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Capt Vince Pierleoni

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Posts posted by Capt Vince Pierleoni

  1. I was directed here for comments on the proposed changes. Kudos on last years organization and streamlined weigh ins/awards. 

    I was asked to keep it brief and encourage others who are chirping behind the scenes to keep it the same.

    1)Rods--We have no problem with this, nor should any of the participants

    2) No observer--this definitely has it's Pros and Cons. In light of some of the recent happenings in the Tourney world, this should be weighed carefully. The format and upping the rod allowance does open the door to consider this. IF an independent(non participants) crew did boat checks(not just the cooler) then all there would be left to be concerned about is the closed communication enforcement.

    Of course if Lie detector tests are mandatory then yes the observer could be eliminated. 

    3) 7 Kings/Coho-- we see no problem with this.

    4) Lake Trout-- No.  They have no place in this event. Of course some years its a bloodbath and it comes down to ounces, other years teams will struggle to hit Pacific Salmon quota. The teams that fish this and similar events don't need the comfort of aged Lakers in their boxes.

    5) If you truly want to relieve pressure on Kings eliminate the "Slam" aspect during the week prior. Just up the ante on the "1K" portion, perhaps go "2K" if you want people out fishing hard all week. Then only one large fish is sacrificed(if that) per day, with the same amount(if not more) of effort/expenditures.

    Thank you for all the effort in coordinating this.     

     

  2. On 1/7/2020 at 2:17 PM, Sk8man said:

    It has been clear all along  even prior to the so-called "SAFE Act" that these baboons in Albany and their silver back baboon leader know absolutely nothing about firearms or reasons for owning them. They know even less about their duties and responsibilities as our elected representatives and what constitutes infringement on Constitutional rights of New York's citizenry. The political hacks are a total embarrassment to all of us and are totally out of touch with reality. Emperor Cuomo  wants firearms removed from civilian use and let everyone else fend for themselves in terms of personal protection yet we the tax payers provide him with full 24/7 protection at our expense. Something is very wrong with this picture. This government is not serving the best interest of the people as they are too busy serving themselves. Pretty disgusting really.

    Great post. If we sleep on any of this we are going to pay the consequences. I know far too many people that fail to vote saying that it's hopeless in NY. 

    • Like 3
  3. On 12/20/2019 at 3:36 PM, GAMBLER said:


    The lake temp is right on track for the same as last year. It got below 40 degrees on the same day last year almost the same hour. I wouldn’t expect a great YOY survival.


    Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

    Brian I feel strongly there will be a giant hatch from last Summers YOY. Now whether surveys find them thats another story. Just like the naturalized King and Coho Salmon, one of the greatest success stories in freshwater fishing history, they are continually adapting. It's crazy how many Alewives have been shallow in bays even with the onset of very cold water and even icing.

    Years ago we were told by managers that anything colder than 39 degrees was lethal to Pacific Salmon, yet the naturalized fishery in Georgian bay gives up Kings through the ice and they catch them in open water in March there. 

    The biggest concern I have is the micro managing we are seeing these days. I've seen brutal winters on Lake O before, and certainly have seen Spring Salmon decades ago that looked like they had a rough winter. It cycles back. 

    We are certainly seeing SOME years with huge natural hatches, so far it's looking like about every 3-5 yrs. Stocking is a tool that can be dialed into areas that do not enjoy natural RETURNS--which is a huge historical aspect to Pacific Salmon planting. Unfortunately the cuts will only hurt the areas that are already suffering from little staging. 

    With the latest round of cuts I have been blasted with calls and texts. Those that know me know that I sit on every board/panel there is. I was against each and every cut, and try as I did, I felt like my position and concerns fell on deaf ears. Sure, SOME years we have a big hatch, contributing lake wide when they are immature. Ultimately returning to their home areas as early as late July, leaving some areas much more devoid of returns. I love Lake O as much as anyone and would never want anything to hurt the fishery. I feel very strongly in this little surface area Great Lake that if surplus Kings occur they quickly get caught by todays intense, intelligent Salmon fishing pressure. The targeting of Pacific Salmon lakewide 7 months of the year on both sides of the pond is a relatively new occurrence. Less than 20 years ago fleets targeted trout more routinely and waited until "Salmon Season" to rig up for them. 

    I do not agree with the "size at age" findings, and no one I know that fishes most days of the season has seen a drastic decline in Salmon size at each age--at least out in the open lake. Any shortage of super-out sized Salmon is not just from a greater density of Salmon in the population, but as was mentioned earlier is part of the species adapting to Lake Ontario. On top of that, the increased angling pressure crops a portion of the population before they reach their ultimate size potential. Only drastically decreased angling effort(what no one wants to see, but what led to the small population of big fish in Michigan that got caught) will make much of a difference in a handful of outsized Salmon being caught. My inquiries with serious anglers on Lake Michigan indicated that yes, there was a nice slug of bigger fish around mostly late Spring, but most angler effort still was directed towards Lake Trout. I don't think most people know how thinned out the Salmon population would have to become, and how much effort would have to decline to produce a group of rare extra large specimens. "The new normal" may not have been sustainable but to try to alter the population enough to create a big enough spike in size would certainly leave alot of anglers with dry coolers.

    The concept that Lake Ontario Alewives can be permanently driven to extinction is utterly out of line. Any "mistakes" made by implementing a less conservative approach to the Salmon population are 100% reversible.

    A couple other thoughts with all the stuff I see swirling around. If cormorant control was implemented, and/or stocking practices were used that protected Trout and Salmon from their predation, MANY more Steelhead would be saved than any knee jerk Lake limit that is being slapped on the Lake fishermen. Most avid lake anglers are sad that the proposed limit will actually be more detrimental to that species--doing just the opposite what the proposal hoped to do. That goes for any stocked Salmon and Trout, it makes little sense to just feed the birds after the time and expense of raising them. Lastly, I know we are in the middle of a "study", but its well documented in fishery management that Coho must be stocked as holdover Spring fish . The vast majority of NYs Coho are stocked in the fall and end up eaten by birds, trout, walleye, or caught repeatedly by stream fisherman as tiny minnow sized fish. If all our Coho were Spring stocked it would be an explosive contributor.

    In closing, it was never my position that we didn't experience a couple of weak year classes of Alewives, only that this has happened several times before in the last 40 yrs since anyone paid attention to it. Sure the total alewife number was reduced but it was just less of an excess. Good things happen to the alewife population when it is controlled, and certainly the fans of Perch and Walleye hatches are rewarded-as alewives are a direct predator of those hatches.  The way the Chinook Salmon were distributed across the lake the last couple of Springs/early Summers is also an indicator that ample food was present East to West. 

    If the DECs findings are accurate, 2019 provided a great natural class of Chinook so 2021 should see lots of age 2s sizzling around the lake. Some will mature and the rest will be large adults in 2022. 

    Merry Christmas to everyone.            

    • Like 3
  4. 12 hours ago, dvdegeorge said:

    Billy very cool same stand I helped my cousin set up last Thursday that he killed his buck from and same stand that made the noise Saturday costing me the Big 8 pt 

     

    Congrats Dan, well done. I'm curious did you ever find out what made that noise and remedy it? 

  5. 5 hours ago, GAMBLER said:

    For years, the DEC has not been stocking lake trout in Monroe County waters with Lake Trout.  I am not sure of the reasoning.  With the stocking cuts, and the possible steelhead creel cuts, the lake trout are going to become more important to the Charter Captains and Rec anglers that fish out of the ports of Monroe County.  The last five or six years, laker fishing has been tougher and tougher.  With great king fishing, they have been left alone and not beat up at all.  I think it is time to make some noise and get the stocking of lake trout brought back. 

    I don't think you will see it. Lake Trout stocking will be emphasized where they are seeing natural reproduction--even if it is very poor. The Lake Trout restoration effort really has little to do with Sport fishing opportunity, they are said to have "intrinsic value". Brian, don't hold your breath waiting to be asked what you think anytime soon. 

    Truth be told, Lake Trout, Walleye, and Cormorants are the obstacles to stocked Salmonoids making it their first year. Their predation on the stockies is well documented.  

    BTW, the Feds stock the Lake Trout. 

    • Like 1
  6. 21 hours ago, GAMBLER said:


    I believe there was an offer to the DEC for another hatchery in Niagara County a couple years ago and it got shot down. Someone with more details of it please chime in.


    Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

    You are correct Brian. The funding was in place, the site was available, Lewiston was onboard. It was fought tooth and nail by DEC and here we are with all the eggs in one basket. 

    • Like 1
  7. Sadly we are all encountering more and more of this. What does it bring about? More guys wanting to buy their own land and post it up tight--or leasing it for exclusive rights. These are merely temporary respites as land becomes harder andharder to get on. It leads to yet even more of these violations, and ultimately we get weaker as good sportsmen fall by the wayside. 

    I have a friend who has hunted NY for 40 years. He has pretty much given up Deer hunting in NY because of constant conflicts with disrespectful deer "hunters". He says "Im damn tired of arm wrestling for Deer."

    Like was said, just like the trib nightmare, violators get a slap on the wrist so the vicious circle continues. I'm so sorry for guys like Rob who put so much into their spots and their seasons to have it ruined by a criminal.

    • Like 6
  8. 9 minutes ago, Gill-T said:


    Agreed. I have to remind myself what we do is pure folly. My wife reminds me regularly. Dress in unscented camo, making mock scrapes with deer pee. Sitting in a tree for an all-day sit ONLY when it is below freezing. Spending hours cleaning and bleaching the skull of a dead animal. If you say it out loud, it really does sound crazy. 

    You forgot the part about you driving for 2 days to get to the Whitetail mecca of Kansas--so you could tag out in 10 minutes while walking in for your first sit. Crazy? For sure.  

    • Like 1
  9. 6 hours ago, justtracytrolling said:

    Please tell your brother Im thrilled for him, and congratulations to you as well!  I know exactly how hard you to have to work for just 1 watch... hunting with him was very humbling and really put things in perspective.  When hunting is tough I often think of how hard you 2 have to work.  It can't tell you enough how happy I am he scored with his bow!

    Justin you will probably see us again. Us not coming that way for a few years was more the distance of travel and Mark had some significant health issues due to his condition. Last fall he was finally good to go again. As you saw, EVERYTHING has to be thought out and preplanned--especially on a road trip with a few nites stay. Sleeping accommodations, bathroom access and of course the in and out of the rugged country. We both enjoyed hunting with you and appreciated your efforts. We just hit a merciless hot spell and lots of standing corn. Hope you had a great season with the Tigers and your hunting has been going well. Happy Thanksgiving.

  10. Thanks for the kind words Reel Doc. The best people I have ever met have been anglers and hunters. I originally wrote the above post on Nov 8th, the day Mark took his crossbow deer. Unless someone has seen what he has to go through to spend a day hunting it's hard to truly appreciate how awesome the whole experience was. 

    I can say it's the first time I have sat by anyones side as they have let an arrow or bolt fly. There was some interesting convo that went on. At first I could not see the deer and did not want to blow it peering around his front window. After the Buck got done staring us down, he went back to his fast rut walk--I reminded Mark to aim low and told him I would stop him. As soon as he hit an opening I mouth grunted(Mark said later it sounded like a lost lamb) and he seemed to stare through the back of our heads. Mark let it fly and I could tell by the bucks sprint it was solid. I said excitingly--"you smoked him!"  His reply was "really?"  I gave him a 1 arm hug and waited a bit before looking for sign. Our host Jon Forder must've jumped out of his tree stand across the road as he was there before I recovered the deer. Very little blood as he caught part of front shoulder but Buck was only about 50 yds from impact location. 

    Ironically Mark followed this up with a rifle buck he took on opening day. He was invited to a special hunt for handicap hunters by a generous owner of a large land tract. I don't know all the names but another fisherman and hunter Richard Brant helped organize the volunteer helpers that sit with each hunter and help them retrieve their game if needed.

    Mark called me that night and said, "its my first two buck season of my life!" My own gun season hasn't gone so well but needless to say my season is already made. Thanks to all that have helped me with Mark this season and in the past.     

    • Like 4
  11. 11 hours ago, Reel Doc said:
    This article came out Sunday in our area newspaper, The Fingerlakes Times.  Hope you all can zoom in well enough to read it, but if not, perhaps you fellas who created this story can give us the details.
    My congratulations to Mark and Vince as well as Jonathan Forder.  It's no coincidence that great things happen when fishermen work together.  An early Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
    15748245645138026498313548656400.thumb.jpg.a1aac54a7430e802fda58f9937998740.jpg

    Absolutely one of the greatest highlights of my years of deer hunting. Those that know my brother understand that he is limited to hunting from a wheelchair. If it rains or snows he gets a lap full. We are limited to areas we can get a truck or my utv into. I scored last Saturday so Mark and I already had an all day sit planned for today- rut timing and perfect cold snap. 2 days ago we got a text from Jonathan Forder, asking how Marks hunting season was going. When he invited us to spend our day together at one of his spots I jumped at it, as we have been enduring some trespassers ruining hunts lately. It takes alot of prep and work for Mark to hunt, and for todays all dayer he got up at 230am. We sat from before daybreak until 330pm before we saw our first deer. Shortly after this beautiful buck cautiously snuck in, looking very uneasy at one point due to the newly placed blind. Once the bucks thoughts turned to does again he gave Mark a 37 yd shot and he made it count. To be able to be there with him when it all came together is a memory I will never forget! It is one of his best deer of his life, and definitely the best one since he got his wheels. We both feel very grateful and blessed to have friends share their access to get close to these amazing animals.

    The above post was originally written Nov 8.
    Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

    • Like 8
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