Imbit
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Posts posted by Imbit
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Just got back from Clayton ... arggghhhhhhhhh
Been fishing Clayton area since the early 80's - several times a year. Used to fish tournaments up there, so lets just say I'm not a novice at fishing the bays and islands for pike and largemouth - never learned to fish deep for smallies like alot of guys do nowdays. I'm old enough to remember how much better the fishing was before the clear water.
So fished 5 days, covered a ton of water & the grand total consisted of 2 little smallies under a foot, no largemouth, no pike. No exaggeration - worst fishing I've seen ... EVER. I can't recall getting flat skunked ever on the river - happened almost every day. Wouldn't touch the usual money baits such as topwater, spinnerbaits of all shapes & sizes, senko's off/under docks, crankbaits, twister tail grubs. Fished all the usual weedy spots a mile or two in all directions from Clayton - from a foot to 15 ft deep. Weather was perfect first 4 days of the trip. It's been a bit colder than average last couple weeks, so it's NOT like a big nasty cold front came in right before I arrived in NY and shut the bite off like a switch - fish should have acclimated to the slightly colder temps.
Just curious if anybody has an explanation for this historical lousey fishing ? I really don't know if the fish have all moved to deep water now that the zebra mussels have made the entire seaway crystal clear (I'm sure this applies for smallmouth, I just can't believe pike and largemouth have moved out of the weeds/bays to deep water); or perhaps the historic high water this spring/summer has messed up the entire ecosystem (thus, killed the bite); or has the goby infestation completely changed the food chain; or if I just need to change my ways and start fishing deeper (if thats the case, I'll take up golf - I've always hated fishing deep).
I don't think I could take it if a bunch of fellas here respond that it has been the best fishing in years up on the St. Lawrence - please, for my sanity ... say it isn't so -
yikes ! thanks for the pic ... at least I know what to expect for labor day Clayton vacation
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I can offer an idea - I used to cast my own lead jig heads - always used bullet heads I pulled out of the dirt backstop at my local shooting range - if it's a short distance pistol range, there will be plenty of lead head bullets (not copper jacketed) to pick up ... plus you'll be doing the range a favor. I bet he could fill a bucket or two in an hour - and it'd be FREE ! Might just take a phone call to a local shooting range to arrange a time when no one is using the range - can't imagine they'd turn anyone down for "remediating" their range of lead waste. Just a thought ...
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On 7/3/2017 at 9:37 PM, Jhettenbaugh said:
No wake within 600 ft of shoreline on the St. Lawrence within St. Lawrence county which is basically the entire river.
Do you think this is a result of the recent flooding and will be temporary, or is this a permanent law now ? Imagine the bass boat guys are gonna be lighter in the pockets ...
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Clayton guy
Back when I was a teenager, my dad had a boat in Clayton (Stl Lawrence) from the 80's through mid 90's - went up most every other weekend (lived in Binghamton / NE PA then). Back when the water was dark before the zebra mussels. Then got into tournament bass fishing and fished it more, and for the last 10 years, I make the journey up from the pocono's a couple times a year. I find the St. Lawrence dramatically tougher fishing nowdays with the clear water and goby infestation, but hey, it's still a great place to fish & we always enjoy it.
Look forward to contributing to the new St. Lawrence forum ...
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glad to hear about this new forum - the SLR has become a tough fishery with the zebra mussels/clear water and gobey's compared to years past ... this forum may help us (or at the very least, give us some inspiration)
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sorry, can't be of help ... I've fished that area of the river for 35+ years (always shallow water for for bass & pike), and NEVER caught a single walleye (even by accident). I even caught a muskie by accident on a spinnerbait once. If I didn't see pics and hear there were walleye's in the SLR, I wouldn't believe it - LOL
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I've got a trip to Clayton planned over Labor Day ... just looking for a wild guess if water levels will be back close to normal, or if it will still likely be high (I've been out of the loop - roughly how high compared to normal is it right now ??) Many thanks
JOhn
Just got back from Clayton ... arggghhhhhhhhh
in St. Lawrence River Fishing Reports - 1000 Islands Fishing
Posted · Edited by Imbit
THanks guys - sounds like i'll have to change my ways & resurrect the carolina rig - haven't used that since my tournament days. Fishing deep with the potential of catching something is better than getting skunked.
Now, I'm the complete novice at fishing deeper than 20 ft - so I hope some of you guys in the know could help me on how do you fish a carolina rig or slip shot rig from 40-50 ft deep - do you bother to cast it out or just vertical jig it at those depths ?
Thanks again -
John