the green can).

Almost got out.....too much boat prep work. See you out there this weekend Adam.

It is a western stream pattern. Mysis shrimp spill out of dam spill ways in western reservoirs. A light white fly. I am sure Umpqua or LLbean sells a version.

Throw a little salt on the meat, then freeze in a block of ice. I just ate a coho last night from last April, and it tasted as good as fresh.

Phew, that is a big one............I am picturing it in my head right now.

If I could only pick two spoon patterns one for kings and one for steelhead......the Blue Mahi Glow Northport Nailer, and the DW Steelhead candy (modified as shown). I like a little glow in my patterns to help fish to find them in all light levels.....and so they hit it more accurately.

These are a few of my tape jobs......they all work. Should give you some ideas.

I use the smoke color (black). Make sure with the fireline when you tie to the dipsy, wrap the line through the swivel eye twice before tying an improved cinch knot to prevent slipping. Then with the tag end I throw an overhand knot close to the cinch knot and singe the waste with a heat source to keep the line from fraying. A 300 yard spool fills most trolling reels up nicely.

NY has been stocking the Catt. for a long time. Since gobies, the brown trout fishery has really expanded on Erie. We may have a fishery one day where we could actually go out and target Browns instead of accidental catches. Every Brown I have caught out of Erie in the last few years have been very fat and healthy.

I have been running 30 lb fireline (original fused) for two of my diver rods for five years. I DO NOT HAVE A FLEA PROBLEM WITH FIRELINE FUSED. Something about the coating keeps the fleas off. The 30lb has NEVER failed me even with 30lb mono leaders. The 30lb thin diameter allows me to hit depths similar to my 30 lb wire.

Bayliners get a bad rap because the fit and finish is low end. The outer skin is THIN and is prone to spider cracks in the gel coat around cleats and canvas snaps, however.......they get up and go just fine, are affordable, great lay out (mine sleeps four with lots of fishing room), I/O are cheaper to repower. Have not heard of stringer issues. I own a 23' 1988 version and am happy as a pig in poop because I paid about $7500 and do not need a second mortgage to fish comfortably in 3-5' waves.

You want to fix gas prices? Don't allow listing on the stock exchange. Why we allow gas and food comodities to be traded and speculated on is beyond common sense.

NYS has the mandate in the court system right now. You still may be able to get ethanol-free gas at some Kwick- fil stationsl.

Close to Lockport.....not sure. Go to the local restraunts where there is a crowd The food is too good in WNY to go to chain restraunts. Weather update.....getting better.

People traveling to the LOTSA event Saturday, be advised we are getting wacked in WNY with wet, slippery snow. Give yourself extra time, and go slow.