Sk8man

Arctic Armor jacket and bib pants....you won't find anything warmer and best of all if you fall overboard it will hold you up. My son and I use them for all cold weather fishing including ice fishing. http://www.idigear.com/index2.php check out the video http://www.idigear.com/video3.php We've had ours for about 4 or 5 years and they hold up very very well. Like many things that are high quality....they are relatively expensive but after going through the ice in 5 ft. of water a few years back before I bought them I figured it was worth it I even bought an extra jacket this year just to wear for outside stuff because they are so warm and windproof and waterproof.

Thanks GillT very enlightening info that is new to me at least....gives a different indirect perspective on the stocking issue and species viability.

You're welcome ....best of luck fishing.

I used frozen ones behind cowbells (flashers) for years for lakers

Sometimes it helps to carry a bunch of small bags of sand in the back for both weight and to use for traction if needed.

I've coated all mine with black Plasti-Dip for years and I then let them sit outside for a couple days to "air out" and then spray them with shad scent (spray applicator) and let them sit in large zip locks until I use them. I also spray them with scent when I first get on the water The advantage of the Plasti dip is that it helps keep the things from rolling around in the boat a bit (if I forget to put them in the holders), no direct handling of lead,and they seem to hold up very well finish-wise. It's probably all just "superstitious" behavior...but if it works why question it?

Sounds good but there is a slight problem with the 12 hook rig...it is illegal. You may only use a maximum of 5 lures or baits with a maximum of 15 hook points. The Sabiki flies count as lures rather than just "hook points". in N.Y.S. waters

Although it is usual for an older motor to run a bit rougher at the bottom speed above idle sometimes I would be checking the plugs and the prop to make sure they are OK.The boat shouldn't be shaking significantly under normal conditions but a bent prop (i.e.unbalanced) or seriously fouled plugs may do so.

Thanks Jason!

Used to be one but not on the lake itself...it was higher up the hill but you could see the conditions of the lake pretty good. Guess I don't have the URL on this computer...

and....I've never used the other village launch nearby Clute is it open to the general public this time of year? Thanks.

Jack....sorry about that! I sent the wrong one it was for Conesus....now I can't find the Canadice one....I had one last year someplace....oh well

A couple of things rolmops hit on are worth amplifying too....only keeping a few of them in the bucket at a time and use of cold water.... both factors relate to oxygen use. The colder the water the less oxygen used and when the alewives are first caught they are excited and use much more oxygen from the water...keeping cover over it does seem to help calm them and keeps the water from warming from the sun if in the daylight. If too many alewives are kept in the container (even if aerated) they start dying off. If they are kept very long in a hard container (and especially if in a boat "knocking" around) they start to get bloody noses from bumping against the wall of the container and trying to escape leading to greater mortality. Changing the water (unclorinated only) frequently helps keep it oxygenated. In the Finger lakes area bait dealers who have them usually only have alewives as bait during the Spring when they are easier to catch (by wholesalers) and maintain short term in their aerated circulatory tanks (e.g. the National Trout Derby on Seneca) primarily tobe used by still fishermen. They are relatively expensive these days (about a dollar each or more).

You're very welcome Andre....Unfortunately I winterized the boat and had it shrink wrapped and it sits at the side of my garage and every day I look at it and dream about being out on the water....it's going to be a long winter Best wishes for a great holiday season to you and your family! Les

Jack - This Canadice webcam might save you a little at least in terms of general conditions.... http://www.wunderground.com/webcams/parkerbros/1/show.html

One of the problems with alewives (sawbellies) is keeping them in captivity is quite difficult if talking more than a day or so without specialized circulating tanks, access to unclorinated water and the die off rate is still high. They are quite fragile...even more so than rainbow smelt. They are often netted in fairly deep water by commercial bait guys at night and when we used to night fish on Canandaigua and Keuka we used lanterns hung over the side of the boat (I used to put mine on my 4 ft.downrigger booms at a 90 degree angle on each side of the boat which attracts bugs and the sawbellies then come up in bunches to get the flies and you used dip net to catch them when they got near the surface...you could see them rising from the depths and sometimes a rainbow, brown or laker would be in hot pursuit of them....was a lot of fun. Nothing like waking up and hearing your drag going out with a good fish on in the dark and trying to avoid tangling in your anchor rope During the Spring for still fishing (mainly lakers) off the shoreline we used to use weighted throw nets when the sawbellies came close to the shoreline in masses and keep them in coolers with portable airators..

The other lakes were probably populated by alewives being "brought in" as bait (e.g. Conesus) and they are prohibited on some lakes (E.g. Honeoye). Rainbow Smelt used to be seen in very great numbers in many of the Finger Lakes and they were prized by some for eating and by others (like me) for bait for trout and pike etc. Unfortunately for the past ten years or more the populations of smelt have diminished almost to the point of extinction on lakes like Seneca and Canandaigua where the streams used to be packed with them each Spring. People after them are lucky to see even a few now days. As far as people catching and using alewives as bait it was done for many years on many of the Finger Lakes for still fishing and night fishing for example but a major problem with the hemmoragic virus pretty much put a stop to it as you have to have a receipt for live bait from a store (or the packaging from commercially prepared bait) or be able to prove that you have obtained the bait only in the water you are fishing.....so most folks don't bother with it anymore.