ogrob56

Got my first inflatable last winter. (Mustang Survival) - wear it all the time. Hardly know it’s on.

Looks like you had a great time. Thanx for sharing. Good times ahead.-rob

This might be the the video on Fox this morning. Dead on hit with no attempt to maneuver. Google- oregonlive boat crash

Fort niagara - no Contest

A 2 stroke 9.9 merc on my 22ft Starcraft proved to be a little too fast because it wasn’t running in the power band at trolling speed. The worst part of it was that when the wind was behind us it pushed fumes over the transom and made us nauseous. A longer shaft is seldom a wrong thing but you may find it unnecessary. And if you fish rockpiles it could prove to be a disadvantage. Keep in mind that if you opt for the newer power props you will need comparatively more horsepower than traditional props. It would be nice if you could borrow a motor for a day to be sure you get a good fit

Smart man. Back during the love canal era there was great concern about e.d.b.’s in the lake system. Studies revealed that almost all the toxins in fish were concentrated in the fat of the fish. Smoking them removed enough toxin that made it safe to eat a few of them without concern. Probably wouldn’t want to eat them three times a day though. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

Wow! What a ride. Feel for the guys in bass boats. I’ve seen them bob up and down completely out of sight near the towers just west of the Dunkirk harbor. Erie is shallow and she can get ugly in a heartbeat. Those wicked fast motors prove useless when the weather sneaks up on them. Glad you pulled out of it. Guess you have the right kind of vessel.

Fish don’t evaporate after Labor-day. Heck some guys fish the lower Niagara all winter long because the current is so violently swift it has a hard time freezing over. It’s a question of desire and endurance vs. nature. I’ve been there “fishin the drift” for bass up by the power station and I can tell you it doesn’t take long to cover quite a bit of ground on the way downstream. Often the whirlpools will grab you and spin you around like a top until you fire up the outboard and pull out of it. The first time it happens to you, you might experience a fair amount of sphincter restriction. Any way the point is that if you give the right guy a boat he will go where the fish are, any time and any place. But you can’t catch anything except a cold or some impolite to mention social disease on the couch. So, sure you can catch fish in the lake in the dwindling warm days of fall. You don’t say how much boat you have. Make sure you know how much water you need under you to operate safely. Work the shore line vigorously but keep an eye on your electronics so you know how the bottom looks. If you can find structure or gravel bottom so much the better. Jerk your bait around. A little fast and then a little slow. Drive an “S” pattern, make the pattern as tight as you can without tangling lines. If you can, get a pair of planer boards so you can throw your lines closer to shore without endangering your drive unit or prop. I’ve seen some “Big John” setups for sale on this forum that were pretty reasonable. Everyone you talk to will likely recommend a different bait or scent. Truth is that on any given day this bait will work better than that bait. The big variables to watch are temp and water color. Stained water may require a brighter presentation. Maybe start with jointed Rapala J-9’s or thundersticks. J-plugs are sometimes the answer. I know guys that swear by Mepps pike spiners, so nothing is really out- of- bounds. If the bite is on, they would probably hit a beer can tab with a hook on it, so don’t be afraid to try out your spoons. You are already doing the best thing. You’re getting out there. -best of luck, Rob

Let me guess- you were a hall monitor in high school right?

Glad you like your electronics. My Raymarine a78 has some nice features but the gps refresh rate is so slow it's ridiculous. No wonder they dropped the price $300. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

PT Breeze recreational fishing association? What a great year it was for fishing Lake Ontario. High water problems and closed launches notwithstanding, it was once again a totally great experience being out there. So yeah, I’m done for the season and have already made about 95% of the winterizing efforts on my old Starcraft Mariner. This usually starts on Labor Day weekend for me. Maybe it’s just me but it did seem to be a bit more windy than other seasons in general. I’m pretty much a fair-weather fisherman and don’t usually venture out unless the wind forecast begins with the letter “S”. The boat doesn’t mind the rough weather but these old bones can only take so much rocking around before the joy of fishing is surpassed by too much effort trying to stand upright. Generally-speaking, I like to fish the deep water. This is a preference not always shared with the folks I fish with. But, sharing the experience with others is always a give and take proposition so sometimes I get a chance to go north of the 29 Line and sometimes I don’t. Whichever way it works out, I’m always grateful for having had the chance to be heading out there, into the wind with the water rolling under the bow and the fresh clean air filling my lungs. Sometimes we’re accompanied by the sound of Jimmy Buffett on Sirius XM but, more-often than not, it’s just good conversation, the brush of gentle waves against the hull and the subtle whine of the down-rigger cables cutting through the water column. Looking back on the season it occurred to me that there were a great many days that I didn’t get to fish, even though the weather was good. I’d be home, tinkering with the boat in the barn, wishing I could have been on the lake but, being on the upper side of 60, and not in the greatest health it would be unwise to go out by myself. Not quite ready for the pine box yet, it hurts to miss all those opportunities. Still, I would like to have a face to face with a perspective partner beforehand just to get some idea who I’m fishin with. I remember also some dialogue on LOU that makes me suspect that I’m not the only one with this experience. If there are other lake fishermen out there in the Pt. Breeze area who would like to meet at a nearby location, swap a few lies, and kick around the idea of partnering up to get more time on the lake next season, (I’m thinking some Saturday afternoon) shoot me an email at: [email protected]. I promise not to publish your name, email address, or phone number on this or any other forum. Fishin on another Lake Troller’s boat is a great way to learn about some of the things you have been doing wrong all these years and maybe share some tidbit that you have picked up along the way. The more participation we get for this little association, the more likely we are to find someone who could be fun to fish with for a few hours. I would also like to extend this invitation to younger bloods with a passion for fishing who perhaps don’t have a boat but would like an opportunity to learn about lake trolling. Five guys can fish my boat in relative comfort (as long as it doesn’t rain) so a Dad with two teenage sons wouldn’t be a problem at all. This summer I had occasion to fish with 3 guys I had barely met and who had never fished the lake before. We had a great time and laughed the whole time we were out. New Guys: Trust me if you’ve never had your hands-on downriggers, planner boards, electronic sounders, radios, auto pilots, troll controllers, fish hawks and long rods, you will soon realize that there is a great deal of learning to be had just “goin fishin”. From launching the vessel to loading it back up again, there are a boatload of details that can’t be overlooked. Along with the technical stuff there is also learning to be prepared and safe. There is practicing self -control, learning to remain calm, learning to move about the vessel smoothly and deliberately, you never exhibit jerky motions without thinking. Always know the way home. Any of these things might save you from a catastrophe when you are 12 miles north of Pt. Breeze. Oh yeah, did I mention that although many things are similar, each boat owner has his own unique way of doing things. Meeting new people doesn’t have to be awkward. Remember anyone who would show up at a gathering like this is a fisherman too, so you will always have that in common. So, think it over and let me know if you think the idea has any interest for you? – Rob (I wanted this message to target guys who read the fishing reports but since it isn’t a fishing report I chose to put it on the “open lake discussion” as the next best thing. If you read it please pass it along to those that you think might be interested)

Just add about 300 lbs of fish.

Might want to start with 50lbs and add more if you think it's effective

I talked to a guy from Ohio who put 300 lbs of bird shot low in the bow. It made a world of difference for him. (22ft Islander)

Thumbs up. "If it ain't broke don't fix it".

If 100 lb kings eat Kokanee, I'd bet they'd eat one hell of a lot of bateballs first. We are experiencing some of best Lake Ontario fishing in years. Why not leave well enough alone. I don't know how many 30lb kings you have cranked in but a 20 pounder can leave me looking for a tube horse linament. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

On the Barcelona Dunes of Lake Erie we had some success with walleye trolling worm harnesses near the top at dark or first light then when the sun popped we'd dragg the bottom. Always 2.5 to 2.8 mph. It might be worth a try.

Can't miss it . You'll be looking at it at a stop sign.