Sk8man

Congratulations! I spent 34 years with the state (NY) and it'll be 11 years I've been retired in June....you'll wonder in some ways why it took you so long to do it once you realize you finally have a little control over your life and what you do with it daily. Good luck with the fishing!

I know this is an "aside" from your main concern but also carefully inspect your downrigger power cables for cracks (often from weathering or UV contact). I've had to replace mine a couple times over the years.....the cracks can lead to shorts in your system especially with a weak ground etc.

P.S. It wasn't clear if the riggers were NEW or not...

I hear ya Guff but at least as you noted it wasn't in the middle of the season.....you'd really be going nuts then I look longingly at my boat all wrapped up every time I go outside my garage and can't help but visualize what it would be like to be out there but once the ice is back in gear it may hold me for a little while anyway

Les

Sweet! I have to admit I'm pretty envious right now as I've been in between ice fishing and open water fishing and not being able to do either for the past few days

Thanks for the report....at least I can visualize myself trolling by the salt plant and turning east to go back around and do it again

Les

I'm not familiar with the area you are fishing but If you are ONLY fishing for perch I would be using FATHEAD MINNOWS instead of shiners. While LARGE perch may take a shiner or two they are better suited for bass and pike/pickerel. Perch will much more readily take fatheads in most places and they are usually cheaper too . Although perch will often hit at any time of day they USUALLY are most readily caught in the early AM or just BEFORE dark. Walleyes on the other hand are most frequently caught at night (most of the season anyway) Good luck!

Les

Although this was done in 2008 and now the "ONE FEATURE" component of the new law changes its impact it is a very useful coverage of the terms used to describe guns called "assault" weapons" and the distinctions may help clarify some things to be used in discussions. I found it informative:

Last night was very still and cold and here at Canandaigua Lake anyway what was open water last night about 5 PM now has an inch or so of ice at the north end out to about 500 yds....so things are starting to look good for ice fishing soon on the other shallower/smaller lakes, ponds and bays....can't wait to get back at it

Thanks for the update Guff. Good luck with the motor....man...that has been a real pain hasn't it?

Somehow we have a hard time feelin too sorry for ya Ray....in this 20 degree weather ...and the image of you in yer bathing suit doesn't help any either

The key word is SAFE.....that warm spell probably has compromised all ice and it is now a question of the degree to which it is rebuilding itself up...especially with the snow varying from place to place (which is an insulator). It would seem that we will need some extended freezing cold without significant wind to reintegrate the existing ice to be safe enough to take a chance on. Existing ice will also vary considerably in thickness in a given spot (e.g. 3 inches and 2 ft away 1 inch) so that a false sense of security could easily lead to disaster as well. In short, BE SAFE don't take unnecessary chances folks. (spoken by someone who has experienced first hand going through up to my chin.....luckily in the past).

Les

Good going Steve! I sure hope we can get back at it soon....

Here is some "clarification" of the new gun law in a Q and A format from emperor Cuomo's office:

http://www.governor.ny.gov/2013/gun-reforms-faq

Probably out fishing in Florida? ....and maybe not catching anything ...otherwise we'd hear it

Looks to me like it is projected to be lower than 2012 until about the same as last year in late May/ early June and then be a little above the 2012 level from then on. The thing is that it all depends on how deep the actual place is where you are because two feet difference down in ten feet of water isn't going to be a problem but where something hasn't been dredged along the shoreline where it is only three ft deep in normal conditions it will be a significant factor. The other thing is siltation.....if the incoming waves are strong during the winter/spring they can bring in a lot of sand/gravel into channel mouths and marinas and if there aren't intentions to dredge these places (or they can't be dredged) it will be a serious problem.

I spoke with my son who lives near the east side of Honeoye today and he was out checking the lake and said that there are many spots of open water in numerous places so it looks as though we may be shore bound for a bit yet.

I hope this might help you with the question:

http://www.waterlevels.gc.ca/C&A/glfcst_e.html

Looks like snow on top of the area that looked like open water the other day. I think that what appeared to be open water was actually water on top of the ice.....but then again maybe I'm being a bit optimistic

Lest we forget how the vote went:

SENATE:

Ayes (43): Adams, Addabbo, Avella, Boyle, Breslin, Carlucci, Diaz, Dilan, Espaillat, Felder, Flanagan, Fuschillo, Gianaris, Gipson, Golden, Grisanti, Hannon, Hassell-Thomps, Hoylman, Kennedy, Klein, Krueger, Lanza, Latimer, LaValle, Marcellino, Martins, Montgomery, O'Brien, Parker, Peralta, Perkins, Rivera, Sampson, Sanders, Savino, Serrano, Skelos, Smith, Squadron, Stavisky, Stewart-Cousin, Valesky

Nays (18): Ball, Bonacic, DeFrancisco, Farley, Gallivan, Griffo, Larkin, Libous, Little, Marchione, Maziarz, Nozzolio, O'Mara, Ranzenhofer, Ritchie, Robach, Seward, Young

Excused (1): Zeldin

ASSEMBLY:

S02230 Votes:

BILL:S02230 DATE:01/15/2013MOTION: YEA/NAY:104/43Abbate Y Clark Y Gantt Y Kavanag Y McKevit Y Raia NO Solages Y

Abinant Y Colton Y Garbari NO Kearns NO McLaugh NO Ramos Y Stec NO

Arroyo Y Cook Y Gibson Y Kellner Y Miller Y Reilich NO Steck Y

Aubry Y Corwin NO Giglio NO Kim Y Millman Y Rivera ER Stevens Y

Barclay NO Crespo ER Gjonaj Y Kolb NO Montesa NO Roberts Y Stirpe Y

Barrett Y Crouch NO Glick Y Lalor NO Morelle Y Robinso Y Sweeney Y

Barron Y Curran Y Goldfed Y Lavine Y Mosley Y Rodrigu Y Tedisco NO

Benedet Y Cusick Y Goodell NO Lentol Y Moya Y Rosa Y Tenney NO

Blanken NO Cymbrow Y Gottfri Y Lifton Y Nojay NO Rosenth Y Thiele Y

Borelli NO DenDekk Y Graf NO Lope PD NO Nolan Y Rozic Y Titone Y

Boyland Y Dinowit Y Gunther NO Lope VJ Y Oaks NO Russell Y Titus Y

Braunst Y DiPietr NO Hawley NO Losquad Y O'Donne Y Ryan Y Walter NO

Brennan Y Duprey NO Heastie Y Lupardo NO Ortiz Y Saladin NO Weinste Y

Brindis NO Englebr Y Henness Y Lupinac Y Otis Y Santaba Y Weisenb Y

Bronson Y Espinal Y Hevesi Y Magee NO Palmesa NO Scarbor Y Weprin Y

Brook K Y Fahy Y Hikind Y Magnare Y Paulin Y Schimel Y Wright Y

Buchwal Y Farrell Y Hooper Y Maisel Y Peoples Y Schimmi NO Zebrows Y

Butler NO Finch NO Jacobs Y Malliot Y Perry Y Sepulve Y Mr Spkr Y

Cahill Y Fitzpat ER Jaffee Y Markey Y Pretlow Y Simanow Y

Camara Y Friend NO Johns NO Mayer Y Quart Y Simotas Y

Castro Y Gabrysz NO Jordan NO McDonal Y Ra Y Skartad Y

Ceretto NO Galef Y Katz NO McDonou Y Rabbitt NO Skoufis NO

When I went in the military at age 18 back in 1963 I was proud to be a "New Yorker" and even more proud to be an American. I know my dad who flew in B-24's in WW-II felt the same way and I'm sure my buddies who lost their lives in Viet Nam felt the same way. I now feel disgusted when I see our country peddling so-called "democracy" to other countries as though we are some kind of "standard barer". The socialist regime that parades itself as "progressive" now running the country is destroying every vestige of respect other countries as well as our own concerned citizens have for America. The fact that our own President doesn't follow the U.S. Constitution or believe it is a valid document governing today's situations in favor of a more "global" view is an insult to our forefathers as well as all Americans. We are in a fight for our very lives in terms of the Constitutional issues currently being assailed by our own government both here in New York and the U.S. in general. The gun control issue is quite "secondary" in this sense and is merely a vehicle to push their agenda and even the "anti-gun nuts" should be very disturbed by the current tactics being used by our out of control government. Unfortunately the mass media, the "out of contact with reality" citizens and the self-serving re-election obsessed politicians at the state and federal levels are currently in absolute control of the "machinery" of change. This situation is really about Obama and his cronies view of the need for a new "world order" which doesn't include us. What he really is referring to when he repeatedly says We the people" is "We the government" it has absolutely nothing to do with the citizenry. I apologize for the rant but it is probably necessary in the way of ulcer prevention as I've never been so upset in my life.

Interesting situation - I overheard a guy today who has a 9 mm Sig 228 discussing the new law and his pistol came with (2) 13 round magazines. He said that when he tried to order new 10 round magazines over the Internet that they won't ship them to New York State. The 10 round magazine is the smallest that is made for the gun and the gun s no longer manufactured as it was replaced by the P229 so basically his $800 plus gun is useless. Unreal!

Way to go Steve. It's anyones guess what will happen to the ice with the rain today and then 50 plus degrees tomorrow....I'm hoping to get back into some of the huge pumpkin seeds like I got the other day there (glove is extra large size).

Good going Pops! Real nice fish....reminds me of the old days on Seneca when 15-20 pound notherns were the rule of the day....

I don't know a whole lot about autopilots but wouldn't the boat steer better (perhaps with fewer position corrections) with the out drive in the down position (as a rudder)?

You folks need to hear this lady speak from a unique perspective....VERY powerful!