chowder

We got stopped last year and the DEC told us that everybody in a fishing boat is fishing, all adults included, "how do we know who is and isn't fishing in a trolling boat" was their point. They told us to get one for my wife on the way home and the judge would receive notification by computer, we wrote this on the ticket, got a license on the way home and there was no fine. We had no lines in the water at the time we were stopped, and the other time I was stopped I had no lines in the water either and they did not ask who was fishing, they just asked for licenses. I have had the DEC go by my boat one other time when I had lines out and they did not stop me which I thought was very decent of them. These guys get grief from people all day long and they have have NO sense of humor about any of it - my advice is to make sure all adults on the boat have a license, why have one more thing to worry about, it's supposed to be a fun day out! Sean, you probably know this but technically you can lose your guides license for having a unlicensed angler on your boat.- Don't ask me how I know this!

Wondering what depths to start at very early am. Should I work out into deeper water and wind up at what depths?

Had the youngest and his buddy out for a while Sunday.Cruised from Long Point to Deans, trolled Deans to the middle of the lake where the deep water ends. Not as much action as Friday. Couple smaller bows,some lakers- all on spoons,most fish hit on the sliders(rainbow,red/copper, and alewife) even the lakers out over 180'. One laker hit when we got into the scum and log drift out towards the middle and he had to wait in the net while I rescued the planers and the dipsies- so, he had to go home for the grill (marinate fillets w/ peppercorn ranch dressing, grill briefly and serve w/ fresh garden greens and biscuits- it's a home run!). The kids got distracted so we left early and got ice cream.

If you spool the reel w/ 30# Ande, you are set for the fleas and you can take it up to Lake O. For running spoons, I would use the allbright knot to add a decent stretch of 10-15# flouro, then swivel, then a bit more flouro to snap. For flashers just tie the Ande to the big snap.

Put in at N.Point today. Did Deans to the Silos, crossed and worked our way back. Covered 80-90 west side, 80-250 east side. Ran stuff from 10-120' down at 1.9-2.3 @ the ball. Released 3 bows (14-18" ) all on spoons(orange,red, natural) off 2 and 4 colors, dropped one a little better on a slide diver, chicken wing spoon. Released too many lakers to count, had to throw 1 in the box- couldn't revive(the hot flasher fly was black/white spinny -white fly, spoon was a purple/chartruese. I was looking for some nice bows & couldn't make it happen but hey it was a nice day out! Might be back Sunday but I'm having a hard time digging up a wheel man, AP still not functional...

Great video! Do yourself a favor and lose the Vanish! It's not the drag, that line just does not seem to be able to handle a surge from a decent fish. "Vanish" is what's going to happen to a bunch more fish till you switch line IMHO.

I just use the Palomar, then if I want to move the fly I just take the snap off the flasher. At some point I must have gotten some of the big swivel snaps because I seem to have a stash of them available to tie new flies to. Ernie L. warned me to try to stay away from the loop knot .

Ray and I are gonna corner Glen in a dark alley and get to the bottom of this secret...

Irish, I chimed in on Bill's thread.

Bill, I don't know you at all but I can say w/ out a doubt you have your priorities straight! We did T-Falls to Tee Pee, then worked south of AES to Atwater , then Kidders to about 1 mile past Sheldrake. Whacked a lot of lakers on the wires(220-240 over 200-250 FOW and deep rigger(100 over 115 FOW). The spoon bite up higher was not very consistent(2 browns, 1 LL boated - dropped a few as well). Tried down speeds from 1.8-2.3, tried lots of different spoon color patterns!

So, anybody got a good word about the bite today? Looking like Elliot & I will hit it tomorrow am.

Now that's what I'm talking about! Way to go!

Hoping the forecast holds for showers on Sunday, would like to get back out on Cayuga, though I think the action is hotter up on the big pond. Who is gonna fish where this weekend?

Nice report Dan. What was working for ball or gps speed?

After Hank called me threatening to burn my boat and the auto pilot that he has been trying to install against it's manufacturer's will (no brand names mentioned), I decided to head up to the Bay and see what was up. No matter what we did the unit would only keep a very shaky course , so being the careful people we are, Hank went to rant and rave on the phone & I headed out to fish alone with a AP that would not hold course or disengage properly. Went straight out to 150' pointed the boat at Sodus, engaged the AP and set lines. Found steelies in 170-180', 10'-40' down at 2.1 down speed on 2 and 4 colors, and rigger at 40' w/ a slider. Most fish were 18-24", got one 29", went 6 for 7 on the steelies. All but one were doubles and they all did flips way back behind the boards and on the way in. orange/green silver streak mini, and orange crush stinger on the cores. Stinger Goby on the rigger/. Got one Atlantic (21") on the slider.Kept seeing some nice marks deeper and played w/ depth & speed and flasher/fly till I whacked a big fat Laker at 165', said to myself, "well they are not Kings" and went in.Wound up 8 for 9 & Hank had talked the manufacturer into sending a new unit so it was, in the end, a good day in Port Bay.

Elliot is trying to talk my wife into hauling the 16' over so he can run his own program. "All you have to do Mom is just steer from one way point to the next, IT'S SIMPLE". Dad just doesn't have what it takes to bump the Rat out of 1st." I think his chances of talking my wife, who is an English professor and writer into getting up at 4:00 am to pilot a fishing boat thru the fog are slim. I can talk her into helping deliver calves at 4:00 am but I don't think the boat hauling & wheel duties are gonna sell. R.R. is probably safe till he hit's 16. You got 5 more years Scott and then LOOK OUT!

I have my copper reels on 7' Okuma lead core rods ($20),and 7' MH Ugly Stiks($30). I stick the chute copper in the arch to quickly eliminate it as an issue when a rigger or dipsy fires. Have had no problems w/ using the 7' rods off the boards, I do have a decent set of Berts trax & holders so I can spread things out but I don't have planer holders off the masts/arch & I don't seem to need them. The Ugly stiks have a better handle, other than that the action/speed seems similar. It seems much easier to reset and bring in fish w/ the 7' rods than the longer rods I was using last year and they are sure a lot easier to store. I got the 7' Okumas from Fish Dog and the Ugli's from Sport's Authority.

I am going to send Elliot out w/ the boat and I will hang out on the beach w/ the grill and the beer! Split, I am flexible; willing to help out and poison people w/ my cooking and/ or donate to the cause.

Checked out Owasco for the first time Sunday. Sort of a strange trip in my 16' w/ only the rods I haven't been using lately and only some spoons we got at the awards for Barney's Derby last weekend (everything else is in the Islander up at Hanks). Launched at the S.end set lines on the east side in 120' - 60' ran @ 2.0-2.5 gps. Went 4 for 8 (had a guy w/ me who had never fished before) 1 bow on 5 colors w/ brown/orange R&R spoon, 1 massive bow(lost at the boat"don't point the rod at the fish!" on a super braid slide diver rig w/ 100' line out- orange/red R&R spoon, bunch of lakers on light duty planer rod set at 90' off the rigger, purple R&R spoon, and a green R&R spoon set at 60" . We tried a bunch of different spots and found fish in a number of different spots around the lake. Nice day on the water and grilled trout to boot!

I don't know Musky, I had this smokin hot girlfriend at one point (years ago, mind you) and she used to use this funky green lip gloss! Any port in a storm right?

Didn't get to fish w/ land shark, but had a great time w/ the rest of the crew. If I ever get invited back aboard "Pegasus" I'll know about the trick compass!

I could use some tips on bass tactics on Cayuga, smallies and large.

Ray, how long does the striper run typically last?

Thanks for the story of the first trip out, it reminds me of something a minister once said to me - "son, real life is messy"

Way to go Nick!