Sk8man

Pap - The recent bait regulations were imposed for good reason (prevention of invasive species and virus) but it also created a "mess" regarding the use of "fresh bait". We used to catch our own sawbellies or golden shiners and package them in zip locks and freeze them for later use. Now you have to have a "bait sale" receipt that is within 10 days for your bait in order to use it and you can only use bait from a given body of water....reading between the lines here you can see some potential problems as well as areas of exploitation ("honest officer I caught these baitfish right here in this lake myself yesterday that's why there is no receipt"). The commercially prepared Herring bodies such as those by Erie Deerie and Fresh Bite can be used (but don't last a long time ...usually a fish or two) and technically you have to keep the packaging in case you ned to prove the source. Tim's use of the immitation herring bodies appears a very good solution to messing with the other stuff as well as not having to keep changing baits often (e.g.sometimes after each fish)

There are various forms of "teasers" They originated with salt water trolling mainly for tuna and billfish and they vary in size and shape depending on the species of fish you are after. In fresh water teasers are basically tinsel flies used as "attractors" rigged ahead of meat rigs of various types (cut plugs, bait heads etc.). They are designed to get the attention of the fish before he sees the "wounded" bait itself trailing behind. The unrigged = no hook) flies can be used singly or in multiples (e.g. spaced 12 inches apart on a 36 inch 50 lb leader and then you attach a 12 inch leader containing the "meat rig" to follow. Here is an example of a teaser fly (unrigged)

The ones pictured could be used on the Finger lakes as well for lakers especially and possibly browns and landlocks. I've used sawbellies bigger than that in the past for lakers. Would have to adjust the rigging for near bottom fishing....shorter leads and possibly distances from the ball....the lakers on Ontario love the meat too.

Thanks. You know I was wondering that too....but Mike said his depth finder even consistently marks the thermocline well and stuff just below surface and we couldn't see any significant "clutter" even (it was quite calm today) or anything subsurface that looked like fish or bait so it is a real puzzle. Usually in the deeper spots we were in there are almost always lakers out deep on or near bottom but we didn't see them either. Yesterday I didn't mark anything on my finder either except my weights

Anyone have pics of teaser set ups for folks that are unfamiliar with them?

Went out at 12N with my buddy Mike on his boat trolling for rainbows. Started at German Brothers trolled to Notre Dame - Zip....picked up and went to just north of Pelican on east side trolled to point south of there - Zip Picked up and went to north of Seneca Point....out in 207 ft water leadcore out 8 colors takes off mostly pumping the rod but not the drag....wondering is it small one or what? Got it in and it was a pickerel....Question: What the heck was he doing out in over 200 ft of water? Trolled over to Vine Valley -Zip Picked up again and motored to north end just south of pump house....bunch of gulls diving and feeding so dropped downriggers and leadcore and top line with few large splitshot and stickbaits...trolled the area from 50-80 ft. Picked up 4 bows 2 on leadcore and 2 on downriggers all about same size about 2 lbs and all came on sticks ...nothing on spoons or jointed rapalas at 29 and 30 ft over 75-78 ft each time. The really interesting thing is that in 5 hrs. of trolling in many spots in the lake we did not mark one fish nor did we mark any bait either suspended or on bottom...unreal...on vacation someplace or what? Another beautiful day to be on the pond though....

The Barge (Erie) Canal system and more specifically the section of it near Newark/ Palmyra/Macedon

My hunch is that many if not most of the fish may "winter over" in the various wide water areas of the canal system (e.g. near Newark etc.)

Thanks Tim and Rick

Thx Joe. Sounds as though you had it pretty well figured out for not having a lot of experience with this particular lake. I forgot to mention earlier that the water in close was crystal clear today and out in the middle (200 ft) there was a huge hatch of those small flea size black colored flies that stick to your boat and there were a bunch of dorsal fins on the top chasing and eating them but I couldn't tell exactly what they were ....suspect rainbows from past experience in looking at their stomach contents but it seemed pretty late in the year for them (flies).

Well I was about to mow the lawn about 10 AM and I said "screw it" (with the wind down) and hitched up the boat and headed for the launch ramp. Turned out I was the only one there....a little different than in the summer I dropped the two downriggers with sticks as main lure and small spoon as sliders and set to 40 and 50 ft. (Surface temp 55.6 degrees but I didn't see anything up there). Put out a 44tx board on braid out100 ft. with small dipsey and small Sutton spoon. Trolled west side to Notre Dame Retreat without a touch....changed out lures several times along the way on everything. Turned to the east and trolled back north closer to the east side but in 180-204 ft. Noticed the downrigger set at 40 with a small Sutton as main lure and another flutter as slider was bouncing but not releasing....popped it and reeled ion a 12 inch brown....first one in past two years here on Canandaigua. I'm still trying to figure them out again...used to get nice ones trolling for rainbows. Threw him back took off OK. A few minutes later downrigger set at 50 ft. pops and line starts going out and down ...lot of arc to the rod felt like a good one....started reeling in and it got heavier and kept heading toward bottom fighting real good....then I felt something give (like the hook in his mouth) but still had something on there ...reeled in a 2 pound or so rainbow on the Little Willy main lure....must have a a good one that got off on the slider (Sutton 31 doctored up)...sure enough hook had tissue on it from his mouth.....had nice double on that one rod....would have been released anyway though... I fished till 1:30 (heard the lawn calling me from home) The lake was nearly like glass for most of the time....nice just getting out there without the wind..... The view from back of the boat today

Bazooka Joe I understand your point of view but the primary reason for this thread is to consolidate information on this very specific topic based on the actual experiences and expertise of our forum members for the benefit of all but especially newcomers. Searching the site or the Web can be a valuable tool or option but it is also time consuming and in that regard....an inefficient way to readily gather useful current information. If folks find Youtube videos or other useful sites the URL can be cut and pasted here when someone runs across them rather than "weeding through" all the stuff that may or may not be worth looking at. We have a great resource here on this site in the way of experience and knowledge and expertise and many people are very generous in sharing it with others and I commend them for it.

Congrats Justin! It almost makes me want to get out my Ben Pearson Signature take down recurve and 125 grain broadheads and get back out there That's how long it has been since I've hunted Les

Sweet!

Hopefully folks posting will explain things too (what they are and how they work...maybe a pic (if possible) when mentioned for the benefit of new folks....for example "teasers, tournament rigs, Kingfisher flasher etc.). We get used to the terminology etc. and often don't realize it may not be familiar to people new to the scenes thx Les

Hi Frank, As Bob mentioned the ramp is located at the Seneca Lake State Park about a mile or so east of Geneva (toward Waterloo on Routes #5 and 20). There is park entrance right out onto that road (you can see the toll gate shack from it). Just follow the road in the park toward the pavillion area and the ramp and parking will be on your left. I'm not sure what the parking setup will look like at this point...we used to park on the lawn. P.S. I used to live at the Holley Arms apartments when I went to Brockport Frank...and I operated the Brockport Main Street bridge for a couple years and also occasionally the Holley/Hulberton bridges