cweb325

Fairhaven State Park

Could be.  In my experience the wind conditions dictate success or failure off the piers & walls.  I like Fairhaven because it has the most options.  In the park, the big wall fishes best when light north to east winds have been blowing for a day or more.  I hit a day there a few years ago when the launches were closed due to high water, the wind had done that for a week, and the fish were stacked in tight to the wall.  I caught 6 from the kayak in a couple of hours, and a guy on the pier said he caught 50 (might have been an exaggeration, but I’ll bet he did well).  When the wind is SW to W, the jetties East of the creek mouth fish best, and probably the west bay wall fishes just as well.

So I have to ask:  I watched a couple of guys drop a good size cuddly cabin off the trailer onto the concrete at waters edge Saturday morning  at about 9:40 am at the Mexico ramp.  They were taking up both lanes on the south side of the ramp, and were obviously having a mechanical problem with something.  The trailer was to the waters edge, but not into the water, and the safety chain was obviously not attached.  When whatever it was they were working on came loose, the boat rolled right off into inches of water, but not enough to float it.

Did anyone see how they either got it back onto the trailer or into the water?  It was too big a boat to just winch it back up onto the trailer without doing, even more, significant damage.  I had too leave and didn’t see the ending.

Nice job.  There were fish in shallow as well.  Went 5/5 trolling long flatlines in 9-13 ft on browns that morning, all in about 2 hrs of fishing.  Fish were so concentrated I even started casting for my last hr.  Missed one at the boat and lost one.  The landed fish went 2-8 lbs.  a good morning.

Any intel on the barricade status at Mexico or Pine Grove?

As of this past weekend, private AND public launches should be re-opening, per an article in the Syracuse news.  The state guys should thus be busy this week removing all the barriers they put up two weeks ago. Give a shout if you see the barriers removed from the Mexico and/or Pine Grove launches.

Offshore - if you are speaking about the Mexico ramp, if I recall correctly there are no parking signs posted around that "parking" area outside the launch area.  Worst case, you're risking a parking ticket.

NYS announced closing all boat launches and marinas last week.  If they aren't closed yet, they probably will be by the end of this week.  The lucky folks will be those with cottages who got their boats in already, and those who have, or know people who have, private launches.  And of course those with canoes, kayaks, and good shore fishing spots.

How is the water level this fall?  Is the campground still launchable?

Called the State Park on Friday and inquired about the launch.  Was told one side was open.  Great!  I figured I'd head up there from Syracuse and avoid the Oneida Lake walleye opener zoo.  Arrived early Saturday AM and you guessed it:  launch closed.  What's a guy to do?  I wasn't driving home, that's for sure.  Grabbed my box of Little Cleos (don't leave home without them!) and my net and headed for the east breakwall.  6-7ish mph east wind blowing right into that wall.  Perfect conditions and had it all to myself.  Went 4/6 for 3.5 hrs of fishing.  All cookie cutter fun sized football shaped browns, 3.5-4.5 lbs, with one coming from the jetty at the creek mouth as I was headed back to the parking lot.  Ahh, if only I had had my kayak...    Next weekend.   Not bad for a plan B.   Don't ignore the shore boys.  With the right conditions, you can do just as well.

No need to troll (BORING!) this weekend. Lots of walleyes in the weeds. Caught 8 yesterday morning in 7-12 FOW, smallest 17", largest 21". Left them at 12:30 and they were still biting. Of course, a few bass and pickerel were added to the mix as well. Tried for a repeat this morning and they were still there. Only had to share that water with a few bass fisherman. Nice!