Reel Doc

Great looking bucks. All from Western NY?

It doesn't get any better than that. Great pics!!!

Sounds like a great first trip! I'm betting that out over 80 plus fow the 3 color screamer was your silver fish for the day. As the water warms a significant disparity seems to develop and by Thermocline time in mid-July the Silvers tend to consistently be higher in the column and the Lakers deeper. Depending on where you marked fish sometimes directly determines best areas for spoon and Dipsey placement. Early morning and late day they may prowl along the whole column, but with a high sun, many go near the bottom by 9-10 am. Don't be afraid to drop a rigger with spoon and a Dipsey with flasher/fly inches from the bottom and hang on when they fire. Midday monsters often like the bottom and only get excited if you dangle a morsel right in front of them. Best of luck and keep us posted on future trips!!

Fun to catch!!

Bow hunting elk? Count me in!

Sounds like you fished there? Had not heard of Blue Mesa but knew Flaming Gorge in Utah/Wyoming has quite a lake trout fishery too. The Western state reservoirs are getting a boost with Winter runoff after so many dry years.

Abdomen is so distended. Have to wonder what was it's diet, and how old......

Beautiful day to be on the water

Blue Mesa reservoir Colorado......I know how you love Lakers, so I'll split the cost of the trip if you want to head out there some time!!

Nothing better than sunrise out on the water. Great pics!

Looks like an excellent 3 days!! Nice pics!

Sent an email to you

Another beautiful fish. WTG

Nice looking fish. What do you mean by a Coho rig?

What a beautiful fish. And to catch it on a beautiful day. Thanks for sharing the pic

I noticed that too!! What are your "GoTo" Spoons as it seems you have many choices!!

Some great looking fish!! It's been a Winter/Spring with super weather weekdays and not so good weekends. I'm so jealous of all who can get out on the weekdays!! Tempting to retire sooner rather than later.

Nice fish. It seems that Spring fishing Ontario can be like a box of chocolates....only been doing it for 4 years now and in addition to Browns have had Atlantics, Coho, Kings, Lakers, Perch, and a Small mouth. Never caught a Walleye any time of year so waiting for that!! I suspect hooking a Walleye that size in skinny water put a good bend in the rod.

Beautiful fish. I'm jealous after spending the day in the office.....

Point/Counterpoint. With the number of invasive/stocked non-native fish in the Fingerlakes and Great Lakes, these ecosystems will never be what they were 1 or 2 centuries ago. Gobies are sensitive to and typically are killed by botulism and predator Salmonids that eat them do not typically contract Botulism. If we fully cook our Salmonid catch, no human risk. Also, Gobies do consume significant numbers of zebra mussels. It takes an invasive to control an invasive......too bad we haven't found one to control the lamprey. In the end, I applaud the DEC for providing us these Wonderful lake fisheries despite all the issues with invasive species, including plant invasives.

As far as the salmon/trout fishery goes, does it really matter if the bottom bait fish are Sculpin or Gobies? Their life cycle and habitat seems identical, unlike smelt vs alewife.