Nessmuk

Do you actually eat fish from Lake Ontario and bays/ponds? I live nearby and think in terms of pollution in the area but maybe I am wrong.

no hemlock and canadice similar, more browns in canadice and bows in hemlock, but laker patterns are largely the same in my experiences.

Where are the rainbows and browns this time of year?   All this is pretty interesting in that what I have read about fishing the first two weeks after ice out conflicts.  As a beginner it's all pretty confusing.   Fish are temp sensitive so it will be interesting to probe for temperature with the TD.

If you're fishing blind, my recommendation would be go right to the middle, drop a sutton or other lightweight down on a downrigger til it hits bottom, crank it up a few feet and troll around 2mph. You will catch lake trout. 

Zack, My concern is hitting bottom with the ball.   Is the bottom fairly smooth or are there big rocks/boulders sticking up.    Can't wait to get the sonar set up.  

I'm hoping to fish Canadice or Hemlock  on Friday with a bit of luck.    Unfortunately I will be fishing blind until I can get a sonar unit installed.   I have a Fishhawk  TD which I will use to look at temp.    I assume this early in the season the water temperature is pretty cold no matter the depth but water right on the bottom or in the shallows might be a tad warmer?     I was thinking of fishing in the surface to 15' range using a Sutton and a plug.    The plugs I have are quickfish in UV colors.    I plan on using a hotshot in line planer(s) to see how they work in getting the lure away from the boat.    I will have one DR set up but hesitate to use it without knowing depth.     I may try a slide diver or dipsy diver if all else fails.   Being new to this, I'll just have to see what I can do with what I have at this point.    I'll be happy to just get out on the water!

I ended up making a temporary mount on the transom for one side and will use the DR rod holder for the other.   Once the weather gets warm enough to use epoxy I plan on mounting some large 1/4" plates to the seat.   Every other option seems to have obvious issues and I have not been able to find info on tensile strength of fasteners in 1/16" aluminum sheet.   Fasteners worry me so I'll wait to use epoxy.   Done correctly, the epoxy should be a lot stronger than fasteners since it spreads out the load.

Though I have decided to not use fasteners, I think the best suggestion (from Spike) is the well nut.   The well nut would work but the big holes concern me.    Best thing about the well nut is documented strength.

^{I'd agree. Was down Friday. Both lakes were mostly ice covered, but it was slush with a lot of holes. If not open now, after today they will be}

Still enough for ice fishing

I was hoping to fish today but other responsibilities got in the way not to mention the stiff wind out of the south.

Do these lakes have the feeding frenzy after ice out that I have read about?     Do you fish near surface or go down a bit?   

At this point I have rod holders set up but still have to figure out mount for sonar and battery.

What's the latest on Canadice/Hemlock ice ?  

there was quit a bit of ice floating up around penn yan yesterday

The endless winter?

Just wondering if the ice is gone from the east branch of Keuka Lake?

You need a blind fastener that resembles a rivet but is collapsed by tightening with a screw in the fastener then tightening further with a nut on the screw.  The military uses these on portable buildings.  Often referred to as "Spec Nuts" or "Riv Nuts".  Supply companies such as Mc Master Carr would have them.  You can use a credit card to buy from them.  Simply drill the proper size hole, push it in, and collapse the rear by tightening a screw and nut in it.  Be sure to order the correct size for the thickness of material you are in.  you can also put a another plate on top for extra support if the material is thin.  I use em frequently, but I have a special tool to collapse the back.  The proper size screw and a nut will suffice.

IRG355

Thanks!  I was a machinist and like dealing with McMaster Carr.  I wasn't aware of Rivet Nuts.    Making a 7/16 round hole in 1/16 thick aluminum might be a bit tricky though.   Got to look this over more. Thanks!

Yes if they are 16 years old or older !!!

That's good since it means that most of our dogs aren't old enough to require a license.    My springer wouldn't stay IN the boat since she always wants to swim.   I always enjoy beagles!

Not really interested in board across  the boat.    Trying to keep the boat as uncluttered as possible.

I have stuff like rod holders, etc. I want to mount on a row boat seat.   The seat is aluminum and I can't get at the back side.    The only two solutions I can think of are sheet metal screws and/or epoxy.   I am concerned about the strength of sheet metal screws and would have to wait for warmer weather to use epoxy.    Thoughts/suggestions?

I'd contact Crestliner and ask them how to repair if possible.

Do dogs require a fishing license?

Rain helps a lot!

Is the Canadice launch free of snow/ice?

Has anyone looked at Hemlock?

Also try B&E tackle in Ontario NY.       Sadly the more popular Sutton spoons aren't available for what ever reason.    Bladerunner spoons are a possible substitute and are available with either treble or single hook.

I've never been keen on fishing competition of any kind and agree with phisherman585 .   Just my feeling on the subject.   I'm more interested in enjoying fishing on a quiet stream or lake which is tough to find these days!    I'm not keen on cheek to jowl stream fishing or being buzzed by high hp boats. 

I have watched how some (not all) fisherman handle trout and cringe.   Better to eat the fish than to play it till it's exhausted and then rough it up in dry hand out of the water and release or should I say throw the fish back into the water.   Catch and release is a good idea but like Justin says not all the released fish survive.    That being said, I have seen natural predators  clean out a few pools in short order i.e. a heron on  East Koy creek.   Just how a derby effects fish and stream ecology is a big question to me.  Put and take stream is one thing but natural stream might be another.

Some of my favorite stretches of stream have become posted by land owners due to the volume people of fishing.    I wonder if derby's would bring in enough people to set land owners on edge?   Number of fishermen is in the mind of the land owner.  

Since this about $ I don't think there will be much of a decision to be made.

Sounds like a typical opening day     I remember going fishing on opening day as a kid and it was always crowded and never caught a fish.    Hopefully with a bit better weather we see some better fishing shortly!

Pictures?

Much depends on action of the local governments and citizens.    Cape Vincent has managed to stave off wind power through the actions of politicians/citizens/govt/etc.   BP Wind seems to have disappeared from Main Street CV.   I've followed this for the past few years.    I am guessing that some day wind power will come to the east end of the big O but hopefully not in my life time.   Sad to see such development since it doesn't help the local economy much and spoils tourism and has some negative environmental impact to wildlife.

oxalic acid? 

Steve,  Welcome!   One of my friends, and antique outboard collector, lives in Kitchener.  Where do you plan on fishing?  Jack

Thanks, sure beats buying charts.

Gander mtn and dicks are NOT the same company. Dicks does in fact own field and stream stores. Dicks also owns golf galaxy (which is really thier golf section in the store)... I agree buy it local

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

A few years ago I read that one of the other had bought the other but were going to keep the names/corps but maybe I am entirely wrong or misinformed.  In either case I have found high prices and lack of selection.

I have tried to buy local but have given up and now buy almost all my tackle on the web.   I do find Walmart a valuable resource on occasion  but try not to buy there because I don't like their labor practices.