ac holmes

better link http://teleflexmarine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Book-71_Kicker-Cable1.pdf

Pricey, but slick for a hydraulic setup... http://www.starmarinedepot.com/Teleflex+22%22+Tie+Bar+Seastar+Kicker+Cable.html?gclid=CID2_ILK7rYCFcdU4AodCSMAvw

This system works great for me... I steer my 9.9 Honda independently from the main inboard engine rudder, and use the auto helm for both engines...just set the 9.9 dead ahead. http://www.ezyglide.com/STEERING.html

Hi Jon and others I am reading an excellent book: http://www.amazon.com/Early-Love-Brook-Trout-Watercolor/dp/158574039X The Brook Trout aesthetic has been an inspiration for many fisherfolk, and continues to inspire books, essays and artwork of all kinds. I must say that I deeply appreciate the fishery that we enjoy on the lakes, and sometimes come home from a charter on my boat, Tara Too, tired from cranking in Salmon and big, fat browns and Lakers. It is exciting and productive for all involved. However, it is never as thrilling for me as the experience of finding some tiny Brookies in a hidden and remote stream. Some things cannot be fully explained, but remain true, nonetheless. I have had days on Seneca where we boated 40+ fish, some 10 lbs. or more, but I cannot say that it is more enjoyable than finding a Brookie or two. I am happy to know that there are others who share this little pleasure, although somewhat irrational from the standpoint of "how many" and "how big". Made a good contact this AM with the land trust people and will follow up this week... cheers, Andrew

I spent most of the day exploring some more remote headwater...did not catch anything, but had a real solid strike on a worm in a pool that would be an unlikely place for anything but a native brook trout. Last week I went to a spot, close to a town, and caught a bluegill...no mystery there. I realized today that finding the little native fish is highly symbolic for me, for they are a link to the gone world, and were once abundant. It's not the fish exactly, it's what they stand for. The last glacier was aprox 12,000 years ago, and it is nice to know that the fish have narrowly survived...just as they have always been since then.

Thanks for the suggestion BSmaster, my stepson did his internship with the land trust last year and I had the pleasure of meeting some very nice folks there.

Very thoughtful reply BSmaster...i have thought the thing through much along the lines of your reasoning before posting on this thread. Some more analysis as follows: most of these little hidden "gems" are quite inaccessible by terrain, brush, posted signs, etc, so the threat of too many fishermen going to these places may be unlikely. The photo of the fish I caught yesterday is actually quite a large fish (12 inches) as native brook trout go. Most of the natives are in the 4-8 inch range and not many fishermen care for catching such tiny fish, especially if it is a long hike through brush and thorns into the stream. I think the value of designating as "protected" is discouraging landowners from bulldozing, developing, waste water dumping, draining fields and logging without any consideration of brook trout habitat. The basic issue is that many if not most of these brooks and streams have never been thought of as fishable water, and I know of several instances where folks tore things up as they pleased and destroyed precious habitat. The Eastern Brook Trout Restoration project is well meant and has some funding, but as mentioned earlier, probably restricted to waters that have already been named as trout streams by NYS. My contact with the NYS DEC has convinced me that their initial goal is to get some of these areas protected under the law, and to work with the restoration project as a secondary longer range goal, where applicable. The DEC needs some info on areas where brook trout used to be because they cannot survey the possibilities very effectively without some idea of where to spend resources. I have always been interested in brook trout habitat and when I used to deer hunt would sometimes find spring fed open water brooks (50 degree water) when everything else was froze up tight. I eventually fished some of this water and often found native fish. I know of other places that local people (now long gone) told me about as holding brook trout, that I intend to explore this year and report to the DEC as possible places to survey. For example...40 years ago I caught a trophy male brook trout about 15 inches long in a remote little stream that has not seen a fisherman since, I would bet. Yesterday I walked in the same hole on that stream and flipped a worm in the water and in 3 seconds had a fish on. I caught three 6 inch fish in a short time, carefully put them back, and the last fish was the one posted that swallowed the hook, so I kept her. She was full of immature eggs, ready for fall spawning. Sorry I killed her. I was very pleased to know for sure, that the fish are still there and the DEC wants to know that, before they organize and fund a full survey. My guess is that they will do that and that stream and it's tribs may get a protected status. It's a small step...but a useful one toward letting mother nature continue to control the water. I am not interested it making public the info to fishermen generally, nor do I have any commercial interest. I am a retired guy and am happy to help out in this small way, if I can. I know the local area as well as anybody still alive because I spent most of my youthful years stumbling around in local but remote places, and I need the exercise.

Thanks freshwatermodels, for correcting my post, I meant to say "char" not splake. I think splake are stocked in some places in the north country, and do occasionally occur naturally. No doubt it happened in the finger lakes in the old days when the feeders were full of brook trout. The restoration project is very ambitious and some say doomed to failure, except in a few very unique waters. I think the DEC has a more feasible approach for NYS (although they do support the restoration project) insofar as they want to designate brook trout populations as "protected" waters as the first step. This approach may at least keep landowners and developers within the laws of NYS for trout streams. I am convinced that there are hundreds of tiny brooks and streams in region 8 that have some brook trout. They can survive in the most unlikely places if conditions are just right. Even tiny little spring fed feeders at higher elevations can have tiny native fish, if they don't freeze to the bottom. As these feeders gather together into a mapped stream, often conditions are good...especially in remote wooded areas, for bigger fish. These streams are worthy of being named protected I think.

sorry photo was to big...here tis...

It was way too windy to go on the lake today, so I took a ride to one of my old haunts to see if there were still some native brook trout population. Caught a few little guys and this female who swallowed the hook so I kept her for dinner. Female fish, full of immature eggs, thin and hungry but nicely colored for spring time. In my youth, I used to catch brookies in quite a few remote places, and I intend to make a few long walks to see how they have done since I last fished for them 40 years ago. I am working a little on an informal basis with the Eastern Brook Trout Restoration project and with the DEC out of Avon. The goal is to document streams in region 8 that still support native brook trout, and consider them for restoration which includes having those waters designated as "protected" water. If any body is interested in comparing notes please do PM me and we can tell some fish stories. All the other regions of NYS have been surveyed, and region 8 is due for some consideration. The problem is the fact that some of the brook trout water was never considered as trout streams by NYS, and some of it may have never been fished. However, it is true that there are many places in region 8 that hold populations of these ancient and beautiful fish, and it would be a good thing to protect these populations. As most of you already know, only the Lake Trout and the Brook Trout are actually native to NYS...and they are not, technically speaking true trout, but splake. These two species have been around for 12000 years, since the last glacier. I find it fascinating and am quite well motivated to help in the preservation project if I can.

I have fished Seneca almost all my life...more than 50 years. Even a bigger boat can get into real trouble, especially if you lose power. Traditional boat handling skills are not very effective in that steep, closely stacked chop. I have learned to respect Seneca and am quite cautious...be careful...it's not worth it...surface temp is about 40 degrees today. First trip of the season scheduled for the AM. I am eager to get out and catch some fish.