Sodus Bay Ice Fishing - EZ

Transcription

SHOW 2011 ISSUE
ICING YELLOW PERCH
[
YOUR OUTDOOR
SPORT RESOURCE
]
December - February
AND NORTHERN PIKE
WINTER FISHING IN THE NIAGARA
IS AS GOOD AS IT GETS
+
DESTINATION
ALASKA
RAINBOW POINT LODGE
FRABILL
TA S K
GLOVE
ICE FISHING
SODUS BAY
PAGE 24
Volume 17, Issue 1
CONTENTS
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
SEE PAGE
SEE PAGE
SEE PAGE
32
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pelignatibus doluptat. Tur acietus dusamusdae cum SEE
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17
STEERING THE COURSE • 4
BY LEO MALONEY
THE CONSERVATION COLUMNS • 7
BY BILL HILTS, SR.
NYMPH FISHING FOR
WINTER STEELHEAD • 9
BY JAY PECK
CORMORANTS UPDATE • 11
BY DOUG FUEGEL
OUTDOOR NEWS • 13
BY LOO STAFF
FROM THE VISE • 15
BY BRAD BERLIN
PLAYING THE WEATHER GAME
WITH WINTER STEELHEAD • 17
BY BRIAN KELLY
ICE FISHING SODUS BAY • 27
BY CHRIS KENYON
ON THE COVER
WINTER FISHING IN THE NIAGARA
IS AS GOOD AS IT GETS • 33
BY BILL HILTS, JR.
TROLLING SPRING WALLEYE
AND PIKE • 37
BY BOB DICK
ICING YELLOW PERCH AND
NORTHERN PIKE • 39
BY MIKE SEYMOUR
CALENDAR • 41
BY LOO STAFF
DESTINATION ALASKA RAINBOW
POINT LODGE • 21
TOAST AND ROAST • 43
PRODUCT REVIEWS • 23
27
BY CAPT. BILL SAIFF III
PHOTO CONTEST • 41
BY TROY CREASY
SEE PAGE
JUMBO BROWNS OF THE EASTERN
END • 29
ICE OUT BASS FISHING • 19
BY BURNIE HANEY
21
22
BY LOO STAFF
BY LOO STAFF
CURING STEELHEAD EGGS • 44
BY BRIAN KELLY
© Photo by Jeff Feverston
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OWNERS/PUBLISHERS
MICHAEL WADE
ROB GIOMBETTI
TED DOBS
EDITOR
LEO MALONEY
CONSULTING EDITOR
TROY CREASY
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
BRAD BERLIN
TROY CREASY
BOB DICK
DOUG FUEGEL
BURNIE HANEY
BILL HILTS, JR.,
BILL HILTS, SR.,
BRIAN KELLY
CHRIS KENYON
JAY PECK
BILL SAIFF, III
MIKE SEYMOUR
MATTHEW BROCKETT
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
LAKE ONTARIO
OUTDOORS MAGAZINE
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CLINTON, NY 13323
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2
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
ch Tackle Co. In
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Niagara_HalfPg-SHOW2011_Niagara_HalfPg.qxd 11/22/10 6:18 PM Page 1
FISHING NIAGARA
“Smile Capital of the Great Lakes”
W
hether it’s trophy trout and salmon fishing on the lower Niagara River, deep
water trolling out of the popular ports of Youngstown, Wilson or Olcott on Lake
Ontario or casting a line at Burt Dam in Newfane on 18-Mile Creek – Niagara
County, New York’s sportfishing jewel has it all in the way of angling action. Monster
muskie, super smallmouth bass, trophy trout and superior salmon fishing are all available
on a year-round basis in the Greater Niagara Region. Add in the family attraction and a
little water falls called “Niagara,” and you’ve got the complete package for a great family
vacation, a getaway with your fishing buddies or a peaceful hideaway to simply relax.
Don't forget these important dates:
April 29-May 8, 2011 – Spring Trout and Salmon Derby
June 4-5, 2011 – Pro-Am Salmon Team Tournament
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For more information, contact: Niagara Tourism & Convention Corp.
10 Rainbow Blvd. • Niagara Falls, NY 14303
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3
FROM THE EDITOR
Steering the Course
It has been an unusual fishing season this past fall on
the Lake Ontario tributaries.
cues of several others on sepaOnce the salmon runs
rate occasions raised concerns
started, the fishing action
about safety there. Meetings
was very good. There were
with Brookfield Power Comlots of anglers taking advanpany, the DEC, Oswego Countage of the opportunity, and
ty Tourism, and the City of
some very impressive trout
Oswego sought to address the
and salmon were caught. This
issue. We will keep you inshows the world-class fishformed of any news or changery that we have been talking
es to fishing in this area.
about.
Safety should always be an
However, the fishing acissue when fishing the tribution was not evenly distribtaries in winter as well. Deep
uted. While rains fell on the
snow, cold water, and icy rocks
eastern basin, and for a time
combine with swift current to
made the major streams uncreate potentially dangerous
fishable, the western basin resituations. For example, when
mained dry and streams were
wading larger streams like the
low. For several days, raging
Salmon River, spiked wadwater levels on the Salmon or
ing sandals or “korkers” are a
Oswego Rivers closed them
must. Of course, many veterto fishing. Meanwhile, some
an guides will tell you that if
streams in the western part
you are wading in over your
of the lake had too little water
ankles, you are often wading
to have a salmon run or even
where the fish are. Know your
an early run of steelhead and
limits and fish carefully.
brown trout.
Steelhead are one of our
Unfortunately, the fishing
most exciting fish, and they atseason was marked by tragetract anglers from all over the
dy. The death of two anglers
northeast to the tributaries of
in the Oswego River and resFISHWISH_04.QXD:FISHWISH_04.QXD 11/15/09 10:57 AM Page 1
LEO MALONEY
EDITOR
Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
Please do your part to respect
this magnificent fish and insure the fishery. When releasing the fish, please do so carefully and in a way that insures
survival.
Don’t just throw them
back.
Cradle the fish and
carefully remove the hook.
Hold them in the water facing the current so the water
flows through their gills until
they regain their strength and
swim off on their own.
We know that most upstate
sportsmen and women, including readers of this magazine, enjoy a variety of outdoor
activities. This issue addresses
many of those interests with
informative articles on steelhead fishing techniques, ice
fishing tips and areas, as well
as looking forward to spring
fishing from the Niagara River
to the Golden Crescent.
Throughout the summer
and fall I got to meet a lot
of sportsmen from one end
of Lake Ontario to the other- whether it be on the lake,
the docks, or fishing the tributaries. Add that to the contacts I already had in the Finger Lakes, St. Lawrence River,
and the Adirondacks and I received an earful of opinions.
As you might expect, there
was a wide range of opinions
on what the fishery should be,
what the DEC should be doing, and even what this magazine should feature. We will
continue to bring you the best
experts in the field and give a
variety of articles on the current season as well as the upcoming season, in addition
to the features that you have
come to enjoy and expect.
Of course, winter is time
for outdoor shows and this
“Show Issue” brings you a
calendar to inform you of the
various outdoor shows around
the state, as well as some of the
upcoming derbies or events
in the spring so you can mark
your personal calendar. In ad-
St. Peter’s Outfitter
Boating and Fishing Made Miraculous
Boating and Fishing Service Center
See Our Displays At The Following Locations:
Gander Mountain, Rochester, Cicero, Watertown NY;
Salmon River Visitor's Center, Pulaski, NY
Fat Nancy’s, Pulaski, NY
MOUNTS FOR SALE
Margaret Rathje
27 Years Experience
15 Hotchkiss Drive • Pulaski,
(315) 298-4588
NY 13142
www.fishwishco.com • email: [email protected]
4
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
Capt. Chris Misciagna
Owner
• Reel / Downrigger Repair
• Marine / Boat Service
• Radar/ GPS Service & Installations 3 Basin Street,
Oswego NY, 13126,
315 345-6683
[email protected]
www.stpoutfitter.com
dition to providing a break
from cabin fever, these shows
provide a valuable outlet for
sportsmen. Go with the idea
of checking out new products and developments. Bring
some extra cash to purchase
something new, since quite often shops or dealers will have
“show specials” at reduced
prices.
Look for new adventures
and a learning experience by
checking the guides or outfitters. Ask the right questions
about times, the expectations,
what you need to provide, and
other things that will help you
compare and decide what you
want to experience. Check
the seminars and explore the
various booths of conservation organizations, services
like taxidermists, and tourism
agencies. M We look forward
to seeing you at the shows!
The
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circa 1850
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• 30 minutes to Potsdam
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• Beautiful Walking Trails
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6
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
The
Conservation
n
m
u
l
o
C
BY BILL HILTS, SR.
Information and comments on conservation issues
pertinent to Lake Ontario and New York State.
DEC IS A MESS!!!
Sportsmen and women
are continually fighting for
their rights and programs,
whether it is hunting or fishing seasons, Second Amendment attacks, license fees,
etc. Now, it appears that we
are heading for the fight of
our lives in order to maintain the very existence of
our great outdoor sports in
New York State. The current budget crisis we are experiencing is stripping all of
the stateagencies of not just
equipment, funds and necessary facilities, but also of
those people vital to keeping the programs and services going. Now, the Governor is calling for even more
personnel cuts, on top of
the back-breaking moves already rendered to the department.
The massive early retirements are devastating to
DEC, especially in fish and
wildlife. Not only have we
lost “bodies”, but we have
lost a ton of expertise, which
takes years to accumulate.
And New York State had
some of the very best in the
world. The list goes on seemingly forever, with such conservation stalwarts as John
Major, wildlife bureau chief;
Bill Culligan, who headed up the very successful
Great Lakes fisheries program; Mike Murphy, DEC’s
top pheasant guru; the legendary Ward Stone, DEC’s
fish and wildlife pathologist;
Peter Nye, endangered species specialist and architect
of our famous bald eagle recovery program; Art Newell,
who headed up the bureau of
fisheries; Russ Biss, the Region 9 natural resources supervisor; and the list continues! Then you add the fish
hatchery managers for four
stations at Chateaugay, Adirondack, Catskill and Randolph … and no replacements on tap. It is common
talk that several of the fish
rearing stations are headed for the budget chopping
block.Yet, unlike the other
agencies, sportsmen pay for
their hunting and fishing by
purchasing licenses. A friend
within the DEC says that it
is up to the sportsmen to all
come together and work to
put an end to this conservation death spiral. We can’t do
it by arguing over the petty
things such as deer antler restrictions, crossbows, etc. If
we fail to do it, no one is going to do it for us!!!
LEAD SHOT OK
… LEAD SINKERS NO?
The EPA has dropped
their case against the use of
lead shot for hunting, but
they have decided to continue reviewing a petition from
environmentalists to ban the
use of lead in fishing tackle.
Because of their persistence,
Senator Blanche Lincoln of
Arkansas
has
introduced
S.3850 into the U.S. Senate,
which seeks to prevent an
over-reaching federal ban on
lead in recreational fishing
tackle. If enacted, this ban
will have a significant economic impact on anglers and
the recreational fishing industry, as reported by the Great
Lakes Sport Fishing Council.
ASIAN CARP
CONTINUE GREAT
LAKES THREAT
The entire Asian carp
threat to the Great Lakes continues to be a muddled mess.
Like most issues in the U.S.,
it has been thrown into the
courts and a resolution could
take forever. However, Canada has launched a major initiative to asses the risk of Asian
carp in the Great Lakes. The
U.S. will join in the study, but
we all know how long these
programs can take. In the
meantime, those pesky invasive species come ever closer to
entering that great waterway–
some think they are already
there– which is so vital to
sport and commercial fishing
interests to the tune of more
than $7 billion. For more information see www.asiancarp.org.
WINDMILLS AND
WILDLIFE
Wind farms in Lakes Ontario and Erie continue to be
a serious issue among anglers
and shoreline property owners. The New York Power
Authority is proposing massive power producing wind
farms in one, if not both, of
those Great Lakes, and the opposition continues to mount.
Fishermen are especially incensed because those huge
towers, if erected in the water, would be located over
reefs, shoals and shallow water shelves– the favorite living areas for fish. Those areas
would then be termed safety
and security zones, and fishing and boating would not be
allowed.
Those structures are huge,
and when erected, become
very serious detriments to the
environmental beauty of the
area. Safari Club International recently published a most
interesting item concerning
“Windmills and Wildlife”:“If
wind farms get contracts to
build on large tracts of federal lands, could public areas
become de facto no-hunting
areas? Walk onto a modern
wind farm and you’ll feel like
an ant in a field of sunflowers.
Modern wind turbines stand
30-50 stories tall. Their blades
swinging high above can be
more than 130 feet long. Their
steel towers are anchored in
platforms more than a thousand tons of cement and steel
rebar, which are typically 30
to 50 feet across and anywhere
from 6 to 30 feet deep.”
Then stick those structures
out into our most vital Great
Lakes, along the shoreline on
top of reefs and shoals and
what a mess we will have!!!
DICK KIRBY DIES AT 67
An icon of the game-calling world has left our ranks,
and he will be sadly missed
by legions of followers. Dick
was the founder of the popular Quaker Boy Game Calls,
based in his hometown of
Orchard Park, NY.
Dick
was one-of-a-kind, who truly changed the sport of hunting. He also changed people’s
lives, becoming an ambassador to the outdoor fraternity.
On September 30, the gamecalling legend received his final calling following a surgery
complication. He will be sadly
missed by all. Sincere condolences to his fine family.
7
WOMEN IMPACT
HUNTER RANKS
Believe it or not you guys,
more women than men took up
hunting last year. While total
hunters in the U.S. decreased
slightly (.05 percent) between
2008 and 2009, the number of
female hunters increased by 5.4
percent, netting some 163,000
new participants.
The gals
have really taken to blackpowder sports (up 134.6 percent),
bowhunting (up 30.7 percent)
and hunting with firearms (up
3.5 percent). Women also outpaced the men among net newcomers to target shooting with
a rifle, where female participation grew by 4.1 percent.
NY GREAT LAKES
ADVISORY COUNCIL
RECOMMENDATIONS
New York’s Great Lakes Basin Advisory Council has released its final report, “Our
Great Lakes Water Resources: Conserving and Protecting
Our Water Today for Use Tomorrow.” The lengthy report
guides state implementation of
the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence
River Basin Water Resources Compact by identifying
key recommendations to ensure sustainable protections for
New York’s Great Lakes watershed. The final report is available at http://www.dec.ny.gov/
lands/56095.html.
Key recommendations
include:
• Pass legislation to regulate
water withdrawals
statewide.
• Increase information
collection on aquifer and
stream flows.
• Establish incentives
to promote business
and residential water
conservation.
• Invest substantially to
reduce leaks in water
infrastructure. M
Bill Hilts Sr. is a
veteran
outdoor
writer
who has been covering the
outdoor beat for nearly 50
years.
His credits include
several regional and national
publications, television, and
radio. For 39 years, he edited
the NYS Conservation Council
newspaper. He is a founder,
charter member, and past
president of the New York State
Outdoor Writers’ Association,
past president of the Outdoor
Writers Association of America,
and active in local, state, and
national conservations for most
of his life. He is currently the
editor of Bear Journal.
GetAwayFishCharter.qxd:Layout 1 11/15/09 12:35 PM Page 1
Salmon - Trout - Bass
Capt. Dane Brown
Sodus Point, NY
585-217-3033
[email protected] • www.getawayfishingcharters.com
1995
to
2010
More Than Just A Campground!
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8
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
Email: [email protected]
INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED
Yogi Bear & all related character elements are trademarks of and © by “Hanna-Barbera” (s11)
Nymph Fishing
For
BY JAY PECK
Winter Steelhead
Big fish
are taken on small flies
W
hen it comes
to
winter
steel head
fishing, egg flies get a lot of
attention, and rightfully so.
However, our fly boxes need
to have a healthy selection of
nymphs to complement the
egg flies. To understand why
nymphs can be as important
as egg patterns, you need to
understand what is happening
with the natural eggs in
the river bottom during the
winter.
By the time mid-December
rolls around, the rivers settle
into the normal winter fishing
pattern. The surplus of salmon
eggs that have been drifting
loose in the river are now
all but gone. What is left is
securely buried in to the river
bottom. For these eggs to go
adrift, it takes a surge of high
water to knock the eggs loose
from the river bottom.
We have a tendency to
complain
about
constant
fluctuations in water flows
during the winter, but the
se fluctuations are actually
important in keeping the
fishing fresh. The fluctuating
water flows draw in fresh
fish from the lake and
reenergize the steelhead that
have been sitting in the pools
throughout the river. Another
advantage
to
continuous
water fluctuations is that the
river bottom is stirred up
during a high water event.
When this happens, a lot of
food is sent adrift providing
feeding opportunities for the
steelhead.
Obviously, this
would include both eggs and
nymphs.
At first, the eggs will be
at the top of the menu for the
steelhead. But as water flows
come down and the surplus of
eggs go away, nymphs become
more important. The water
levels do not always need to
come down. A constant flow
of water will do the same; that
is, allow the stray eggs to settle
out and not be available for the
fish to feed on.
Predicting when to fish
with nymphs is easier than
one might think. Simply give
the water flow about a week
to stabilize or drop. The egg
bite will wind down and the
nymph bite will start up. As
the winter season progresses,
each pulse of high water will
stir up fewer eggs and more
nymphs. Keep in mind that
the nymph population will
continue to grow throughout
the winter. By late winter,
nymphs can make up the bulk
of the food that is available to
the steelhead.
You may not think about
winter as a prime time for
fishing nymphs. The winter
months are prime growing
time for aquatic insects. Every
bug that will be hatching in
the spring and through the
summer is growing in the
rivers through the winter.
Some of these aquatic insects
are more active than others,
9
MaxwellCreek_1-8.qxd:Layout 1 5/22/09
years, I have found that when
and as a result, they are
it comes to steelhead fishing,
available for the fish to feed
one needs to show these fish a
on.
fly big enough to consistently
A classic example of this
get their attention. This is not
is stone flies. These insects
to say that at times smaller flys
are predators, and so they are
will not work, it’s just that the
actively crawling around the
larger flys have a tendency
stream bottom hunting for
to work more consistently.
food. This activity makes some
When it comes to color, think
liable to becoming dislodged
earth tones, such as dark olive,
and sent adrift. This is one
black, and hare’s ear. Brown
reason why stone fly nymphs
will match most of the colors
are so effective in rivers such
of the nymphs living within
as the Salmon River. Other
the typical rivers and streams.
insects such as Caddis larva
Steelhead are not that
will connect themselves to
selective when it comes to
the edges of rocks and allow
feeding on nymphs. A good
the currents to bring food to
general attractor pattern is
them. Obviously, being tied to
often all it takes - remember
a rock goes a long way toward
that black stone fly nymph.
keeping you in one place -- not
I have had great success by
as prone to becoming a meal.
taking black stone flies and
These are two examples of the
adding a flash back and
extremes; most nymphs fall
rubber legs to the fly. Some of
somewhere in between.
the most productive steelhead
Fortunately for us, we do
nymphs are traditional trout
not have to precisely imitate
patterns jazzed up. This can
every single type of nymph
be done by adding a little flash
that swims in our steelhead
to the bodies or incorporating
rivers. Good general purpose
some of the steelhead’s favorite
nymph patterns will work
colors to various parts of
just fine. In fact, it is hard to
the fly.
beat a black stone fly nymph.
Another
consideration
What is important is to match
with fly selection is that we
the general size and color of
are also talking about catching
the average size of the nymph.
a large fish. Using somewhat
This is easier than it sounds.
larger flys and larger hooks
For most rivers, fly size
also increases our landing
ranging from a 12 to a size 8
percentage. This is why often
will work just fine. There are
the smallest nymphs I use are
lots of nymphs in the rivers
Coleman1-8.qxd
11/9/08
PM 12.
Page
1 tie my nymph
I also
this
time of the year
that are 4:40size
patterns onto heavy wire
smaller than a size 12. Over the
4786 Ridge Road West • Spencerport, NY 14559
WFishing for Salmon,Brown trout and
e specialize in Catch and Release Fly
Steelhead from the Salmon River to the
Niagara River. Fly Fishing for wild
brown trout on inland streams yearround. On-stream fly fishing schools
and casting instructions. Full service
fly shop for all your tackle needs.
Hours:
Tuesday– Saturday., 10am 5pm, Tuesday & Thursday
Evenings. 6-9
Guide Service On All Lake
Ontario Tributaries - All
Tackle Provided
www.colemansflyshop.com • Online Shopping!
M A S T E R Y • D I A M O N D B A C K • R U MP F • M E T Z • R I O •
CLIMAX•SIMMS•REGAL•SIMMS•
FLYSHOP
Your one-stop resource
for fly fishing in Upstate
New York since 1964!
GUIDE SERVICE/
FULL SERVICE FLY SHOP
(585) 352-4775
10
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
CORTLAND•HOFFMAN•UMPQUA•
ABLE•PATE•ROSS•TIBOR•LAMSON•REDIN GTON•
hooks, often referred to as “2X
heavy”. Standard trout hooks
are often made from lighter
wire and will bend easily with
a big fish.
We always like to talk
about what flys we are using.
However, when comes to
catching fish, it is more about
the presentation. On any
given day we can catch fish
with six different patterns,
as long as they are presented
properly. Obviously, this is
no different when it comes to
fishing nymphs for steelhead.
Drifting nymphs is similar to
drifting egg flys.
However, there are some
subtle differences between the
two presentations. The first is
that you do not need to keep
your flys as tight to the river
bottom as you do with egg
flies. Nymphs have a tendency
to get knocked loose and
drift slightly above the river
bottom. As result, the flys do
not need to be drifted as close
to the bottom with constant
contact. I refer to this as a soft
drift– your fly is close to the
bottom, but does not need to
constantly hit the bottom.
This will take a little
practice to achieve and some
constant adjusting.
But
remember, you need to keep
your fly within the nymph’s
zone, which is the bottom six
inches of the river. Another
consideration to keep in
mind is that nymphs are
living, crawling, swimming
creatures.
Letting your fly
swing a little on the end of the
drift can often trigger a take.
One of my favorite methods
of presenting nymphs during
the winter is to use strike
indicators and long fine
leaders. The long fine leaders
give me the chance to get my
flys down fast, allowing me to
cover more water efficiently.
The strike indicators are used
more as a tool to control and
Located on the shores of
Lake Ontario between
Rochester and Oswego
extend the drift, rather than
to detect takes. With a little
experimenting
and
some
practice, you can learn to
swing a fly both vertically
and
horizontally
through
the water. This often imitates
the natural movement of the
nymphs during the winter-–
a little presentation trick that
steelhead find hard to resist.
M
Jay Peck is a fishing
guide, fishing the Lake Ontario
tributaries- the Salmon River for
Chinook salmon and steelhead
from September to October, and
then Sandy Creek in Monroe
County and lower Genesee
for brown trout and steelhead
from November on. He then
fishes the Salmon River from
mid to late spring for steelhead.
To contact Jay, e-mail him at
[email protected]
or go to www.jaypeckguides.
com or at Coleman’s Fly Shop
(585) 352-4775 or e-mail www.
colemansflyshop.com.
BY DOUG FUEGEL
Double Crested
Cormorants Update
included examining stomach contents
T
hirty-some
years
ago, if the doublecrested cormorant
came up in conversation along
Lake Ontario’s eastern basin
among anglers or business proprietors, it likely didn’t conjure
up much interest. However, as
the years went by, the mention
of that bird spread fear and
anxiety among that community, and for good reason.
There was always a small
population around the eastern
basin during the mid- century,
but it was small enough that it
existed almost unnoticed. It
was estimated that there were
about 900 nests throughout the
Great Lakes system at its peak
population around 1950. However, by 1970, estimates ranged
as low as 114 nests in the entire
Great Lakes with perhaps only
two producing nests on Lake
Ontario’s Little Galloo Island.
The dramatic decline in bird
population was attributed to
the widespread use of hard
pesticides like DDT, PCBs,
and other toxic contaminants
found in the Great Lake eco-
system that affected the birds’
diet and egg production. In
1972, our nation passed the
Clean Water Act that all but
eliminated the use of these
chemicals, and the impact of
that legislation was dramatic.
By the late ‘80s and early ‘90s,
there was a noticeable explosion of the cormorant population along the eastern basin,
and the mention of cormorant
no longer fostered a “ho-hum”
attitude.
Suddenly, there was a wave
of interest as anglers, fishery
biologists, business leaders
and tourist agencies learned
that the fish-eating birds were
consuming up to one and a
half pounds of fish each per
day during their approximately six-month stay in our region.
Diet studies confirmed that
the cormorants were eating the
salmon and trout’s main forage: alewives, freshly stocked
salmon and trout, small mouth
bass and an assortment of pan
fish. During the late ‘80s and
into the ‘90s, the fishing business community awakened
PHOTO BY JOELLUCKS.COM
Studies of cormorant impact
with a vengeance. Numerous public meetings all across
the lake’s shores were held,
state and local legislators became involved, tempers flared
as businesses closed, stocked
fish were lost due to predation
by the birds, and smallmouth
bass numbers declined dramatically.
The cormorant is a nongame migratory species that
is federally protected under
the jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish
& Wildlife Service (FWS); any
management control of the
birds during the decades of the
‘80s and ‘90s was almost nonexistent. The wheels of government turned ever so slowly as our New York DEC was
required to prepare a massive
environmental impact statement (EIS). First were several drafts that required public
hearings, public comment periods, and statements, until the
final EIS was accepted. During this long process, fishing
success– especially on smallmouth bass– continued to decline, freshly stocked salmon
and trout were devoured by
the birds, and the dollar loss
to the fishing community was
staggering. By 1996 there were
more than 8,000 active cormorant nests on Little Galloo Island alone, plus many more
nests on neighboring Canadian islands. Perhaps it was
these numbers and the devastation wrought by the birds
that pushed a group of anglers to go above the law and
destroy thousands of birds on
Little Galloo Island during
this period.
Beginning in 1999, even
though the FWS had not yet
approved a full-blown cormorant management plan, our
DEC was allowed to implement some measures in an attempt to control the bird’s
nesting capabilities on Little Gallo Island.
Although
the limited management did
not include lethal methods, it
did allow egg-oiling, spraying
eggs in the nests with vegetable oil to suffocate the embryo,
and harassment practices.
Our DEC was also allowed to
do nest removal on both Gull
and Bass Islands beginning in
1994; Calf Island was added to
the list in 1997. Beginning in
2004, the cormorant management plan employed by our
DEC included: egg-oiling, destroying nests, harassment,
and destruction by shooting or
cervical dislocation.
Although the goal of 1,500
breeding
pairs
(including
chicks
and
non-breeding
birds) on Little Galloo Island
has not yet been reached, ac-
11
cording to the DEC, significant
progress has been made toward reaching the target cormorant population on the island. Significant progress has
been made from the peak nest
count of more than 8,000 in
1996 to this 2010 breeding season when the mid-June 2010
peak nest count treated with
egg oiling was approximately
1,750. The DEC’s management
practices were successful in allowing no successful nesting
on Gull Island in 2010. Additionally, no nests were recorded on Bass or Calf Island’s in
2010.
Cormorant
management
and several changes in stocking practices (including offshore barge stoking) that allowed the young fish to evade
predation, as well as several
volunteer net pen programs
across the lakes shore line,
have been successful in maintaining the world class salmon and trout fishery. A mystery in this somewhat success
scenario is the continuing disappointing smallmouth bass
fishing along the lakes south
shoreline and the eastern basin. Theories concerning the
slow return of the “good old
days” of bass success are as
varied as stories of the big one
that got away.
My personal opinion, for
what it’s worth, leans toward
the round goby, both a curse
and possibly a blessing. The
round goby, an invasive species first discovered in our
lakes’ ecosystem a few short
years ago, has exploded in
numbers beyond comprehension and now drives anglers
crazy, as they steal expensive
bait continually off anglers’
hooks from Lake Ontario and
the St. Lawrence River. The
theory is that the goby will
raid bass nests and consume
the eggs and young hatched
bass.
12
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
Their sheer numbers may
have proven to be a blessing to
the alewife population, young
salmon and trout, bass, and
panfish, as the opportunistic cormorants have turned to
round gobies as a main source
of diet. According to Russ
McCullough, DEC’s Region 6
Fishery Biologist and lead on
the eastern basin cormorant
management program, round
gobies now make up to 90 per-
nesting period, is very labor
intensive, requiring several trips to the islands inhabited by the birds, and involving several DEC employees. It
is imperative that anglers, the
business community, and our
legislators continue supporting the management program
and ensure funding continues
to be available.
Management of the cormorants on islands in the Hen-
CORMORANT STOMACH CONTENTS
REVEAL AMOUNT OF FISH CONSUMER
cent of the bird’s diet in the
eastern basin.
Since 2004 the FWS accepted the final environmental impact statement from our DEC
and granted them full management over the cormorant
population that includes all
the practices employed today.
Anglers, tourists’ interests,
and the business community
are enjoying the tremendous
effort that the DEC puts forth
each year. The DEC’s targeted
cormorant population on Little Galloo Island, although not
at the goal set by the plan, continues to decline each year.
According to McCullough,
unless some unforeseen force
dramatically affects the cormorant population, the management of the birds must be
an ongoing endeavor year after year. Management of the
birds, especially during the
derson Harbor region of the
eastern basin has likely been
partly responsible for the
bird’s increased presence on
Canadian islands and several islands in the St. Lawrence River. Like on the lake,
the diet of the birds in the St.
Lawrence has shifted in recent years from perch, bass,
and other game species to gobies. However, managing the
numbers is much more difficult for our DEC since many
of the bird inhabited islands
are in private ownership or in
Canadian water, and the fact
that Canada (Ontario) has little
or no cormorant management
strategy. According to DEC’s
Jim Farquhar, management on
the U. S. portion of the river
includes nest removal and lethal removal of birds if necessary. During the 2010 nesting
season, our DEC was allowed
management of the birds on
five private islands with landowner permission. Farquhar
confirmed that cormorants are
opportunist concerning diet.
In fact, recent pellet samples
from the cormorants in that area confirm gobies are the main
source of diet.
Since the early part of this
decade when nearly 10,000 cormorant nests inhabited Little
Galloo Island and neighboring Canadian islands, tremendous strides have been made
in managing the total population of the birds. The effects
of this management are totally responsible for the sustained world-class fishery we
enjoy. It is likely that the cormorant will never be reclassified as a game species where
hunting could be a major factor in management; consequently, the USDA-authorized
program that we now have in
place to manage the bird population must be ongoing year
after year. It is imperative
that the fishing business community be aware of this management and the funding required. Vigilance was not
forthcoming concerning cormorant management on Oneida Lake for 2010, and again for
2011, but that’s a story for another time. M
Doug Fuegel has written for
Woods & Waters USA, New
York Sportsman Magazine,
New York Outdoor Times, and
Empire Outdoor Journal. He
has contributed to the Palladium Times, Great Lakes Fisherman, and other regional publications. He is a member of the
Outdoor Writers’ Association
of America and past president
of New York State Outdoor
Writers’ Association, President
of Eastern Lake Ontario Salmon & Trout Association, and
member of the Lake Ontario
Sportfishing Promotion Council. You can reach him at (315)
668-9492.
Outdoor
News
BY LOO STAFF
DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis Fired by Governor Paterson;
Receives “Friend of the Outdoors Award” From NYS Outdoor
Writers’ Association
In October, DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis was fired
by Governor Paterson for allegedly leaking a memo that
explained the devastating
effects that Paterson’s further budget cuts would have.
Grannis denied leaking the
memo, but only in the bizarre world of Albany politics would a statement of the
obvious truth be considered
insubordination by a lame
duck governor.
Sources within the DEC
have said that there was
more than meets the eye, including a vendetta by Governor Paterson because he did
not get his way in re-opening contracts with state employees. Meanwhile, sportsmen were left shaking their
heads at the developments
and wondering what further negative impacts there
would be on fish and wildlife
programs.
The New York State Outdoor Writers’ Association
honored Department of Environmental
Conservation
Commissioner Pete Grannis with its “Friends of the
Outdoors Award” at its annual fall conference in October, 2010. Grannis was recognized for his commitment
to the enjoyment of outdoor
recreational
opportunities
throughout the state and his
continued efforts to encourage sportsmen to enjoy the
natural resources that New
York State has to offer.
This award is a special
honor given periodically by
the New York State Outdoor
Writers’ Association (NYSOWA) to someone who has
gone beyond the call of duty to protect and promote the
outdoor experience. It recognizes the individual or organization that has made significant
and
long-lasting
contributions to preserving
and enhancing the outdoors
experience.
Commissioner
Grannis
was selected for positive contributions and changes that
he has made during his tenure as DEC Commissioner. Among the changes that
he is credited with is the increased communication with
DEC personnel and the media. Ease of communications
and access have contributed to greater information for
the outdoors media, and consequently for the sportsmen
and women of New York
State. Scheduled press days
and conferences have further increased information
and understanding of the issues facing the DEC and the
sporting community.
Grannis has proven himself as a friend of the sportsmen by his support, advice,
and encouragement of such
issues as the Youth Hunting and Trapping bills, and
allowing the use of rifles in
many southern zone counties.
He has instituted a
10-year pheasant management program, and has initiated new management plans
for deer and bear. His willingness to work with vari-
ous groups within New York
State government and facilitate solutions to crises is illustrated with the successful efforts to save the DEC
Pheasant Farm and his keeping the Moose River Plains
Recreation Area open in the
face of state budget cuts.
Throughout his years
in office, Pete Grannis has
maintained a dedication to
the environment, to the protection of New York’s natural resources, and to encouraging and helping citizens
to take advantage of these.
A recent example of this is
the acquisition of property
on Canadice and Hemlock
Lakes in western New York
to protect them from development and keep them open
to sportsmen. Construction
of new boat launches in various parts of the state has increased access for fishermen
and other recreational users.
As a group of professional outdoor writers and media
personnel that regularly cover outdoor sporting opportunities and issues regarding our natural environment,
NYSOWA strongly supports
these goals. For these reasons, they formally recognized DEC Commissioner
Pete Grannis for his continued efforts.
L.O.T.A.C.
If you are not familiar
with LOTAC, you should
be. LOTAC stands for Lake
Ontario Tributary Angler’s
Council. This group was
formed in 2007 with the intent of taking an active role
in improving fishing in the
tributaries to Lake Ontario
by a variety of methods.
The group was formed in
2007 when the entire Lake
Ontario basin was hit with
severe drought conditions
and the streams were at record low levels. There was
concern about salmon egg
gathering which was finally
accomplished with the help
of anglers gathering salmon
for the DEC. Many sportsmen were also upset with
what they saw as blatant
unsportsmanlike like, unethical, or illegal practices
among some anglers taking
advantage of low water conditions.
The organization is dedicated to the overall improvement of fishing on the tributaries. It believes that Lake
Ontario’s tributaries are a
vital part of the ecosystem
and support a viable fishery
producing maximum recreational opportunities. LOTAC believes that the tributaries should be better
accommodated in developing fishery management policies.
The group is also concerned with the current state
fiscal crisis and the closure
of several state parks removing opportunities for fishing.
It hopes to improve
fishing and bring needed
attention by lobbying, education, and active clean-up
13
campaigns.
This past November the
group had its first “Catch and
Clean” Day at the Salmon River. Basically this was a catch
and release fishing contest
with anglers fishing in pairs
and witnessing the catch.
However, before they were allowed to fish, each angler had
to bring in a large trash bag
filled with rubbish they gathered along the river. Anglers
were also encouraged to bring
in more bags. The fish that
were caught and the collected bags of trash were entered
into a raffle with lots of nice
prizes. In addition to helping
to clean up the river, LOTAC’s
goals were publicized, and
all had a good time.
For
more
information
about the organization, check
their website at www.lotac.org.
1st CARRIAGE HOUSE REALTY, INC.
3958 Port St.
Pulaski, NY 13142
1-800-697-1860
E-mail: [email protected]
Members of the Multiple Listing Service
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14
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Interstate 81 North To Exit 36
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
Top Shelf Dealer
From the
Vise
GOLD RIBBED HARES EAR
HARE’S EAR IS A VERSATILE NYMPH THAT BELONGS
IN YOUR TACKLE BOX.
HOOK – Mustad 3906b (nymph)
or equivalent size 18 - 10
THREAD – 8/0 – 6/0 (depending
on hook size)
WEIGHTED - Optional lead wire
or bead head
TAIL- hare’s mask, rooster tail
fibers or squirrel tail
RIBBING – small gold tinsel,
copper wire
BODY – hare’s mask
THORAX – hare’s mask
WING CASE – turkey quill
TYING INSTRUCTIONS
• Wrap thread to rear of hook
bend.-Tie in tail hare’s mask
or red squirrel.
• Tie in the ribbing.
• Dub in a slightly tapered
hare’s mask body; approximately 2/3 of hook (leave
enough room for the thorax
and wing case).
• Wrap ribbing over body in
the opposite direction of
dubbing and secure.
• Keep the ribbing spacing
equal.
• Tie in wing case.
• Dub in a fat hare’s mask
thorax.
• Pull wing case over thorax
and secure.
• Build a neat head tapering
from the thorax to the eye
and tie off.
• Add a drop of thin head cement on the head (I usually add a drop on the wing
case).
• If using a bead head, just tie
off behind the bead.
• For quick and simple legs,
use your needle or dubbing
brush and pull out some of
the thorax dubbing on both
sides. I also run the dubbing brush over the abdomen.
• Remember, the more you
pick/brush, the buggier it
gets; and fish love bugs.
The Hare’s Ear is a very versatile nymph tied in a variety
of colors, light or dark, using
the hare’s mask or store-bought
dubbing material. Depending
on the size and color you tie,
the Hare’s Ear imitates many
different types of nymphs in
your local river or stream.
On your local stream/river,
nymph fishing is a great tactic
in early, mid- and late season,
BY BRAD BERLIN
Note: If you want to weight
this fly, use a bead head or wrap
thin lead wire .015 or .025 on
the hook. When tying smaller sizes you can substitute the
gold tinsel with thin gold wire.
whether you’re bouncing them
off the bottom or floating them
in the film. I don’t think you
would be able to find a nymph
fisherman on a stream without
a variety of Hare’s Ears in their
nymph box.
There are many different
nymphing tactics, and all produce fish. This fly is best when
bouncing close or right on the
bottom. Mend your line for
a drag-free drift, keep the rod
tip up and raise your rod at every pause or jerk at your line or
strike indicator. At the end of
your drift let the nymph swing
up off the bottom. You’ll be
surprised at how many fish will
hit on the upswing. Tie a couple up and give them a try. I’m
sure this nymph tied in a variety of ways will keep finding its
way into your fly box.
Good Luck
and Tight Lines!
Brad
Brad Berlin has been
tying flys s and fly fishing
many of the local streams
in northeastern and central
Pennsylvania for over 20 years.
He guides on the area’s streams
and the Susquehanna River.
Brad teaches classes in fly tying
and casting.
He currently
serves as Vice President of
Columbia County Chapter of
Trout Unlimited.
FISH307.com
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15
narbys09.qxd:Layout 1 5/22/09 7:29 AM Page 1
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Since 1965
Groceries • Gas
Oil • Cold Beer
Ice • Cold Pop
Gifts • Cold Cuts
Narby’s Superette & Tackle
On The Oak Orchard River At The Bridges
Register Here To Fish In All Derbies
Stop In To Get Up-To-Date Fishing Information
Full Line of Fishing Tackle
Gift Certificates, Line Winding, Rods, Reels, Ammo, T-Shirts,
Sweat Shirts, Hats, Rainwear, Electronics, Downriggers & Parts,
Charters Arranged, ATM Machine, Fishing Licenses
Mail Orders • All Major Credit Cards
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK YEAR ROUND
] e Fly Fishing Shop u t
Phone 585-682-4624 Fax
1292 Oak Orchard Rd., Rt. 98 @ the Bridges, Kent, NY 14477
OrleansOut_1_4_Layout 1 8/29/10 1:35 PM Page 1
“Your Resource for Oak Orchard & WNY Tributary Angling.”
Fly Shop • Trib Gear • Lodging
▲ Central location for all western NY trout and salmon fishing!
▲ Fall, Winter, Spring fishing in the tributaries and lakeshore!
▲ Great selection of tackle and flies. Choose the best value fly,
spin or float gear - no prejudices!
▲ Always reliable stream & weather info - phone & web updates!
▲ QUALITY LODGING and GUIDE SERVICE!
Trophy Brown Trout,
Steelhead & Salmon
www.narbys.com • e-mail: [email protected]
Attention Steelhead Anglers
Use Salamander Sinkers
for Steelhead fishing.
• Snag Resistant
• Steel Weights (no lead)
• Weight Adjustable Salamander
Sinkers slides across rocks,
which allows the bait to
always stay in the ﬁshing
zone longer. By maintaining
line contact with the
sinker an angler
can feel the
slightest
strike.
Action!
Ron Bierstine – Owner/NYSLOG
1764 Oak Orchard Rd.(Rt. 98) Albion, NY 14411
585-682-4546
16
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
www.orleansoutdoor.com
Model 142
with weights
AVAILABLE AT
All Seasons
Sport Shop
Great In
Current!
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Attach a 2-3 foot leader to
Salamander Sinkers on one end
and a floating Styrofoam rig next
to your hook on the other. This
application gives more control to
the angler by allowing adjustments to the sinker weight
based on the current. And it
keeps the bait off the bottom
where the fish can see it.
www.salamandersinkers.com
Playing the
Weather Game with
Winter Steelhead
BY BRIAN KELLY
Watch the barometer
and water temp to get
in on a hot winter bite.
Brian Kelly has chased steelhead from British Columbia to New
York and enjoys teaching others
about this great sport, as well as
testing his skill on new waters.
BY CAPTAIN TROY A. CREASY
CHRIS MULPAGANO SAYS STABLE
WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
BEST FOR STEELHEAD DESPITE A
FROSTY MORNING
F
ishing for winter steelhead can
be a maddening
affair at times. One day they bite really well, only to go quiet
the next. It’s enough to make you shake your head and wonder
why you left a warm bed for all of this. But don’t fret; paying
attention to the weather details can help you choose the right
time to be on the water and cash in on a hot bite window. Experienced anglers have learned these tricks after years of watching the weather and piecing together the weather puzzle after
good days and bad. Here are a couple factors to pay close attention to.
BAROMETER
Barometric pressure affects steelhead in the winter more
than any other time of the year, due to the stationary nature of
winter steelhead. Winter steelhead are holding far more than
they are moving or migrating, so keeping an eye on the barometer will help you be on the water at peak times. Here’s some
advice from Chris Mulpagano, a longtime fishing guide on
the Salmon River who has been chasing steelhead for over 20
years: “First, try to avoid fishing in extremely low pressure (under 29.50) or high pressure situations (over 30.10). These tend
to have a negative affect on the fish’s moods, and will put them
off the bite for prolonged periods of time. Calm, stable weather
periods are best, as the fish will be in a comfortable and biting
mood. Look for barometer range of 29.90 to 30.05; this means
stable weather and a consistent bite.”
Chris also offers this advice– “Watch for an incoming or outgoing system that causes the barometer to rise or fall. Some of
the best action can be when a prolonged high pressure begins
to move out of the area and the barometer starts to fall. This
pressure change is the trigger to a hot bite.” Generally, paying
close attention to the barometer this winter will put the odds in
your favor.
17
BY DOUG FUEGEL
WATER TEMPERATURE
Once you find a pattern, stick
with it. Winter steelhead tend
to be creatures of habit, and you
Water temp is another
can take advantage of this by
variable to consider for winpaying attention to the details.
ter steelheading. Winter waIt’s these details that separate
ter temps in the Great
the 5% of the anglers who catch
Lakes can range from a
95% of the fish from
low of 32.5 to 36 degrees
the rest of the pack.
in most streams. Rivers
Some enjoy the
with hydroelectric dams
peace and solitude of
tend to have a more conwinter
steelheading
stant temperature range
more than any other
throughout the winter.
season. Maybe it’s the
Since these dams draw
solitude, or the peacewater from the top of the
ful, scenic surroundlake that they create, the
ings that draw some
water temp usually stays
to the river in the winin a range of 33 to 35 deter. No matter what the
grees. Obviously, this
call, it is a great time
will change the farther
Brian Kelly and Tim Broo
to get rid of the cabaway you get from the
ks
winter steelhead from the with a fine
in
fever and bend the
dam, as feeder creeks
Salmon River
rod. Just like fishing
can warm the water by
for these magnificent
a few degrees, or exfish at other times of the
tremely cold weather can freeze
year, knowing where to
fish that hit everything we
up the lower ends of these river
threw at them, even in single- look and what to use can lead to
systems.
Brenda_2009_Layout 1 11/19/10 11:22 AM Page 1
some fantastic opportunities. M
The advantage to fishing
The final factor in the win- digit temperatures!
such streams is that you can ter steelhead puzzle is the time
fish them all winter long, since of day that you are going to
the flows from the dam keep fish. The old adage of fishing
them from freezing up. The the middle of the day in the
disadvantage is that they take wintertime often holds true, as
much longer to warm up, so this is the warmest part of the
Mexico Bay & Oneida Lake
you may not see any fresh fish day and the fish can become
Salmon, Steelhead, Brown & Lake Trout, Bass & Walleye
for a longer period of time. The very active from late mornSalmon River is a prime exam- ing until early afternoon. This
MOTEL ROOM SPECIAL – Nov. - April
ple– the upper river towards is especially true on rocky
$20 PER PERSON, PER NIGHT
Altmar will stay open all win- streams with very little or no
16 Room Motel, 5 Cabins,
ter, while the lower river to- ground water influence. Ofwards Pulaski can jam up with ten these streams will be full
3 Bedroom House &
(Located Between
Pulaski and Altmar) Campsites Available
ice and slush during a proof slush and ice until the heat
longed cold snap.
of the day melts them off. It’s
w/ Full Hook-ups, Fishermen Welcomed
Rivers that free flow for a no coincidence that this is usuCall Brenda or Capt. Ron 315-298-2268 or 888-298-5054 (toll free)
long distance or aren’t influ- ally the time when you’ll find a
Email: [email protected] Web: www.brendasmotel.com
enced by a power dam can steelhead or two willing to bite
644 County Rt.48 Altmar, NY 13302
warm and cool much more your offering.
quickly. This can result in fresh
Another point to keep in
runs of steelhead in the middle mind is finding a pool that
of winter if the weather turns sees direct sunlight in the winmild and warms the stream ter. Watch the angle of the sun
quickly. The problem is, when during the warmest part of the
confronted with long stretch- day to see which of your favores of below-freezing temps, ite pools get the majority of the
these streams tend to ice over sun. Those that get the best
and stay that way until spring. light at the best time tend to
The Sandy Creeks in Jefferson produce better than the rest.
County fall under this categoHowever, there are times
ry. Either way, there are plenty
of opportunities to catch steelhead all winter long in a variety
of stream types throughout the
region.
when the fish ignore the rules
and bite well at first light no
matter how cold it is. This was
the case on the Salmon River
several years ago when Chris
and I found a hot pod of the
TIME OF DAY
DOUBLE TROUBLE
CHARTERS
18
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
BY BURNIE HANEY
Ice Out
Bass
Ice-out bass fishing isn’t for
everyone, and it takes a willingness to explore and keep exploring to find the right area for
that given day. The good news
is that once you find a quality area, the odds are that it will
produce year after year, and for
good reason; during that time
of the year it possess everything a bass needs as it transitions from the hard water of
winter into the open water period of spring.
Here in New York, we’ve
only recently implemented a
state-wide “catch-and- immediate-release
/artificial-lureonly” season for black bass
which runs from December 1
through the third Saturday in
June, when the catch and keep
season opens. However, not all
regions were required to adopt
that rule, so be sure to check
the local regulations for the region and county that you’re
fishing in.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
When starting your search
for ice-out bass, the top three
things to remember are: depth,
structure, and sunlight.
It’s
considered common knowledge that most lakes and watersheds warm up faster along
the north and northwestern
shoreline, so that’s a great spot
to start your search. Look for
hard bottom areas leading into the backs of coves or up on-
to flats. Ridges and
secondary
points
coming out of deep
water into these areas serve as a navigation aid, and they
seem to attract good
numbers of fish if it
has scattered rock or
wood along it- all the
better.
R ight
after iceout
the
w a t e r
is
very
c l e a r
and very
c o l d
w i t h
temperatures running 33-40
degrees, and those near shore
hard bottom areas absorb any
sunlight, which warms the water and attracts the fish. Quite
often, an area that seemed devoid of life will suddenly hold
many fish once it warms up just
a few degrees.
LURE CHOICES
There are two schools of
thought on lure choice for this
time of year. Some anglers select plastics such as tubes, small
creature baits, or lead head jigs
in an attempt to imitate terrestrials or crawfish or gobies;
while others select hard baits
(small crankbaits or minnow
baits), hoping to imitate bait
e out bass
Burnie Haney withstic
ickbait.
taken on Slim Shad
fish and draw
a strike. At certain times, one will out-produce
the other, and it’s your job to figure out which one works best on
any given day.
I’ve enjoyed most of my iceout success with hard baits, so
let’s review a few lure choices
and techniques that might apply to your local waters. I always try to keep it simple and
stick with colors that replicate
shad patterns- a dark back, silver sides and a white belly.
There are countless lures on the
market that fit that description,
but I use Lucky Craft products.
Their color code Aurora Black or
American Shad are two of my
best-producing ice-out lures, bar
none, and my experience tells
me our New York bass agree.
For crankbaits, I
like a medium diver that runs
7-9 ft (Slim Shad D7 or Slim
Shad D-9), and for minnow imitators I use a suspending jerkbait (Pointer 100), or the spoonbill version (Pointer 100 DD)
when I need to get a tad deeper
in the water column. Both lures
have served me well and I usually employ the crankbait first
on a steady retrieve using a 6.3.1
reel or a slower 5.4:1 gear ratio.
Remember, we’re scouting super-cold water for lethargic bass
moving up to put on the feedbag before the pre-spawn calendar period arrives; crankbaits
allow an angler to cover a lot of
water quickly.
In my experience, you can’t
work crankbaits too slow, but
you do need to cover water
and a 6.3:1 reel helps with that.
19
However, if you can’t generate a strike and you’re marking
fish on the graph, then switch to
the 5.4:1 gear ratio and see what
happens. Oftentimes, that subtle change in retrieve speed is
all you need to get the fish biting.
Once I’ve located (caught)
a few fish on the crankbait, I’ll
let the area rest a few minutes
and then go back through with
the jerkbait to pickoff any reluctant biters. I’ve also found times
when the crankbait just won’t
generate a strike and the jerkbait is the lure of choice. I don’t
know of any magic rule or short
answer on when to throw which
one, but I do recommend that
if you aren’t getting bit, then
change the cadence of your retrieve and don’t be afraid to
slow down.
If your crankbait retrieve
is steady, then switch to a stop
& go retrieve. Simply cast out,
crank the reel three of four
turns, stop, wait a couple of seconds and repeat; that’s a Stop
& Go retrieve. For the jerkbait,
I’ll cast it out, crank it down
five or six turns of the reel, and
then use a jerkpause- jerk- jerkpause retrieve. I usually start
with five to six second pauses
between jerks and then extend
the length of pause until I start
getting bites.
When casting hard baits for
ice-out bass, consider using fluorocarbon, or at least a fluorocarbon leader. I use Bass Pro
Shops XPS Fluorocarbon in 8 or
10 lb. test and it works great for
me. Remember that gin clear
water we talked about earlier?
Well, the fluorocarbon line really comes into play as the lure
sits suspended in open water.
That’s also why I choose Lucky
Craft lures; their color patterns
are so lifelike that no matter
how long a fish has to look at
them it seems he’ll ultimately
strike.
SAFETY
CONSIDERATIONS
New York has a
law that requires all
recreational anglers
in boats to wear a
Coast Guard approved
personal floatation device
(PDF) from November 1 through
the first Saturday in May. Remember, the water is extremely
cold, so always
bring an extra set of clothes
to change into if you get wet.
Burnie Haney is a BASS Pro
You’ll be glad you did. Avoid
Shops Nitro Boat State Team
fishing alone, if at all possimember, member of the NY
ble, and if you do fish alone,
State Outdoor Writers’ Assothis time of year have your cell
ciation, Conservation Direcphone charged and keep it in a
tor and Public Relations Offiwater-proof bag. Above all, use
cer for the NY BASS Chapter
common sense, dress in layers,
Federation, Regional Bass tourbring a thermos of your favorite
nament angler, and Pro Staff
warm beverage, and have fun
member for Dobyns Rods, The
chasing some of those cold waRod Glove, Lucky Craft Lures
ter ice-out bass. M
and US Reels.
WerOnUm.qxd:Layout 1 2/21/09 9:05 AM Page 1
Year ‘Round Hunting and Fishing Adventures
4826 Salina Street
Pulaski New York 13142
www.salmonriversportsshop.com
ICE FISHING HOTLINE:
315-298-4343
WE NOW HAVE
NYS HUNTING AND
FISHING LICENSES
• We Buy Perch & Panfish
• Terminal Tackle
• Ice Shanty Rentals
• Ice Fishing Supplies
• Live Bait
Located on Salmon River’s
famous Town Pool
20
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
Guide Services
Available
Destination
Alaska Rainbow Point Lodge
BY TROY
CREASY
by Captain Troy
A. Creasy
A
laska! Just saying the word brings back memories
to those of us who have been there, and intrigue
to those who have not. Photos and videos of past
adventures do little to satisfy the yearning to return to one
of God’s greatest achievements. It is home to some of the best
salmon and rainbow trout fishing in
the world.
If you are contemplating an
Alaskan vacation, choosing the
place to spend your hard-earned
dollars can be mind-boggling. There
are thousands of choices, and many
will have just what you are looking
for-– but how do you know? The
owner or marketing person can
promise you the world, but until
you talk to someone who has been
there, you are taking a chance. I went to Alaska last June, and
here is a summary of what I had the tremendous fortune of
experiencing.
I spent 10 seasons guiding on the remote rivers and streams
in Southwest Alaska and have slept on the tundra, in boats,
tents, camps, and million-dollar lodges. So when a great client
and dear friend, Dr. Stephen Shapiro, whom I have guided
here at home for over 20 years and in Southwest Alaska three
times in the ‘90s, told me, “You are going back to Alaska as our
guest, not our guide, and we want you to set it all up.” How
could I say no?
There would be four of us– Steve,
Gary, Chuck and I. I began to call
numerous lodges and camps to get
prices and find a place that only took
small groups of eight or less. We wanted
something quiet and personable with
good fishing that we didn’t have to
fly out to each day. (Remember, flyout lodges are wonderful, but if that is
their only program and the weather is
too bad to fly, you don’t fish).
We decided against a tent camp
mainly because we are getting older and wanted to be
pampered. We wanted daily showers, without having to
travel outside to a shower house. We wanted clean, warm beds
and good food. We needed a nice porch or deck to enjoy our
wine, scotch and cigars in the evening, and of course, we were
looking for a good number of wild-leopard spotted rainbows.
21
ATYPICAL DINNER AT RAINBOW POINT
We ultimately picked the
Iliamna area, as it was only
an hour from Anchorage, yet
very remote.
It only took about five calls
and a voice answered the
phone that knew me. Mark
Higgins, now co-owner of
Rainbow Point Lodge,
is
originally
from
Ha mden,,Con ne c t ic ut
and had done some
guiding
on
the
Salmon River. We had
previously met at the
Portly Angler Lodge
many, many years ago. Mark
was also guiding in Alaska,
where he met Brad Hughes
from Casper, Wyoming, who
was the chef at the lodge
that he worked out of. They
hooked up, decided to do
their own thing, and the rest
is history.
After a few minutes on
the phone with Mark, his
enthusiasm and description
of their lodge and fishing
program won me over and
it was a done deal. We were
heading to Rainbow Point
Lodge on Lake Iliamna for a
week of catching rainbows on
dry flys
In order not to bore you
with travel details I will tell
you that it is simple to get
there.
Fly to Anchorage,
spend the night, fly 50
minutes to Iliamna the next
morning
and
you
are
immediately picked up. Then
it’s just a short hop over the
lake to the lodge and you are
22
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
there!
The lodge has all the
amenities that you would
expect in a fine hotel. We had
spacious bedrooms with wallto-wall carpet, daily maid
service, and private baths
with plenty of hot water.
Benavidez is from Santa
Fé, New Mexico, and is a
renowned saucier chef. His
creations and passion for
food will boggle your mind!
The taste, presentation, and
variety– including desserts
to die for– will be enough to
make you want to come back.
The fishing program was
just what we wanted–
no
“0dark thirty” starts, no
crowded rivers, no long plane
rides to get to the water, and
plenty of fish willing to suck
in our flys!
Our guides Mike Goeser
and Michael Reynolds were
young enthusiastic guides
who were willing to help us
as needed. Their true love
for the bush and respect
for the fishery was evident
throughout the week.
We
had the best weather of the
wading between spots.
I could go on forever about
the fishing, scenery, wildlife,
food and more, but you can
see that when you get there.
The fishery on the Copper
and Gibraltar Rivers (their
home waters) are thriving.
The fish are there just waiting
for you and your fly. If you
are considering an Alaskan
adventure, then you owe it
to yourself to contact Mark
Higgins, Brad Hughes or me.
Although I am blessed
to fish for a living everyday,
this was the only true fishing
vacation that I have ever
taken. I am not sure how it
could have been any better.
Perhaps a box full of fresh
sockeye to bring home, but
that is next year!
I want
to thank all of the staff at
Rainbow Point Lodge for
Their true love for the bush and respect for the fishery
was evident throughout the week.
Dining takes on a whole new
meaning as Chef “Slam”
created appetizers, entrees
and desserts that rival any
5-star restaurant!
I have to tell you a little
about Slam. Michael “Slam”
summer with temperatures
in the ‘60s, and we only had a
few showers the entire week.
The small jet boats that they
use to access the shallow runs
were perfect for keeping us
in the best water with little
A LEOPARD SPOTTE
D WILD RAINBOW TR
OUT.
IT DOESN’T GET AN
Y BETTER.
making my trip a dream come
true.
For more information, go
to www.akrpl.com, or call
1-877-850-5858.
To anyone
who may be interested in
booking at Rainbow Point,
I am currently working on
putting a trip together for
2011. The dates will be June
27 – July 2. We still have four
openings. If you would like
to discuss it you can reach me
at Troy@lakeontariooutdoors.
com,
or
call
me
at
(315) 298-2410. M
Captain Troy Creasy is
the owner of High Adventure
Sportfishing on Lake Ontario
and the Salmon River. He
has fished extensively in New
York and Alaska. He is the
former owner and editor of
Lake Ontario Outdoors and
currently serves as Consulting Editor.
Product Reviews
DAIWA POWER ASSIST
ELECTRIC REELS
By Captain Troy
A. Creasy
Summer 2010 and the fish
are deep. My Okuma Titus
and Shimano Tekota reels are
packed full with 500 to 700 feet
of copper wire that will have
me scratching bottom in over
100 feet of water! I love these
reels but they are truly client
killers. Even worse is when you
need to reel them in to make a
lure change at the end of a long
hot afternoon charter. You better have a bionic arm as it will
hurt you.
The fact is, many of us hate
running copper; I will be the
first to admit that I do. I pro-
mote light line sport fishing
and attempt to match my gear
to the specie I am targeting. So
why do I run copper? Because it
produces fish, plain and simple.
I will not go into the reason
s it works so well, as most of
us already know why. What I
want to do is make life easier,
and fishing copper
more enjoyable.
So all you copper long liners out
there,
meet
the
Daiwa
Tanacom
Bull and the Seaborg 500 & 750MT.
These Daiwa electric fishing reels are
leading the way in
innovation to make
a fisherman’s job
less
complicated.
The Daiwa name is
synonymous with
high-quality reels,
and their electric
reels are no different.
The
Daiwa
reels line includes
six
high-quality
reels, but for copper and wire applications, we
will discuss just three of them.
GET HOOKED
ON SERVICE!
Pulaski, Salmon River, Sandy Pond, Lake Ontario
Camps to Castles – We Have It All!
(315) 298-4600 • (888) 387-4387
www.bryconrealty.com
[email protected]
3849 Rome Rd (Rt 13)
Pulaski NY 13142
BY LOO STAFF
All reels include easy-to-read
LCD readouts among other features that make the entire product line super high quality.
TANACOM BULL(TM) TB 100
This is the reel that I fished for
two months. Amazing is the
battling big fish.
The nicest thing for me was
that I didn’t have to have to
crank it in. Just hit the power lever for instant control of speed
and power and in it comes all by
itself. Better yet, it stops when
the lure reaches the surface.
Yes, you read that correctly- the
reel automatically stops! I am
giving the reel two thumbs up
and have nothing negative to
say about it, except perhaps the
size. It is like a full-size truck;
you love the extra room but you
have to put up with the fuel
costs. It is big and a person with
a smaller hand has a hard time
gripping the rod just above the
reel as the reel is very wide, but
it needs to be in order to hold all
of that copper. Did I mention I
hate copper? If you are like me,
this is your answer to the copper hand cramps!
Tanacom Bull™ TB 1000
Features:
• Programmable jigging
first
thing
word comes to mind. RJ
Birchler and Associates out of
Rochester is Daiwa’s rep group
in the northeast, and if any of
you know Rob Birchler like I
do, then you know his passion
for fishing and his determination for finding the best way to
get the job done. Rob set me up
with this reel, and the rest- I am
certain- will be history.
We tugged on some large Chinooks and this reel is a power
house. Yes it is big, but it does
not feel that heavy for its size.
Sure, it weighs in at over three
pounds but 700 feet of copper
has some weight to it as well.
The drag is super smooth and if
you get fatigued, you can fight
the fish using the power assist.
In fact, this reel will fight the
fish for you if you want it to!
You truly have the option of
manual or power assist when
function
• Brass and aluminum
bronze gearing
• Four ball bearings
• Rod clamp
• Daiwa’s unique Power Lever™ for instant control of
winding speed and power
• Digital readout that measures line let-out and distance retrieved from the
bottom
• Programmable Auto
Stop™ feature stops winding when lure reaches the
surface
• Manual winding option
• Convenient 12-volt DC operation
• Washable design with
sealed electronics
• Power cord and reel bag
included
23
s
Product Review
SEABORG ™ SINGLE SPEED
750MT
Although I did not have the
privilege of running this reel, I
heard great things about it from
another captain. This reel was a
prototype sent from Japan, but
it will be available in the states
in the near future. It is smaller
than the Bull (which is exactly
what we need), but the problem
is that it will only hold about
350 feet of copper and 300 yards
of backing. This reel will still
have numerous applications,
but it would be nice if it held 500
feet of copper. Regardless, I am
sure it will still find a place in
many anglers’ arsenal.
Seaborg ™ SB750MT
Features:
• Single-speed range power
assist winding
• Daiwa’s patented Power
Lever® for instant control
of winding speed and
power
Stop™ feature stops
winding when lure
reaches the surface
• Automated jigging
function
• Line counter and depth
memory
• 23 ball bearing drive
system
• Convenient 12-volt DC
operation
• eration (12-16.8V)
24
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
• LCD readout
• Maximum winding
power 29 lbs. continuous/
momentary 165 lbs.
Another nice feature that all
the reels have is a 30-minute
memory if the power needs to
be disconnected. You have two
choices for power. You can run
the power cord from your boat
battery or any power source, or
you can opt for the rechargeable lithium battery pack that
retails for $289.00 with a charger.
SEABORG 500FE
Clear a diver rod faster than
you can let it out!
The 500Fe is, and will be, the
perfect reel for wire diver applications.
Like all of Daiwa’s Dendoh
Power Assist Reels, the 500Fe
makes accessing the depths
and landing big, great-tasting
game fish a breeze. Available
with interchangeable compact
batteries, it will give you excellent mobility on the boat.
Seaborg 500Fe Features:
• Programmable jigging
• Castable
• Daiwa’s unique Power
Lever™ for instant control
of winding speed and
power
• Digital readout that
measures line let-out and
distance retrieved from
the bottom
Stop™ feature stops
winding when lure
reaches the surface
• Manual winding option
• Convenient 12-volts DC
operation
• Washable design with
sealed electronics
• Power cord and reel bag
included
Costs for the reels will vary
from $650.00 to $1,050.00. While
some will say that is too much
to spend for a reel, hardcore
tackle junkies and serious copper aficionados will likely have
two or more! These Daiwa
electric fishing reels will write
the next chapter in Great Lakes
trolling technology. Stay tuned
for more this coming summer.
For more information go to
www.daiwa.com.
function
• 11 ball bearings plus roller
bearing
• Compact battery that
mounts to reel for
portability
• Compact design
PREMIUM FRABILL ALLPURPOSE TASK GLOVE
There is a perpetual tug-ofwar on the ice. On one hand –
quite literally– the gritty ice angler demands handwear that
delivers the obvious: warm fingers. On the other hand, the
same winter warrior wants
a glove with dexterity, custom fitted to the natural curvature of the human hand and
with the ability to transmit the
smack of a walleye and firmly grip the handles of a power auger. Then, of course, there
are “wish list” features, like
breathability and being 100%
waterproof and windproof. As
if on cue, Frabill® considered
all of these wants and needs
and rendered a solution- and
it goes by the name Frabill All
Purpose Task Glove.
Quite simply, these are the
best ice fishing gloves I’ve ever tested. And testing in my
world means hundreds of
hours on the ice, drilling thousands of holes. From a design
standpoint, it all begins with
an ergonomically curved, rugged oxford nylon shell, which
serves as the outer wall in
Leonard’s 100% waterproof,
windproof, and breathable layering system. Inside, your fingers are treated to a soft, yet
durable brushed-tricot lining.
“Solid-grip” palm material is
double stitched with heavy duty thread. And you’ll really appreciate the neoprene, gusseted cuff with an adjustable strap
to totally customize the final
fit. Leonard’s final design mark
on the Frabill All-Purpose
Task Glove is the special nose
wipe material that surrounds
the thumb. Say goodbye to the
sniffles…
The Frabill All-Purpose
Task Glove is an official member of Frabill’s complete lineup of ice fishing specific apparel that includes ICESUIT, FXE
Snosuit, and various articles of
premium headwear, handwear,
and midlayer garments.
For more information go
www.frabill.com.
BY LOO STAFF
CHARGECARD™
Portable Battery Power Now Small Enough
to Fit in Your Wallet
of an inch in height, ChargeCard is the lightest, slimmest
portable charger available today. With a 2000 mAh lithium
battery, ChargeCard has twice
the capacity of the typical cell
ing.
I recently had the opportunity to try the ChargeCard,
and I was amazed at how simple and effective it is. Using the
ChargeCard is simple. To pow-
to your device. Push the silver
power button on the face of the
ChargeCard to initiate charging. The green indicators lights
will flash once to signal that it
is working.
Each ChargeCard comes
with a mini-USB master cord,
15 tips to fit the most popular
handheld devices, and a convenient travel pouch. ChargeCard retails for $59.95 and can
be purchased at www.stuffjunction.com. (LM)
CHURCH TACKLE TX-44
PLANER BOARD
Electronic devices such as phone battery, and comes outcell phones, Smartphones, and fitted with tips to fit a variety
GPS, etc., have become an im- of popular cell phones, smartportant part of an outdoors- phones, PDAs, iPods, MP3 playman’s gear. However, if you ers, PSP devices and handheld
leave home and forget to charge GPS units.
ChargeCard embodies the
your handheld devices, or run
out of power on the go, find- latest in ultra-thin lithium
ing an outlet on the water or in polymer technology, matched
the woods is an impossible feat. with advanced charge-conNow, with the new ChargeCard trol circuitry. A touch button
you can carry a power source provides instant feedback on
in your wallet to charge devic- the ChargeCard’s power level.
es no matter where you are or The ChargeCard also recognizes the power needs of your dewhat you are doing.
Weighing only 2 ounces vice, and automatically protects
against
and under-chargand
measuring just over 1/4”
RainbowTroutLodge.qxd:Layout
1 2/21/09
8:39overAM Page
1
For many years, planer
boards have been part of the
arsenal of Lake Ontario fishermen. These devices are great
for getting your lure out away
from boat noise or disturbances when you are fishing the
clear shallow water that many
er up the device, you just plug species inhabit, especially early
the accompanying USB cord in- in the season. But as more and
to your computer and then at- more captains and avid anglers
tach the ChargeCard to the experiment with new lines,
mini-USB end. The ChargeCard weights, and other changwill reach full charge capaci- es, some of the planer boards
ty after 3-4 hours. Four green proved unsatisfactory.
indicator lights flash while the
Church Tackle has develdevice is charging and change oped a new, improved planer
to a steady glow one by one as board- the TX-44- that works
the ChargeCard becomes full.
with heavier weights, in rough
Then, when you need water, and is easy to use. The
to transfer power from the reversible planer is simple to
ChargeCard to another device, assemble and use. The size
simply select the correct tip, is 14 inches by 4 inches by 7/8
connect
it to the master
cord, 1:33
inches.
FishFab_1_8.qxd
5/15/06
PM Page 1
and connect the ChargeCard
Church Tackle’s new TX-44
Private Party Lodging
Daily or Weekly Rental
7434 State Route 104 West
Oswego, NY 13126
www.RtLodgeOswego.com
3.6 Miles from the Oswego River
2 Miles from Oswego State University
abricatio
F
sh
ns
RAINBOW TROUT LODGE
Fi
315-409-5796
Fast
Turnaround
Time From A
Full Time
Professional!
Taxidermy
True Life Fish Mounts
Year round drop off at Larry's
Salmon Shop in Oswego and
All Seasons Sports in Pulaski.
Call Dave At 607-936-8657
4007 Meads Creek
Painted Post, NY 14870
25
s
Product Review
Super Planer is designed for
lead core, copper, wire, or when
using drop weights or hard
pulling lures. In addition, the
TX-44 works with Dipsy Divers
, Jet Divers , Slide Divers , Dive
Bombs and Torpedo Divers,
which opens an all new way to
fish with planer boards. This is
just what the salmon, striper,
muskie, northern, and walleye
fishermen have been asking
for- something designed for
pulling more weight. The TX44 can handle lead core, copper, or wire lines, along with 1
pound of weight attached, but
it can be used with mono and
the super braids as well.
The size of the TX-44 makes
it harder for fish to pull the
board under; however, it is still
easy to retrieve. The TX-44 sets
upright in the water right out
of the gate, which gives it the
ability to troll extremely slowly, without restricting performance at higher speeds. This
Super Planer is also reversibleit can be assembled to run port
or starboard. The TX-44 Super Planer comes with a standard flag that folds down for
easy storage and has the same
patented* rear pin, as do all of
Church Tackle’s boards. The
new Vise Clip, which was designed especially for lead core
and copper, makes accidental
release almost impossible and
comes standard with the TX-44
Super Planer.
For more information see
CHURCH TACKLE CO.
www.churchtackle.com. or call
(269) 934-8528
that I have found that best fit
these needs, as well as keep my
feet warm and dry, are Wolverines. Wolverine is a quality
boot that has been around for
many years and makes a great
variety of boots to fit every outdoorsman’s needs. They come
in a variety of materials, styles,
and options. Whether it is hiking the Rocky Mountains in
search of elk or hunting deer
in the cold and snow of the Adirondack Mountains, Wolverine boots have been my boot of
choice.
Two of my newest pairs are
neoprene, weatherproof, and
come with a tough sole. Despite this, they are light and
comfortable and my feet feel
fine after a full day of hunting. Both are constructed with
Gore-Tex and Thinsulate to
keep my feet warm and dry
in all conditions. My Ridgeline Xtreme are 9-inch boots
with 1000 grams of Thinsulate
for wintry conditions while the
King Caribou are 8-inch with
800 grams of Thinsulate for
less extreme weather.
These, as well as the other
pairs that I own, are all quality made and are long-lasting.
For more information see
www.wolverine.com. (LM) M
DIGITAL WATER
TEMPERATURE
AND DEPTH
WOLVERINE BOOTS
Next to my guns, my most
important piece of hunting
equipment is my boots. During
the course of the long hunting
seasons I put countless miles
on them. I am out in all types
of weather, and often traverse
some rugged or wet country.
Comfort,
light weight, and
grip are important. The boots
26
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
Made in U.S.A.
Patent Pending
SEASONAL
It’s ice season in Wayne County
BY CHRIS KENYON
Ice Fishing
Sodus Bay
T
he area around LeRoy Island is a popular
destination for Sodus Bay ice fishermen
The prominent ice fishing location along the Seaway
Trail is Sodus Bay, located in
Wayne County. Anglers have
driven two hours from Buffalo to bore holes in this 3,200
acre body of water. That’s a
fairly long drive. One would
have to set the alarm for 4 a.m.
for a decent day on the ice.
Sodus is a large bay, and
therefore a little intimidating
to first time anglers; nevertheless, ice fishing should be
a fun-filled adventure, not a
daunting task, so let’s look at
some tried and true hot areas.
Of course, one of the essential requirements for ice fishing is to have those 3,200 acres
of water freeze. Sometimes
Sodus gets safe ice by Christmas…lucky for us. However,
there have been a few winter
seasons without any ice.
Historically, the first ice on
Sodus Bay appears on the east
side of LeRoy Island. LeRoy
is one of the bay’s three islands, all located at the north
end of the embayment. Parking is limited; however, you
should be able to find a spot at
the end of LeRoy Island Road,
which is off of Lake Bluff
Road.
Trophy-sized pike always
swim around LeRoy, and ice
anglers will set tip-ups in
large patterns; running shiners at the bottom, 12 to 18 feet.
Blue gills will also appear early in the season. This location is a hot spot; however, ice
thickness varies greatly because of a slight current, and
the wise angler carries a spud
water tend to go deep. Pike
will also move, though they
will remain at the weed lines.
Fish the weeds, catch the pike.
Go deep, catch the perch.
During the 2010 season, anglers were catching
some nice perch in the cove
north of the Waypoint Res-
From the first ice at LeRoy Island until the last remaining safe ice near
the south end, Sodus Bay consistently
produces phenomenal fishing. during early ice.
Just south of LeRoy Island
is another early-ice haven, especially for perch and blue
gills. Straight out from Connelly’s Cove Restaurant, anglers will find tons of these
fine pan-tasting fish. The water is four to five feet deep,
and if you dangle a chartreuse
teardrop jig at the bottom,
you’ll connect. Try a spike on
the end of the jig, then switch
to perch eyes.
As the ice season progresses, the quarry that you
are seeking tends to move
around. The schooling perch
that were initially in shallow
taurant. The fish actually remained in that area for the entire winter. They were hitting
in 18 to 20 feet of water. The
bait remained the ‘ole standby jig, however, some anglers
like the excitement of tipdown action, and were using
perch minnows under their
holes, rigged near the bottom.
When the perch are hitting
tip-downs, there is plenty of
slipping and sliding on the ice
as anglers check their set-ups.
Late February and early
March is walleye time under
Sodus Bay ice. The action is at
the south end of the bay near
Third Creek, which flows in-
to Sodus at Shaker Heights
Road.
The walleye are at
Third Creek, and you need to
go deep. To fish these 30-foot
depths requires quite a hike
from shore.
Many anglers
bring their “machines” to find
walleye hide outs.
For bait, the minnows
work fine, but you can do
just as well with Kastmasters, Swedish Pimples, or other heavy jigging spoons. Rigging big also attracts jumbo
perch in this area of the bay.
If you are using minnows
with your tip-ups, be prepared to pay $9 per dozen. At
that price, those little fish become a rare commodity; an
investment that requires tender loving care. Lose a minnow while rigging and $.75
swims away.
From the first ice at LeRoy
Island until the last remaining safe ice near the south
end, Sodus Bay consistently
produces phenomenal fishing.
Whether you target a specific
species, or just want to enjoy
whatever comes up through
the hole, this bay will not disappoint you.
Word gets out fast within
the ice fishing community. As
the fish move, the shanties appear at different locations. If
you are new to ice fishing, just
follow the shanties. Usually if
it’s crowded, the action is fast.
For weekly ice conditions,
27
log onto www.waynecountytour- able for expert advice, and they
ism.com, and go to “Fishing Up- have all the equipment needdate”, or call Davenport Marina ed for some productive hours
at (315) 587-4434, or Bay Bridge on the ice. They are located
Sport Shop at (315) 587-9508. at 8487 Greig St. Sodus Point,
Davenports and Bay Bridge are New York 14555. Call (315) 483full-service bait shops, located 2183, or e-mail troywarren02@
at the south end of Sodus Bay yahoo.com.
on Ridge Road.
All these bait shops are
At the north end of Sodus open the entire year. If you are
Bay, in the village of Sodus traveling quite a distance, the
Point, there is the Sodus Point last thing you want to see is a
Bait Shop, another full-service closed sign…that will not hapestablishment.Troy, Dawn, and pen at Sodus Bay. M
Kayci
Warren are always
avail-12:09 PM Page 1
Henchen.qxd:Layout
1 11/15/09
LOC Derby Weigh In
HENCHEN MARINA & FISHINGCAMP
AT 4:15 PM, 45 MINUTES SHY OF THE TOURNAMENT DEADLINE, THOMAS FOEHNER BROUGHT IN A MONSTER PIKE AND
THE OFFICIAL SCALE READ 12 LB. 8 OZ.
Chris Kenyon is an Outdoor Columnist for the Sodus Record-Sun
and the Finger Lakes Times and freelances for several outdoor publications.
He is a member of New York State Outdoor Writers’ Association and
the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers. He is also the Outdoor
Recreational Coordinator for Wayne County Tourism.
WWW.HUNTINGFISHINGAUCTIONS.COM
FISHING TACKLE WORTH HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS.
YOUR’S FOR PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR!
A new auction site that features just Hunting, Fishing & Camping gear. For
now, I will be featuring Fishing tackle.. Hunting and Camping gear will be
available March 2011.
There will be hundreds of dollars worth of fishing tackle up for auction that
can be yours for pennies on the dollar.
Winning a Lowrance HD FishFinder-GPS Combo unit worth hundreds, for
+/- $30.00!
PO Box 36, Henderson Harbor, NY 13651
(315) 938-5313 Toll Free 1-888-848-3821
Email: [email protected]
Furnished Lodging with FREE Dockage
✭ LARGE TACKLE SHOP ✭
Live Bait, Gas & Diesel, Ice, Licenses,
ATM, Groceries, Cold Beer, Gift Shop, Clothing
FishOn_1-4.qxd:Layout
1 5/19/09 9:43 AM Page 1
WEBSITE: henchenmarina.com
FISH-ON! MOTEL
✱ Charter Boats ✱ LOT
BIG
S OF
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&
!
H
S
T
I
HEM!
F
✱ Bank Guide Service ✱
✱ Riverside Tavern ✱
✱ Fish Cleaning & Smoking ✱
PLUS PRIVATE MOTEL ROOMS STARTING AT $45.00/DOUBLE
MinnKota trolling motors retailing between $900.00 to $1900.00, for less
than +/- $50.00!
Top Brand BaitCasters and Spinning Reels from Abu Garcia, Shimano,
Pflueger, Daiwa, & Okuma worth over $100.00 for +/- $10.00!
Ice Fishing Rods, Reels, Lures and much more for just pennies on the
dollar.
The “Marathon Charter”
24 hrs Straight Fishing
Fish for 3 limits! Call Mike!
Lure package deals like 10 Rapalas, or 10 Mepps Spinners, or 10 Eppinger
Daredeveles, or Lucky Craft, Spro, Sebile, Yo-Zuri, and just about all other
top brand name lures for +/- $10.00
Just about any Fishing item will be up for auction from Cannon, Scotty,
Big Jon Downriggers, Berkley, Luhr Jensen, Humminbird, Sebile Lures,
Eppinger, Storm, EagleClaw, Gapen Lures, MarCum, Lindy, Penn Reels,
Cotton Cordell, Blue Fox, Panther Martin, and much more that you can win
for pennies on the dollar!
Please visit the site at www.huntingfishingauctions.com You can read
the Terms and Conditions for the site. You can also register for free and
receive 10 free bids, You will also be able to buy bids and be ready to
get some unbelievable deals. If you have any questions, email me at
[email protected]
The site is presently being built, very near completion, and will go live very
soon. But, you can still register now and get those free bids. If the site is
ready to go live sooner, I will notify you via email if you are registered.
28
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
One Of The Largest &
Best Equipped Fishing
Boats On The Great Lakes!
FISH-ON! MOTEL'S NEW
CHARTER BOAT- 41' LONG &
14'3" WIDE - TROJAN
Over 19K Pounds of Fiberglass, That Takes A 6' Sea & Turns It Into A Kiddie Pool!
Guaranteed Fish Trips Available Every Day
On Our Lake Charters Or River Drift Boats!
Check Out Our Catch On FISHONMOTEL.COM
& Call Captain Mike Fiumano at 315-298-3847
BY CAPTAIN BILL SAIFF III
Jumbo Browns of the
Eastern End
BY CAPTAIN BILL SAIFF III
Capt. Bill Saiff III
owns and operates Lake Ontario’s
largest professional fishing fleet.
The Westview Lodge in Henderson
Harbor is headquarters for the Saiff
Charter fishing team. They can
be reached at the lodge by calling
315-938-5285 or by cell at
315-771-3514. Visit them online
at www.BillSaiffOutdoors.com
Brown trout taken from clear
water near shoreline in early May on natural color Michigan Stinger.
The show issue of Lake Ontario Outdoors Magazine is a critical
issue for anglers who are looking to ply new waters, learn the latest
technique, or research the hottest new tackle item. It’s winter now
and the Saiff Fleet often looks back on the last season and discusses trends in our ever-changing fishery. Avid readers of this magazine know that in the month of April, my heart lies in Pultneyville,
New York with the many browns and coho salmon that swim along
its shoreline. When May arrives, this angler switches gears and begins a two and a half month odyssey that connects him with the biggest brown trout of the entire fishing season. Here’s where to go and
what to use from early May through the month of July.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Henderson Harbor and Stony Creek sit at a pivotal juncture for
anglers looking to connect on spring and early summer brown trout.
Henderson Harbor and Stony Creek are both situated where large
stockings of brown trout fingerlings occur each season. Nearly 15,000
browns are stocked each April on the docks of the Westview Lodge
alone. These small browns use the shoreline docks to hide from avian
predators as they acclimate to their new surroundings.
The early April stockings also take place before the bulk of the
cormorant migration, allowing for a higher survival rate among the
young fish. Additional stockings in Stony Creek provide a solid base
for the eastern end of Lake Ontario. The eastern end of Lake Ontar-
io warms more slowly than the southern shore. In late April, fish are
already moving off shore in areas like Sodus Point, Fair Haven and
Pultneyville. In Henderson and surrounding areas, anglers will still
find fish in five to ten feet of water.
WORKING THE SHORELINE IN LATE APRIL & MAY
A late April hot spot is the shoreline from Black Pond to Southwick Beach State Park. Anglers must watch local wind forecasts to
determine where the warmest water will be found. West winds will
pocket warm water in the Black Pond area and behind the shoal on
Drowned Island. North winds will move warm water down the
shoreline to the south and in front of Southwick’s Beach.
Late April usually brings warming daytime temperatures. This
warming trend increases the run-off temperature of local streams and
tributaries. A hot spot during slack wind would be the estuary of the
Sandy Creeks and the outflow of Colwell Pond near Montario Point.
Run-off from these outflows is generally warmer than the surrounding lake water and the turbid nature of the water helps anglers hide
their bait presentations from feeding fish.
Spoon and plug combinations from planer boards get the nod when
fishing skinny water. A dynamite set-up would be 12 lb. test Trilene
Big Game fishing line with a seven foot Segaur fluorocarbon tippet.
The terminal end should be rigged with a #2 Berkley round nosed
29
cross-lock snap. This will allow
all baits to swim freely on the connection point and anglers will
have the added benefit of changing baits more quickly.
If stick baits are your preference, Dave’s Ka-Boom baits are
an excellent choice. The smallest
version of these baits dive just one
to three feet making them perfect
for shallow water fishing. Michigan Stinger trolling spoons get
the nod from spoon fishermen as
their incredible color schemes and
action are irresistible to spring
browns. Trolling speeds of 1.5 to
2.5 knots will serve anglers well
in cloudy water conditions where
baits presentations are easily hidden. When waters are clear, anglers should boost the speed
through 3.5 knots to cover more
trolling area and trigger reaction
strikes from shoreline Browns.
tic breaks in temperature. These
breaks will hold schools of bait
and the big browns that are feeding on them. Trolling big open water is a planer board fisherman’s
dream and eight to ten rod set-ups
will keep anglers into lots of fish.
DEEPER WATER FROM
LATE MAY TO MID JUNE
The alewife run in eastern Lake Ontario is incredible during the month of May.
Huge schools of this baitfish
type make their spawning runs
and jumbo browns are usually found near concentrations of
this bait. The 25 to 50 foot contour directly in front of Stony
Creek will hold massive bait
schools during this time period. Brown trout can still be
taken from planer board rigs
early in the morning, but by
9:00 a.m., browns have usually
located in deeper water.
The use of downriggers
and Dipsy Divers are the best
way to target these deeper
fish. Spoon fishing generally produces the most strikes
at this time of year. Huge
browns are gorging themselves on bait and the “Pig”
browns that every angler
dreams of are right in the fray.
Spoon fishing with larger hardened treble hooks will help fishermen stay connected with the biggest browns. When baitfish moves
in from deeper water browns can
be accessed 15 to 40 feet down
over water as deep as 150 feet.
Satellite thermal imaging
maps of the lake will give anglers
the approximate location of dras-
30
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
Devices like Gibb weights, Mini
Jon Divers and Dive Bombs will
help planer board fishermen get
down to these deeper fish.
All of these weights and diving attachments will catch fish,
but the new Dive Bomb weighted
diving planer by Advance Tackle gives the fisherman the luxury
of placing the weight wherever he
chooses. When fish are spooky, the
Dive Bomb can be run further up
the line and away from the trolled
bait. When fish are more active,
Dive Bombs can be fished just in
front of the fluorocarbon tippet
where their many colors can be
used as an added attractor for fish.
are known for their great production of warm water species. Local
guides also know that when the
bait balls up on these points, big
brown trout will be just above the
pike and walleye feeding on the
same bait schools. A brown’s ability to tolerate warm water lets them
target and stay on this
bait even as
the temperature rises
through the
mid sixties.
Middle
Shoal
and
the
green
can buoy on
Point Peninsula are also
spots where
anglers
can
target browns
during
this
time
frame.
Natural
colored
Michigan
Stinger
spoons are the
best choice under clear conditions. Patterns
like
emerald
shiner,
tuxedo, alewife and
blue smelt are
local favorites.
When
conditions are murky,
gold perch, sodus
point buckeye,
nuclear
green
and the shanster
are the bait colors of choice. July
Browns:
The “Mountain” off Stony
Point lighthouse
A PAIR OF JUMBO BR
is the fisherman’s
OWN
TROUT TAKEN ON SP
OO
NS
IN
Mecca
for big sum50 FEET OF WATER IN
FRONT
mer
browns.
The
OF STONY CREEK.
key to summer
brown trout fishing is finding where
A varithe thermocline meets the bottom.
ety of sizes will let fishermen adThe steep structure of the mounjust to almost any set of circumtain is attractive to baitfish and
stances.
it is generally easy for fishermen
In recent years, baitfish schools
to find where the thermal break
have massed near traditional wallmeets bottom. During the month
eye and pike haunts in the eastof July, anglers will usually find
ern basin. Structure like Bull
the break from 65 to 100 feet down.
Rock and Everleigh Point along
Trolling the edge of this structure
the north shore of Black River Bay
at the thermal break depth will keep tice strikes from these deeper fish.
rods popping on browns.
Spreading the pattern during July
The deep rigging of spoons is another way to increase the likeon downriggers is the best way lihood of brown trout bites. Fishto stay in contact with these fish. ermen can employ the use of wire
NK-28 spoons and Michigan Sting- Dipsy Diver combination to target
er spoons are the best hardware to the 90 and 100-foot depths. These
run during this time. Black/Silver silent stalkers have always been
NK-28s are superb on these deep deadly on summer browns.
browns as anglers troll them just 20
feet behind the ball. Natural patterns in the Stinger lineup are also
working well at this time of year.
eastern
BillSaif1.qxd
8/20/07
4:36 PMThePage
1 basin is one of the
Local fishermen
use patmost
diverse
fisheries
on Lake Onterns like the Grim Reaper to en-
AN ADDED BONUS TO
ANGLERS
Jons.qxd:Layout 1 11/14/09 8:06 AM Page 1
A-Tom-Mik
Pro-Troll
Spin Doctor
Okuma
Michigan Stinger
Northern King
Early Big Weenie
Michigan Stinger Super Store Hours Silver Streak
Live Bait - Worms/Minnows • Near Mexico Point Boat Launch
tario. Walleye, pike, browns, steelhead, lake trout and king salmon
are all found throughout the time
that brown trout are available. If
the brown trout waters of eastern
Lake Ontario are too rough to fish
in early May, anglers can always
head to the shelter of back bays for
great action on walleye and northern pike. While fishing summer
browns, deeper sets can help anglers target king salmon as a bonus
to their creel.
Many fishermen find that the
brown trout fishing is so good that
their limits have been achieved by
mid-morning. These same fishermen will often deep troll for “Hog”
lake trout after a successful morning of browns. In today’s world,
we are all looking to maximize our
fishing dollars and our time. Plying the waters of the eastern basin
gives fishermen great opportunity,
but also provides them with one of
the best back-up plans in all of fishing. This season, I hope you plan to
whet your brown trout lines in the
eastern basin of the “Big Pond.” I’ll
see you there! M
PortLodge_Exit.qxd:Layout 1 5/26/09 3:51 PM Page 1
Outstanding Business Opportunity!!
Turn-key, profitable, 41-unit motel in Port Ontario, New York. Ideally suited for entrepreneurs seeking a quality of
life you can’t find in the cities. Motel enjoys year-round traffic from international visitors here to see Lake Ontario, its
historic landmarks & nearby NYS parks with beautiful sand beaches. Salmon fishing, golfing & nearby colleges &
universities also attract many visitors to the area. Near snowmobile, x-c ski and ATV trails. Just 1 hour from Thousand
Islands & Adirondacks. Syracuse Hancock Int’l airport is a short 45 minute drive.
The units each have 2, 4 or 5 beds. Main lodge has 16 two-bed rooms, business office and 100 plus parking spaces
to accommodate vehicles and trailers. There is an attached 3 BD residence ideal for a live-in owner/manager,
eliminating housing costs! 4 separate buildings house the remainder of the units which is convenient for controlling
costs. Computerized reservation system, hi-tech commercial laundry & energy efficient heat & A/C units are just a
few of the improvements added to benefit the businesses bottom line. Other features that enhance this property
include a picnic area, horseshoe pits, BBQ gril s and in-ground pool & Wi-Fi internet.
For more info: www.TugHillProperty.com,
or contact Suzanne Brown, Lic. RE Assoc. Broker:
[email protected]
or Linda Landers, Lic. RE Salesperson: [email protected]
31
It’s great fishing!
®NYSDED
Oswego County, NY
Blessed with four seasons of fantastic fishing!
Make Oswego County your top choice for winter fishing in the northeast!
You will find open water rivers teeming with steelhead,
while frozen ponds and lakes offer walleye, perch and pike aplenty.
For special events & visitor information:
www.visitoswegocounty.com
1-800-248-4FUN (4386)
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32
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
Winter in Niagara
BY BILL HILTS, JR.
Fishing in the
NiagaraGIsooAsd As It Gets
SEASONAL
Winter
size for steelhead is six to eight lbs.
A verage
but Frank Campbell displays a 17 lb. steelhead
A
s the water from the upper four Great Lakes
comes crashing down 200 feet
over the Cataracts at Niagara Falls, the river of the same
name is already starting to
work its magic to attract fish in
this lower section of waterway
that extends some 15 miles
to Lake Ontario. For anglers
looking to catch open-water
trout in the winter months, it
just doesn’t get any better than
this.
Rich in oxygen, the Niagara
River receives a healthy dose
of trout stockings from the
state’s Department of Environmental Conservation. In 2009
alone, the river was the recipient of over 144,000 brown
trout, 47,000 steelhead; and a
bonus of 54,000 brook trout in
addition to other stockings
of nearly 200,000 Chinook
salmon, 25,000 Coho salmon, and 25,000 walleye. The
river is often the benefactor of bonus fish when other
waters become too warm in
the spring, adding to the river’s mystique.
“One of the best things
about this river is the fact
you never know what you
are going to catch,” says
Capt. Frank Campbell of
Niagara Falls. As the proprietor of Niagara Region
Charters, he should knowspending more than 200 days
on the water every year. “It’s
not unusual to catch steelhead, brown trout, lake trout,
walleye and muskellunge all
on the same day during a winter fishing adventure.”
Because of the tumultuous
current that rips through the
gorge area, this water doesn’t
freeze up – giving boaters access to some of the best fishing
in the country. While access
can be gained at Fort Niagara State Park and the Village
of Youngstown through their
boat launch sites, the best boat
access occurs in the Village
of Lewiston where the Public
Works Department keeps the
launch ramp open, no matter
what conditions may be encountered for a Western New
York winter.
“It can get pretty cold
in January and February,”
says Campbell, who serves
as chairman of the Niagara County Fisheries Advisory Board. “We may have ice
floes to contend with at the
launch ramp and in the river,
so it’s important to keep the
launch area open. Lewiston
does an excellent job in keeping the ramp open and maintained with sand or gravel on
the incline.”
One of the reasons for these
fish to be attracted to this lower stretch of river is the tremendous amount of baitfish. At various times, runs
of smelt, alewives, gizzard
shad, emerald shiners, and
more can be found; enticing
the larger predator fish into the system for a meal or
two. The oxygenation that
these waters provide is another important factor. And with
many of these fish being imprinted to the waters flowing
down from Lake Erie, this is
where these trout call home
when it comes time to succumb to their spawning urges
or look for a meal. Sometimes
it really is like shooting – or
catching – fish in a barrel- an
excellent analogy given the
daredevil antics associated
with Niagara Falls over the
years.
PICK THE RIGHT GEAR
This is winter in Niagara.
First and foremost, you have
to be dressed for the part. Layers of clothing are the way to
go; keeping that warmth in as
much as possible. There are
days when you can be overdressed, so being able to take
off some of those clothes can
be just as important. And no
matter how cold it can get –
remember that water flowing
down through is pegged at 32
degrees – when you are catching fish, it just doesn’t seem to
feel all that cold.
Thanks to a new law that
was enacted in 2009, all boaters are now required to wear a
personal flotation device from
November 1 through May 1
– unless you are on a charter
boat. Charter vessels are exempt from this new legislation. That said, it’s still not a
bad idea either way. We do
recommend fishing with a
charter person your first time
or two on the river to learn
the ropes. Capt. Campbell ac-
33
tually provides survival suits
for his customers as an added precaution – and to help
keep his clients warm. It’s not
a bad idea. His personal touches keep his customers coming
back year after year.
For the fishing end of things,
Campbell has some personal preferences that all contribute to his success. For example,
his choice of rod allows him to
catch more fish. He says, “I use
a Quantum Tour Edition sevenand-a-half-foot medium action
rod with a soft tip. I’ve found
that the fish like to hang on to
the bait for a period of time and
the soft rod tip will help keep
the fish available to customers longer. A stiffer tip will let
the fish feel the resistance sooner, causing them to let go of
the bait offering, whatever that
may be – such as egg sacks, single eggs, egg imitations such as
yarn balls, or live bait, like minnows. There will be more on
this a bit later. The rod also has
slightly larger guides that will
not freeze up as quickly in the
cold.”
The next most important
component is the reel. Campbell’s personal preference is a
Quantum Energy Baitcasting
reel, outfitted with eight
pound test Cajun fluorocarbon line. “I use fluorocarbon line for the visibility factor, especially when
the water is clear,” insists
Campbell. “I also don’t
get as much line stretch, so it
helps with the hook set. And
when the water becomes super
clear, I’ll drop my leader off the
three-way down to six pound
test and even extend the leader
a foot or two.”
A three-way rig is the tried
and true method for taking
these trout in the winter. Using
a three-way swivel, they will
extend a leader off the trailing
eye five to seven feet back before they attach the bait. Off
34
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
the bottom eye is a foot of leader with some type of a weight
attached. For winter fishing,
also serves as co-chairman of
the Niagara Tourism and Convention Corporation’s Board of
on any given day seems to be
an intuition that Campbell has.
Then again, being on the water
every single day doesn’t hurt
either. “Keep a good supply of
different baits on your boat,”
reflects Campbell, “From minnows and yarn balls, to egg
sacks and Kwikfish, I can’t be
caught without something that
will work on any given day.”
BOAT CONTROL IS KEY
Campbell prefers starting out
with a one-ounce pencil lead. If
the water is really clear and he
Directors. “We have to adapt
to those clear conditions by
downsizing our bait, lighten-
Presenting your fish offerings in a way that’s appealing
to them is critical for consistent success.
“You have to figure out
what the fish want based on
the conditions – be it clear
water or wind direction. Often it’s both. Boat control is
essential for catching fish,”
Campbell says.
One of the hot lures on the
river is a Kwikfish. Similar
to a flatfish, this banana-type
bait gives a wobbling motion
that trigger trout to hit. Last
year, with quite a bit of wind
from the south or southwest,
those baits were on fire for
all trout – steelhead, brown,
and lake trout. Wind from
these directions will push
you
down
the river and
give
these
baits the motion required
to make them
most
effective.
However, every one
of the boats (Campbell operates a 21-foot deep V aluminum Lund boat, the preferred choice on the Niagara)
that fish these waters for hire
have a bow-mount trolling
motor. If a northerly wind is
holding you up, you can always pull yourself along and
increase your speed to adjust
and make just about any bait
work for you.
The best sizes for Kwik-
The Niagara River produces great variety of fish, including trophy brown trout
needs to get the bait away from
the boat, he’ll trim that lead
down – sometimes in half – to
get the presentation required to
catch fish. He may have to add
weight if he’s fishing in deeper
water; again, another consideration when facing clear conditions.
“In the winter, when the ice
bridge forms below Niagara Falls, and Lake Erie has frozen over, water clarity becomes
an issue,” says Campbell, who
ing up our line, and fishing in
a bit deeper water. My hook
size could be as small as a No.
12, down from the normal No.
6 or 8 that I normally use. Last
year, one of my best baits when
the water was clear was a single
salmon egg treated with Pautzke natural cure. It gave the egg
a nice orange tint to it and I
would put that single egg into a
sack. It seemed to make a difference for me,”
Knowing what the fish want
fish are K-8 and K-9. Top colors are silver, silver-blue,
silver-green, silver-pink, silver-chartreuse
and
gold,
again, depending on the conditions of the water. Most of
the guides will remove the set
of treble hooks on the belly of
the lure, especially if catchand-release is practiced. And
like the other baits, a threeway rig is used with a slightly shorter leader. Maintaining contact with the bottom is
important to keep your offerings in the prime fish zone on
all accounts.
When wind isn’t as much
of a factor, the trolling motor
can be used to keep your boat
sideways. Egg presentations
are normally the same speed
as the current or slightly faster, so keeping your line perpendicular to the bottom can
be a factor – but not always.
“Stay away from the pack
of boats and find active fish on
your own,” says Campbell. “If
you can find active fish, you
can stay on them all day and
not be bothered by anyone
else. You can also find fish
throughout the river, from
Lewiston all the way down to
the mouth on the Niagara Bar
and all points in between. Because this is a shared resource
with the Province of Ontario, having a Canadian fishing license is a bonus; opening up new waters when the
conditions require flexibility.
However, you can get away
with just a New York license
just fine.”
For more information contact Frank Campbell at 716523-0013 or check the website
www.NiagaraCharter.com.
Another good source for information is through the Niagara Tourism and Convention Corporation at www.
niagara-usa.com, or 877-FALLS
US. A Greater Niagara fFishing Map is available free of
charge for anyone interested in learning more about the
river. In addition, a weekly
fishing hotline is available at
the same phone number. That
information can also be found
at www.outdoorsniagara.com.
The Niagara River offers anglers the complete package.
One aspect that we didn’t
even touch upon is the fact
that some excellent shore fishing also exists, and the Hotspot Fishing Map, mentioned
earlier, is a good source for
access points. DEC also has
information on its website at
www.dec.ny.gov.
The gorge
area is the place to be, along
Artpark, Devil’s Hole, and the
Whirlpool – all state parks
with respectable access to the
river shoreline. Pay this river
a great deal of respect in the
winter – it deserves a lot. Not
only is it a great year-round
fishery, but it’s also one of
the most scenic rivers on the
planet.
While the name “Niagara”
may mean “thundering waters” to the Native Americans,
modern fishermen would argue that it could also mean
“great fishing” – especially
for winter trout. Give the Niagara a try; you won’t be disappointed. And if the winter
is just a bit too cold for you,
many of these trout will remain in the river into the early part of June. M
Bill Hilts, Jr. is Niagara
County Sportfishing Promotion
Chair and Outdoor Sports
Specialist for Niagara Tourism &
Convention Corp. He is currently
president of the Association of
Great Lakes Outdoor Writers and
a past president of NYS Outdoor
Writers’ Association. He currently
serves as president of Lake Ontario
Sportfishing Council and is an
active member of OWAA, POMA,
and NRA. E-mail: BHiltsjr69@
cs.com.
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35
STEELIES AND SALMON AND SMALLMOUTH, OH MY!
2011 DERBY & TOURNAMENT DATES
Spring LOC April 29–May 8
Orleans County Pro-Am June 10–12
Summer LOC June 18–July 17
Orleans Rotary Derby August 6–21
Fall LOC August 19–September 5
And lake and brown trout, chinook and coho,
rainbows and largemouth. The diversity and production
of the Orleans County fishery is the finest on the
Great Lakes. Off our shores on Lake Ontario, an
excellent charter fleet will help you find and land a
www.orleanscountyfishing.com
36
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
trophy fish. Finish your day at a waterfront restaurant
and lay your head in one of a variety of affordable
lodging choices. Come for a day or a week you’re guaranteed to go home with a keeper!
FISHING HOTLINE
I LOVE NEW YORK logo is a registered trademark/service mark of the
NYS Dept. of Economic Development, used with permission.
585-589-3220
TOURISM INFO
800-724-0314
BY BOB DICK
Trolling Spring
Walleye and Pike
Aisling Kelly from Boston proudly
shows 12 lb., 13 oz. walleye taken
on a Husky Jerk lure.contents
Fishing trophy walleye
and northerns in the eastern
end of Lake Ontario’s “Golden
Crescent” has been affected by
many things over the last few
years, including clearer water. Although the sheer numbers of walleye in large schools
have declined, many walleye
swim in smaller groups that
are more widely dispersed with
plenty of action available. With
the excellent quality and quantity in this area, it is the best opportunity for all types of fishermen to catch trophy walleye
and northern pike without a
substantial investment in new
equipment. Many people think
that you just go out and catch
lots of walleye, etc. This is not
a numbers fishery (although
some days it can be); it is a trophy fishery, noted for big fish.
One thing that I would like
to make clear is that all fishermen are responsible to take on-
ly what they need. Catch-andrelease is very important to
this fishery, so don’t take them
just for show; use good judgment for each situation. We
have some groups that release
them all, some take only one
or two to eat, some take one to
mount, and others take whatever they catch- as they pay a lot
of money for that right. Overall, in a whole season, we feel
it works out. It is rewarding to
hear about the large amount of
fishermen who are practicing
catch-and-release recently in
this area to help keep this fabulous fishery alive and well.
Most of the fishing we do in
the spring is in 10-35 feet of water, but occasionally 35-60 feet.
This means that the deeper fish
can be easily reached with dipsy divers, mini-divers, lead, or
deep diving body baits. The
most complex setups- including wire rods, lead core lines,
lead drops, downriggers, dodger/flasher rigs, and the like- are
not needed. A fisherman can
be quite successful running
body baits from in-line planers or large planer boards along
with a few well-placed floaters
and divers.
Most of the season we like to
run large double-boarded planers by Prince Mastercraft. They
have florescent orange striped
sides along with flags that are
easily visible in rougher water. Depending on boat traffic,
we like to run them from 75-150
feet out, away from the boat. I
like to run three to four lines
off each side attached with offshore releases anywhere from
150-250 feet back on the farthest
line out, shortening the lead 1012 feet on each rod put out.
The rods that I like the most
are 7 _ foot graphite (I use Daiwa) with Daiwa LC 27 line
counter reels, spooled with 1215 pound Trilene or Cortland
line with 8-12 pound fluorocarbon leaders. I am one that likes
to use downriggers no matter how deep the water is. Depending on how many people
are in the boat (you are allowed
two rods per person), I will run
all four downriggers with different baits. Generally, we will
run 8-12 rods in the water at
one time. You must constantly
adjust and fine-tune your setup
when the conditions and location of the fish change.
If you start fishing shallow
water, you might want to adjust to shorter leads somewhere
between 80-150 feet behind the
boat. Also, consider switching
to lures that track tightly, can
be trolled faster, and don’t dive
as much as others, so that you
can cover more ground with
less chance of tangling. It’s al-
w a y s
important to keep track of
hits in any slight turn or large
turn as you can determine if
the fish prefer a faster or slower speed.
When you start fishing
deeper water, several methods
can put more lures in a fish’s
face. The most obvious is to
lengthen leads on the planer
boards, and if you’re running
divers, let them back a little further. You can add small slip
weights in front of the swivel when running leaders or
run split shot on your line four
feet above the lure which also
works to catch grass, etc. that
will interfere with the action
and presentation of the lure.
Some anglers like to run minidivers from Luhr-Jensen and
Big Jon. Small spoons with 50100 foot leads off planer boards
are as successful as body baits,
but sometimes inhibit the usefulness of the mini-divers.
Lures, lures, lures!!! What
are you using? Probably the
most often asked question out
of a fisherman’s mouth. I’ve
always found that whatever
you’re confident in, and catches
fish for you, is the most important fact. When fishing with
my friends, I’ve found that we
can be trolling the same area at
the same speed, and if one guy
is catching fish on something in
particular, I will switch, with
no results, and vice-versa. But
generally speaking, if the fish
are banging a lure steady on
one boat, you definitely should
have a couple out.
Color selection is a key, and
the right color could change every couple hours. Walleye definitely have color preferences,
largely related to water clarity
and the amount of light pres-
37
us in Henderson Harbor.
eas. With many points, edges,
ent. When fishing stained waA good way to learn a bit
and drop-offs, plus the deepter, or in overcast conditions,
about the area and some of
er 50-60 foot belly in the midbright or fluorescent colors
such as chartreuse, orange,
red, and green, seems to work
well. When fishing clear water or under bright conditions,
shiny metallic colors such as
gold, silver, copper, and black
produce.
Lures that I like best? I
really like the old Thundersticks! My opinion is that
they are always the best out
of the box without any or very
little tuning.
When water
temps are below 58 degrees,
I like stick baits with small
diving bills and a longer
thinner body such as Rapalas, Thundersticks, Bombers,
Smithwicks, Husky Jerks and
Reef Runners. When water
temps are above 58 degrees,
and you are fishing deeper
water, crank baits with moderate action and larger diving
baits will produce more flash
and vibration. Storm Deep
Jr. Thundersticks, Deep Diving Little Ripper Reef RunA MAGNUM SOUTHWICK LURE TOOK THIS 12 LB.
ners,
Husky
WALLEYE IN CHAUMONT BAY FOR JOHN FULTS
Jerks and RaABOARD MOBY DICK CHARTERS.
pala Shad Raps
the methods used
all produce.
is to book a trip with a local
dle, it has the structure, bait,
It is always good to make
charter fishing guide. It usuand water flow that create exsure that your lures are runally pays off in the long run,
cellent walleye fishing. Some
ning true by letting out some
just in the knowledge gained.
other areas that produce conline off the side of the boat
Most guides are very genersistently are Everleigh Point,
and checking out the action.
ous with tips about where to
Bull Rock, Sherwin’s Bay, PilDon’t be afraid to give some
fish, what to use and how to
lar Point, Guffin’s Bay, Adextra sharp jerks to see how
use it.
am’s Cove, Chaumont Bay,
it reacts in case you get into
Three Mile Bay, Middle Shoal,
some rougher water.
There are unlimited choicPoint Peninsula, Hidden HarIs trolling the only way
es of baits, rigs, depths of wabor, Fox Island, Grenadier Isto go? No; but most charter
ter, structures, and types of
WillsTaxidermy.qxd:Layout 1 8/11/09
land, and the Stony-Calf-Galguides feel it is the most proloo Islands.
ductive when it comes to getOthers include: Henderting bigger fish and more of
son Harbor, Bass and Gull
them. It also allows you to
Islands, High Rocks, Stony
be able to cover more terriPoint, Ray’s and Sawyer’s Bay,
tory more quickly.
Worm
Stony Creek and Drowned Isharnesses and jigs are very
land, plus many others too
productive and come in an
numerous to mention. A couassortment of colors and sizple shops and marinas where
es.
you can get information on
There are so many good
“what’s happening” are: B&J
places to fish in May and June
Bill Gancarcik
Bait, owned by Judy and
in the Golden Crescent that
3253 St. Rt.13
Claude Kirch in Dexter on the
it’s hard to mention them all.
Pulaski, NY 13142
Black River; and Henchen’s
The Black River and Bay area
(973) 670-3480
Marina, owned by John Killiare of the most frequented ar-
FISH
TAXIDERMY
WILL’S
38
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
fish to target in the Golden Crescent and its tributaries. Productive walleye and
northern pike set-ups can be
quite simple with patience
and persistence and not being
afraid to experiment. However, it is always important to
remember some main points
when fishing for walleye. Location is the key to success;
you need to be where the
fish ARE. This is especially
true of walleye because they
have a tendency to school so
tightly.
Secondly, make sure your
baits are in the range where
the fish are more active, and
present them with a lure that
they will respond to. Finally,
select a color that gives them
maximum visibility and adjust your speed to their feeding habits. Again – speed can
sometimes be determined
simply by watching your
turns to see if they prefer the
fast or slow side of the boat.
Keeping these tips in
mind, and with a solid effort,
hopefully they will help your
fishing
success;
especially if you’re just starting out.
Remember to have fun trying, and to take a kid fishing!
M
Capt.
Bob
Dick
owns and operates Moby Dick
Charters out of Henderson
Harbor, NY. Capt. Bob has
lived in and fished this area his
entire life, and is also a member
of New York State Outdoor
Writers’ Association
8:28 AM Page 1
BY MIKE SEYMOUR
Icing Yellow Perch
and Northern Pike
I
ce fishing remains a popular winter
pastime along Lake Ontario and the
St. Lawrence.
Ice
anglers have the
opportunity to pursue walleyes, pickerel, lake trout,
rainbow trout, brown trout,
crappies, bluegills, pumpkinseeds, and more.
Still,
the two most popular species
across the Lake Ontario region at this time of the year
are yellow perch and northern pike.
Perch and pike reign as
prince and king among ice
anglers, and rightfully so.
For one thing, productive waters for both species lie within a short drive
of most anglers.
For another, the
public docks and
boat launches at
such waters offer
easy access. Most importantly, however, might be the fact
that, unlike other species,
yellow perch and northern
pike remain active and catchable throughout the winter.
Hopefully, the following
information will make you
more perch-wise and pikewise when heading to the ice
this winter.
glers and are popular destinations winter after winter. Even individuals who are
unfamiliar with Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, or
other large bodies of water
can look at a chart and easily identify the big, protected bays that are the primary home of perch and pike at
this time of the year. Many
inland lakes are also good
bets, and when unfamiliar
with winter opportunities, a
phone call or an actual visit
to a local bait shop is an excellent method of identifying
WINTER PATTERNS
During the early-ice period, perch and pike will be
found
throughout
weedy
bays and along weedy shorelines. As winter progresses,
though, colder water temperatures, decreased light penetration, reduced oxygen level, and angling pressure result
in the majority of fish moving to deeper water. For the
best mid-winter results, anglers should concentrate their
efforts on deep-water weededges, deep-water flats, deep-
sets his or her five minnowbaited tip-ups for northern
pike, and then jigs for perch
in the remaining holes. In addition to the possibility of attracting northern pike, tipups also attract activity from
yellow perch that trip the flag
and run very little line off
the spool. This occurrence is
called a “perch flag” and is an
excellent way to locate a roaming school of perch. Such a
flag calls for the angler to remove the tip-up and do some
jigging in that hole until the
action slows, and the tip-up is
then reset.
Also, just
the opposite
scenario
occurs for anglers who are
jigging
for
perch. When the perch action suddenly ceases, the cause
may be that a northern pike
has moved into the area. In
such situations, anglers should
consider placing a minnowbaited tip-up, or utilizing their
pike-jigging setup in that hole
or a nearby one.
Ice anglers are encouraged to practice some
catch-and-release or to implement selective harvest
LOCATION
For the most part, prime
ice-fishing spots for perch
and pike are not well-guarded secrets as these locations
are well known among an-
potential waters.
Perch and pike thrive in
large bays and shallow-water lakes because of the extensive weed cover that offers
both cover and an abundance
of prey. Favorite locations for
the two species include the
outside weed-edge areas of
scattered weed growth, manmade channels through the
weed-beds, and other openings in the weeds. Flats adjacent to the weeds also hold
both species.
Other good
bets for pike are shoreline
drop-offs, nearby reef edges, and drop-offs outside the
weeds.
water points, and other deepwater structures– particularly
near the outer portions of bays.
As late winter approaches, yellow perch and northern
pike will again migrate to the
shallower, weedy areas where
the fish feed aggressively and
put themselves in position for
the approaching spawn that
will take place shortly after
ice-out.
SETTING UP
Traditionally, ice anglers
set up in a given area for the
day. After strategically drilling 10 or so holes, the angler
ACTIVE ANGLING
Just as open-water anglers rely on mobility to increase their fish catches, so, too
should ice anglers be active in
their ventures. The degree of
mobility, though, is directly
related to the presence of oth-
39
er anglers on the ice. By selecting areas with few anglers present or by fishing at low-pressure
times, anglers afford themselves
pose. Certainly the traditional,
wait-the-fish-out method catches winter perch and pike because both species are roamers by nature. Still, purposeful
mobility will produce the better
catches, day in and day out.
FEEDING BEHAVIORS
the opportunity to stay on the
move. Active angling calls for
fishers to routinely auger holes
throughout the day, to move inactive tip-ups to new locations,
and to go from hole to hole with
the jigging rod. Such activity can give clues to the best areas, structures, depths, bait size,
type of lure, presentation style
(subtle to aggressive) and more
for that particular day.
The key to mobility on the
ice is to not just move blindly,
but to move with a sense of pur-
40
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
Because yellow perch and
northern pike are sight feeders,
they do not feed at night. Instead, they are most active in
the morning and late afternoon
hours. These feeding patterns
are especially true for larger
fish. Unfortunately for anglers,
these times are also the coldest
ones of the day. More so than
their summer counterparts,
however, winter perch and pike
are fairly active throughout the
day.
Yellow perch are a bottom-oriented species, and the
most active fish are typically a few feet off the bottom, so
jigs should be presented within
three feet of the bottom. Perch
of a similar size tend to school
together, but it is worth noting
that a fresh grub at jig’s end often entices the larger perch in
the school to bite.
Northern pike may suspend, but they typically hold
near the bottom. Since a pike’s
eyes are positioned so that he
feeds best by attacking prey
above him, anglers should set
their baits three or so feet off
the bottom.
SELECTIVE HARVEST
Studies, as well as personal observations, have shown
that ice fishing can negatively
impact the fish population in a
given area. This is especially
true during early-ice and lateice, times when yellow perch
and northern pike congregate
in bays and along near-shore
structures and are susceptible
to over-fishing. As a result, ice
anglers are encouraged to practice some catch-and-release or
to implement selective harvest,
a practice where smaller fish are
kept for eating and larger ones
are released. Releasing large
perch and pike is a sound practice especially during late-ice,
a time when egg-laden females
are extremely vulnerable to angling pressure. M
Captain
Mike
Seymour is a licensed Coast
Guard and NYS guide who
has guided extensively on the
St. Lawrence River, Black Lake
and within western Alaska. He
is former president of the New
York State Outdoor Writers’
Association, and is an active
writer for many publications.
In addition to fishing the St.
Lawrence River, he is actively
fishing Lake Ontario, the
Adirondacks, and other waters
of the state. Contact him at
[email protected].
Calendar
TO HELP KEEP
YOU INFORMED
BY LOO STAFF
AND PREPARED FOR EVENTS DURING THE WINTER AND SPRING, WE ARE INCLUDING A CALENDAR FOR WINTER AND
EARLY SPRING. FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION AS THESE EVENTS APPROACH, PLEASE CHECK OUR WEBSITES:
WWW.LAKEONTARIOOUTDOORS.COM OR WWW.FISHNY.COM.
NORTHEASTERN SPORTS SHOW
WORLD FISHING & OUTDOOR EXPO
NORTHEAST OUTDOORS SHOW
PADDLEFEST CANOE & KAYAK EXPO
January 21 – 23, 2011
State Fairgrounds, Syracuse
(315) 824-3227
www.northeasternsportsshow.com
March 3 – 6, 2011
Rockland Community
College, Suffern
www.sportshows.com
March 19 – 20, 2011
Empire Plaza, Albany
(518) 383-6183
May 20 – 22, 2011
Old Forge, NY
(315) 369-6672
www.adirondackpaddlefest.
com
CENTRAL NEW YORK
SPORTSMAN’S SHOW
February 5, 2011
Kallet Civic Center, Oneida
(315) 363-1669
ADIRONDACK OUTDOORSMAN SHOW
February 19 – 20, 2011
Rt. 30A - North, Johnstown
(518) 725-5565
www.adkshow.com
ROCHESTER SPORTSMAN SHOW
March 4 – 6, 2011
Monroe County Fairgrounds
(413) 467-2071
www.rochestersportsmansexpo.com
WESTERN NEW YORK SPORT &
TRAVEL EXPO
March 10 – 13, 2011
Fairgrounds, Hamburg
www.sportandtravelexpo.com
NAPLES TROUT DERBY
April 1, 2011
Naples, NY/ Canandaigua
Lake
(518) 374-2782
ADIRONDACK FISHING EXPO
May 21 – 22, 2011
Old Forge Community Center
(315) 363-3896
www.nysohof.org
LAKE ONTARIO COUNTIES (LOC)
DERBY
NATIONAL LAKE TROUT DERBY
April 29 – May 8
Spring Derby throughout Lake
Ontario
888-733-5246
www.loc.org
May 28 – 29, 2011
Geneva, NY/ Seneca Lake
(315) 781-2195
www.laketroutderby.org
PHOTO CONTEST
1
Name: Andrew M. 5
Location: Lake Ontario
Notes: Andrew Molitoris and his father proudly show off
the King Salmon he caught in Lake Ontario this past July. Andrew used a spoon lure provided by T-Spoon Lures for being the 2009 LOO magazine grand prize winner.
3
Name: David T. 5
Location: Lake Ontario
Notes: Fishing with
High Adventure Sportfishing
2
3 Name: Bill B.
Location: Johnson Creek
Notes: Fall 2010
41
42
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
Toast and Roast
BY LOO STAFF
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE RECIPE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE?
PASS IT ALONG TO US AND WE WILL PUBLISH IT IN FUTURE ISSUES.
Salmon – Grilled
with orange &
mint
Walleye & Wine
INGREDIENTS: Eight – 6
oz. salmon fillets (with
skin on), 12 navel oranges,
1 c. red onion (chopped finely), 4 radishes
(sliced thin), 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. red pepper (crushed),
2 tbsp. vegetable or olive oil, 1/4 c. fresh mint (minced)
INGREDIENTS: Four skinless
walleye fillets. White wine of
your choice (perhaps medium dry
to medium sweet)
MARINADE: 1/4 c. white wine,
1/4 cup olive oil, 1 clove garlic
(diced), 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 1/4 crushed bay
leaf, 4 walleye fillets, 2 green peppers (thinly sliced),
2 medium onions (thinly sliced), 4 cherry tomatoes (quartered)
Place fish in marinade for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350
degrees. Place each fillet of marinated fish in piece of aluminum foil with onion & green pepper slices. Pour small
amount of marinade over fillets, top with tomatoes and completely enclose in foil.
* Can also be cooked on grill
heat over medium coals 20 – 30 min.
MountainAsh.qxd:MountainAsh.qxd 8/11/09 9:39 AM Page 1
Heat grill. Peel oranges, removing all white pith and cut
orange along the membranes, allowing section and juice to
fall into bowl. Stir in red onions, radishes, salt, and red pepper. Cover, and store at room temperature.
Brush vegetable or olive oil over rack. Brush salmon fillets with oil and season with salt and red pepper.
Grill salmon skin side up for 5 - 6 minutes, then
turn and grill other side for 3 – 4 minutes.
Stir mint into orange mixture. Arrange salmon (skin side
down) on large platter and top with orange and mint mixture and garnish with mint sprigs.
Dick & Lori Krebs
405 Weaver Road
Sandy Creek, NY
Home: 315-387-5562
Work: 315-298-6939
AND COUNTRY STORE
www.empireelk.com
[email protected]
ELK MEAT CUTS
Tenderloin (boneless) ...................................$21.00/lb.
Filet .................................................................$21.00/lb.
Delmonico Steaks .........................................$21.00/lb.
NY Strip ........................................................$21.00/lb.
Eye Round Steaks.........................................$17.00/lb.
Sirloin Steaks.................................................$15.00/lb.
Elk Sandwich Steak......................................$12.00/lb.
Roasts .............................................................$13.00/lb.
Elk Cubes .........................................................$8.50/lb.
Ground Burger Patties ...................................$6.50/lb.
Ground Burger................................................$6.00/lb.
Hot Sausage.....................................................$7.00/lb.
Bratwurst .........................................................$7.00/lb.
Elk Pepperoni..................................................$9.50/lb.
Elk Kielbasa ......................................................$9.50/lb
Elk Pepper Sticks ........................................$1.50/stick
24/case..................................................................$25.00
Presents
Future Angler and Hunter Outreach Weekend
on April 23, 2011
These events are to expose parents and their children to the joy of
outdoor sports, through fishing and spring youth turkey hunting.
Many children want to learn to hunt and fish and don’t always have
the resources to do so. Their parents may have never had those
resources or known how or where to find them. These events will
bring you and your child together with experienced outdoorsman.
This will be an opportunity for you and your child learn some basics
of how to fish or hunt. For more information please check out our
website below.
www.Shotsinc.Org
❤ EAT HEART SMART ❤
43
Curing Steelhead with
Pautzke Borx O Fire
BY BRIAN KELLY
W
h en winter steelhead season
sets in the Lake Ontario region,
hardcore anglers brave the
elements for the chance to tangle with a hard
charging steelhead. Since the water temps
are at their coldest point of the season, once
eager biting fish are now more lethargic which
requires a bait with strong scent properties to
draw strikes during this challenging period.
With the salmon run long over, the only
readily available fish eggs come from steelhead whose
eggs are in the “skein”, meaning they are immature
eggs that are still connected to the reproductive
organs. The eggs in this stage are packed with proteins
and enzymes that provide a powerful scent trail in
the water. The key to obtaining these eggs is to first
catch a female steelhead and gently remove the egg
skeins from the fish. Be sure to wipe as much blood
off the eggs as possible; it helps if you bleed any fish
that you intend to harvest immediately by cutting the
gills where the jaw connects to the body as this will
ensure that very little blood gets on the eggs when
you clean the fish. Once the eggs are clean, wrap them
in multiple layers of paper towel and keep them cool
until it is time to cure them. Do not leave them sit
for more than 24 hours as they will soften and break
during the process.
Before any cure touches the eggs, carefully scrape
the eggs loose from the skein. Lay the skeins flat with
the eggs exposed and lightly scrape along the skin
with a spoon to loosen the eggs. Repeat this process
44
SHOW 2011 ISSUE
until all the eggs are free. The eggs at this stage have
a high moisture content and need to be laid on dry
paper towel until they get “tacky” or sticky to the
touch. At this point, it is time to cure.
With the eggs spread out on a layer of paper towel,
sprinkle a light coating of the Borx O Fire cure on the
eggs. Then roll the eggs around to absorb the cure; be
sure to wear latex gloves when doing this step as to
avoid putting any unwanted scents on the eggs.
Once the eggs are thoroughly coated, place them
in the fridge uncovered for no more than 30 minutes.
This will help draw out any excess moisture and help
to firm up the eggs.
Once the eggs are ready, transfer them to a gallon
sized zip top bag and store them in the fridge till
you need to them. The longer the eggs sit in the cure,
the better as they will continue to absorb the Borx O
Fire cure. Eggs cured in this manner will last up 3
or 4 months in the fridge, then can be frozen and reused the next season. Give this simple cure a shot this
steelhead season and you will be putting more trophy
fish on the bank! M
Fat Nancy’s Tackle Shop
Cabelas.com
Cabelas
.com
All
Seasons
Sports
We guarantee You’ve never fished
SPAWN SACKS
LIKE THESE!
We engineered our
to be the
most complete egg cure ever. And did we succeed?
You be the judge: Spawn sacks cured in our killer new
borax-based cure milk out longer and better than any
cure on the market, and they fish far better than fresh,
uncured eggs. PAUTZKE pro-staffer Troy Creasy
says that
provides you the
“First drift, every drift” on Lake Ontario’s rivers!
CHECK OUT EXCLUSIVE CURING VIDEOS AND BLOGS FROM OUR PROS AT
www.pautzke.com
FOLLOW TEAM PAUTZKE ON FACEBOOK! DAILY UPDATES, VIDEOS,
BLOGS, PHOTOS AND TIPS!
45
!
W
E
N
NEW!
NEW!

Sodus Bay Ice Fishing - EZ

Transcription

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