flashpoint

Well you have hunted some of the same area Ray! Our outfitter lives just south of Montecello. Most of the properties are south & west of there...but over all some great ground! No doubt the mid-west is the land of the monsters!

NIce Ray!!

Any one interested in a fall hunting trip in Indiana check out the post on the Big Game forum here. Drop me a PM for more info. Thanks!

Any one who might be interested in a fall hunt in the midwest, my Indiana outfitter has had some cancelations and has some openings for firearms season during the peak rut. The tags are over the counter with NO DRAW! He has over 14,000 acres of prime ground over three counties in Central Indiana. Indiana is the only state in the midwest that has two weeks of firearms hunting during the peak rut! These are great dates in some awesome ground, all private land with NO HUNTING PRESSURE! For more info drop me a PM . Some pics below of what he has to offer.

Amen Bear! A great thanks to our brothers & sisters serving in our armed forces! Let us never forget the sacrifices made by those before us as we enjoy the freedoms we have today!

Sitting here at work after returning from the Hudson River Striper tour.....wondering if it's worth the treck from VT out to the Bar?....OMG...I iwll def be making that ride next year! Thanks so much for your awesome reports! no doubt you have them dialed in! Congrtas!

Hi Guys, Just wrapped up my Hudson Season, as we fish out of the Kingston area & on Sunday the river temp was at 68 degrees & rising, fishing was on fire saturday, but as they can do slowed considerably on Sunday & Monday. Ad an outbreak of water chestnuts with the warmng temps & the trolling can get tough. As far as questions on timing, no doubt that two hours before & two after high tide tend to be best. Two weeks ago incoming tide bite was better, this week outgoing was better. Time those bites with early morning or late evening & it can be Game on! Always great first thing in the morning when there is much less boat traffic pressuring the fish. This is no lie, this Saturday there was over 150 boats working a two mile stretch of the river called the Esopus Meadows, just south of Kingston. Put that many boats with four riggers a piece in 20 to 40 ft of water & that can def shut the fish off! As far as tactics, Ray hit it right, Rapalas in size 13 & 18, colors like Hotsteel, Firetiger & purpledescent are always hard to beat. Others like Yozuri blue mackeral, & green firetiger, along with Bomber Long A in same colors will all work. Trolling speed (just as in Lake O') is always crictical...you want the the stick baits to have a nice tight action without rolling over, I tend to troll between 2.8 & 3.2 on my fishhawk with best results. Leads on the outside as far back as 70ft some days & insides as tight as 15ft can work....just keep experimenting until you find the color & lead length they want...it will change day by day, hour by hour. Here is a couple of pics from our season! This a double charter group I did with Mad-Sierra Charters. This 34 pound female was taken by this 9yr old lad!! He did an incredible job listening & working the fish for over 35 min before we got her in the boat! Capt. Eric Steel of Mad-Sierra took a 51lb hog 20 min before we boated this one, all a week ago Monday! Well the boat is home now & time to to change things up to to prep for summer Salmon trips! Your soooo right Ray....this year is going to hurt the pocket book making trips back & fourth out to Oswego!

Sorry so late in getting a post in guys.....been that busy! The fishing has been pretty steady with some really nice fish! Capt. Eric Steel of Mad Sierra Charters & I did a double charter today & had over 50 hookups between the two boats! We only troll with stickbaits so to keep the action means covering ground! We both had big fish day on Monday as i had a 9 yr old lad take a 34 pounder & Eric had a 12 yr old bring in a 51lb slob!! Three more days to go & back to the lake...keep you all posted! [ Post made via Android ]

Hey mayfly! Every port on the east end has its plus & minuses. Oswego cant beat for be able to get out into deep water fairly close to shore. Less run means less fuel$$. Great spring /early summer browns...kings usually move in mid to late july. Henderson has a great warm water fishery with walleye, pike & smallmouths if that interest you? But yes a bit of a run to the trench & cold water fishing. Little Salmon River has great early season browns & close to the big Salmon River for the king run. But you still have to figure the ride down the river & the run to deep water! Many choices....but with any place on the East end you have to figure in the wind...thats where the west end has us beat! Good luck....drop me a PM any time! I am from VT as well! [ Post made via Android ]

last season just prior to staging(two weeks surrounding labor day) the Capt Valium spinny with ATM TG Fly was on fire for me. Second off the riggers would be Mt Dew/chrome prochip with sweetpea fly. These were best on sunshine days. You cant go wrong with white crush glow prochip & Hammer Fly.....cloudy days also had good luck with Green splatter spinny & proam fly. Mix it up every day & follow what produces for you!

Hey Guys! Just an update to this post I started a few months ago! Thought you all would find it amusing that we are now the proud owners of a 17 week old Weimy! Yes....the little lady won out....actually she played her cards right as the owners still had three pups left out of the litter of seven & practically gave us one as they were headed to Florida for the winter. She is an absolute love, smart as a wip & great with the other two dogs. We took her to the VT sportsman show this weekend at our booth & she did awesome with the crowds! Now as for a hunter....we will see! i have no doubt she will be great with upland as the parents were....but in a few years, once my lab passes we will be training the next duck dog! Enjoy a few pics...hope every one is having a great winter...cant wait to see every one on Lady O! This one is laying in front of the stove with the old girl! Have to love it!

Thanks Jerry! Can't say enough about all of those pics! JUST AWESOME! We have a female black & springer mix.....undoubtably the most loyal dog I have ever owned. Sad to say her years are numbered, she turned 11 thanksgiving day and her hunting days are over. She still a ham in the house .....never leaves mothers side. Not looking forward to the day that is coming....... But again thanks for the photos, put a smile on my face, makes me anxiouse to get out in the duck blind! Enjoy "the kids" & Happy Holidays!

Awesome! Great buck & nothing better then having the young lad along! [ Post made via Android ]

I have done this show the last three years....the last season numbers were way down....especially Saturday afternoon when the Orangemen had a game just down the street. That being said we had decided to not do this show nor the Hamburg show. We are however taking on doing the Harrisburg Pa show .... 10 days...ugghh! But if you havent seen this show its a sight to behold. All on all.....sad to see the SY show closed...met a ton of nice folks there! Always enjoyed doing it..... [ Post made via Android ]

Great Pa buck! They sure have improved since the days i hunted down there! ...btw.....the guys from blue dock say go with it!... hahaha [ Post made via Android ]

Nice shoot! Is that a Duck water boat?? One of my buddies has one down on the Mass. coast....awesome boat!

Nice job guys! Congrats....Love the color on the Buffy's

Totally agree with most of the posts so far.....but there are many variables. Last year we hunted a scrape line i found on the edge of a cut over that meets an open hard wood bench. There was over 20 scrapes in this area last year.....this year i have found four. But i am also finding less rut sign overall in many of my hunting areas here in Vt. Scrapes out in the open or long log roads dont usually get hit during the day. Now find some on the edge of terrain or cover change.....where the does are hanging....& I would sit as long as i could. We are in day two of our hunt &logan had young bucks by us yesterday & 3the does today....but along with browse from the logged over area, we have lots of beechs producing nuts this year!.... Hunt the Beechs if you goot'm! [ Post made via Android ]

So noted Ray! Thanks!! Wonderful Idea!

Thanks for the Pics man! Sent you a return to your pm!! Awesome photos...Love it! Give me a shout if your looking for an extra gunning partner some time!

Thanks for the Kudo's guys! Logan loves wearing my old Woolrich stuff, which I just happen to keep for him to hunt in some day! At the rate he's growing it will only fit for a couple of seasons! As far as the Orange goes, we have vest in our packs that we wear while walking in & out. Although this particular property we are fortunate enough to be the only ones having permision to hunt on it! Helping the land owner with wood cutting & fixing fence goes a long way.....plus having Logan get his written permission teaches good habits for years to come! By the way, the Wool I am wearing is a new line of custom wool clothing I am a dealer for. Any one wanting info on the product check our our web site at http://www.silentpredator.ca , drop me a PM for more info & pricing!

Thanks so much for the input guys! All very good insight.....no big suprises as i have been leaning towards a Lab any way! Now to battle it out with my wife & son, as I want a yellow & they want a chocolate!!....hhhmmm.....

Once you have kids you wait your whole life to to go on their first hunt with them. Well I had that pleasure to join my 9 year old son Logan on his first youth hunt here in Vermont this weekend....what a hunt it was! I am fortunate to have a little guy who eats...sleeps & breaths the outdoors just as I do, so needless to say he was pretty restless friday night. Saturday morning found us in the tree stans on a Beech ridge at 6:30 am. At about 7:15 a doe came motoring down the ridge, I told Logan she was running for only one reason! Two mintues later Mr. big cam walking down, grunting away! Logan kept his composure suprisingly well & at 35 yards he dropped him with his 20 gauge Mossberg slug gun! After some hugging & many phone calls we made our way down to the 9 point, 174 pound buck! An unbelievable hunt that has Logan & I both on cloud nine! A few pics of our hunt!

Thanks so much for your input Pete. You are pretty much spot on as far as what I have read & heard about the dogs. My wife has a huge liking for the female that had the litter, but we really want a dog that is both going to be a great companion & an awesome waterfowler! BTW....I heard you on the radio a few times this summer while out of Oswego during labor day week. We should catch up! Just give "Flashpoint" a shout! Thanks again for your input! Matt

Hey guys, I am have finally got my heart set to start training a new pup that my son & I can work together & hunt over for years to come. My female lab is going to be 11 Thanksgiving week & her years of hunting are dwindling so it's time to introduce a new one. I have planned on another Lab, but my wife just found out about a litter of Weimaraner pups that are local here in Vt. They come form a champion blood line of dogs that both show & hunt. We have met the **** (think I can say that !) earlier this summer & she has a great disposition I know they have a great reputation as upland dogs, wondering if any one has hunted with them over water? We are close friends with family of the owner so they are giving us a good deal, but I am strongly leaning towards a Lab still.... What does every one think??