Conference wahoo::fishing-v2

    
    
      We didnt have the best weekend of fishing but did ok i guess.
    saturday it poured rain so bad that we had to keep the bilge running
    just to stay ahead of the water build up.
    
     we got 1 laker over the slot limit and then the steering cable broke
    and I got that fixed enough to gimp in to the house. got home and
    called the marina and asked about the teleflex steering set up they
    said its $300.00 I said I will be right down for a new steering cable.
    
     I got the new cable and 2 hrs later I was back out on the lake, we got
    1 laker in the slot and a 4 lb COHO salmon.
    
     Sunday it was rough as heck we got 1 smallmouth 3.5 lbs and a brown
    then the wind changed out of the west and we headed in since the lake
    went from 2-3 ft rollers to 4 ft breakers. and the lake just got
    progressively worse throughout the day.
    
      temps were all over the place nothing really consistant, we had 68
    degrees down 90 foot in one place and then back to 50 degrees at 90
    
     all the fish came at 90 foot except for the bass it came at 85 foot 
    and all fish came between 100-200 foot.
    
      Lures were chart/green nk 28 and chart/orange/black evil eye, and
    a black and purple nk28 on a dipsy rig for the brown.
    
                                               till next trip
                                                   Lee
    

    
    
     Combined report today,
    
      tuesday we got 3 lakers, over 180 foot of water 110 foot down, all
    on chartruse & green NK28's....
    
    
     last night, went straight out to 200, scattered lures from 50-110
    marked alot of fish between 70-90 foot so I set both riggers at 90 and
    when we hit 250 foot of water we had a big school of fish and the we
    had on a salmon, a COHO about 4 lbs. then we went about a 1/4 mile and
    had a hit I picked up the pole and I could feel the fish throbbing and
    then slack then throbbing this went on a couple times then he turned
    and took off I got it stopped then it started criss crossing behind the
    boat and then he wrapped his tail around thedipsy rod line. and the
    fight was over and we got it to the boat and netted. it was a 16 lb
    king.
    
      Then we headed in and coming through the chanel this guy calls me and 
    said we are lost on the bay, were in a cove somewhere. I found him
    setting in a cove about 2 miles off course. so I took him back to the
    launch.
    
    
    
                                                Lee
    

	Lee

	Could you give me the details on this derby ?

	When is it and what are the prizes ?

	Also how to register

					Thanks
					 Jim

    
    
      Jim,
    
      The ESLO derby starts at 5 am Aug 17 runs untill 2PM? on sept 2.
    to register go to a tackle shop that has the reg. forms and fill it
    out. if the derby has already started you have to wait at least 1 night
    to regester a fish, ex; register at 6am saturday and you cant register
    a fish until sunday morning. this keeps people from going out catching
    a fish then come in register then go back out ride around then come
    back in 2 hrs later and weight in the fish.
    
         the grand prize for salmon is a 20 foot strato completely equiped,
    and cash, (more cash if you are in the cash bash)
       the largest brown trout wins a boat also, and the laker,steelies 
    catagories all win cash and merchandise for first places.
      All in all there is about 300,000 tied up in prizes for this event,
    they claim its the biggest derby in the U.S.A. 
    
        EVERYONE on the boat must be registered, no matter what age, and
    if you happen to get a fish registered be prepared to answer ALOT of 
    questions and also take a pollygraph test. they are very stringent on
    anyone registering a fish. also there is a minimum of 2 people per boat
    for witness perposes. and everyone on the boat will be talked to.
    
     
                                             Lee
     

I love fishing for boats.

I wish, I new sooner about this. I definitly would have planned on being there 
but I will be up the second week in Sept.

Is this held on the same week every year ?

So I can plan for next year.
 
                                                Thanks for the Info

							Jim

Good luck, hope you get the big one and win that boat.

    
    
    First off RE: last few, the cost to enter is $14.00, and $10.00 if you
    want to enter the cash bash. I would enter the cash bash so if you do 
    win the big boat you can use the cash money to pay the taxs on it..
    
    
     Last weekend the lake was unfishable both days, the lake finally laid
    down to 4 ft rollers about 5pm yesterday, we went out but didnt get any
    fish, marked lotsa bait and fish but just couldnt get one on.
    
     Saturday there was a charter boat out in 5-7 foot waves and took a
    good wave over the bow and it took his windshield out, nobody was hurt
    but I bet the Captain(?) thinks twice before heading out in waves like 
    that again!! Rollers that size arent bad but these waves had caps on
    them and they were very close together.
    
      I am really looking forward to the ESLO derby we plan on being out 
    every chance I can get. I spent most of the weekend working on the
    boat, replacing old worn out parts, and adjusting the carb and stuff
    cause the last thing I need is problems during the derby.
    
             well till next trip after the first weekend of the derby
    hopefully I will have a good story to write in here.
    
                                       Lee
    

    
    
    
       Well this had to be one of the worst weekends of the year for
    fishing yet, probably because of the derby. there were lots of boats
    lots of people and few fish being taken.
    
       We went to 200 foot of water sat morning, set up and 1.5 hrs later
    one  of the port downrigger rods bowed down and the reel started
    screaming, the fish went away from the boat then turned right around
    and came back and then the starboard rigger cable bowed out and then 
    the line went pow and he was gone!!!! I wasnt happy at all.
    
       The  lake was pretty rough all weekend except for the last 2-3 hrs 
    each day, yesterday we went out and only fished for 3 hrs in the
    morning and then the wind changed direction and picked up. we had one 
    damn scarry ride back to port. there were times when we went down
    between waves and couldnt see the top of the chimney bluffs and we were
    only in 40 foot of water!!!!!
    
       as of yesterday 33lb 6 oz king is leading the derby, and 17.? is
    leading the brown trout division. Laker 12.? and steelhead is 17.?
    
      The temps were rolled all over the place and the fish were way out 
    of temp ranges. we had 71 degrees down 90 foot  68 degrees at 100 to
    get to 55-60 degrees it was down at 125-140.  most of the fish that 
    were caught were between 80-120 foot, and J PLUGS seemed to be the 
    best producer for fish this weekend.
    
       And to cap of a poor weekend of fishing on saturday on my 2nd trip 
    out on the lake we passed a boat pulling in another boat we werent to
    close to it but I thought the boat did look familiar to me. Then while 
    we were out on the lake I heard the coast guard say they were gonna
    call off the search for weather reasons. Then this morning when I left
    for work Dewitts van was still at the state boat launch, I didnt think
    much of it because he goes out of sodus and drives up to his camp by
    lake all the time. Well shortly before I got to work I heard them
    talking about a wayne county man missing on lake ontario and it was 
    Dewitt, apparently he had motor trouble, swam to shore then tried to
    swim back out to his boat and didnt they havent found him yet, they
    did find his dog wondering around on the shore. 
    
    
       Well that will be all for now, maybe this week things will start
    turning around, after all it cant get much worse.
    
    
                                                    Lee
    

    I just have to enter this. I fished out of Oak Orchard Creek area (West
    of Rochester, N.Y. for those who don't know). Also had a lousy week.
    
    We managed to fish late Sunday Aug. 19th, -1-  12 Lb. steelhead
    
                            Monday Aug. 20th, winds N.E. about 20MPH with
    gusts to 30.
    
                            Tuesday Aug. 21st fished 2 hrs. in the morning
                                               1- steelhead -10lbs.
    
                                               1 -laker -14lbs.
    
                            1 King broke brand new 20lb. test mono.
    
    
                            Wednesday fog with visibility of 25 feet.
    
                                               1-Steelhead -8 lbs.
    
                            Thurs. winds S.W. 20-25 MPH   1 Laker 12 lbs.
    
    
        Water temps all over the place from 46 degrees to 78 degrees. I
    noticed that the charter captains were all over looking for the fish
    too. Late thursday, before the winds came up too much I noticed what I
    would consider a "rip" for lack of a better word where the wind was
    whipping up or boiling the water in a staggered line from east to west.
    Looked like there was a strong current there. Marked large amounts
    of bait fish and bigger fish all down this line. Wind got so strong I
    couldn't hold the boat in it unfortunately.
    
         Also might note when we were out on the water on Sunday the 19th,
    there was much chatter about a 23foot boat that went down to the bottom
    that morning. Here's the stupid part......2 adults 2 children and only
    2 lifejackets on board and none on the kids. People were picked up and
    from what I could gather, the boat's owner was still hearing about it
    from the USCG. It was a charter captain that picked them up.
    
         Oh well, here's to next years' trip.
    
                John

    
    
    
         Well Saturday morning we got up at 4:30 am, wind 10-15 from the
    N.E. , got the boat launched and my wife said she didnt want to go out 
    since its gonna be rogh on the lake. so the neighbor said he would go
    out. 
    
      We went to 90 foot of water set up and headed N.E. out to 150 turned 
    around and headed S.E. got to 105 and marked a big stack of kings down
    35-50 foot I looked back and the poles on the port side were bouncing 
    like heck and the downrigger was bouncing what I didnt know was we had 
    a fish on the starboard rigger and the other guy was daydreaming I
    jumped up grabbed the pole and the fish decided to make some distance 
    between us and he took off.
      I got everything cleared out of the way and we were into the battle,
    we ended up turning the boat and chaceing the fish, we finnally got the 
    fish to the boat, well it saw the net and took off again then it got
    about 30 yards behind the boat and would not come any closer so I said
    if he wont come  to us I will back right up to him! so I backed up past
    him and then put the big motor in neutral and let the kicker bring us
    back to the fish and when I got up beside it the battle was over and we
    had a 32 lb king on the deck of the boat. 
    
      Shortly after that we went back in because it was getting rougher, I 
    backed the boat up the driveway and Carol came out and asked if we did 
    any good, I told her to open the cooler, she did and she just about
    started to cry,  she would be leading the womans devision of the ESLO 
    derby right now if she would of went out for 2 hours!!!
    
      wqe went back out later sat. found the kings and I said we are gonna
    be here at daybreak tommorrow morning. went to 90 foot sunday set up, 
    I went back sat down and was right back up on a pole with a laker on.
    
     I put the pole back down turned around and heard ZZZZZZZIIIIIIINNNNGGG
    the starboard pole was bowed down and the reel was just screaming, I
    gave the pole to my wife and I cleared all the other stuff and we
    thought we were in the money 27 minutes later our hopes were diminished
    when we put it on the scale 26 lbs even. well we ran back in to set up 
    and go over that school of fish again  well there were 3 other boats 
    that saw us with that fish on and they came over and I said those fish
    are going to scatter. Sure enough they were gone. carol asked now what 
    I said with all the boats in less that 150 those fish are gonna go to
    200 foot or more, so thats where we went, I was showing themocline at
    48 foot so I dropped down 10 foot as son as we hit 105 foot of water we 
    had a fish on, put a 8 lb laker in the box. set the pole out again and 
    we went maybe 100 yrds and a pole slammed down and the music started
    again. the fish came straight up then did about 15 barrel rolls on the
    top of the water then it ran right to the boat. as it swam past the
    back of the boat I stuck the net down and it swam right into the net,
    it was a 14 lb king. we didnt stay out very much longer we went in to
    eat and everytime we got into fish within 15 minutes there would be
    10-20 boats around us.. one time this guy came in full speed shut down 
    right in front of us and started setting up my wife starts turning the 
    boat I said what are you doing she said turning away from this @##hole
    I said no you stay on course and I reached down into the tackle box and 
    got my knife out, she said now what are you doing? I said Im gonna add
    to my lure collection if we get this fools lines but we cleared his
    lines and after a few choice words we went back to fishing.
    
    all in all it was a good weekend for us on the lake we cant wait for
    this weekend I hope the lake is flat and the fishies are hungry.
    
    
                                                till the next trip
    
                                                        Lee
      

I'm coming up the 6 of Sept and will be there unitl the 11. I have a couple
of questions.

I'm think about bring my brothers boat. Just because it's 5 ft longer then 
my boat, which is 17' deep V and his is a 22' Cady. Do you think I should 
pull this larger boat all the way out there or will it even make a difference.
Another thing to consider is I'm coming out from N.H.

What speed are you tolling ? I know my 17' would be fine but the 22' may
be a bit to fast, it has a 165 Merc I/O.

The other thing is if I bring the 22'. We will sleep on it, is there a 
place around Sodus Bay that we can rent a slip, that has picket tables
near by that we could cook on Or should we just camp ?

Lee what were the kings taking ( J plugs still) ?

				Thanks for any info
					Jim

    
    
    Camping at SODUS BAY.....
    
    FYI you can get a room for $12.00 a night over the bar.  Call Ranger
    Ron for the details.  A great deal and clean to boot.
    
    TBDW (fishing for MARLIN from a 12 foot V hull of the coast of mexico
    in two weeks)

    Just got back from from what one baitshop owner called "pathetic"
    fishing. I was out with my good friend Jim Gaudet and skipper of
    the "Buck Sucker". We fished out of Fair Haven from Friday to Monday
    and taking only one lake trout!!!!!
    
    There were a few Kings taken, but with no consistency at all, some
    taken in 120'- 500' 40'-90' deep. We fished hard every day except
    Saturday, definitly too rough!, we lasted only a couple of hours. We
    towed around every lure we had, J-plugs, Rebels, Squids and the reli-
    able Black and rasberry Nk's producing nothing. It's been so slow that
    some of the local charter captains were cancelling trips Saturday and
    Sunday?........It wasn't a total loss I did end up with some Salmon,
    a retired friend of Jim's that lives on Sodus Bay was out Sunday Mor-
    ning, hooked on to a King in about 150' of water, his wife couldn't
    get the rod out of the holder, the fish took out 500' of line. He was
    using a J-plug with a dipsy 125' back. Awile later a 23lb king. He was
    kind enough to send me home with something.
    
    Lee, if your out this weekend, give the "Buck Sucker" a call, we tried
    getting you Sat. and Sun. without luck. We figured you were out there
    somwhere........Needless to say, it was my worst trip out so far!!!!!!
    Hope it picks up for anyone heading out this weekend.....I wish I could
    give another go......
    
    Doug
    

    
    
    Well the big weekend was a big flop, Thursday night we went out to
    cruise the lake, found our fish stacked up out on the 220 foot range,
    2 of our fishing groups had arrived by friday morning, we were on the 
    lake by 6:00 am in 200 foot of water.
    
      I set up and imediatly  started marking fish. then my wife say's FISH
    ON I grabbed the pole and I could feel the fish pounding then
    ziiinnnnggggggg, I hand the pole to her and then I tourqued all the
    other poles down, 10 minutes later she said he coming past the boat 
    NO HE WENT UNDER THE BOAT I grabbed the net and he popped up right
    behind the motor and it was too late for him he was already in the net.
    
      I saw the size of it and put it on the scale 35 POUNDS, well let me
    tell ya those other 3 poles were in the boat in about 1 minute and the 
    downriggers were up in a flash and we were motoring to the weigh in
    station.
    
       We get to the weight in station and I bring the cooler up to the
    scale and go in the building and there are 2 KIDS at the counter.....
    I told them I wanted to weight in my wifes fish for her, the one kid
    finally got off his butt to come outside and when I opened the cooler 
    my heart sank to my stomach, the fish had vomited in the cooler there
    were about 18-20 alwifes floatind in about 1" of water, I picked up the
    fish and put it on the scale 30 lbs......... My wife was really
    disappointed, I told her well next time I will stuff a rag down the
    fish's throat so they cant throw anything up. 
    
       Friday night northwoods Coots arrived, Saturday was a complete blow
    off, sunday morning was a blow off we got out 2:00 sunday did manage to 
    get into fish 3 kings 2 lakers, monday the lake was beautifull we
    fished a half day got 2 kings 3 lakers and 1 rainbow.
    
        everybody from my place had left by sunday morning  because of the 
    weather.
    
    

Well I'm back at work today after 4 days of fishing at Lake Ontario. Fishing
was very slow but we did get a nice King. It was caught by my bother on the
first day there (Saturday) at about Noon. I had said to him, "Lets pull up the 
lines and head in for lunch". He replied, "Lets Troll in". My reply was, 
"That the attitude" 5 minutes later we had a 33 lb King on.

It was caught in 165 ft of water, down 70 ft, with a NK 28 Silver/Purple.


That was about it. I caught one small Laker after that but we had a
great time. Sodus Bay was and excellent place and the people there were
some of the friendliest people I have ever met.


						Jim

    
    
    
    *****NEWS FLASH*******
    
    
       New York sate record for Chinook (king) salmon fell to a new record
    on Saturday september 7 1991. the new record caught by Kurt Killians of
    Berwick Pennsylvania, weighted in at 47lbs 13 ounces.
    
       The fish was caught in the salmon river, the Douglaston run hole, he
    used a spinning rod with a orange creasy's comet wet fly.
    
    
                                              Lee 
       who is still looking for that 48 lb king!!!!!!!!!
    
    

    
        Saturday morning I went out by myself (wife wouldnt get up) I went
    out to 120  set up went to 156 hit baitfish and went east, picked up 1 
    laker. ran out of bait and the talk on the radio the fishing was really
    slow. so I picked up and motored to 650 foot of water. I putted around
    and found fish, so I set up and 15 minutes later one rod popped up and
    then slammed down, and the reel started screaming. I got the pole and
    then I turned down the kicker, and hit the up buttons on the riggers I 
    got the other pole in and just left it in the rigger after about a 20
    minute fight I got the fish to the side of the boat I planned on
    hitting it with the billyclub then pick it up by hand, well I raised up
    with the club, well he must of seen me because he darted under the
    boat, then I heard a klunk and the kicker motor boounced up and the
    fish came up to the surface DEAD. I got the fish back to the side of
    the boat and reached down and picked up the king.
        The fish was 20-23 lbs and he was hit by the prop right between the 
    eye's. I reset and trolled for about another hour and then came in. my 
    wife was suprised that I got the king into the boat (I was too).
    
    
                                                         Lee
    

    
     Well last night I got home, shot some arrows, then decided to walk
    down to the dock and see if any bass had come into the shallow's. I
    didnt see one bass, but there were KINGS EVERYWHERE, well two minutes
    later I was back at the dock with salmon tackle.
    
      First 15-20 casts nothing, then a cast 1 twitch and ziiiiiiiinnnnngggg
    10 minutes later I net a 15 lb king. next cast 1 twitch  " " " " "  " "
    another king bigger yet, well after 1 leap of about 5 foot and 3 end
    over end summersaults he spit the hook! bummer oh well had a fun couple
    minutes anyway. by then it was getting pretty dark so I walked back up 
    to the house with pole in one hand and fih in other hand.
    
       There were king everywhere, they were jumping all over the place,
    I couldnt even sleep last night, and I walked down there this morning
    and I almost called off but the other guy is out today...I hope they
    are still there tonight!!!
    
                                                    Lee
    
    

     Are these pre-spawn fish that will be heading for a nearby creek to
    have sex and die, or do you think these fish are immature ? What I mean
    is, do Kings always hit the shoreline like that in the Fall ? Since
    they'll still strike, it sounds like I may have missed out on some
    great shoreline fishing while the rest of the world is clogging up the
    Salmon River and its tributaries...
    
    --The Skoal Bandit

    Lee, mind if I butt in here?
    
    All salmonids are visiting closer to shore these days now that our
    northern lakes have turned over. I'm not up on king reproduction, so I
    can't comment on your first question, but I can testify that both trout
    and salmon are being seen in shallower water these days, and not always
    where a nearby inlet stream runs in.
    
    FWIW
    
    John H-C

    
    Skoal bandit,
    
        I would have to say that it was a sight every fisherperson should
    see at least once in their lives as far as freshwater fish you cant
    imagine a a fish with that kind of power.
    
        This is the natural spawning run of the salmon, there are 2 creeks
    in sodus bay, one is about 200 yrds from my house, the other is on the
    other side of the bay. there is also Maxwell creek just west of sodus
    point, but its blocked off by gravel and sand, no water outlet there.
    
        The kings are released in numerous streams throughout NY state,
    they venture out to the big lake and spend their entire life there,
    some fish return in 3 years (called jacks) the others return in 4 years
    most of the salmon will return to their mother stream. they do this by
    the smell of the water.
        The question about the fish being right up on shore is because the
    shallow water cools alot faster than deep water, since the bay is
    shallow for the most part the water is really cooled off, so it acts
    like a magnet.
       When the fish start the spawning run they turn black, their jaw
    kipes (hooks) which is the reason people say they dont eat, its because
    they cant close their mouth all the way. the fish go up the stream as
    far as they can get or are allowed to go, the female drops her eggs and
    then the male comes in and releases sperm on the eggs, after that the
    fish dies and becomes the next cycle of the eco chain.
       What most people dont realise is late oct-early nov is the best
    steelie fishing times, the steelies will follow the kings right up the
    rivers and feed on the floating eggs, after all thats what us later
    winter steelie fisherman use....egg sacks from kings.
    
        I wish I had a camcorder to tape theese fish for people who cant
    get out here in the fall to see this place, If you want to see some
    place really fenominal go see the ALTMAR fish hatchery on the salmon
    river, to see these fish climb a fish ladder is unbelievable!!!
    
       Bandit, You wouldnt catch me fishing the salmon river this time of
    year no how no way never!!!!!!! them snaggers are nuts, shoulder to
    shoulder bothsides of the river throwing 8-10 oz lead weighted treble
    hooks at each other, this isnt my idea of fishing!!!!! although I have
    sat in the car and watch some good fist fights(better than a tyson
    fight) these guys are unreal. not to mention the people who loose eye
    sight from being hit with one of those treble hooks.
    
        The pulaski chamber of comerce has a lawsuit filed against the
    state of NY over the banning of snagging in the salmon river, I cant
    believe a town is trying to fight a state agencie in state courts, they 
    claim its going to cripple the economy in pulaski, it will hurt it but
    I dont think its gonna cripple it that bad. I for one am not totally 
    for snagging or totally against it but I think it needs to be better 
    controlled, and I could live with it if you were only alowed to single
    hook snag, let a guy work for his fish, and give the fish a chance.
    
    
                               Well thats it for now.
                                         Lee
           

     Lee ... I agree with you 100%.. As a Steelhead Fisherman for almost
    15 years in the Pulaski and Oswego area, I can honestly say that
    the method of taking Pacific Salmon above the RT48 bridge in Pulaski
    is ridiculous. At times the fish do not have any chance at all.
    There are so many people raking the river with snatch hooks that
    it's impossible for the fish to get by without being caught or at
    least ripped up. Some people don't even seem to care that trophy
    Brown Trout are trying to spawn at the same time,along with Steelhead
    migrating in to feed on the roe.
         I've seen salmon literally butchered in the Oswego River just
    below the dam.
         I am however, a firm believer that a certain amount of Pacific
    Salmon must be harvested. I sat in on a survey conducted by Syracuse
    University a couple of years ago, and my imput to them was to allow
    what I call blind snatching with 1 single hook only. I have tried
    this method some years ago with moderate sucess,but I've seen guys
    that had this method down pat, they were EXTREMELY effective.
         A certain amount of people are going to snag no matter what.
    They not only snag Salmon, but Browns and Steelies,as well. My fishing
    partner and I call them meat hunters. You'd be surprised how fast
    the fishing pressure drops off once the legal snagging season is
    over.
         I do think that in years to come, you'll see changes in the
    Tributaries of Lake Ontario. With the emergence of the Skamania
    (summer run) Steelhead, the Atlantic Salman ,and "World Class"             
    Brown Trout fishery, these fish MUST be protected even if it means
    sacrificing some of the Pacific Salmon fishery.
         Well that's my $.02 worth for now..
    
                                                          Steve
    
           "STEELHEAD FEVER"  ...................CATCH IT !!!!!!!!!!
     

    
    
       Well I got my crawdad out last night and headed over to my favorite 
    spot, my wife said she would go along to watch, well after about 20
    casts I felt a bump...hookset...gone same on the next 3 cast's.
    
       Then I saw one jump cast right in front of it gave the lure a twitch
    and zzziiiiiinnnnngggg, my wife says you got one? I said no its seaweed
    thats pulling us around like we are on a water ski.
    
       I fought back and forth with him and after many jumps the fish came
    right towards the boat, I could see the line and I could see the fish 
    coming up quick and it jumped to our eye level, well my wife about fell
    out of the boat it scared her so bad and she didnt enjoy the splash
    either. well this fish decided he was gonna tow us out into the bay!!!
    I couldnt stop it then it found a pier and it was all over so I tied on
    another lure and continued fishing till the lightning started then we
    headed for home.
     
         Two hours after we got home my wife was still shaking from that
    fish. she has seen them jumping before but has never been right in the 
    middle of them like that. we had a couple fish porpise within 10 foot
    of the boat.
    
    
                                                  Lee
                                         I will be there again tonight!!
    
    

    Lee, make my day!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    Hey, save some for me.  Talk to ya this weekend.
    
    Gone fishin

    
    
       RE:22,
         Steve,
    
       I wholeheartedly agree that they need to harvest some of the running
    salmon, but blind snatching isnt the way to do it!!!! I could live with 
    single hook snagging but only to a certain limit.
    
      I would love to see NY do what PA does with spawning salmon, the
    state gets them and cleans them and then gives the meat to the needy
    families, last year PA fish commission gave 500 needy families salmon!
    what really urks me is some of the people out there snagging salmon
    dont even eat them... last year I found 5 dead salmon in a plastic bag 
    at the twin pines campground, every  one of them had been snagged!!!!
    these guys go out snag'em take pictures and then toss them in the weeds
    and these people will go home and show pictures and say look at what I
    got., this happens more than people think.
    
    
                                    well thats it for now.
    
                                               Lee
    

    Exactly !!   I've seen guys snag salmon, rip them open to extract
    the eggs, (which are sold @$.89 lb.) and then tossed into the woods!
    
    Once when I was a novice up there, I was in the process of releasing
    a nice hen Brown Trout (caught legally),when 2 guys came up to me
    and asked if they could have the eggs from the hen. I asked if they
    could get the eggs without hurting the fish? They said SURE!! Oh
    Yea!! Then they commenced to squeeze the living shit out of the
    fish! Then they had enough nerve to give the fish back to me to
    release ! I did, and she went belly up right away........
    
    Since then, I release 95% of all my Steelhead and Brown Trout,and
    I am very reluctant to give any fish away on the water.
    
    That's only one of many stories I could tell !
    
                                                        Later,
                                                        Steve

    What do they do with the eggs?
    
    	-Sell them with borax for steelhead bait?
    
    	-Put them in little bottles that say "Putzsky's"?
    
    	-Eat them?

    Most bait and tackle shops in the area cure their own eggs. They
    then tie up egg sacks and sell them for about $3.00 for 20-24 sacks!
    Very big business...theses eggs sacks !!
                                                        Later,
                                                        Steve

    
    
        Well I ventured on my first of many trips for the year on Friday,
    Tom, Linda (toms wife), Carol ( my wife) and myself embarked on a
    steelie trip on the oswego river.
      
         we arrived at oswego being greeted by 30 mph wind, snow, and 18
    degree weather, just what every steelie fisherman expects. there were
    a good number of people fishing. 
     
        We walked up to the power dam and comenced to fishing, then one guy
    beside us hooks up with a decent fish, well after 5 minutes he thinks
    its ready to be netted, he didnt have a net, so I lean down with my net 
    and I see the hook right in the belly of a 12 + lb walleye, I told the
    guy just pull up and break the leader off you have to let it go its
    foul hooked, I wouldnt net it, well his buddy goes and gets a net from 
    another guy and they get the ifsh in the net and throw it on the bank!
       then there is comotion on the other side of us another guy hooked up
    a nice steelie, from the same group of people, he works the fish right
    over to us and they net it, its also hooked in the stomach! it lands
    right beside the walleye! 
      
          By this time I am really P OED , I told Tom that I was moving
    downstream before we end up in a fist fight, we walked down to the
    Utica st bridge, tom said he was going to float an egg sack in the
    rapids, I said  I am gonna go down to the bridge and float in that nice
    hole thats there.
    
        I stood on the bridge abuttment and casted up stream, started my
    float as I felt the sinker bounceing on bottom then stop, I picked up
    the rod tip and it started bouncing again, then bump bump bump, wammmmm
    zzzzzziiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggg, FISH ON !   now I am screwed
    I am standing on the bridge abuttment and there is 3 cement support
    collums keeping me where I stand, well the fish is heading for the
    other side of the world and I decide to try and walk the 4 inch ledge 
    to get down on the river bank so I can try to control the fish.
    
       I must of been a sight for the people in the resteraunt, well I made
    it to the riverbank without falling off the ledge and into the water,
    by now the fish is going downstream, I got her turned and I look up and
    tom is walking down the walkway towards me, I hollar get the net, he
    takes off running and gets to where I am and we finally get a good look 
    at her a 25 inch 10 + lb brown, I get the fish in where tom can net
    her and the fight is over.
    
        We were hopeing for a nice brown full of eggs but she had already 
    dropped so we didnt get to tie any fresh egg sacks. that was the only
    fish of the day, the fishing was slow on the oswego river. we cooked
    some of the brown and ya didnt even have to chew it, it just melted in
    your mouth.
    
        Tackle used : 6 ft light action uglystick, ryobi shimano ultralight
    reel, 4 lb test.
    
         Nothing like taking strong, heavy fish on super lite tackle, I
    love the unnerving feeling.
    
                                  till next trip,
    
                                           Lee
    

    
    
       Well I guess tommorrow morning is the true start to Lake O fishing
    th ESLO derby starts, I went out sunday, the neighbors grandson wanted
    to go along., well it was his first trip and last trip with me.
    
        To start off I asked him to hold the boat at the dock till I could
    get the boat tied up, well he was so worried about getting in the boat 
    that when I pulled up he jumped in. the side of the boat went down and
    on the way back up the downrigger hit the dock splitting the motor
    housing quite nicely!
    
         After fishing for an hour without a hit I decided to change a
    couple lures, I said stay on this course, well after I tripped the
    first rod out of the side planner I started reeling in the line and I 
    looked down and there was my tow line under the boat!!!! I look at him 
    and hes looking out the side window not even paying attention to what 
    the heck is going on! it took me almost 25 minutes to untangle the
    mess!
       and if all that wasnt good enough when we came back into the dock I 
    specifically told him, keep the front and back of the boat out from the 
    dock until I can get the boat secured, well I pull up and whats he do
    jumps up on the dock and pulls the boat in with his feet and again
    before I can get ahold of the dock snap went the new loran antenna!!
    
       All in all the day sucked big time! the fishing has been very poor,
    the weather has been terible, and the outlook for the weekend is not
    what you would look forward too. the rest of sunday and monday was
    spent repairing the damages., I havent had a chance to try things out
    this week so I will know tommorrow morning if I get to fish or not.
    
      I hope to have a good report to put in here on monday, I wouldnt mind 
    either one of the grand prise packages, all total there is an estimated
    $197,000.00 in cash and merchandise up for grabs in the spring derby
    this year!.
    
                                                  Lee
    

Lee,

Did the kid have antlers? Sounds like one of those skits they put 
together on televisions' Funniest Home Videos show. He could have
been the Jackalope himself.

	Steve

    How old was this kid?  Sounds like he would make great chum.
    
    Jeff

    The Grandson From Hell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    Don't forget the trip report.
    
    Gone fishin

    
        Well guys this last weekend was one of the worst derbies in the
    past 16 years---- for the areas EAST of rochester.
    
          We fished a total of about 22 hours for 2 knock offs, Saturday I
    talked to the D.E.C. at the coast guard station, they were checking
    boats coming in the channel, 77 boats came in and a total of 9 fish!!!
    
        there is absolutly no bait to be found! the bait hasnt made it to
    the sodus point area yet, I was everywhere from 5 foot of water to 350
    foot of water and only saw 1 school of baitfish and it was mighty small
    at that.
    
      the winning salmon weighed in at 26 lbs from the Niagra bar.
      the winning brown  weighed in at 20 lbs from sodus point.
    
      so all in all I would suggest that before anyone ventures out here in
    the next week or so CALL before you leave. the charter captains are
    cancelling their trips until the fishing picks up.
    
    
          I am gonna wait for the bait to show up before I go out anymore
    I cant see burning all that gas for nothing. and I got enough stuff to 
    do around the house before the fishing gets good.
    
                                 till next time
    
                                        Lee
    

    
    
       Well what a change in fishing on the big O, we had an excellent
    weekend. saturday I went out with 2 friends from NH, when it came to my 
    turn I said you guys drove out all this way to fish you are gonna fish.
        We ended up with around 10 fish on and boated 6 or 7, 5 or 6
    steelies and 1 hog laker. all fish came off side planners on orange
    bombers, in 190-400 foot of water, 1 steelie went close to 12 lbs
    caught him on the warm side of a scum line 50.3 degrees on one side
    40.4 degrees on the other.
         Sunday morning I went out with Diamond J charters, free trip for 
    working on his boat the weekend before., the fog was so thick
    visibility was about 50 yards, got out to 180 foot of water and for the 
    5 hours we fished it was great we had on 17 fish, I got a 14 lb king
    and a 6 lb coho, I had more fun watching Jim and John catch fish than I
    did catching my fish. those guys were wild to go out with. we had 3
    steelies over 10 lbs break us off they rolled on the line. the king I 
    caught bit the orange bomber in half!!! we couldnt believe it I never 
    saw a fish do that before, thank god he had the front hooks in his
    mouth too.
      
         if any of you want to do weekend charters he is a very decent
    charter captain, he does put alot of fish in the boat. if any of you
    want information on him you can contact me via mail at UNYEM::GEIBELL
    and I will gladly send you his number.
    
                                                              Lee
    

    
    
    
       well sunday I was out again with diamond J charters, I had to work
    saturday so I couldnt get out with them on saturday. sunday morning we
    had winds 15-20 mph from the south, we ran out to 100 foot of water set
    up and headed north east. when we hit 160 foot we had on a nice steelie
    and lost it within about a minute. 
      
         we went to 260 foot of water out there we had 4 foot rollers, we
    trolled north and south all morning we had 12 fish on and boated 4,
    with the waves it was a real bear to try to get fish to the boat and if
    we got them to the boat it wasnt any easier to net them.
    
       all the fish came on orange bombers, clown bombers, and red G.P.
    small spoons.  11 fish came off the side planners, 1 fish came off the 
    downrigger 12 feet down.
    
      We had a good storm last night, hopefully it churned up the lake and
    brought the cold water in, there was tons of bait every where yesterday
    if we have the bait scattered maybe the browns will move back in.
    
                                            till next week
    
                                                          Lee
     

    This isn't a trip report, but I can't think of a better place to put
    it.
    
    I've just made reservations to take my family camping at Southwick's
    Beach on the east side of Lake Ontario, during the first week of
    August.  Can anyone give me some information about what I can expect
    for fishing in that area at that time of year (or pointers to spots
    close by that would be worth trying out).  I've got a 15 ft canoe that
    I expect to bring with me, so I don't expect to be able to get near any
    of those 20 lb Salmon that you guys are talking about 8^(.
    
    
    Thanks
    

    
    
       re last: 
         Sandy creek is not far from southwick beach, there is some good
    fishing from there, also just west on route 3 is sandy pond, also a
    good place to try.
         in a canoe I would be very carefull out on the lake, if you have a
    nice calm evening I wouldnt be afraid to venture out along the shore
    line for small mouth bass, northern pike, walleye, and perch, and maybe 
    even a salmoniod species (depending on how the weather is).
    
         Thats about all I can remamber about that area, its been a few
    years since I stomped those grounds, but I will say that there is some
    really beautifull country up that way.
    
         If you are really ambitious you can drive up to dexter (15-20miles)
     the black river is loaded with bass, northern's, walleye, and perch. I
    have fished this river and there is a good reason for being called the
    black river, the water is black as coal, its fine but the water is just
    black.
    
                                     Thats it for now.
    
                                                 Lee
    

    
    
    
      Last weekend report:
    
          we had to run out to 400 + foot of water on saturday, had on lots
    of fish, got 2, 8 + lb steelies in the boat. we had alot of trouble
    keeping fish on when we hooked up, we were using red G.P. lures with
    single hooks, and all the steelies kept to their reputation of spending
    more time out of the water than in the water.
    
        All the fish came on red G.P. lures , orange bombers with silver
    tape on the sides. 
    
         Sunday was a total blow off, 6-9 footers on the lake., monday was 
    rough too 2-4 footers braking and short. we only got to fish 1 day.
    
                                                     Lee
    

    
    
    
    
        fishing was real slow this last weekend, on sat I was out by myself
    started in 20 foot of water, had a fish on within 20 minutes, lost it
    within 1 minute, then had 1 rip a line of the planer board, I grabbed
    the pole and I could feel a heavy fish, zinnggg it took right off and I
    thought I had a small king on after a 10 minute battle I got the fish
    in the net a 14 lb hen brown trout. 
       after that I had on 3 other fish that i couldnt net, all browns.
    sunday we went out and first thing right off the bat we had a charter
    boat just about run us over! he did manage to take all our lines off
    the port side planer board. we were yanking the board in by hand so he
    wouldnt take the boom off the boat also.  We did get the name off the 
    boat and I found out where he is docked at so this guy is going to get
    a serious talking to. we could see him when he was headed for us and he
    was looking out the BACK of the boat at another boat and he was under 
    full power! after wards when you calm down enough to think about what 
    the end result could of been it really scares you, if he wouldnt have 
    turned when he did he would of ran right into the stern of our boat!
        We ended up with 1 brown and lost 2, and we also got a carp 15
    feet down on a chartruse and orange stinger. that was a riot.
    
                                                      Lee
    
                    
                

    
        Well it was another kinda slow weekend, saturday we started off in 
    25 fooot of water popped 3 browns right away then things just shut down 
    so I figured if I am gonna burn gas trolling I might as well do it out
    deeper and might just luck into a nice fish.
       we headed out to deeper water the temps just kept getting better we
    got to 120 and we had a fish on (when it hit the pole snapped so loud I
    thought someone shot a 22 rifle) anyways carol finally got the fish to 
    the boat a nice 6 lb rainbow. I put out a magnum stinger and reset
    poles, 2 minutes later we had another fish on on the mag stinger I got
    it up to the back of the boat it was a 5 inch steelie! he went back
    after that we got 3 more steelies 6 - 10 lbs.
    
        Sunday we took the asst. fire cheifs boy with us, we set up in 20
    foot of water, I put one rigger down, went over to the other rigger and 
    as I was running the lure out I looked over and the other rigger had a 
    fish on, lost that fish, got all the lines set, took over driving, 2
    minutes later we had a fish take a line off the side planer a nice
    brown, then another one off the boards. we then had a 2 hour dry spell
    so I said we will go in hit the shore 1 more time and then move to
    deeper water, we went into 10-20 foot of water and in 2 hours we had on 
    15 fish and boated 7 of them. for the first time ever fishing Mike did
    have alot of fun, he was jabbering the whole time.
    
    
                                            till next time
    
                                                    Lee
    

Well it looks like I will be heading for Lake Ontario in the beginning of
August. I was hoping to be there in July but there is no way. Anyone else
planning a trip up in the next month or so ?

I would like to find a nice Navigational Map of the lake. Does anyone know
where I could write to ?

Ideas on what mite be hiting around this time ?

Lee, how is it going ? I didn't see your report this week.


                        Thanks
                         Jim

[

    
    
       Jim,
    
       howdy, I was begining to wonder if you were coming out over the 4th
    and I was begining to worry since I have 4 boats and a dozen people
    already sceduled to come in.
    
       I would venture to guess that the kings will be hit-n-miss, lakers 
    should be around though. I would concentrate on NK 28 spoons (which I
    wont have to tell you brother since thats what he got his king on last
    year). 
        the fishing has been off and on all year, 1 day you catch them in
    20 foot of water next day they are out in 300 foot! alot of people are 
    disgusted with it. 
       
        We can discuss the trip more as the time draws near for more
    acurate info.
    
      Last weekend I worked an inventory Saturday so I didnt fish and
    neither did anyone else in sodus point 6-9 footers! 
     sunday we went to 80 foot set up got pushed deeper to 155, and we had
    marked fish and bait down 85 feet and we had 55.2 on the surface! what
    the heck run a rigger down and see whats there, 3 minutes later wham a 
    6 lb brown from 85 ft. now I am really curious what the temp is hook up 
    the probe send it down 52.4 at 85 feet! 
      for the next 4 hours we boated 10 fish and kept 8, threw 2 lakers
    back one was 12.5 lbs 29 & 3/4 " with a pinched tail! we were listening
    to everyone on the radio and people were complaining about the poor
    fishing and we were haveing a good time and there wasnt a soul around
    us! I love it when that happens especially when you get back to the
    dock and theres 6 other boats there and they ask if we did any good and
    I say we got 10 fish and they look at you like your nuts so I reach
    over open the cooler and their jaw just drops.
    
    
                                Well till next trip 
    
                                                Lee
    

Thanks for the report Lee and I will be talking to you. May I should just pack
the trailer and have you give me a call when there hitting. I can be
there in 7 hours.


				Jim

    
    Re  >42
    
    See Note 180.5
    
    Dick
    

    Just got back from a week on the Big Lake.  Like Lee said, fishing was
    spotty.  First day the waves were so big we never even took the boat
    off the trailer.  The weather did get better as the week went on.
    Friday was the best day of the week as the lake was flat, quite a
    site to see.  We did manage to catch some fish every time out, but
    we really had to work for them.  The catch consisted of some nice
    4-5 pound rainbows, smallies averaging 2 1/2, a coho about 4 1/2
    and finally a small king, about 6, on the last day.  With about an
    hour to go before we had to leave I hooked a nice king.  He peeled
    a bunch of drag, then went right to the surface.  He ended up mashing
    the hook on my lure, then spit it at me - heartbreak!!!
    Thanks to Lee for all the advice and for showing us the "secret"
    honey hole on Saturday  :*)
    Looking forward to the next trip, hopefully in Sept. for some of those
    monster kings.  Can you say addiction?   :*)
    
    Gone fishin
    Gaff

    
    
        Well brian at least you got the feel of an early summer king, we
    ended up the day with 5 fish, and we fished till 5 pm! we went back
    into 100-150 foot of water we had fish and bait all over the screen but
    we couldnt get a fish to hit for nothin.
    
      Sunday morning we went to 100 foot set up and popped a steelie down
    60 foot. 15 minutes later I had a screamer on, finally got it to the
    boat a 22 lb king, that fish came off the boards, then we hit a laker 
    80 foot down. then for the next 3 hours we watched poles!
    
       It got so nice out yesterday that my wife wanted to go out so I
    could fish and she could sun, sounded good to me, unloaded the boat
    parked the truck at the house started up the motor left the dock and 
    started pulling away from the dock and ended the trip right there!
     Ya know when a piston shatters it makes a one nasty sound and your
    heart sinks to your stomach. so my boat is gonna be setting for now if
    I can find a piston and set of rings I am gonna work on it this week
    maybe even take thursday off and work on it till its done so I will
    have it for the weekend.
    
                               Well till next time.
    
                                             Lee
    
    P.S. brian what did you think of the storm when we were leaving and 
    we get out to 500 foot of water and the sky was blue and the sun was
    out.  and did you have trouble with your loran and compass from the
    lighting?
    
    
    

    Now that you mention it, we were having big time trouble with the 
    loran/fishfinder.  I didn't put 2 and 2 together until you mentioned
    it.  Boy, did it ever rain coming home though NY, Holyoke got 2 feet
    of hail.  I'm sure glad we got off the water when we did!
    What do you think about replacing some of the weaker treble hooks
    with quality single hooks?  Less hookups maybe? 
    
    
    Gone fishin
    Gaff

    
    
     I like the good stainless hooks like the ones on the NK 28's, I was 
     not a big fan of single hooks on lures., if the hooks seem weak when I 
    check them with a pair of pliars I will replace them with higher
    quality hooks.  but some of the big kings will still bend the NK hooks
    also.
    
    
       What did that king hit? and if you remember how far down. the reason 
    I ask is we had some really interesting temps down. 
        saturday -  surface temp        ft down            temp
                       61.2               50                61.1
                       61.2               60                59.6
                       61.2               70                58.4
                       61.2               80                58.1
                       61.2               90                56.3
                       61.2               100               55.7
                       61.2               110               50.2
    
       Sunday    -     57.5               60                59.8
                        "                 70                58.3
                        "                 90                57.6
                        "                 110               56.1
     
        after seeing the temps its no wonder the fish are screwed up!
    
    
                                                           Lee
    

    Looks like a very recent turnover to me, Lee. Was the recent storm the
    first big one of the season? Those were indeed some very interested
    temperature readings. (But, are you *sure* the fish were all screwed
    up? I mean, maybe they just haven't figured out when they're supposed
    to hit your lurees. <grin>
    
    John H-C

    They hit on the same lure I took the coho with, you know the one you
    laughed at, a silver Mooseluck Wobbler.  They came of the boards,
    just under the surface with one piece of split shot.  Now, don't 
    you go telling everyone about that lure, I want it to still work
    next time I get back up there  :*)

    
    
       Brian,
    
      well if the lure works for you then use the bugger, now I know why
    you asked about the hooks. 
    
        John, we had a good wind on sat & sunday, so that is the reason for
    the temps rolling around, but its just phenominal at what that amount
    of water does and how quick it does it.
    
                                  lee
    

    
      Well this is a combo report,
    
        friday 7/3 -  3 for 3   from 6 - 10am lightning at 10 am 40 mph
    back to the dock.  I went to alexanders bay for new crank for my boat
    motor, by 12:30 am motor back together.
    
       sat 7/4 - charter trip, 3 for 7 ,a laker steelie coho nothing great,
       sun 7/5 -   "      "  1/2 day for free because of the sat trip,3 for 
    4, we set up and in 20 minutes there was a nasty storm closeing in on
    us fast, we could not go in so we turned north and got away from it as
    I was watching the graph a 4 big hooks came across and I said to jim
    look at the kings at 45 feet and wham zzzzzzzzzziiiiiiiiinnnnnnggggggg
    fish on 20 minutes later a 24 lb king is laying at scotts feet, 10
    minutes later crrrraaaackkkkkkk we hit a king with a dipsy off the
    outrigger, lost it about 10 minutes into the battle. we then got 3
    lakers and a steelie. so the guys were really happy by the end of the
    day.   me too I finally got around to finishing my motor and am happy 
    to say that I now have a fully operationable motor again.
     
       sat 7-11 -  rough sea's 3-5 footers the party still wanted to fish
    we all got pounded for 10 hrs for 4 fish, they kept saying that they 
    didnt mind the rough water.
       sun 7-12 -  flat calm not even a ripple, once we got to 280 foot we 
    banged a 8 lb laker, put the pole back down, go over to the other
    rigger to change a lure and the other pole snaps up then a 10 lb
    steelie is showing off got him in and we turned circled back over the 
    waypoint and at the same time we hit the waypoint I saw a fish right
    between the downrigger balls on the graph, the starboard #2 rigger is 
    bouncing like heck, well it then quit then it started bouncing again, I 
    said snap # 4 out there has to be a fish there, sure enough linda lands 
    a 10 lb brown. 
    
        Well that was about all that was going on, the fishing has been
    VERY SLOW, we have been haveing alot of winds, there is vertually  no 
    thermocline set up as of yet, the bait is way out of temp 40.7 degrees
    this weekend, the closest fish we got to temp was a laker down 89 feet
    in 57.8 degree water. all the other fish came in 60+ degree water.
    
                                                     Lee
      

       Can anyone help me out with a weather report for this sat july 18th
     Im going to lake ontario (Mexico bay ) sat and Ive been hearing that
     bad weather is predicted,also,hows fishin been there in general
    latley?    thank you
                         Frank Ritchotte

    
       I had last thu + fri off, so thursday my wife and I went out
    fishing, we stopped and set up in 120 foot of water headed NW since
    the screen was blank.
      we hit 250 foot of water and started marking fish, about that time 
    ziiinnnnnnggggg fish on.. I looked at carol and said are you gonna get 
    that fish, she said no so I go back pick up the pole and then carol
    asked want me to bring it in, want me to bring it in. so I hand the
    pole to her, I then netted a nice steelie.
      I brought the riggers up to 54 and 62 feet, about the same time we
    got fogged in bad, visibility was about 50 feet! well for the next half
    hour we had 7 fish on and boated 3, then the fog lifted and a half hour
    later the fog returned, and we had on 4 more fish and boated 1. the
    best fish was during the second fog in, I was looking at the graph and
    loran, and carol said look at that pretty fish jumping behind the boat 
    so I turn around and #2 pole is straight up in the rigger, we did end
    up getting that fish in the boat, a 10 lb steelie.
    
       over all we had a great time for about 4 hours, although the wife
    was not too thrilled about the fog. but as I told her we have the loran
    and besides the fog isnt gonna last, and at least the other boats wont 
    see us haveing all these fish on,  so we wont have any company. and
    after the fog lifted, we had about 10 boats come in to the area we were
    working and the fish got lock jaw and disapeared.
    
    
       I spent the rest of the weekend in Pa. putting a roof on moms house,
    sunday when I returned I kinda wished I would of stayed in Pa, we had
    got almost 6" of rain in 1 hour in sodus point friday evening, it wasnt
    a pretty sight to return too., my driveway was wrecked, there was mud
    in the house, water everywhere. there were several boats totaled, 1 is
    still missing. it also really messed up the lake, it is starting to
    turn around now. so maybe this weekend will be good, I hope.
    
                                                  Lee
    
     P.S. for anyone that is thinking about coming out here
          a friend has a place for rent on sodus bay for 1 week in august.
             its called   WINNIE'S WATERFRONT
                          (315) 483-9864
                         DATE: 8-8-92 TILL 8-15-92
                           3 BEDROOM/ SLEEPS 6
                             $450.00 FOR THE WEEK
                              + $50.00 IF YOU HAVE A BOAT 
            
    

    
    
    
         We started out  saturday morning very slow, we only picked a
    couple fish, by noon we were pretty bummed, then from 1 to 5 we had 
    non stop action, at one point we slid out to 190 foot just to get away
    from the fish to get all the riggers back down and to give us a break!
      We ended up with 37 fish on and 23 in the boat 5 lakers were in the 
    slot limit, we ended being limited on lakers, and after we were limited 
    we threw back 4 lakers back, we were trying for a king or steelies, but 
    couldnt raise one.
         sunday we went out and before all the lines were down we had 2
    fish on, 1 in the box one returned, then banged 2 more right away, then
    a 20 minute dry spell, then wham Z Z Z  Z ZZZZIIIINNG king on, king
    gone,? reel the line in and the squid hooks are gone! the fish bit 50
    lb test squid line in 2! so we rerigged, and in the next few hours we
    picked up 7 more fish.
    
                                      Lee
    
      The lake was in the process of turning over, so the fishing should be
    starting to really turn on. 
    
    
     

        What,no report this week? Being from NH I've come to look forward
    to reading how the you guys did on lake "O".Must be nice to fish that
    lake at will! Im lucky to get out there twice a year,and at that I have 
    to drive 12 hours round trip. I will be there sept 27,hows my chances
    at a king? last time out ,july 18th, We got 3 browns and a laker.1 of
    the browns was 12#6oz,my nicest fish ever!
    
    
                                  Regards,Frank Ritchotte
                                     
                                        (Who's not at all jelous!)

    
    
       Well this weekend was alittle better than last weekend, saturday we
    didnt fish saturday because of 15 mph north winds which equal's 6 foot
    waves.
    
       Sunday I was gonna fish out of my boat, everything went great until
    I picked up a plastic bag on the lower unit, of course it couldnt get
    the prop so that I would notice it, but it closed off the water intake
    and by the time the temp gauge registered it was too late. so I am once
    again out of service, and hopefully this week I will have a new
    powerhead and be back on the water by saturday.
    
      saturday 8-8  we picked up our party at 8 am and headed out, stopped
    in 100 set up 20 minutes later wham, the 10 year old son of one of the 
    guys brought in a beautifull laker, but it was a heart breaker to the 
    kid because it had to go back in. 
      we got 3 other lakers then it was the 7 year olds turn again,so I had
    swung into about 150 foot of water and headed N.W., jim reaches in his 
    pocket and hands the kid a quarter and tells him to toss that in the
    water, the kid throws it in the water, jim said it ussually takes about 
    5 minutes before you get one after throwing money at them, the kid was 
    looking at his watch and he said well its been 4 minutes, then wham
    zzzzzzzzziiiiiiiiiingggggggggggg, fish on, the kid set on our cooler,
    jim held the pole handle, the kid reeled, jim pulled the pole back and
    forth. 15 minutes later we netted a 12 lb brown. hte look on that kids 
    face was un forgetable. and he was asking his dad for more money.
      
       8-9 we had 1 guy from cape ann mass.,  we ended up with 7 fish, one 
    very large laker, he dropped it off at the taxidermist shop yesterday.
    
    
    
                    Well till next time,
          
                                    Lee
    
     

Lee,

Are you or your wife going to be in the money for any tournaments
this year? I remember last year that your wife just missed clinching
a first in a tournament.

I am seriously considering coming up next August for a week of fishing.

Why does last friend of yours charge and extra $50 if a boat is brought
by the renter? What if there are three boats? Does everyone in Sodus
Bay area have the same policy?

	Steve

    
    
      Well to start off we set out friday morning on a charter trip with a
    party of 2 young boys and their father.
    
       we went to 120 foot and set lines, within 10 minutes we had our
    first hookup a nice 8lb laker. 20 minutes later we hook up again the
    youngest boy is into a nice fish, battle lasted about 10 minutes when 
    the coho got into the wire on the dipsy rod it cut the mono and was
    gone.
       Then we had a 2 hr dry spell, so I changed a few lures and then #7
    rod popped I picked it up set the hook and I realised this was an
    exceptional fish. the father took over fighting the fish and we cleared
    all the poles, the fish made a reel screaming run of almost 700 foot!
    then it was a loooonnnnggggg battle but at the 1 hour 10 minute mark
    the fight was over and there was a 31 lb king laying on the deck of the
    boat! this was one happy angler.
    
      we ended up with 6 fish for the day.
    
    saturday (the start of the derby) we had a party of 2, we hooked up
    within 20 minutes, then nothing for 4 hours, no talk on the radio,
    fishing was slow all over, then a buddy called and said make a run.
    within 10 minutes all lines were in and we were on our way for the 10
    mile run.
      we stopped in the area and  I was putting out the dipsy rod when a 
    brown decided he liked the black and raspberry NK spoon. the people
    were pleasently suprised. then an hour of nothing.
    
       then I said well with all these boats I want to try something else
    so I dug up a small dipsy and put on a peperoni pizza lure and let out 
    70 feet of line and put it down on a downrigger, 10 minutes later that
    rod goes off a nice laker.  put it back down 5 minutes later it goes
    again. ok now we got the jist of whats happenin so we pop all the
    riggers and set out long leads.
      this seamed to help as we put 3 lakers and a steelie in the box in 2 
    hours. then #2 rod pops and goes right back down and the reel starts
    the telltale scream of a king. the battle ended in 20 minutes with a 
    20 lb king.
    
       sunday we had a party of 4, we headed back to the same area and
    after all the lines were set we had on a nice laker. then a hour dry
    spell. so I put something else down and went over to a rigger and
    dropped it down 10 feet, then the rigger right next to that one bounces 
    so I thought one of the lines had tangled well wrong answer as the pole 
    popped up and right back down and the reel started screaming. hand the
    pole over to the one lady(who never had a fishing pole in her hands)
    and the battle commensed I cleared away the back of the boat and she
    got the fish right to the back of the boat then the fish saw the motor
    and made a 50 foot screaming run, she got all shook up so I got her 
    calmed down and reasured her that the fish wouldnt go anywhere.
       10 minutes later I was telling her to step back and the fight was
    over, a 16 lb  COHO salmon layed at her feet, we were as happy as she
    was! she was estatic! what an introduction to fishing. 
      after that the lake went completely flat, this isnt good we said,
    well our buddy was just ahead of us and he hooked up to a king which
    broke off he called on the radio to tell us and as I was talking to him 
    I saw someting pop up on the surface and I yelled at jim to grab the
    net made a turn and the fish was in our boat! so we told him that we
    would return his fish and J plug back at the dock but if he didnt mind 
    we were going to run the J plug for the rest of the day.
    
       after all the comotion was over we didnt do another fish and by
    11:30 the lake was a mirror and there were very few boats out at all,
    the temp in the sun was pushing close to 95 and the one lady was
    getting nausous from the heat. but they said they had a great time for 
    the first time on the great lakes. and before they left they rebooked 
    for the first weekend in october! 
    
       We may be fishing for ourselfs this weekend (depending on bookings) 
    there seems to be more kings around now and they gotta turn on soon! I 
    just want one to place me in the money. 
    
       All the fish except the brown on the dipsy came from 100-140 feet
    down! at 100 feet we had 63 degrees! 105 feet was 61 degrees and 110
    feet it droped to 52 degrees. the lakers we took at 140 feet were in
    40.3 degree water.
     the wind really sucks when we get a decent set up and a day later the
    wind blows everything all around!
    
    
                 till next trip.
    
                           Lee
    

    Hey Lee,
    
      Almost that time again, was wondering how close the big boys are
    to shore.  Have they made it into the bay yet?  How's things lately
    on the Diamond J?
    
    Gone fishin
    Gaff

    
    
        Well after takeing last weekend off we had a cancellation this
    weekend so saturday morning we awoke to 15-25 N.W. winds so we worked 
    on the boat till noon, then the wind died down.
      
      at 1 pm. we were trolling out through the channel, we fished in 3-5
    footers, saw some nice hhoks on the finder, saw soem nice kings jumping
    and we decided to set out the new outriggers and see how they worked,
    so I ran a yellow with orange poka dotted J plug back 150 foot put it
    out on the outrigger, went up took over driving went in along the sea
    wall came back along the beach  back out to 25 foot of water and
    turned around.
    
      I made this pass about 4 times, so I said well lets try reversing the
    patern, and I turned and went maby 200 feet and TTTTWWWANNNNGGGG the
    line snapped out of the outrigger and then the reel is just screaming 
    25 minutes later I net a 28 lb male king salmon and we set lines back
    out but it was getting pretty dark by then.
    
        Sunday there was a south wind, so I put 2 lines down on the
    downriggers through the channel, turned east and I dumped the planer
    boards out and ran 1 line out on the starboard side, as Jim ran out on
    the port side, I was running a second line out and I hear jim yell fish
    on and the reel is a screaming fow about 5 seconds, then nothing the
    fish cut the J plug off.
     
      So we got the lines set and then it started to get daylight out made
    a pass into the shallows and then back out, then the rigger rod just 
    starts to scream I pick it up and wow there is some weight to this boy
    so I look down and I am fast approaching the backing now I am half
    through the backing, I said you better turn we are gonna get spooled 
    I turned around and the starboard rigger rod snaps up and right back
    down, s$&* this isnt what we need so I grab that pole and now we are
    laughing and swearing so we got turned and ran paralel to the fish,
    everythings fine  NOT the fish decide to switch places, jim said just
    change poles I said (its not printable) MY fish is bigger that that 
    minnow you got on so get the heck outa my way, well as it ended up mine
    broke off and jim lost his.
    
          Then we got everthing back down and 5 minutes later crack zzinggg
    fish on fish off, back out 10 minutes later fish on we get a 4 lb sheep
    head to the boat back in the water. so we worked the shore west and we
    had 3 more kings on that either cut us off or didnt hook up good. but 
    man did we have fun.
    
          The KINGS are here not many but they are here and if the lake
    settles out there is gonna be some good fishing. the steelhead fishing
    offshore has been absolutly fenominal! the guys have been getting some 
    super steelies, but you have to travle 17-20 miles off shore to get to
    them! 
    
      If you guys come out after OCT 1  READ the new LAKE TROUT law the
    D.E.C. went back to the 25 to 30 inch slot limit.
    
    
       Till next trip, we have trip for the next 3 weekends and then I am
    done for 2 weeks as I will be chasing deer with a stick in Pa.
    
    
                                                       Lee
    

       I'm thinking of taking a trip to Ontario the 21-25 of June. Can
    anyone tell me where I'd have to go to get into some decent King
    fishing during that time frame ? In the Fall I'd go to Pulaski or
    the east end of the lake in general. Can fish still be found in this
    area within 10 miles of shore or so, or do I need to go to Rochester
    and beyond ? I'll be leaving from the LCI derby on Lake Champlain and
    heading over. Any tips on technique, lures, depths etc for that time
    of year would be greatly appreciated. Also recomendations on a place to
    camp (if Pulaski area is not the place to be) would be helpful. 
    
    Thanks for any info!
    Marty
    

    Just got back from a couple days on Lake "O".  
    Weather was windy, fish were tight lipped and
    I got the big skunko.  Wished I had some hand
    grenades, could have got some kings   :*)
    
    Gone fishin
    Gaff

    
    Does anyone have a report on the Salmon river? A group of friends are 
    headed up this thursday to fish the weekend. 
    
    /Irv

 The fish are in the river and everyone is fishing from sunup to
sundown. They are too busy fishing to write a long report, but the
short answer is "the time is now." According to the guy who writes
the report on the Salmon River for the Hawkeye, anyway.

    
    
    
    Hi fellow anglers from Salmon River:
    Went to the Salmon river last week, 9-30-93 was a great-day.  My and my
    body had a total of 6 kings and cohos.  I caught 4 fish at the
    short-bridge pool lifting area.  The action was strong since 6:30am
    till about 10:00am.  These fish were line shy, strange for this year.
    The Sandy creek action was pretty good also.  Got a couple on fly-rod,
    first year ever using fly-tackle on kings.  I liked it a lot.  I think
    this will be the only way I will go from now on.  The rigging is
    simple.   9wt 9.5' rod with disk-drag reel(Sth or Michel fly reel).
    Run a 5' long 15-lb leader with slinky in the middle and then a 5'
    12-lb leader to the hook(crazy egg or yarn fly(my personal choice)).
    Use either the running 40lb mono line or sink-tip fly line.  I like the
    fly-line better.  The tresle pool yielded some fish but difficult to
    land them.  I heard the snagging pool action was pretty good in the
    morning(friday, 10/1), but slower during the day.
    
    All and all, I think this is a good year for the Salmon.  You will
    start the see the King/coho numbers drop in the next several years
    according the DEC stocking reports.  But, the steelie stocking is going
    up, that's great news for me.
    
    Good luck everyone!!
    
    
    Larry, the Salmon Fever Angler
    

    Myself and two other friends have rented a house on the Little Salmon
    River the week of April 23rd. It looks like a beautiful place. Four
    bedrooms, with a deck overlooking the boat slip. It is roughly 1/2 mile
    to the lake, I believe it is Mexico Bay.
    
    I have chartered a boat a couple of times up there and also spent a 
    week on the Salmon River last spring chasing Steeheads around. So I
    know the area somewhat. What I am looking for is all the tips and sug-
    gestions that you guys could give me for trolling the Lake in this area
    that time of year. We chose this week becuase it is the week before the
    big Eslo Derby and we would rather avoid all the traffic.
    
    Keeping my fingers crossed for the weather
    Thanks in advance,
    Bob M�

    Where to start.
    First. Bring your Steelhead stuff. No doubt you will be blown off the 
    lake on or a few of your days. That time of year is prime Steelie
    fishing in the Salmon River - if you can stand the crowds.
    Next - you didnt say if your bringing your own boat or chartering.
    If your own, what does it have for downriggers and vhf capabilities?
    You will wear your arms off if you dont own electrics. And a scanning
    VHF radio is a must. Let it scan any channel with chatter on it.
    Usually all the info is on whats hitting and on what lures/colers.
    Cryptic, but listen and learn alot. Unlike some parts of the water,
    Ontario VHF traffic is almost ALWAYS fishing info. 
    Then bring about 400 trolling lures. Ask questions, then buy the
    correct lures of choice for the time your there. Oh - wash them all on
    the end of the downrigger rods.  :*)  
    Make sure you make a few passes thru the bubble (Oswego Nuke plant) at
    'O dark :30'  <-- before 1st light. Then get your glasses out and watch
    where the 'fleet' is trolling. AND if anyone is landing any fish.
    Unlike here at Winni in NH, there you can put two plugs on one rod.
    (put a swivel at the end of you line, Run a 6 and 8 ft leader off the 
    swivel. Put one diving plug on the 6 and spoon onthe 8. vary leader
    lengths to your own liking.)
    Then just bring lots of luck.
    Boomer
    

    Sorry......I should have mentioned will have a 16ft something or
    other?� It's an older boat with a 70 horse Evinrude. I know he doesn't
    have a radio on board nor does he have any downriggers :^(
    
    From our few times chartering up there in April we always used Planer
    Boards to get as close to shore as possible for the BIG Browns.....
    We'll have lead core stuff but that will only get us down to 40ft.
    We'll also have Noodle Rods which we will use for the surface stuff.
    
    How do people do trolling the mouths of the Salmon and Oswego Rivers?
    I know the Steelies are dropping back and hungry once they hit the 
    big water but do they hang around the shoreline or head for the deep
    stuff?
    
    Last year we gave the Salomon River a break for the day and went down
    to what I believe is called Selkirk Park. That day we tied into about
    seven fish from shore and never landed a one of them. The baitfish was
    so thick at the time that we couldn't get our spoons through without
    snagging bait fish. We were under the impression that they were Steel-
    heads but never got to them. There were four foot waves and the fish
    would cruise the surface after hookup and the breaking waves would
    eventually take the hook out. What a Rush!!!!!
    
    That's why I love that place, you never know what your going to pull
    out of there.
    
    All pointers are welcome....
    Thanks,
    Bob M�

    Sounds like you were hooking into Browns. Trolling off the mouths of
    those rivers would seem to me that you could get into them. But you
    just dont see people doing it.
    
    Others will disagree, I think the water running in the river determines
    alot of what the steelies are doing. Its been low water during the
    winter when we have been there and have heard its been since. But come
    time to spawn, who knows. If you get a rush of fresh water, they move
    up.
    
    ahh yes, the 'footballs'!
    Yes - your 16 ft will be fine to do the shore line for browns. A cooler
    full of those fillets are worth a million bucks - In my opinion...!!!
    Flat line somthing all the time. I would use one of the tolling
    thingies. Its just a small flat wing arrangement that keeps the weeds
    off your plug. About the size of a silver dollar. (help here
    somone!!??) Its real purpose is that it keeps the plug and main line 
    from spinning. You have been out trolling with guides before, so you 
    know the tricks for slowing down the trolling speeds. (faster in the 
    autumn with salmon, slower - my opinion
    again - for the browns and steelies in spring.)
    
    We have done what you said too, casted off selkirk (sp?) but had
    the best luck casting off the front of the little salmon river where you
    said you were staying - Mexico launch. Go to the right, north side of
    jetty, cast from shore along that whole 150 yards north. Should be
    loaded with Browns.
    
    Have great time. Give a call if you want what little info I have off
    line too.
    
    Report back.. 
                  

    
    
       Bob,
    
       The area you are going is probably one of the most popular spring
    attractions for brown fishing. that time of year your biggest amoi=unt
    of time will be spent within a few hundred yards of shore, planer
    boards are almost a must! if you dont have planers make em or buy em 
    before you get out here you have a month to go yet... you wont be sorry
    I would almost guarentee it.
    
      As far as downrigging goes for this time of year we very seldom ever 
    go farther than 10 feet unless I see something on the video that looks
    interesting. you could always get 2 downrigger cannonballs and tie a 20
    foot piece of parachute cord onto it and get 2 release's and just tie
    the cord to the gunnel's by the transom.
    
      Hints: run your lures way back 150-200 feet on flat lines or riggers
      planers first out 150 feet  second 125 ft.  third 100 ft. fourth 75.
      probably stay around the 8-20 foot range for water depth. start in
      real shallow at daybreak, the browns will follow the alwives and
      smelt into the shoreline at night and once the boat trafic gets heavy
      the fish and bait move out to deeper water.
     
    Lures; well every day is different but the most popular ones I use are
    alpena diamonds, andy reekers, needle fish, stingers, these are in
    various colors but the following are the most productive for me;
    blue/silver, chartruse(yellow)/green, chartruse/orange,chartruse/black,
    
    plugs are good too, try the solid orange, brown trout, rainbow trout,
    and when I did go out last year thundersticks worked well also in a
    wide wariety of color combinations.
    
     hint#2, get yourself some lure tape! get yourself some lure TAPE!!!
    you would be amazed what a little tape will do, a small piece of silver
    on that orange bomber was the really hot ticket a few years ago, to the
    point of one of my old orange bombers I have is white! they scratched
    all the orange off with their teeth.
    
    IF YOU DONT HEED ANY OF THE ABOVE HINTS PLEASE HEED THIS ONE:::::::
    
        Get a VHF radio before you come out here! this lake shows no mercy
    for anyone! she can get really nasty in very short order! I have
    witnessed it change from 1 ft chop to 4 footers in a matter of 20
    minutes. the noah weather station is ussually pretty good weather
    forcast and they have lake condition reports. there is a US coast guard
    station right there in oswego beside wrights launch.
    
    
      Hope this helps, if you were coming to sodus area I could hook you up 
    with some other boats to fish with., but if you do get a vhf keep an
    ear out for TROUT TRACKER , I think he still has his 23 or 24 ft SABRE
    with an outboard, Paul is a really nice guy, and should help you out
    on what to use and where to fish. 
    
      Boomers comment about the warm water discharge from NEMO (nuke plant)
    is right on, if the water hasnt warmed up much that would be a good
    choice but be warned you wont be alone I have seen as many as 30 boats
    working the area, its like a follow the leader routine.
    
                                           Hope this helps.
                                                         Lee
    
     

    Thanks Jack and Lee. I appreciate the tips and I'm sure they will save
    us some valuable time and money. I have a couple of questions around
    some of these tips.
    
    I have never seen lure tape sold around here (central Mass). Can I
    assume a lot of the tackle dealers around there have it? Also, I always
    thought the Planer Boards were for allowing the larger boats to fish
    shallower waters. I am now getting the impression that they are used
    to fish for the Browns who are spooked off to the sides by the engine
    of the boat. Is this true? 
    
    Thanks Guys.......
    6 weeks until fishing Heaven
    Bob M�?�

    
    
    Bob,
    
      I would venture to guess that just about any of the tackle stores
    carry the tape, and in a variaty of paterns and colors, most place's
    its about $1/ft and $1.25/ft for glow tape., a helpfull hint for tape
    is use a tupperware container to store it in, and for best results dont
    take the wifes to do this! (personal experiance speaking)
    
    
      Planer boards are used by almost all size's of boats, you are correct 
    that the fish move out to the sides when you go over them, hence the 25
    ft stagger on the way out, the farther out they go the farther forward 
    you will be so the longer leads farther out come by the fish that have
    moved. 
    
    
     also depending on water temp you may want to make sure you have some
    split shot with you so if you move out to deeper water you can add some 
    on to get a little depth for kings or coho's and even some spring
    steelies.
    
                                                           Lee
    

    Huh???????
    
    Did you say 38" of ice!!! Do you think it will be gone by 4/23. The
    people who we are renting from failed to say anything about that!!!
    
    Are the Kings and Cohos also cruising the shallows that time of year?
    I remember catching some small Coho's but I can't say as I remember
    seeing any of them in the Spring. That would be awesome to tie into
    a couple of those bad boys.....
    
    Sorry to keep pestering you with questions. I think I'm a little over
    excited ;^) I guess that's why I do it.
    
    Thanks Again
    Bob M�

    
    
       Bob, 
    
       Calm down there mister, I meant we have 38" of ice on Sodus Bay, but
    unfortunatly thats about the only way out for us, but us small boat
    people can use the coast guard launch till memorial day. but I will say
    that the ice on the shoreline is about even with the lighthouse at
    sodus point! and there is alot of floating ice on the lake.
      
       I guess we will have to have a lookout person for iceburgh's dont
    wanna be like the ole titanic ya know. although I would have to feed my
    little puddle jumper some serious steroids quick, heck I think an
    icecube could sink mine!
    
    
                                             Later

    
    Just a quick note for you Ontario fishermen...  Received a letter
    in yesterday's mail from the Port Lodge in Port Ontatio, saying that
    they have filed bankruptcy effective the 25th of March.  We had 
    reservations there over Patriot's Day weekend and also in Mid May for
    4 days.  
    
    We called the Super "8" in Pulaski and got the last 4 rooms they had
    for Mid May timeframe.  I called the Deercreek Motor Lodge in Sandy
    Pond area for the Patriots day weekend.
    
    For those earlybird fishermen, be on the lookout for the 21' Dixie 
    with the name "MARSHY LEE" on the back..
    
    Dave

    Dave,
    
    We'll be there the week after, April 23 on the Lake. Would you mind 
    sending out a report on the fishing when you get back from your
    Patriot's Day Fishing trip?
    
    Thanks,
    Bob M�

    
    Hopefully, I will have something to report...  But yes, I will 
    enter in a note once I return.  I am ready to leave now, but we
    will await the long weekend.  There are (3) other groups going on
    too from the Gardner area, but they are going further west toward
    Sodus.  I intend to stick around the Little or Big Salmon area.
    
    Just received the Salmon River news yesterday which spoke to the
    latest ice fishing derby in Sandy pond.  A few big pike and a couple
    of decent size browns, that was it.  The rivers are primarily open
    and they are reporting some good steelie fishing in the Oswego river.
    
    The little salmon still has a good deal of ice further up on it towards
    Salmon Country marina, but the state ramp is clear.  Will update, 
    upon my return.
    
    Dave

    This was my first fishing trip to Ontario.  We left Westminster
    Friday 4/15 @5:30am. Pulling the boat (Spolied Brat) belonging
    to Steve Donahue.  We arrived in Oswego around 11:45 and put the
    boat in at Fairhaven around 12:30.  Next thing I know its 4:00
    and we are on our way back in because we already hit our limit.
    All browns, 2-10's, 3-8's, 3-7's, 1-6, 1-5  What a day I had a
    great time. The temp was 87 and the water temp was 45.  We trolled
    in about 10 ft water in front of the bluffs and green camp.
    We had two double hits and one triple.  Steve keep telling me that
    this hardly ever happens.  He said he has had times he spent 12 hours
    on the lake and never pulled in any. Did I say I had a GREAT time....
    
    But then came Saturday am, yes we went out, for just a little while.
    Pulled in 1-8lb steele and then the weather changed.  We had to head
    back in.  Couldn't get out Sunday.  Headed home early.  Did I say
    I still had a GREAT time.......Steve promised he would bring me back
    for Salmon. Glad I spent $35. on the season license.
    
    Good luck to you all,
    Frank, who had a great time

    ref .80  That should read Spoiled Brat

    Re .80 It sounds like you hit them good. We leave Saturday @ 3:00 a.m.
    for Mexico Bay for a week of fishing. If we get blown off of the lake
    we have our Noodle Rods with us so we can go after the Steelies in the
    Salmon River. Providing that it's not roaring also.
    
    I spoke with the owners of the house we rented. They also have a small
    bait and tackle store on the Little Salmon. Two charter boat Captains
    had just come in and said that the fishing was Fantastic. They had
    landed everything from a 14lb Brown to a couple of Atlantic Salmon.
    They had also heard on the radio that someone had landed a 21lb Brown.
    
    They also said that the "Bubble" (nuclear plant) was closed down but
    that it didn't seem to be hurting the fishing at all! Can anyone con-  
    firm this for me?
    
    Can't Wait! Anybody else been out up there?
    
    Bob M�

    
    
       Bob,
    
       SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!!
    
     Dont be tellin that the fish are bitin' ))8*
    
      But anyway the fishing has been pretty good, I havent made it out
    yet, although I do plan on getting out there to do some fishing gotta 
    put our summer suply of browns,steelies  and  coho's in the freezer.
    
      I started a small project of clearing my lot at home and it has
    turned into a major pain on the body project, 13 hours of
    brush/tree/stump removal the last 2 sunday's & mondays so when this is
    done I plan on doing some relaxing fishing for myself.
    
      The people I talked to on saturday night said rapala's & orange
    bombers worked really well for them off planner boards in 10-20 foot
    of water.
    
                                                      Lee
     

    Hi Lee,
    
    It's me the pest again!!! Sorry for giving all the secrets away but
    I was wondering what you knew about those Atlantic Salmon in the Lake.
    I know when they come out of the ocean around here into the rivers they
    are like Firecrackers. Wow do they ever fight!!!
    
    More specifically I was wondering how big they got in the Lake and how
    common are hookups. The women I spoke to said one of the Captain's got
    two of them but I got so excited after hearing about them I forgot to
    ask her any questions regarding them.
    
    Just letting my mind drift to fishing once again......
    Bob M�

    
    
        Bob,
    
       The atlantics out here are respectively smaller than the ones from
    the ocean back there in mass, nh, maine. but there are some decent
    sized atlantics and they will give you a tussle, and they do like to
    jump alot.
    
       I would have to say that pound for pound the best fighter in lake O 
    is the Steelhead hands down, these fish are so fun to hook up, and even
    more fun to try and keep hooked up. the introduction of the skamanie
    steelhead about 7 or 8 years ago has shown vast improvements to the
    late june early july fishing, and these skamanie's are bigger but have
    the same arobatic characteristics of the related steelie. the steelies
    have been gaining size/weight/per catch the last several years, now
    15-23 lb steelies/skamanies are quite common. and if you want a real 
    fight tie into a 20 lb steelie and you will have a battle on your hands
    and probably a real mess if your running alot of rods.
    
    
                                                             Lee
    

    Yes, now that I think of it your right. Last year I spent a week on the
    Salmon River chasing the steelies. They are trully a strong fish and
    add the fact that they were never far from fast water  and it was a
    match and a half. I saw one female jump about 4 ft out of the water
    after I hooked her. Then after landing come screaming straight at me
    and spit the hook at my feet. Incredible fish!!!!!!
    
    Well, three days and I'm up there. Hopefully the Big Lake will be kind
    to us.
    
    Thanks Again,
    Bob M�
          

    
    In a conversation yesterday, I was told that 1993 was the last
    year that "snagging" was legal.
    
    Haven't been for a few years and was looking fwd to hitting the
    black river again this fall.
    
    Can anyone shed light on this?
    
    Thanx
    
    Fred

    Just got back from my weeks' stay at Lake Ontario. The place is
    absolutely fascinating and I think I'm hooked for good. Even though we
    lost half our fishing time to bad weather and an old boat we still had
    a blast.
    
    Staying at a place on the Little Salmon river which is between the
    Salmon River and Oswego River we decided to stay close to home due to
    a small boat and variable wind conditions. When Lee says that the Lake
    can change in a matter of minutes he wasn't kidding. Our 16' got
    smaller by the day.
    
    All reports were that they were nailing them almost everyday at the
    Bubble (nuclear plant) but we did very well for first timers out there.
    Highlights were a 14lb Rainbow Trout caught by myself and a 12lb Brown
    Trout caught by my buddy. After weeks of visions of catching Monster
    Browns and Wild Steelhead I never even considered catching a Rainbow of
    that size. What a scrapper! We were flatlining roughly 160' of line
    with a needlefish in a southerly troll 400 yrds off of shore when bang!
    The pole went over and the drag was screaming for its life. After
    picking up the pole and setting the hook that fish did the most awesome
    aerial display I have ever seen. I thought for sure it was a steelhead
    but after landing it 15 minutes later it just didn't look quite right.
    Luckily the DEC was doing a creel census and confirmed that it was in
    fact a large Rainbow Trout. 
    
    For the week we caught many species. Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Small
    Mouth Bass, Pike, Perch, Bullhead. You just never know what is going to
    be on the end of your line when you bring it in. One thing for sure
    it's usually huge. At least for what I am used to.
    
    I can't wait to get back. Thanks to all the guys for helping us out on 
    this trip. Next time I might even look like I know what I'm doing. I
    will have a larger boat! A couple more of those 6' swells and I would
    have been doing more than changing my shorts ;^)
    
    Bob M�

    Sounds like you had a great trip! I'm curious though about the
    "Rainbow Trout"...I was always led to believe that a "Steelhead" was
    the same fish as the rainbow. Steelhead are what people refer to when
    they want to talk about a large rainbow that spends its life in a lake
    or the ocean, and then returns to a stream to spawn. It's the same
    fish. Did DEC have any additional comments about what the difference
    is? 

    
    Hey Bob::
    
    Glad to hear you had an exciting and fulfilling week...  Thats 
    the way I felt 4 years ago and now its the only place to go. Last
    weekend we sold our place in Old Orchard Beach, Maine and are 
    banking our funds in order to look for the right place in the 
    Lake Ontario area.  Definately got to be on the river though, 
    preferrably the little salmon.
    
    I am curious::  Did you stay at one of Jan or Bob Largey's places?
    Tried to call you, but you weren't near your phone...  I have been
    renting a slip from them off and on for a few years.  All their 
    places are up for sale, so yes, we are looking at possibilities
    with them also.
    
    I am going back up on the l2 thru l6th of May again. Hopefully we
    can fill the cooler again.  Lots of fun and excitement.
    
    Maybe we will catch you on the lake sometime.
    
    Dave

    From everything that I have heard they are two different species. As a
    matter of fact my friend was reading something at Altmar (Salmon River
    Hatchery) that Steelhead have just been reclassified. Unfortunately,
    if I was to go any further I would be blowing smoke. The facts from
    the DEC when we asked were pointed to the dorsal fin. There is a
    difference which splits them apart.  Also, this fish just didn't look
    like a Steehead. It didn't have the sleekness or the spawning colors
    and that more rounded head which Steelies have. Not to mention that
    this fish was fat!!! It had the body of a big football brown but the
    tenacity of a Steelhead.
    
    In speaking with the Taxidermist up there she said many people confuse
    Steelies with Rainbows when bringing them in. She gave the figures that
    one out of ten people bringing in Rainbows to be mounted were actually
    Steelhead.
    
    That's all I have! I'm sure there are more knowledeable people out
    there regarding these two species. I'll see if my buddy still has the
    literature about the reclassification.
    
    Bob M�

    Has anyone got any reports out of Ontario. I was just wondering how the
    fishing was progressing since I was up there last April.
    
    Thanks,
    Bob M�

    Bob,
    	A friend of mine was up there last weekend and all they got were
    2 seelies, 8 and 11lbs. no salmon at all...
    
    
    					Butch
    

    
    
     <----  what he said.
    
        Things have been off and on since the derby, I am hopeing to make
    it out this weekend, I gotta get the boat out on the water, its comeing
    up on a year since the last launch so I will need to brush off the
    rust.
    
        I am hopeing for nice weather, I need to get away and do something
    fun, and relaxing. most of this spring has been spent in Pa. because of
    family illness/ and a death, plus the farm work is never done. but I
    vow to do more fishing this year.  we need a nice thick steelie fillet
    to cook on the grill. plus my anual fish/venison dinner cook out.
    
       If we make it out this weekend I will be sure to post the results
    early next week.                                       
    
                                                          Lee
    

    
    
    
        Well 9 am 6/4/94 REEL TIME slid off the trailer into sodus bay,
    fired right up, and idled nicely while I parked the truck&trailer at
    the house.
    
        The trip out to the lake was nice, there was absolutly no wind the
    lake was as flat as glass, at 9:15 I rounded the corner at the light
    house on the west pier at sodus point, eased the throttle up and up on
    plane heading on a n.w. heading, went out to 90 foot and set up 2
    riggers.
    
      All the talk on the radio was absolutly no fish to be found, so I
    said well I will try for lakers set both riggers at 90 feet and headed
    west in 90 foot of water. for the next 4 hours the wife layed out in
    the sun, and I watched my 2 lab pups chase flies all over the boat.
    didnt get any fish but it was just so nice to get out on the water
    again.
    
       I will be getting out there more this year, the motor ran great, we
    went back out again yesterday for a few hours, I told the wife to take 
    sweats along cause it would be chillier out on the water since it was 
    periodically overcast but she didnt and about 10:30 she started to get 
    cold so we headed in. plus the sailboats were all over the place so
    that made things even worse.
    
       Some of the boats that ran WAY west like ~10-15 miles west did get a
    few fish but I aint running that far just for a few fish. I will
    probably go out alone on friday and then we will be back out this
    weekend again, unless there is nothing going on.
    
                                                  Lee
    

    Thanks for the reports. I guess I was out there at the right time for a
    change. Is the fishing slow because the water has "turned over" and the
    fish scatter or is the fishing just slow?
    
    Due to lack of "Big" boat I probably won't be able to make it out there
    for some time. Anybody need a first mate? I've found it difficult to
    get into the fishing out here since being out there. Maybe some Striper
    fishing for the big boys in July would clear that up!!!
    
    Thanks again and good luck
    Bob M�

    
    
       Bob,
    
        No the lake hasnt turned over, if we can have this nice calm
    weather for another week  the thermoclines will start to set up and the
    fish should turn on. I have no idea why the fishing is so lousy,
    ussually the fishing at this time of year is fantastic for steelies 
    and then when they stop hitting you can always drop down and catch
    lakers to finish up the day. but right now things stink!
    
        you cant make it due to lack of big boat? why do you need a big
    boat? mine is ~16foot, and I will have to say that when I was
    chartering any day I was out in the charter boat I would of been out in
    mine, if its too rough for my boat then its not gonna be any fun in a
    bigger boat! I have mine rigged for lake fishing, 2 electric riggers, 
    planer boards, outriggers, loran, big color graph, and of course a vhf
    radio., the wife said if I put one more thing on the boat we will have
    to ride on the bow. oh well at least I am ready to put fish in the
    boat if they would just learn that they are supposed to cooperate with
    us fisher people ((8*
    
    
                                                   Lee
    

    
    Lee::
    
    Haven't seen a report from you in a little while... Have you been 
    out and if so, how have you done?
    
    Will be hauling my boat up there in mid-august and leaving it there 
    till Columbus Day.
    
    Keep us posted...
    
    Dave

    
    
      Well I havent been out much this year, not alot of time to do much
    fishing, but a friend from NH came out last weekend and did some good
    old time fishing with me.
    
       Saturday I took a friends 22 ft thompson out (I had worked on it and
    he said to take it out and use it so I did) we were set up in 150 foot
    of water riggers down 52 & 64 feet, dipsy's 175 on the wire line. we
    had been set up 20 minutes roger is watching the graph wow look at the 
    bait on the screen, I said wow look we got a fish on! he brought it in 
    a laker in the slot so back it goes, I put the rod back in the
    downrigger roger says more bait, I said another fish hand him the pole 
    this fish comes screaming to the surfacestarts to rip off line KING!
    gone damn oh well put the pole back down in the rigger.
      we had about a 30 minute lull then ziing zzinng fish on the dipsy
    fought for about 3 minutes gone, back out again, fish on the down
    rigger, another slot laker, then the starboard rigger rod popped and
    the music started zzzzzzzzzzziiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnngggggggggggggggg king
    on! this thing literally did summersaults out of the water what a
    beautifull sight to see, 10 minutes later the 20 lb king was on the
    deck of the boat. lines back out and now we are watching this ferocious
    storm comeing up the shoreline from the west, it got downright nasty
    for about a half hour then the sun came back out and we got back to
    concentrating on fishing.
    
        We picked up a small laker then the other dipsy rod went and roger
    got that one to the boat another big slot laker,  we ended the day with
    1 king and 1 laker in the box and we released 5 slot lakers and long
    arm released 2 other fish so not a good keeper day but a good day
    fishing.
    
       Sunday morning we took rogers boat out I put the rods down in the 
    riggers trned around and unsnapped a lure from another pole to hook
    up a dipsy diver and looked at the port rigger and the rod is bouncing
    fish on! I pick it up reel up the slack feel resistance hook set and 
    hold on I gave the pole to roger and this fish is makeing distance from
    us at a fenominal rate of speed, rogers into the fight I havent touched
    any of the other poles he said are you gonna clear these other poles I
    said no I am fishing if you wanna screw around with that little guppy
    you gots there thats fine I want to get a big fish so hurry up you be
    scare'n my fish away, about 15 minutes into the fight he sid well he's 
    gotta be getting close, I said when you see the rubber band let me know 
    until then quite scaring my fish away. ya know geeze I get you on a
    fish in 3 minutes and here you are still screwing around and its
    fifteen minutes later and I am fishless. well after a 23 minute fight 
    the fish came to net a beautifull 26 lb male king salmon. the real
    downfall was he destroyed the lure one of my more productive lures and
    I only had 1 of them! I would of paid $10. for one if someone out there 
    had an extra. I tried to make up another one but just couldnt get the 
    right colors together. when we finally got things reset we had LOTS of 
    company, the fish disappered and to tell you the truth I only saw about 
    5 groups of fish on the screen from 7:30am - 11:15 am so we pulled
    things up and headed for home since roger had to leave for NH. 
    
        The fishing the last 2 weeks has really picked up, its like the
    normal frantic fishing of the fourth of july week only they are about 
    2 weeks too late, but if the fishing stays the way it was last weekend 
    its gonna be a FUN summer of fishing on lake ontario, I sure hope so.
    
    
                                      till next time 
    
                                                Lee
     

    	I'm interested in fishing lake ontario. can anyone give me some
    	phone numbers of a charter boat that i could call?
    
    	thanks,
    	scott

      Yo Scottie,
    
         Try   1-800-SKID MARK  !!!!
    
    
                             Steve Randell

    whats a slot
    

    
    
    RE:100,
      Depending on where on lake ontario you wanna fish depends on the
    recomendations I would give, now if you come to Sodus Point to fish I
    can give you some good recomendations.
     
         Diamond J charters # (814) 237-7010, Jim Del Real
         Double O charters  # (315) 587-2832, Dave Hathaway
         C frog charters    # (716) 671-7125, Ray Dorschied
         Sodus Point charters # (315)483-2183, Jamie Able
    
     if you are going to the point breeze area try Top Line Charters you
    can contact Bill Shone at (716)624-1892.
    
       Re: .102, Rick, the slot that I write about is a size restriction
    that the DEC has placed on the lake trout that are in lake O , the 
    slot limit is from 25" to 30" those are the fish you ARE NOT allowed to
    have in your posession. they must be immediatly released if they fall
    in that size catagory, if they are smaller or larger the can be kept.
    their reasoning behind it is that size fish equals the best breeder
    stock and they want to establish lake O as a natural reproducing laker 
    lake. there has been strong talk about dropping the slot limit on
    lakers which would suit me just fine.
    
                                                  Till next time
                                                              Lee
    

    
    
      Well after a minor engine repair on a friends boat (cracked head) I 
    finished it up late friday night, saturday was a final tune up and
    breakin day.
    
        monday morning I picked up our fire chiefs son, he went out one day
    in the spring and we got into the small brown's so I promised him to
    take him out when we go after bigger fish, so at 6 am I backed the 22ft
    thompson out of the slip at arney's marina in sodus point and we were 
    underway in hopes of some big fish.
    
      We ran out to 150foot and I started setting up lines, we trolled
    north didnt mark alot till we hit 195, I talked to double O and told
    him that it looked pretty dead from 150-195, we agreed to keep each
    other posted on results, once we hit 200 I turned and started running
    NW, I started marking fish from 80-100 feet, what the hey I set a
    rigger to 80 feet walked back up front set down, right back up with a
    fish on at 80 ft. I hand the pole to mike and the music started I
    looked at him and he has got a big ole smile on his face.
    
       I brought in the 2 wire lined dipsy rods, we fought the fish for
    close to 10 minutes I get the net and in a quick scoop there is a 34"
    14.5 lb lake trout in the boat, what a hog! I look over at the other 
    down rigger and that rod pops and imediatly the reel starts to scream
    I took the other pole out of his hand and handed him the pole with the 
    salmon on it, here's your long awaited salmon I said.
    
      He was fightin that fish I called double O and told Rita to tell Dave
    to add 40 foot of depth to where I had been when I talked to him last 
    and dont waste time getting here the screen is loaded right up and we
    are in our second fish and the first one just went in the cooler.
    
      back to mike fighting the fish, he's getting closer, mike's
    complaining about his arms burning, hang in there bud your doing fine
    its not a big salmon but its a keeper! 5 minutes later there was a
    beautifull Coho salmon on the deck of the boat. I put the rods back out
    took some pictures and then got turned back around. I brought up the 
    starboard rigger and put the old trusted black and purple NK28 on the 
    cheater line and sent it back down walked up set down looked back and
    that rod had released ( tourqued too tight I thought) I reached for the 
    pole and slam ziiiinnnggggggg. hand mike the pole and 5 minutes later I 
    netted a 12 lb laker over the slot limit! yes! mike is about flipping
    out he nver caught fish like this before.
    
      Double O is out by us and I turned around to look around and there
    was about 20 boats surrounding us, I said well it was fun while it
    lasted but the fish are gonna shut right off shortly and we didnt have
    another hit! we packed it in around 11:30 am. mike was really happy and
    I was happy too, he got some nice fish and the motor ran like a dream.
    
                                                          Lee
     

    Lee,
    
    Sounds like you guys had a great time.  I was up on Lake Michigan last
    week and went out 3 days on the big lake.  The first day we trolled for
    4 hours and never got the first release.  The second day I was first
    mate for the guy on a charter and he only picked up one 8lb laker.  The
    3rd day we went back out and everyone around us was catching fish.  The
    guy who took me out was getting a little stressed because he wanted to
    put me on fish.  We trolled around in about 135ft of water and finally
    got a release.  I was up in the front of the boat, so he reeled up the
    slack and handed my the rod.  He uses diawa level winds.  I start
    reeling pretty quick to get back in touch with the fish and the line
    isn't tightening up.  I looked at the reel and the the handle was just
    turning but the line wasn't coming in.  The rod was now almost straight
    with no tension what-so-ever and it still wouldn't reel the line in.  I
    tightened the drag on the reel a little and it then started reeling in.  
    The guy went balistic on me.  He screamed at me "Don't touch the f$#*&!
    drag"!  I tried to explain that there wasn't any drag when he handed me
    the rod but it didn't matter.  "Don't tell me how to fish"! he screamed
    with his eyes popping out and veins in his forehead looking like a
    roadmap.  After I turned the drag up a little I was able to reel in the
    slack and the fish was gone.  "You pulled it right out of his #$!*!#
    mouth"! he screamed as he yanked the rod from my hand.  I am usually as
    easy going as the next guy but I had had enough.  I yelled back and
    told him to check his f*#!*& drag to see just how light it was, even
    after I had tightened it!  He then told me to never touch the drag
    again, that he had once thrown someone out of his boat for touching the
    drag.  I thought about telling him I once killed a man for threatening
    me, but I just let it slide.  I then saw him check the drag and TIGHTEN
    it some more!  I smiled.  It was very quiet for the next hour.  We
    never got another hit.  On the way in someone radioed him and asked how
    he did.  He said we boated 4 out of 6!  I looked at him and he smiled
    and said "I have to keep up my reputation".  Back at the dock several
    guys came over to see how he managed to take the 4.  He had storied
    made up for each!  I thought about saying, "Why don't you guys take a 
    look at these beauties in the box", but since he is my grandparents
    next door neighbor, I didn't.  On the way home he said, "A couple of
    guys and myself are going to Canada next June, do you want to go"?
    I smiled and said, "Gosh, I would really like to, but I don't think I
    can".
    
    Wess

    re: .last
    
    	Good lord! That wasn't a charter trip was it?!?!
    
    			Robert.
    

    Wess,
    
       like the last person said I hope it was a free trip! its a real
    shame when people act that way it really ruins the fishing experience 
    especially for the first timer's. 
       the easiest way to cure that is use your own boat! when I was
    chartering I was VERY meticulous about having my equipment set properly
    BEFORE a fish hits, the drags are set and only I will move the drag I 
    pay very close attention to what is going on when we are hooked up. it
    is nerve wrecking when you have someone that is trying to slow down a
    big fish, I have to keep telling them that fish wont go anywhere just
    keep wearing on him and he will tire out and come to net. but I would
    never do what that guy did, and if I was fishing with someone that did
    that I would say well I am done fishing now you can save the gas money 
    and take this vessel back to port!
     Lets face it we are out there to have FUN and ENJOY the experience if
    this guy yells at his customers like that I would not be the least bit
    suprised if they never wanted to come back again, and ya know I was
    talking to a buddy last night and as we were talking there was a guy I
    have heard on another boat and I asked Jay "wadda ya think about ....."
    he said well ya know he's been going to the 31 bar (thats ~15 mi off
    shore) and he hasnt done squat! I said why? everyone else is doing fish
    from 150-200 feet ~5 miles off shore, what the hells he going there for
    Jay said I dont know but his charter group left today with 0 fish and
    they were not happy at all! so I guess there are some real winners
    everywhere, there are some guys I just wont give info too and likewise
    wouldnt listen to them either.
    
    
                                                       Lee
    
      P.S. if anyone see's evil eyes in a store I am in dire need of a
    medium size evil eye, it is chartruse(yellow) on the face, white belly
    with a 1/4" dark green sparkle tape stripe on the face, I would be
    willing to pay to have it sent to me. I have tried aeverywhere out here
    and NO ONE carries them anymore and that was a definite producer until
    it took the 26 lb king on 7/24, I usually have 4-5 each of my hot lures
    but this one has been hard to find and this was the last one I had.
    
      Thanks, if someone finds that lure I can be reached at dtn 252-7007
    or at unyem::geibell
    
                                                  Thanks again
    
    
     

    Guys,
    
    Yes, he took me out for free, since I wouldn't take any money for being
    the first mate the 2nd day out...I should have taken the money.
    
    That experiance woke me up to the fact of why his wife won't go out on
    his boat with him anymore.  She said she gets to seasick, but I wonder?
    
    I used to take my gradparents boat out for salmon/lakers/steelhead/etc
    about 7-8 years ago, but they sold it.  I always had a good time and
    usually caught a few most times that I went out.  Never had a drag
    problem either.
    
    Wess

    Lee,
    
    What type of lure and who makes this evil eye. I owe you for the tips
    last spring (that 14lb Rainbow should be back soon from the taxi-
    dermists). I'll gladly look out here in Massatwosh*ts for ya!!!!
    
    Let me know,
    Bob M� 

    
    
       Bob,
     
      the evil eye lure is made by red eye, there is a little red bead
    wired to the lure, the lure is about the size of a medium sized egg
    thin and slightly concaved in design, single hook, they are made of
    brass(at least this one was)
     
       for some reason I was thinking I bought those lures at Zyla's but
    that was about 4 years ago when I lived in NH. I am gonna try south
    central tackle in fair haven tonight to see if they have them. if I
    cant find one I am gonna make one and try it.
    
    
                                                        Lee
    

    Lee,
    
    A quick gance through the Bass Pro Shops catalog shows a similar
    lure to what you describe, although they are called Red-Eyes
    instead of Evil-Eyes.
    
    They come in five sizes:   
    
                    1 3/4 " - 3/16 oz.    Through
                    5 1/2 " - 2 1/2 oz
    
    In Brass and Nickel colors.   The smallest three sizes come with
    a single treble hook, while the two largest have double treble
    hooks.  The all come with two plastic bead attached to the spoon.
    
    They may not be what you're looking for, but I thought I'd list
    them.  
    
    Gus-man
    
       

    
    
       Thanks Guss, I have seen them, they are red eye wigglers(wobblers)
    they are a different spoon than the one I need, I do have several of
    them if you want an excellent pike spoon get a few of them wobblers.
    
                                                   Lee
    

    I have the one your looking for in my tackle box...I can't seem
    to remember where I got it though...It may have been in one of the
    grab bags at the winni derby a few years back...I've used it a couple
    of times on Champlain without success....

    Lee, I bet if you call the Red Eye Company, they'd be glad to send
    you a dozen.  I've done this before with other companys.
    
    Gone fishin
    Gaff

Hi Lee,

I tried Zyla's, they don't have any. I'll keep looking. Let us know
if you find them.

			Jim

    
    
       thanks for looking jim, I will post a reply if they are found, well
    I had every intention to call red eye, had their catalog at one time
    till the wife decided she better can the catalog before I got more lures
    so now I have to find their number again. so it looks like I will be
    getting a can of canary yellow paint tonight since I have a trip on
    saturday.
    
                                                         Lee
    

    Lee,
    
         Sorry but I can't find any around here or in the catalog arena
    either. However, Bass Pro's was nice enough to give me the address but
    they wouldn't give me the phone number�?� It's a New York based Co. so
    I think you'ld have a better chance of getting ahold of them. Here's
    the address:
    
    Red Eye Tackle Co.
    6619 Oak Orchard Rd.
    Elba, NY 14058
    
    Hope this is of some use to you,
    Bob M�

    
    
       Bob,
    
       Thanks for the info, I will call them when things slow down here,
    Jim M. just called and said he found 2 up in mass. so I should have
    them on tuesday morning. I will let you know if they are even made
    anymore.
    
                                  thanks again guy's 
    
                                             Lee
    

    
    
      I called RED EYE and found out that they were bought out by eppinger
    (same company that makes daredevils) I got the new number (313)582-3205
    and they took my adress so they can send me a catalog with order forms.
    
       Thanks for the help guy's, BTW I swung over by the lake this morning
    since we had a cold front move in which almost always brings a good NW
    wind, the lake was really rolling like 3-5 footers with 2 foot caps
    easily....I would guess that this storm is probably gonna screw up
    everything that was set up, but maybe it will push another batch of
    kings into shallower water, we will just have to go out and give it a
    shot to find out.
    
    
                                                         Lee
     

    
    
      Jim, 
    
      I received the lures today, they are the ones, thanks alot for
    finding them.
    
       I did my first charter of 94 yesterday, the group showed up 45
    minutes late, 3 adults, 3 kids, we headed right out too 100 foot of
    water, I set lines, tehy had been out the day before with another
    charter, got 1 king 28 lbs, and 2 lakers, my trip was for 5 hours.
    sunday night I sat at the kitchen table with blank lures and rolls of
    tape and made up some really psycodellic(sp) looking lures, one was a
    NK 28 purple face with a silver back, I put dark purple tape with fish
    eye silver tape and boardered it with purple sparkle tape.
      we set the lines and I put all my new taped lures on the starboard
    side and jim set the port side, we trolled for about 20 minutes and
    fish on (my side) I pick up the rod set the hook hand the poll to ron
    and this fish took off peeled easily 200 yards of line I was pulling
    the wire dipsy on my side got that in popped the other rigger rod out 
    popped it off and I had told him dont drop the rod tip keep it up let
    the fishing rod wear out the fish, I leand over the back of the boat 
    to hook up the down riger ball and I caught a glimpse of a pole out of 
    the corner of my eye I said hold that pole up, too late the fish was
    gone! oh well there will be more. 
       Reset lines, went about 20 minutes and SLAM ziiinggggg king on the
    starboard dipsy rod I am holding the pole and I hand it to ron, I said
    what ever you do DONT let this wire touch you! if it does and he runs
    you will be needing stitch's, 15 minutes later I netted his first ever
    king of 23 lbs. reset lines, we are trolling along and I see #5 just
    bounce ever so slightly I walk over look at the pole again (figured I
    would make it fun for the kids) I yelled booo at the #5 rod as I
    reached for it, boing it snapped up out of the release, fish on I give
    the pole to gary, its a slot laker back in it goes, well the kids
    thought that was just amazing that I scared a fish to hit.
      We went about an hour nothing, I dig out a some quarters hand 1 to
    each kid and said throw it in and wish for a fish, we didnt go 5
    minutes and king on, got that one in, ~16 lbs, set the line back out
    reach in my pocket pull out a handfull of change and told the youngest
    take a quarter and throw it in to wish for a fish, the little bugger 
    grabbed a whole handfull of change and tossed it over the side, he
    looked at me in a totally straight face face and said I wished for a 
    shark did I pay enough! I couldnt hepl but laugh about it.
    
      We went about 30 minutes and ripped another king on the starboard
    dipsy rod which was lost, reset the dipsy sent it out and 10 miutes
    later this little guy is into the fight with the same dipsy rod, a hog 
    laker over the slot, he was one happy little fisherman. since it was
    about 12:15 we pulled lines they were happy customers.
        that purple combo did 2 kings and a laker, the black&white nk with
    watermellon,purple,pink,and fishscale tape did 2 kings. all the fish
    came around 123-130 foot of water.
    
                                                  Lee
    
     

Next time out I'm bringing some change with me.

Gordon

    Great story, Lee. Be greatful the little urchin didn't grab your
    wallet!  
    
    Jeff 
    
    p.s.  got my PA hunt'n license in the mail today!

    
    
       Well I thought last monday was a good day, well it was but it dont
    even compare to saturdays trip!! I will try to enter as much of the
    trip as possible but may have to do it in sections.
    
      I met my group at 5 am at the little deli in town, had a bite to eat
    and told them to meet me at the boat, stopped by the tackle shop got
    some more lures, and headed for the boat, I set up the poles with a
    selection of lures, and of course that lavander NK 28 with purple
    sparkle tape was put on first along with the othe NK 28 with purple
    and pink tape I made.
      The guys boarded at 6 and we headed out, the weather forcast was poor 
    so we decided to stay close to home, shut down in 80 foot of water, I
    started running lines out, 6 on the down riggers to start and 2 dipsy's
    we got to 123 foot and Jim say's wow look at the screen I turn around
    and there were kings piled from 40-60 feet down I said the riggers are
    right in them.
    
      I turned around and pop, fish on set the hook hand the pole to one of
    the teenagers an the trip and this thing started screaming goooooodd, I 
    popped both dipsy's and brought them in and jim says what about the
    riggers, I said heck theres 6 people on this trip and this kids in for 
    a half hour fight so we might as well keep fishing, no sooner did I
    utter those words #6 pops fish on, another king! so I got tony on one 
    side of the boat and dave on the other side both fighting kings. 
    
      Daves 18lb king came to net first, I netted it dropped it on the deck 
    reached for the pliers and #1 rod pops fish on, handed that pole to bob
    a nice scrappy 7 lb brownie, now I started running lines back down, at
    25 minutes tonys 24 lb king came to net. reset the lines, now the
    anticipation level is about sky high.
    
     10 minutes after lines are reset #6 pops again, set the hook and hand
    the pole to chuck as the fish decided to make tracks, he's into a nice
    king, # 2 pops nice king on again tom got that pole brought in a nice 
    22 lb king to net, dropped it in the box, # 5 pops johns got a nice
    brown on, it comes to net, chucks king is still way out as we are
    trolling south we finally netted the fish in 18 foot of water! I had
    the boat cleared by then so we ran back out and I reset lines, by now
    these guys are about an an adrenalin high.
    
     I set the #1 rigger, and then the starboard dipsy rod, then #2 rigger
    with 2 rods, then I set the #4 rigger and the port dipsy rod, now to #3
    rigger got both rods set and started to run the rigger down the # 6
    rigger started to bounce what the heck is going on I thought with the
    rough water while lowering #3 it caught the #6 line I got ahold of the
    #6 rod about the same time this king decides to head for bottom, well
    my right had was in the wrong place at the wrong time and today I am
    sporting a nice 3" laceration across the back of my hand right to the 
    bone! 
      Toms up he gets the pole he's into a nice king, in comes the dipsy's 
    since the wire is your worste enemy, the other guys get a rag for me to
    wrap up my hand, while this is going on #2 pops again, another king!
    tonys back up again and into another nice king, tonys come to net first
    its now in the box, #1 pops again another 7lb brown. handed that pole
    off. netted that fish, set lines back down toms still fighting the king 
    #4 rod pops, another king!
    
     finally get the fish in netted and in the box and then I net the other 
    king, these guys are flying high, not one of them ever caught a fish
    over 8 lbs in their entire life and here they are seeing 18-24 lb fish.
    I figured with all this excitement its gotta be close to 11am I walked
    up front after I set lines to look at my watch 8:22 am!!!! I near
    crapped I said its 8:22 and we have 7 kings in the box already! then #4
    pops and this fish is airing himself out behind the boat, we finally
    netted a nice 10-12 lb steelie. 10 minutes later #1 popped with a nice 
    5 lb brownie. 
    
       Then we went dry for about an hour and a half, poped another scrappy
    king of 22 lbs. then a 2 hr dry spell, the weather was really churning
    things up the wind changed directions 3 times in a half hour. then one
    of the teenagers said ya know this is better than fishing in a stream
    we havent lost one single fish this morning, I just cringed when he
    said it, he looked at me funny, I said thats almost as bad as saying
    the weather is clearing up when they have predicted storms.
    
      We dropped the next 4 fish! 3 kings, one of which hit a NK mag 286
    feet back on the wire line and dipsy diver, he ripped off 800 feet of 
    line on the initial run, that was the first time I ever had a king roll
    over the counter on a diawa 47 line counter! but he dropped off, I
    would of liked to seen that fish! 
    
      WE pretty much just picked away at them the rest of the day, and I
    pulled lines at 6 pm. since sundays weather forcast wasnt good I asked
    if they wanted their day and half trip in 1 day in case they cant get
    out in the morning and they agreed, good thing too cause at 5 am the 
    waves were comeing over the west break wall so we didnt get out at all.
    
     saturdays total take was 9 kings all from 18-26 lbs, 4 browns 5-7lbs,
    and one steelie about 12 lbs. this was one of my best charters to date
    and we only had 2 lakers on that were lost, but not one laker made the
    boat. these guys had a 40 quart cooler full of fillets when they
    departed yesterday morning and every one of them was sportin a smile.
    
    
                                      hope you enjoyed this as much as me.
    
                                                                Lee
     

    
    
    Sounds like you had an awesome day!!! I hope I didn't make a mistake by
    giving up the big O this fall in favor of pursuing Tuna on Labor Day 
    weekend. My buddies and I had our choice, big Kings in Ontario or Big
    Yellow Fin in the Atlantic. We opted for a chance at the Tuna as the
    drive would only be two hours down to Cape Cod instead of 6.5 out to
    the Lake. Forgot to include the 8 hrs out and 8 hrs back in on the 
    boat.
    
    Maybe I can do both ;^)
    Bob M�

    
    
       Well friday morning the wife and I and the dogs went out on the big
    lake to do some fishing for ourselves, we left the dock at 6 am I
    talked to a friend of mine out on the lake already word was head for 
    the 26 bar and set up there and troll north (26 bar = 10 mile off
    shore) we ran to the 25 bar, and 51 bar east (6 miles east) it was
    rough so it took till almost 7 to get there.
    
      set lines and watched a blank screen as we trolled north west,
    finally at 10 we hit the honey area 26.26 over 54.50, my buddy was just
    passing me and I said I will chase one over to ya, he said well it
    musta worked because we just hooked up, I said well send back his buddy
    dave said well you are just about on my waypoint, as I am running back
    to the dipsy rod thats screaming line with a nice king on it.
      after that we said our thanks for the fish and in the next 2 hours we
    had 15 fish on got 3 steelies in the boat 1 10lbs 1 14 lb skamani, and
    1 16.5 lb skamani! we finished up with the 3 steelies and 1 king all by 
    noon time. all I gotta say is those late summer steelies are a blast to
    try to get.
    
      I had a funny experience, I was pulling lines I had just popped the
    port dipsy and got close to 200 foot of wire back when the next thing I
    know I got a $150.00 dipsy rod & reel going over the side of the boat 
    dont ask me how but I managed to grab the pole before it got away, and
    we ended up loosing this fish. that was the first time I had a hit on
    the dipsy pulling it in! 
    
       Well till next time, hopefully this weekend we will get out there 
    and give'em heck or at least our best shot anyways.
    
    
                                                         Lee
    

    
    
    
    	  Another Labor day weekend gone by, it started out like a bang but 
    ended as a total flop!
    
        Saturday morning we had a group of 4, never been on lake ontario
    before, never caught anything bigger than brookies out of a trout
    stream. we set down over 70 foot of water, I ran down the riggers and 
    Jim wanted to set the dipsy's out, so I started driving. the screen was
    virtually blank so I headed northwest, after about an hour of hearing
    sparce catch's I told Jim to put a black & purple silver NK28 on that 
    glow dipsy, he started babbling something I said just give it an hour
    if it dowsnt produce we will pull it but if theres brownies around they
    will jump on that spoon before any of the others.
     So he puts out the black and purple by now we are out to 220 and the
    screen starts to really look nice I turn more westerly, the dipsy took
    off with a 9.5 lb brown! the guy that brought it in looked up at me
    with a funny look on his face, I just smiled, jimmy ran it back out 5
    minutes later a king grabs it! now we are setting over about 226 foot
    of water the screens just loaded with bait and fish, jim said go a
    little ways and spin it around to go through the waypoints,I said we
    are going west till we run out of the active fish or the bait runs out.
    for the next 2 hours we couldnt keep rods in the water for more than 15
    minutes! when a king would hook up jim would strip the rods, so I said 
    when the kings way out lets leave the rods down to see if we can double
    up, 10 minutes later the dipsy goes with a king at the same time #6 &#8
    rods popped a instant tripple! a king, laker, and brownie! we ended up 
    about 12 miles west of home all by ourselves! we finished up the day
    with 8 kings in the box, 1 laker, 1 steelie, & 3 brownies. and we
    dumped a couple definate kings and a couple other unknowns. these guys 
    were really happy.
    
      Sunday morning we set down in 150 I put 1 rigger down then ran out a
    dipsy, put down another rigger picked up the glow dipsy and the first
    dipsey rod took off, they brought in a nice laker, reset the dipsy
    started to set another rigger the other dipsy took off another laker,
    got that one in and I said well if lakers are hitting at 200 then with
    this wind from the northeast the temps probably comeing up so we will
    set the black&purple at 180 and see if any kings take it, so we ran it
    out to 180 and I finished setting the other 2 riggers just finished and
    the 180 dipsy took off but we dropped it, ran it back out 180 turned
    around went up in the bridge and just as jim stepped off the ladder
    that 180 dipsy took off with a nice king of 24 lbs. it was now about
    9:30 the wind really started picking up and everything came to a
    complete hault, we went all the way to 300 went through the previous
    days waypoints and there was nothing! it got downright nasty like 3-5
    footers with big caps, but these guys wanted to stay out we could of
    went in at 10 and done just as good.
    
       As far as yesterday goes we should of never left the dock along with
    darn near every other boat from sodus point! I will bet that there were
    no more that 100 fish brought in by boats from sodus point, we went
    anywhere from 40 foot of water to 650 foot and went as far as 14 miles
    west! we had one fish on but dropped it so the trip was a feebie but
    these guys have been out 3 times this year with jim and did well the other 
    2 trips, so they chose to have a free trip next may for the steelies.
    
    
                                                                    Lee
      

    
    
    
         Well I guess some of the guys dumped their boats in the water
    since the warm spell started last week and from what I have heard they
    are doing quite well up around the bubble in Oswego.  if I wasnt so
    busy I would of put my boat in and gave it a whirl in my neck of the
    woods. oh well we will be out poundin browns in about 10 weeks.
    
                                                               Lee
    

    Lee,
    
    Would it be possible for you to look up the spring ESLO Derby dates for
    me? We are going to be up there the week of April 29th.......
    
    Thanks,
    Bob M�

    
    
      Bob,
    
     I will try to remember to check for the dates of the derby, but I seem
    to remember something like 4/29-5/7 for the international and 5/4-5/7
    for the eslo but dont make plans yet, my memory isnt very good, but I
    am almost positive the derby is during the Pennsylvania spring gobbler
    season which means that I will probably not be fishing the derby.
    
    
    
                                                                   Lee
    

    
    
    Yep, according to Woody's, there have been lots of boats on the 
    lake over the last couple of weeks..
    
    NOTE:: Oswego County FISH-N-FUN line is now TOLL FREE...
    
    1-800-248-4386
    
    The new line provides fishing reports, including what fish are
    biting, where they are, what baits, lures and techniques are working, 
    and the best time to fish for the Oswego, Mexico Point, Salmon 
    Ricer/Pulaski and Oneida Lake areas.  Every fishing report is 
    followed by a general weather report. During the boating season, 
    special forecasts for Lake Ontario and Oneida Lake are also provided.
    The line enables callers to navigate with their touch-tone phone 
    pad and locate the information they want quickly and easily.
    
    See you all up there in a few weeks... As for me, I am now a 
    seasonal resident.  Purchased a mobile home in December in Mexico, 
    just 3.5 miles from the Mexico Marina where my boat is kept..
    
    
    Dave

    
    
       Dave,
    
        Thanks for putting in the #, but I sure hope that they have changed
    their ways with that #, back 6-7 years ago they had a 800 # for fishing
    info, now at that time I lived in NH, from july-oct I would journey to
    lake O almost every weekend, I would call on thursday nights and would
    hear the fishing is great blah blah blah, arive friday evening get the 
    boat regeared up and head for the tackle shop.
      and what was I told  "well the fishing has really been slow" WTF then 
    why does the 800# say that the fishings been great? and I quote from
    the person at the bait shop "if they said the fishing wasnt too good
    would you of caome out from NH to fish?"  this comment didnt make me at
    all pleased. so I said well take for instance if I called here and I
    was told that the fishings great and I drive all the way out here and
    find out its not that great, well you would loose a customer to start
    with and there wouldnt be any recomendations for people to get info
    here or anything else for that matter, and word of mouth can be your
    best advertiser or your worste enemy! so you make the decision. 
     
      But anyhow we made the decision to move, heck no more 6 hr drive to
    fish every weekend, no more 10+ hr drives to get back home in pa. so
    now I live right on the water (well actually across the street from the
    bay) and Pa is only a 4-5 hr drive.  it sure is nice to roll over in
    bed pull back the curtain check out the lake conditions and then make a
    decision :-) 
    
    
                                                             Lee
    
    

    
    
      just for an ESLO FYI,
    
         They have changed the prize's for the ESLO derby, no more boats
    as prize's, I guess they found that most people when they won a boat
    they just turned around and sold it. I guess there is no more cash bash
    either. these are the ones I know about, there are supposed to be alot
    of other changes too. if I can find the info I will pass it along.
    
                                                               Lee
    
     P.S. we are on the home stretch now, hopefully it will be ice out
    april 1 or before.
    

    Any news from the BIG O? You guys fishing yet? The ice has finally
    cleared here in central mass and I even managed to get five nice ones
    before work Tuesday!! Five more weeks and we'll be up there. Got the
    fever bad this year!!
    
    Bob M�

    
    Bob and others...
    
    We were up there last weekend... Both the little Salmon and Big Salmon
    were open,... Matter of fact we watched a couple of boats going out 
    of the little salmon.  The state ramp was still closed though.  As
    we went further north towards North Pond, there was still ice on the
    shoreline, probably about 20 or 30 yards off shore..  People were 
    fishing the banks near the state ramp and a few along the shore.
    
    Absolutely NO snow in the area at all.. Matter of fact, I worked in
    my yard most of the day Saturday... A little damp but not bad...
    
    The Marshy Lee gets launched Patriots Day weekend for the season..
    
    See ya all up there
    
    Dave

    Anybody have any reports they can share with us? I'm heading up in two
    weeks for the Little Salmon, Mexico Bay area. I don't mind saying that
    I'm wound up like a cheap clock for this trip. Last year was awesome
    but this year with the new boat complete with Planner Boards,
    Downriggers and electronics should be even better.
    
    Thanks,
    Bob M�

    
    
      Bob,
    
      I guess the fishing has been really good, I havent been out yet, i
    will know more about the fishing after the weekend since we have 2 
    charters this weekend. 
     from the people i have talked too tho the fishing has been real steady
    for just about everyone, altho i am about 26 miles west of where you
    are going to be by water. 
    
       again i want to stress to be very careful out here, we lost 3 people 
    last friday afternoon or saturday up around pulaski, they tried to
    stern anchor in rough water, well all 3 didnt make it, one was an 8 yr 
    old boy, no life jackets were worn.  so for anyone coming up here know
    your boats ability and limitations, be careful and have fun. 
    
    
                                                    Lee
     

    
    Lee and others...
    
    If I had been able to get into the conference yesterday, I would have
    copied the article in the newspaper up there.  I was there last Friday
    with my son. We went out for a few hours in the morning, but noticed
    the lake was getting rougher by the minute.  At noontime, I pulled the
    plug and decided to go home for lunch...   Around 3:00 in the
    afternoon, I went down to the ramp to see if my neighbor was in yet. 
    Sure enough, he was pulling his 23 foot Crestliner out of the water.
    He too, said it was crazy out there and not worth the risk.
    
    Supposevely at 3:15, this tri-hull made an attempt to go on the lake.
    Someone noticed a boat capsized and notified Salmon Country Marina who
    in turned called the Coast Guard..  The accident occured directly of 
    the Northeast side of the Mexico/Little Salmon river jetty.  Waves
    were 4 to 6 feet.  First body wasn't found till next morning. Saturday
    we couldn't fish, cause the lake was really in a turmoil.  Sunday 
    morning didn't change much either.  They found the body of the 8 year
    old boy on Sunday.  What a damn shame. No life jackets worn. They were
    only in 8 to l0 feet of water and might have a chance if they had them
    on..   We got back on the lake at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday for an hour or 
    so but no action.
    
    Monday morning was the better of the days.  Still had some rollers, but
    really not bad.  The charter boats all headed to 9-Mile and were 
    chattering on the radio's about how many each one had in the box.  As
    for me, I wasn't travelling all the way out there. I stayed near by.
    Only stayed on the lake a couple of hours, as we had to head back to 
    Mass...  The Coast Guard was still actively seaching for the 3rd victim
    all morning. 
    
    I have learned a lot over the last 5 years of fishing that lake. You
    can sum it up in one word " Respect "...  I have a lot of it for the
    lake...  Good luck fishing. I'm not returning till the 28th ...
    
    Dave
    

    That is unfortunate. I especially cannot stand to see any child without
    a life preserver on at all times. I have been up there a few times now
    but last years vaca for the week and Ms. Ontario showed us everyside
    of her personality. One day it would be flat as a pancake calm and not
    a fish to be found. The next day we had a light sw wind and we couldn't
    keep the fish off the baits while the following day we saw waves
    breaking over the seawall at the Little Salmon (estimated 8' to 10'
    seas).
    
    The bottom line is it ain't worth your life!!! If the Lake isn't
    cooperating we head to the rivers. If the big rivers aren't cooperating
    we had for the streams. If it just downright sucks out we stay in and
    crack a couple a cold ones and chill out.......
    
    On a happier note......We'll be up there the 29th on the Little Salmon.
    Dave I believe your on it also and it looks as though you'll be there
    the same time. If you happen by please stop in and maybe we can
    exchange notes. We're staying at Camp Flatrocks Cottage. It's the 
    green place with the deck overlooking the boat slips on the right
    heading up river. If we are in, there will be a 20' white, center
    console. It's an American International (actually made by Larson). 
    
    I'm also going to be hooking up with an ex deccie who has been fishing
    the rivers up there for 17 + years now. He is an excellent steelheader
    and it just happens he'll be up there then also.
    
    Good Luck, Be Careful and Good Fishin.........
    Bob M�

    
    
      bob,
    
      Saturday and sunday the wind was pretty bad, it was definatly
    uncomfortable, but we fished non the less.
    
        the fishing was pretty good on saturday evening, we found a nice
    little pocket of fish in about 7 foot of water, first trip thru we
    tripled, 2 browns and a coho, second pass thru another triple, only got 
    1 out of the 3, a brown, next pass thru ANOTHER triple, got all 3 in,
    all browns, next pass thru a double a brown and a coho, then the
    dropsies started, its hard getting fish in during 3-5 foot waves.
    
      sunday morning the group was 45 minutes late, we got outside the
    chanel and set up in about 8 foot of water, 4 lines out, turned around 
    and fish on, a nice 8 lb brown, then the wind kicked up again, and it 
    was back to 3-5 foot waves, just really miserable fishing, yesterday we
    finished with 4 fish, 3 nice browns and a decent coho. 
    
      both trips were just 4 hour trips, so i think we did ok by what was
    being said on the radio. all the fish came off the planer boards, and
    every fish came on stick baits, jr thunder stick gold and black, and the 
    new pirate stick baits with black backs and orange belly with sparkle
    glitter all over.  7-8 foot of water seemed to be the best.
    
    
                                                         Lee
     

    Thanks Lee,
    
         Two bad weekends in a row up there! I hope it got it out of it's
    system. You did pretty well for that stuff. I talked with another guy
    who is up in Mexico Bay and they didn't even attempt to go out.
    
         We have to hurry up and get up there while we still have some
    money left. I keep finding the new killer lure. It's getting to the
    point, where between the three of us, we will be unable to try them
    all. Yesterday's lure of the day found in a small tackle shop was a
    Chartreuse Lobo. Pretty neat looking and it did what it was supposed to
    do. Catch Me!!!
    
    Thanks for the report and Good Luck on your Turkey Adventure.
    
    Bob M� (heading for the Bubble)

    Had another great week on Lake Ontario. The weather was too nice! We
    fished everyday with most days being sunup to sundown. We arrived
    Saturday, May 29th at 10 a.m.. Put the boat in the river at the Little
    Salmon State Boat Launch and headed for our cabin up river. By the time
    we squared rods, reels, planner boards, downriggers and ate it was 4
    p.m. and time to fish.
    
    We made our first troll through our hotspot from last year and banged
    a 4lb+ smallie. What's he doing here??? Next pass release from planner
    board but fish was lost. We did our third pass through the spot and 
    "Bang" feels like bottom but it's shaking it's head. 10 minutes later a
    beautiful 13 lb Brown Trout. As we were in the International Derby we
    decided to get it entered. It took 3rd place for the the day missing
    first by 7 oz.. I knew this was too good to be true and we would
    probably pay for an easy first outing like this!!!
    
    The next morning we were out and back in the same spot. Out of 9
    releases only one, 5lb Brown was landed. One fish was a monster! He
    came off the Planer in about 20' of water and headed for Montreal!
    I did everything I could to keep him on but he never looked back.
    Eventually he came off............It never came to the surface like a
    Steelie or Salmon so we assumed it was a Big Brown with an attitude!!!
    The rest of the day was just about the same. We finally decided to get
    off the boat and do a little river fishing in the Salmon River for
    Steelies.
    
    Second cast on the Salmon River and Fish On. 10 minutes later a  guest-
    imated 11lb, acrobatic, Steelhead came in for a tailing and a release.
    A beautiful female. After that.......Nothing.
    
    The rest of the week only get better. I wish I kept a log because I
    have no idea how many fish we got. Two more 10lb + Browns were taken. A
    couple more nice Steelhead. Numerous Browns in the 4 - 8 lb category,
    unfortunately we lost count. Also had a good afternoon on the Oswego
    River on Friday. Two Steelies, 15lb Catfish, a Sheephead (don't ask me,
    that's what I was told) and I lost what appeared to be the Biggest Wal-
    leye I have ever seen in my life. He took my eggsack while I was
    fishing with my 11.5' Noodle Rod. Needless to say he didn't stay for
    Tea...........At least my rod is still in one piece.
    
    Lake Ontario and it's tributaries are a truly an awsome place. This was
    only my third time up there and everytime I learn a little more.
    Especially, with some help from this file. Lee, once again right on the
    money! Those Pirate lures were whacken 'em!!! We also had good luck
    with #11 Rainbow Rapala's, 3" silver Mooselook Wobblers (sp) and
    silver Stingers with blue and purple reflective tape.
    
    I miss it already.
    Bob M�                                           

    Whats this??? Back to the Future?? U arrived May 29th but your note is
    dates May 8th??
    
    :-) "Sounds like a good trip to me."

    
    
       Bob,
    
    SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO thats where all the fish went huh?????????
    
      It sounds as tho you had a good time NO? seriously tho, you can tell
    when someone has the fever, and after a week like you had its easy to 
    get hooked on this type of fishing. and about the walleye, its not a 
    suprise at all, that oswego river has some HUGE walleye! 
    
       and whatcha think about that sheephead? ugly huh? they are also 
    called fresh water drum. and they are good to eat, but there is just a 
    small strip of meat high on their back. also if you keep one for eating
    after you clean it, well its kinda gross to weak stomached people but
    if you split the skull above the eyes, there are 2 crescent shaped
    bones that float within the skull structure, and there is a blue L on
    each one. they call them Lucky bones. and teh natives make jewlry from
    them.
    
     i ran a trip the 29th, outa 3 fish hooked up none were boated, the
    first one was a nice 8+ lb Coho lost during an arial assault:-) then 
    the next trip thru the spot, they broke off a nice big spring king!
    and if that wasnt bad enough we dropped a nice brown later. the bait
    hit our shallows down around sodus point around the 29th, which shut
    our fish down.
    
       As a side note, we were very lucky on saturday (5-6-95) we had a 21
    foot boat go down off chimney bluffs, the 2 fisherman spent about 10
    minutes in 45 degree water before being pulled out, our fire
    dept./water rescue and ambulance was called out, but thankfully for
    these guys they had a VHF marine radio and called out a mayday before
    the radio got submerged and there was a charter boat close by to get
    them out of the water, they did grab their life jackets before getting
    outa the boat.
       By the time they got to us at the coast guard station they were
    pretty cold, we got them outa the wet clothes and wrapped in blankets 
    and hotpacks, and they were released from the hospital a couple hours
    later. they were probably the luckiest guys on the lake that day and
    they knew it. the one guy said that it wouldnt matter what it took to 
    have a marine radio, he would never ever ever ever have a boat without
    one. he said ya know that radio saved our lives! and he's right.
    
    
      well enough of that congrats on the nice fish, pretty good feeling
    netting a 13 lb brown huh?  again congrats and enjoy the memories.
    
                                               Lee
    

    
    
    Did I say May 29th??????? I wish!!!! I would go back in a heart-
    beat.....
    
    Speaking of which, Lee, do you need anybody to swab the deck on your
    charters�?� I've spent a summer on Kodiak Island, Ak. It was the best
    summer of my life and I was only 16 at the time. This is the closest
    experience to it that I have had. It's truly an amazing fishery.
    
    As far as the huge Walleye go... Wow!!! about sums it up. I had only
    seen them on the boob tube previous to this trip. They are quite the
    bull dogs once hooked!!! Sounds like another future species to chase.
    The Sheephead on the other hand can stay in the water. Yup, it was ugly
    and the Lucky Bones must have been working for him because we released
    him unharmed!!!
    
    We also had a school of Alewives hit the shores on Wednesday. What a
    sight! The water was literally boiling with them. We stayed on the lake
    that night with a million power Q-Beam just too watch the happenings.
    We attempted to catch some of the monsters that were banging into them
    but it was like taking a sandwhich to a picknick....... The longer we
    left the light on the more baitfish it attracted which in turn
    attracted the big boys. We had a few monsters swim into the light
    chasing them. It happened so quick we couldn't identify the fish. All I
    know was that they were BIG.
    
    Whoops.....Babbling again.
    You would have to experience it to believe it......
    Bob M.

    
    Hi Bob..
    
    Glad to hear you did well..  I had given you a shout on the radio
    a couple of times on Saturday, but from your note, you really didn't
    get on the lake till 4:00 p.m... Thats why we missed each other.
    
    I had mom with me, thus we can't go out till the sun is at high noon,
    and gotta be in early...   I leave tonite with a few friends from
    Gardner.  We will be up there the rest of the week...
    
    Dawn to Dusk is our motto this week.
    
    Again, congrat's on a fine week of fishing
    
    Dave

    
    Another life lost on Saturday the 10th. It appears these two older
    gentlemen were coming out of North Pond near the Green Point Marina
    in a l4 foot aluminum boat when they were hit by a 22 footer coming
    in from the lake.  Both men were thrown from the boat and only one
    surfaced.  Skin divers found the person after a brief search. Neither
    of the men had life jackets on.  According to the Post, the skipper
    of the larger boat and the survivor of the smaller, claim they never
    saw each other...  North Pond ( sometimes referred to Sandy Pond ), is
    extremely shallow even through the channel way. I can remember going 
    thru there and having a couple of people sit up on the bow because 
    even with the motor lifted as far as I dared, we would still hit.
    
    The fishing has been fair to midland.  We pulled 6 browns last weekend
    and one steelie..  Marking a lot of fish in over the 200' mark and
    variable depths anywhere from 30 to l70 down. Nine mile is started up
    again which helps determine how far out we are going for the day.
    Several spring salmon were caught last weekend in the deep water. We
    heard several conversations on the radio...
    
    Off to the lake this Thursday...
    
    Dave

    I am looking for some information about Lake Ontario.  My husband and 
    some friends have planned a fishing trip for the week of 9/10, they
    they will be in the Watertown area.  He was curious about what kind/
    size of fish you would expect from this area and time of year.  What
    is the weather usually like in September?  Also any "general"
    information on the area would be appreciated.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Mary	
    
      
    

    
    
    Mary,
    
        Well depending on what species of fish the group are after would
    depend on where they should go. The pike fishing is good around the 
    henderson harbor/black river area. also the bass fishing isnt too bad.
    they will also find some walleye in that area. also its a little bit of
    a drive but the thousand islands area is super pike fishing.
    
    
      if its salmon/trout that they are after they may be able to find them 
    in ~200foot of water. there may be a few real early fish in the river
    but i wouldnt bet the farm on it. if its salmon they are after they
    will need downriggers. I would also recomend a couple dipsy diver
    setups.
    
       Probably the best thing for them to do is call, or stop in at a
    local tackle shop when they are out here to get the information. I
    will have to say that your husband should start praying now that the
    fishing picks up from what its been the last week or so. we had a roll
    over of the water and the fish have lockjaw bad. saturday they had
    temps of 78 degrees down 100 feet. and i would bet that not more than
    a couple dozen fish were cught between all the boats out of sodus
    point.
    
    
                                                         Lee
     

    Lee,
    
    Any last minute updates, my husband's leaving this Sunday for Henderson 
    Bay and he was hoping maybe the fishing might have improved since your
    last note.  
    
    Thanks,
    
    Mary
    

    
    
      Mary,
    
       The fishing has been so-so good days amongst the poor, its alittle
    better than it was. the fish could turn on tho we had some rain, not
    alot but some. Cut bait has been working the best for most people.
    
      My best advice would be for your husband to stop at a local tackle
    shop and get some info direct from the area they will be fishing. the
    fishing changes on a day to day basis, sometimes even hour by hour.
    
                                                              Lee
    

    
    
    Lee...
    
    This has been an awful quiet conference...  Question::  Have you seen
    anything in the local news about boat/fishing shows?  I am looking
    to attend either in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse areas...  Can you
    enter a note with the dates, times and places when you see them?
    
    Thanks
    
    Dave

    Has anyone been out to the Mexico Bay area as of late? It's time for me
    and the boys to plan our annual spring trip. I was wondering how much
    snow is on the ground? We try to plan our trip so that if we get blown
    off the Lake we can chase Steelhead at the Salmon and Oswego Rivers....
    
    If you go too early the rivers are in flood stage. Too late.....the
    steelies have migrated back to the lake.
    
    Any info is appreciated.
    Thanks,
    Bob Mercier

    I drove up this past Saturday and fished the upper river areas in
    Altmar and Pineville.  Fishing was action was slow both days with few
    fish being taken.  Sunday was somewhat better than Saturday and I was
    fortunate enough to be rewarded with a nice 5 lb male steelie late
    in the day yesterday taken on a green butt nymph on 3lb leader....
    ....As far as snow there was quite a bit of run-off
    yesterday but the was still a good 12-18" in many of the more wooded
    sections of the western bank. Water flow from the dam was 900CFM With
    the river level rising slowly all day. The fishing pressure was very
    light everywhere except the catch and release area which was shoulder
    to shoulder which didn't bother me since I was using a noodle
    rod/spinning setup.  When I hooked-up in the short-bridge pool there
    was only 1 other fisherman there at 3pm.  
    
    Next weekend should be better with the continued high water I think
    more fish will probably be entering the river.  
    
    tight lines,
    
    /Joe

    
    
    Interesting weekend...  The Little Mexico was open as far as the 
    jetty..   Then you would need an ice crusher. Seems the winds blew
    just right and blew the ice in to the bay.  I did hear a few boats 
    on 68, but they must have been out of Sandy Pond or the Big Salmon.
    
    When I left Sunday a.m., it started to snow pretty good.  Plan on 
    going up this weekend and launching the craft. Hopefully I won't need
    the Coast Guard Ice breaker to get me out there. The article in the 
    sunday paper, cautions all boat owners, to be careful of moving ice
    pockets.  They could literally fill in a particular area which might
    make it real difficult for anyone to get back in.
    
    I will update after the l5th...
    
    
    Dave

    
    
    lst Weekend report from Lake Ontario.  Launched the boat on Friday
    noontime on the Little Salmon.  The state ramp wasn't even open yet,
    so thus, not many fishermen on the lake. The winds were out of the 
    North about l5-20 mph causing 2 to 4's to be the norm.  Trolled up
    towards the Big Salmon and Sandy Pond but couldn't get within 15 feet
    from shore, due to ice structure all the way out there from land. 
    Did manage to pick up one 5 lb brown on black/silver Rapila.  After
    two hours of getting bounced around, we called it quits for the day.
    
    Saturday we headed directly to Nine Mile. No ice in that area at all.
    Trolled for over 4 hours, not a single fish. Marked very few fish and
    saw very few boats.  Ended up trolling towards Catfish creek with still
    no luck. Heavy rains finally put a damper on our outing.  Sunday
    morning got up and had full intentions to try it again, but 3 to 5 
    footers and 20 to 25 mph winds put a damper on that real quick. Will
    try again next weekend.
    
    Dave
    

    Dave,
    
         I think the fish are waiting for me this year. ;^)
    Seriously, we need some warm days now so the fish wake up in time for
    me to catch them. Reading the Salmon River page on the net. It stated
    that it's the latest that they ever had to wait to get out on the Lake
    consistently. According to the weather man we should be getting some
    warmer weather starting tomorrow.
    
         April 27th we'll be there........
    Bob M�

    
    
        Bob,
    
       ya'all need to head west, we have no ice on our shores :-) and the
    guys have been fishing, I have been so busy that i havent even
    registered the boat trailer yet. and next weekend is the begining of 
    spring turkey season. i do hope to make it out for some spring brownie
    fishing tho.
    
        warmer weather???????? well as i look out the window here today its
    SNOWING  yeap snow! but no fret its suposed to be 70 by the weekend
    geesh no wonder everyone has colds. i just wish one of the 2 variables
    would straighten out, either warm up, or the winds to die down.  the
    lake was really cranking this morning. had so much muck churned up the
    muddy water was inside sodus bay at least 3/4 of a mile.
    
    
        Hope you have good luck when you come out, if things are slow up
    that way give me a call and i will find out how things are around my
    area. we are only an hour from there via road. so you could trailer
    down. 
    
    
                                              Lee
    

    Lee,
    
         I was getting the impression that you left this file for the
    hunting notes! It's nice to hear from you again. If you could do me
    one favor? You always seem to hit the lures right on the head. Last
    year you told me about those Pirates and boy did they tear into them!
    In fact, I had bought two here per your recommendation. They ended up
    getting slammed so bad that they eventually fell apart!!! Could'nt find
    any up there so we switched to the Bomber's which worked pretty good.
    
    True Story.......
    Bob M�

    
    
       Bob,
    
       I havent talked to anyone thats been out, just heard some grumblings
    about town that the people that have gone out have done ok, i dont know 
    what they are doing them on, i could probably find out tho.
    
    well I just called a friends shop up at sodus bay, he say's that the 
    orange bombers, and green bombers, thundersticks have been very
    productive.
     
    
       Bucky did say that there have been some very large browns taken, he
    has weighed 2 in the last week one was 18 lbs, one was 24 lbs! now that
    is a nice fish. 
    
       Now i shouldnt have called cause now i wanna say the heck with the 
    remodelling and get the boat out. but i also just made plans for a 
    spring gobbler hunt in Pa for the week of 5/13. so I probably wont get
    out before then, maybe but not too hopeful.
    
            Lee
    

    
         Luckily, I'm only a deer hunter, and have the fall pegged out for
    that. Fishing was and will always be my first love. Besides, bagging
    and eating a Turkey would be too much like Cannibalism for me.
    
    ;^) 
    
    Good Luck on the Spring Gobbler. The hills of Pennsylvania have to be
    one of the most beautiful places in the spring........ If only I had
    more vacation time.
    
    Bob M�             
    

    Lee,
    
         Any last minute updates from the world of Lake Ontario. I have
    been tuning into the Salmon River Page on the Internet. Very
    informative as to conditions but never anything on lure selections.
    
         It appears that everything is in flood stage right now. I was
    hoping to avoid it. It also seems that the fishing is a bit strange.
    Tons of Lakers between 20 and 30 fish per morning. Schools of Coho and
    recovering Steelhead all hanging out at the Bubble. Also, a large
    number of very Large Browns being caught between 16 and 20 lbs. 
    
         Ohhh, I can only hope......
    
    Bob M�

    
    
        Bob,
    
         I talked with a couple guys around town last weekend, (between
    running wild between the fire dept & amb & the remodeling project) and
    the word is small stick baits (rapala,thunder sticks, jr thunder sticks
    bombers and small spoons) colors varrie but green/black, orange w/black
    dots and natural stick baits are working, spoons are blue/silver
    orange/silver, green/silver. 
    
         Yes we are having water problems in the streams, its rained almost 
    every day the last 2 weeks, i think we have only had 2 or 3 non rain
    days. so around streams might be a good choice. and of course the
    bubble up there is ussually good in the spring if you can get there. 
    
       Have you gotten a VHF yet? if so you may pick up some info on chnl
    7,8,9,68,72 , if not try one of the local tackle stores for some info. 
    hopefuly the wind will allow you access to the lake, altho its no fun
    fishing in the cold rain at least you can get out there, if itsa blowin
    you aint boatin.
    
    
                                       Lee
    

    Thanks Lee,
    
         You and Dave Langelier are a big help. We do have a radio now.
    After experiencing what that Lake is capable of, we bought one. Did
    you guys hear that the FCC has finally waived the $75.00 radio
    registration fee and that the Coast Guard will no longer check for your
    reg. That's a savings!
    
         Like you said, it can rain all she wants and I don't mind but
    please no wind accompanied by ten footers!!!!!!!!
    
    Let me see.......
    Downriggers  check
    Planner boards check
    Releases check
    Lead Core  check
    A huge assortment of lures  check
    Radio check
    
    Let's Do It
    Put in a report when I get back
    Thanks,
    Bob M�

    Tell me (us) more about the wavier of the FCC fee and the CG policy. 

    Well if you have access to the internet the address for the Salmon
    River is: http//www.maine.com. Get into the what's new section and it
    is listed there.
    
    A brief synopsis of this is that as reported in the Syracuse "Herald
    Journal". Recreation vessels no longer have to submit a lengthy
    application form to the FCC and more importantly, no longer have to pay
    a $75.00 "user fee" simply to have a legal two-way radio on their boat
    to use in case of emergencies.
    
    I was in a Coast Guard given course this winter and we were looking for 
    this. In fact, we were holding off to right before we left. It worked.
    The bill was sponsored by Boat U.S.. A pretty good organization with 
    some good bennies for joining. If you have any questions call the FCC
    direct at 1-800-322-1117.
    
You may now pull your unregistered radios out of hiding
    Hope this helps,
    Bob M�

    
    Bob... Forgot to tell you about the new twist at the State Ramp on
    the Little Salmon...  Last week I thought I would check out the lake
    before embarking down the river.  When I pulled up to the little 
    shed, there was a sign " All Vehicles Must Stop "...  So I figured 
    there was some sort of change.  Sure enough, all vehicles must now
    pay $4.00 a day to utilize the state park area, or $39.95 a year.
    I asked about quick turn-arounds for people just wanting to check out
    the lake to see how high the waves were or what the wind was doing
    of the bubble... She says, "No matter, everyone pays"... She also 
    said if you get a season pass, its good for any New York State Park.
    Thats good to know, in case you want to fish the Bronx.
    
    Have fun
    
    Let us know how you make out and if you can, give me a call next 
    friday night..
    
    Dave
    

    I've just been cleared at home to make my first trip to Lake O.  We
    will be going out a week from Sunday for a couple of days and taking
    the boat we striper fish in here in NE - an 18' aluminum boat with a
    50 Yamaha.
    
    I know nobody goes out when it's blowing, but I'm feeling a little
    under sized with the boat.  Is it reasonable for us to expect to
    fish in that sized boat?  Is there a harbor or something that is more
    protected that we should be sticking to?
    
    I'm also not clear on how heavy a rod and reel people use.  What size
    line is common?
    
    We will be equiped with a radio (&cell phone backup), GPS, and planer
    boards.  We will probably buy lures once we are there.
    
    Thanks,
    Mark
    

    
    Mark..
    
    Really depends on where you plan to go...  If the wind is blowing, you 
    can go to Oswego Harbor. That area is pretty well protected. If you        
    are going further west ie; Sodus etc., Lee might be able to direct you
    better, as I am out of the Mexico and Little Salmon area.  When the 
    wind isn't blowing, the size of your boat is fine. This time of year
    most folks are fishing close to shore anyway and it seems you have 
    proper tools aboard.
    
    Fishing equipment this time of year can vary also.  I use 4 small Daiwa
    Line counter reels with 8 to 10 lb test..  Everyone has their own 
    particular favorites.  You will probably do well with what you have.
    Again, depending on where you are planning to stay, we can help you 
    further..  If you need specific info ie; accomodations, restaurants
    etc., give me a call at DTN 225-6718...
    
    Dave

    
    
        Mark,
    
     Dave pretty much summed it up, and we really need some more info, as
    to where you are going.  are you talking the 5 th or 12 of may? if
    your talking the 5th and your headed to sodus point/sodus bay I can
    help you out with a place to put your boat after your done for the day
    and at night. and there are plenty of fairly reasonable rooms around
    the point. if your talking the 12th I cant help ya out since i am
    supposed to be out of state on a spring gobbler hunt.
    
       As far as gear goes, well like dave said every one has their own pet
    peeve, for the spring since most times your catching browns from 3-8
    lbs with an common 10+ lb and an occasional 12+ lb, and some decent
    steelies with an occasional king tossed in just to keep ya on your toes
    I use 4 6.5 foot light action rods with penn 9M spooled with 8 lb test,
    and also 4 8 foot light action rods with shimano 200 gt spooled with
    14lb test (these i run a 6 foot leader of 8lb test) the 8 footers are 
    mainly  used for the front rods on the planer boards since the extra
    height helps keep things clear, and if i graph kings down deeper i can
    pop off the 8lb leader and attach a spoon and send it down on a
    downrigger.
    
        as far as the boat goes, if you respect that lake and pay attention 
    to what is going on you should be fine, I will tell you one thing to 
    keep in mind, this lake can change in MINUTES! the waves on this lake
    are not like the ocean, most often the waves are breakers and very
    close together, heed the warnings and you should be ok. if the lake is
    bad you have several options along the lake shore, oswego harbor,
    acessable via wrights landing marina (pay launch) if your going west on
    route 104 from either 481 or 104 from pulaski area, then take the first
    right after you go over the bridge and you will run into to boat
    launch, if your coming from the west, east on 104 then you want to turn 
    left at the last light before the bridge.
    
        if you want to come to sodus point then the easiest way is take
    exit 42 off the ny state thruway, get on route 14 north, stay on rt 14
    north all the way to sodus point.  there is a public boat launch right 
    on rt 14 (just past arney's marina) and there is a good sized parking
    lot across the street for your vehicle and trailer. 
    
         once you get more set plans on where your going let us know I
    think between dave and i we can probably stear ya in the right
    direction.
    
                                         Lee
    
     P.s. its flippin raining AGAIN!!!! im about ready to grow gills!
    
     

    Lee & Dave,
    Thanks for the info.  That's exactly what I was looking for.  It looks
    like I have a couple of reels that class I can respool with lighter
    line, but I will need to buy some longer and lighter rods.
    
    We will be leaving this Sunday, the 5th.  We haven't made any definite
    plans, but will probably head to Pulaski.  Dave, if you don't mind,
    I'll take you up on your offer and give you a call later in the week
    for your recommendations.
    
    Thanks again,
    Mark
    

    Well, back again from another Spring excursion on the big Lake Ontario.
    To sum it up, it was a slooow, cold, WET, week. We arrived Saturday
    around 9:00 a.m. to snow and seven foot white caps. The look on my
    Brother in Laws face was priceless. He lives in Georgia and has never
    been to the Lake. His first statement was I have now seen Hell! My re-
    sponse to him was just relax. If you don't like it. Give it a couple
    hours. We ended up making it out that night on 2 to 5 foot rollers.
    Boated a nice 7 lb Brown and a small 3 lb Coho.
    
    It appears that everything, like here, is about two to three weeks
    behind. Water temp. was 41 degrees when we arrived which is the coldest
    I have seen it there. The rivers were swollen with the Salmon River
    running 2+ gates and the Oswego unfishable :^(.
    
    Tuesday we got 3 inches of rain. I do not believe that the air temp
    ever made it above 50 degrees. If it did, it certainly did not feel it.
    We fished all day Tuesday and we were rewarded with nothing. Not even a 
    bite and we spent at least 10 hours fishing that crap.
    
    However, the Fishing God probably feeling as though he had tortured us
    enough truly rewarded us on Wednesday! We woke up at the usual time of
    4:00 a.m. and proceeded to the Bubble after coffee. No sooner had the
    planer boards began their work when we heard the whip of the line and
    my buddy screaming RELEASE! A beautiful 10 lb Steelie started it's 
    Dance on the end of the 8 lb test. What a site to behold!!! Before we 
    were through for the morning we had 4 Steelies on with only 2 boated
    and 3 or 4 nice Browns as well.
    
    It began to rain and the bite quit so we headed home for our Breakfast/
    lunch. We decided it would be best to get some z's after eating as it
    was still raining out and we were running out of dry clothes. At 4:00
    p.m. I couldn't take it anymore. I told the boys that I was going out
    and they all followed. With the rain still coming down we decided to 
    try our old hot spot. The line wasn't in the water 5 minutes when the
    line whipped again and the drag SCREAMED. It was my turn on the Rod and
    in my enthusiasm I took too big a step. That combined with a wet
    slippery deck and I was doing the splits like 12 year old cheerleader.
    The pain was intense but having the rod in my hand I lurched up for a
    half hearted hook set. The fish was huge! Easily a 15+ Brown! However,
    the hook set wasn't there. After another run he spit the hook and
    waived good bye with his massive tail. I on the other hand bowed in
    pain with both ego and groin damaged!!!!
    
    After the fiasco we trolled another 50 yards and bang! A 14lb Brown
    boated! Another 100 yrds later a 10lb+ boated. The fish worked their
    way down in size but the bite was hot! An evening I'll never forget.
    Thursday was slow and Friday I managed to get lucky and boat a 14lber
    myself (Brown). The highlight besides that was my buddy hooking into a
    20lb Pike. We have no idea what the heck he was doing there but he was
    a great little bonus. He was released unharmed and roams the deep
    still. What a monster he was!!!
    
    The hot lures were stick baits. Black and Silver Rapalas and the
    Bleeding Tennesse Shad by Storm. Water temp had made it up to 48 out of
    the river mouths when we left. There were no baitfish and not a lot of
    fish around. However, the fish are abmormally large for this time of
    year. The day before we got there someone landed a 29lb+ Brown from
    shore by the Bubble. What a fish that was. When we left a 26lb+ Brown
    was winning the $20,000 LOC Tournament. So if your going, bring your
    muscles. These big Browns never ever quit!!!
    
    Good Fishin'
    Bob M�

    
    
        Bob,
    
         Well its sounds like an ok week besides the weather, man i cant
    remember this much rain during a spring, the lake level has risen 1
    foot over the last week, and in a lake the size of ontario thats alot
    of water! 
    
         It sounds as tho you didnt hit quantities of fish but man them
    theres some nice brownies, kinda beats them there half pound stockies
    from the creeks eh :-) I think i would take quality over qty. any day.
    
         Just FYI the 26lb 10 oz brownie won the derby I believe, (it was
    leading as of 10:30 am yesterday) the guy richard cotte (i think) is
    from Kingston NH. weighed in at 10:30 am thursday morning.
    
         the only time i spent on the water was at 5:30 last night when we
    received a fire call for a boat on fire 6 miles out from sodus point,
    but once we got to the lighthouse I said that fire is a heck of a lot
    farther than 6 miles off shore, we still launched the larc from the
    beach, after we were 2 miles out fire dispatch called and said the fire
    origin is a vessel on fire on the canadian shore, man if it was on the 
    canadian shore that looked like it was a good one cause we could see
    the smoke column as plain as day. oh well that was a little far for a 
    mutual aid call:-)
    
    
    
                                                         Lee
    

    Lee,
    
    Coho Salmon, Steelhead, Buster Browns and Pike bigger than my leg. I
    would need my head examined if I was whining about that! The biggest
    bummer other than getting ousted from the Rivers was the flat water we
    experienced. I'ld say we had 4 marble top days and you know better than
    I do that those fish just aren't that hungry when the water flattens
    out. At one point we had those planner boards about 50 yards out!!!
    
    Necessity is the Mother of all Inventions......The weather just forced
    us to try new things. From areas to boat speed and direction. I am
    lucky that my buddies are as sick as me and will fish in hell and high
    water in pursuit of those buggers. That's what it's all about!!!
    
    Well, time to scrape the mushrooms from my armpits and rearrange the
    gear for the illusive Landlocked Salmon of Winnepesaukee! It's Derby
    Time.........
    
    Stay Dry
    Bob M�

    Lee and Dave,
    
    I forgot to ask you guys...Are you seeing an abnormally large numbers
    of Lamprey Eels? Every Brown from 4 to 14 pounds was sporting scars. We
    also had one in the boat attached to a 7 pounder. He immediately
    detached and began squirming around the deck. Can you say Butt %*&%&%
    Ugly??? In talking with Maggie the Taxidermist from Fish Wish who
    also works for the DEC she thought that the unusually cold water was
    making the Browns a lot more sluggish allowing the gross little varmits
    to attach. I just hope that along with the Zebra Mussels that they are
    not making a come back.
    
    Bob M�

    
    
    Hi Bob..
    
    Saw a few attached last fall to a couple of Kings we brought in, but
    really haven't seen any this year...and hopefully aren't planning on
    seeing any either...  We will carefully check out our catch over the 
    next couple of weeks and reply..
    
    Have you ever thought about being a writer??   Good updates.
    
    Dave

    Dave,
    
         Sounds like Heaven to me! Find some publisher who would pay me
    X amount of dollars to fish somewhere and then write about it!!! Where
    do I sign? I really don't know what I want to be when I grow up? As
    long as I can find the time to fish I'll keep smiling......
    
    Thanks for the compliment,
    Bob M�

    Just got back last night from my first trip to Lake O.  It was a short
    trip.  We fished Sunday evening, all day Monday, and Tuesday morning.
    The fishing was very slow for everybody.  We had a great time and
    feel very good that we did about as well as anybody out there.  Not
    bad for two yahoos trying it for the first time.
    
    Sunday afternoon was Dead.  We didn't get a hit.  Only saw a few lakers
    taken by other boats, no brown.
    
    Monday morning was raining.  I caught a 7 lb brown and my partner got
    a 6 pound brown in the morning.  Both on Chartruse (sp?) needlefish.
    My partner got a smaller 3-4 pound brown as dusk on a natural rapala.
    
    Tuesday morning was calm, sunny and dead.  There were very few browns
    taken, and we struck out on them.  We headed out for a couple of
    hours for lakers.  We weren't planning to fish for lakers, but managed
    to catch one 21".  I used to fish Lake Winni here in NH and I was
    really suprised at how different the lake trout fishing was on Lake O.
    For one thing, I couldn't believe how deep they were (130-140').  In
    Winni they come up near the surface (10-20') in the early spring when
    the water is this cold, and work their way down as the water warms.
    The other thing is I couldn't believe how thick they were!
    
    The water temp was 38 degrees.
    
    The bubble was an experience all to itself.  There were very few boats
    out on the lake, and they all wanted to be on top of the bubble.  It
    was a very interesting game of chicken with the charter boats :-)
    
    I'd go back in a second.
    
    Thanks for all the info and help.
    
    Mark,
    

    What's the bubble?

    
    
         The bubble in question is what the locals out here call the area
    around the warm water discharge from the nine mile nuke plant. in the 
    spring thats the hottest spot around oswego if nimo is running water.
    
    
    
                                                               Lee
    

    We fished the "Bubble" alot this year. As the shoreline temp. was
    running 41 degrees outside the Little Salmon River the water temp di-
    rectly above the discharge was 62 degrees. 
    
    Unfortunately, I glow in the dark now!!! One morning it was real cold 
    with a light South Breeze (Offshore Breeze). As we got directly in
    front of the Steam Discharger it began to rain on us. We noticed at
    that point that there were no clouds in the sky and what was really
    happening was that the steam which is created from cooling the core
    of the reactor was condensing in the cold air and falling on us.
    
    It's not a comphy feeling
    Bob M�

    
    
       Well I finally made it out on the big O, pretty sad for a sap that 
    can see the bay right out my window:-)
    
       went out turkey hunting first thing sat. morning, it was pouring
    rain, the only gobbler we heard was quite a ways off so once we were
    soaked Gary said he had enough.
       
       When I returned home Tommy was walking towards the launch, I stopped
    to talk to him, he said hey ya wanna go fishing grab your stuff and
    I'll wait for ya.
    
       I changed into dry clothes, and off to the lake we headed, we went
    out thru the channel, tommy asked where ya wanna go, I said well with
    all this rain Maxwell has to be running strong, and I know of 2 other 
    good springs between the maxwell and the girlscout camp, and they
    should be running strong also, so thats where i would go. 
    
       the chatter on the radio was sllllooooooooowwwwww fishing, we set up
    i set the port side tommy set the starboard side, I pulled out a purple 
    and black alpena diamond #41, tommy laughs and says whatcha doin with
    that, i said if theres brownies around they like this one. then i
    attached a green rapalla, got about the same response from tommy.
     
       the first hit came on his side of the boat, but by the time he got
    the rod outa the holder it was gone, we were in about 10 feet of water
    i told tommys wife to move into about 5 feet. from 5 feet the board on
    my side was just about on the rocks. 
    
      i turn around to grab my bottle of pop an di hear zzzzz zzzzzz
    zzzzzzzzzzzzz, i snap my head around and see a nice football dancing on
    the water, i grab the pole and the fight is on, finally i get the
    brownie to the back of the boat and ask tommy to get the net, then he
    says ya aint gonna believe it but thats the one thing i forgot! oh
    great ok well then we will just gill them. we got him in the boat a
    nice 8 lber a nice way to start the season for me.
    
       we stayed in tight to shore and went 6 for 7 on brownies, the
    smallest fish we got was 1 brown that weighed about 4 lbs, all the rest 
    were between 7 and 10 lbs, and we also got 1 nice coho about 7 lbs.
    that coho put on one heck of an arial display.
     
       We were soaked, I thot we had been out for a while when i looked at
    my watch we had been out only 3 hours. we pulled in our gear and headed
    for home. i put one 8 lb brown and the coho in the freezer in my block 
    forms, they will be going to the taxidermist friend of mine in Pa. He
    was awarded a contract with a museum in madrid Spain for something like
    72 north american fish species, so when i dropped off some drift wood
    for him last december I asked where he was going to get his trout
    species from. he said well I was planning on going to bear creek to get
    a brown, rainbow, and brookie.
       I said please dont send a stocked brown and rainbow over to that
    museum, those people over there will say wow thats all the bigger those
    trout are, hmmm i pitty them. so I told him do ya mind sending over
    some nice size trout, he said no, so i said ok I will get you some nice
    sized trout to mount for them. i will set a limit tho, brownie 8 lbs or
    better, rainbow 6 lbs or better, steelie 10 lbs or better, coho 6 lbs
    or better, laker 14 lbs or better, and of course our main attraction
    the monsterous king salmon, we will shoot for 25 lbs or better. of
    course Terry's jaw was just about on the floor, i said heck theese are
    average size fish that i would give you. he has never been up here so
    he doesnt realise what the fish are like here. he's gonna be shocked 
    when i drop a big salmon on the table.
    
        well thats all for now, its back to turkey hunting, i am on vaca
    from wed.- next monday for an outa state turkey hunt thats gonna be 
    video taped, hopefully its going to be good weather.
    
    
                                                        Lee
    

    Great Report Lee......
    
         Sounds like you really got into them!!! It's even better when you
    hear everyone else whinning on the radio about how slow the fishing is.
    While at the same time you can't keep your lines on the releases.....
    
         Still raining up there? Were getting about the same here. I've
    gotten so fed up with being wet I laid out the cash for new Gortex
    Rain gear. You may watch a grown man cry as soon as the first hook
    tears through it!!!!!!
    
    Dave, did you make it out?
    
    Bob M�

    
    
      Bob,
    
       no rain today, actually there is this bright glowing thing up in the 
    sky, the weather people say its called the sun? but it is actually a
    nice day today, of course since it is a day of work.
    
       ya think the rains bad, yesterday the alarm goes off at 2:30am I get 
    outa bed walk out to the back door and look outside annddddddddddd
    
    
    SNOW!!!!! not just flurries I mean BLIZZARD!!!!!!!!!!
    
    well I went back to bed and back awake at 5 am, to 3 inches of that
    white crap on the ground! man its the middle of MAY its supposed to be
    nice! it was gone by 8am but it was still a sickening sight!
    
      the Bay level rose almost a foot between friday evening and sunday 
    morning! there is only about 4" of breakwall left at Arney's marina 
    before the parking lot gets flooded. I am about ready to build one
    of them there big fan boats just to get around in my yard!
    
    
        oh well, everyone have fun fishing, i am back to turkey hunting:-)
    
    
                                              Lee
    

    
    
    Lee / Bob ::
    
    	I am trading in my down riggers for a couple of pairs of good
        ski's....  Unlike Lee, I didn't get out on Saturday at all. They    
        had small craft warnings out, so we passed.  When we returned to
        the state launch on Saturday evening, it was a site to see.  The
        rollers were just crashing over the jetty wall.  One of the good
        results, was the fact I didn't have to step down into my boat 
        anymore.  It was a couple of feet higher than the dock.  The 
        weather has just been incredible.  I put my order in for an Ark.
        Sunday was unbelievable.  Set the clock early figuring maybe we
        could get a few hours of fishing in before we had to leave.  Only
        problem I had was finding my shovel, to clear a path on my boat.
    
        The highway department was plowing the NY Turnpike to Utica. What
        a weekend....  Hopefully next will be better...  Maybe I should 
        take up Turkey hunting.. Sounds like Lee is having more fun doing
        that....    Till next weekend... 
    
        Dave

    
    
         Dave,
    
        Did you guys check the lake sat morning? we were going to fish the
    bay because of the weather channel saying small craft advisory from
    niagra to the st. lawrence, but when we didnt see alot of boats at
    the docks and none in the bay we dicided to go out and take a look
    and the lake wasnt bad. 
          at one point i was jumping from side to side of the boat to make
    it rock back and forth because the lake flattened right out. but for
    the most part it was great conditions for fishing/ cept for the
    downpour that wouldnt quit!
    
        now sunday was a totally different story! that ole gal was really
    cranking! there were times ya couldnt even see the pier at sodus point.
    
    
    
        Well good luck this weekend, I will be turkey hunting and maybe
    fishing the mountain streams during the afternoon.
    
    
    
                                                Lee
    

    
    
        well I finally made it out fishing again, first time since the one
    day I was out in may.
    
      The word around the docks was pretty slow fishing, I took a friend
    from Pennsylvania out yesterday morning, I was told that first thing in
    the morning you could do the brownie shuffle in 50-70 foot of water,
    that should lead most old time lake O fisherpersons realise that the
    fishing is messed up. 
    
      We went out the channel and ran to 50 foot, I see orka netting a
    small fish, we went just to the outside of him and I started setting
    lines, wome with reliable brownie spoons and a few king spoons. we
    trolled back and forth in the 50-70 foot range and marked some bait and
    a few fish but no takers.
    
      so i told jeff theres about 40 boats working this range, lets move
    out to 100-150 and see if we can find anything there, we trolled out
    and i kept dropping the riggers down to just above and just below the
    bait we were marking.
    
      we hit 120 and finally a rod popped, I set the hook on it and handed
    the pole to jeff, and a couple minutes later i netted his first ever 
    salmon species a nice scrappy coho, it took the ole reliable black
    and purple nk28.
     
      reset lines and commenced to trolling again the screen looked good,
    we zig zagged from 100-130, then the same rod popped up then bowed back 
    down again, hmmm i pick up the rod set the hook and the reel started to
    sing, I hand the pole to jeff and said "welcome to your majesty"  he
    got the fish to the back of the boat and one stab with the net and
    there at his feet layed his second ever salmon species a nice little
    king salmon.
    
      I reset, then changed the other side to a more king oriented set up
    with a magnum nk in the black and purple, put on a couple other nk 28's 
    set the rigger back down to 69 feet turned to walk back up to the helm
    to take over from the auto pilot since we now had some company. no
    sooner had i shut off the auto pilot than jeff said hey #2 just popped
    up I ran back to the pole picked it up out of the rod holder caught up
    the slack and made sure of the hookset and handed the pole to jeff, he 
    was into a good little battle, got to see the fish dancing on the water
    finally i netted the fish a really pretty 6 lb brown trout, he couldnt
    believe it, the biggest trout he had ever caught was about a 12"
    rainbow out of a stream in pa. and here layed a brown that was just
    under 21 inches. that one took the magnum nk .
    
       so i reset lines and then the slight breeze we had disappeared, and
    now instead of a 3 inch chop the lake was like glass. I said this isnt
    good at all. we worked over the area some more and i had 4 buddies
    around us that came out when i called them earlier, and talking to them 
    we all had been fishless for a while. it was getting close to 11 so i
    turned the bow southward set the auto pilot and said we will troll in
    to 50 feet then pick up and run in.
    
      we got to 65 feet of water and the rigger set at 69 feet bounced so i
    brought it up a foot then it bounced again so i brought it up another 5
    feet, tehn said well i will pull the top lines off the down riggers so
    i popped the first one and turned to look at the graph, there was a big 
    pod of bait with some fish under it, I told jeff that I am gonna let
    the lure just float up to the surface, no sooner had the word surface
    leave my mouth and wham, fish on, here ya go jeff, I handed the pole to
    him and he's havin a blast hey this fish is fighting pretty good he
    says.
    
        he finally gets it up to the back of the boat and his fourth
    species of the day, a lake trout. 23.5" cool into the box, I finished
    pulling lines and we headed for the dock. I cleaned his fish after some
    pictures were  taken for long time memories, and he was on his way home 
    by 1:30 vowing to return with his brother sometime within the next
    month. I said anytime just let me know, the only weekend i have any
    commitments is the 24th i have a charter to work, other than that I can 
    go just about anytime. 
    
        the best thing about taking first timers out is seeing the look on
    their face when that first fish hits the deck. it was a great weekend,
    fishable conditions, nice weather, and alltho the fishing was slow I
    was able to get him into 4 fish and each one a different species. 
    
              till next time,
           tight lines.
    
               Lee
    

    Lee,
    
         You and that Lake have done it again! You've ruined a perfectly
    content fisherman! I'm sure your friend Jeff was happy with his 12" 
    trout until you showed him the other side. Not only size but know he
    is probably at home wondering where he can hook up a Brown, Laker,
    Coho and a King all in the same outing!!!
    
         If you really wanted to torment him you could have taken him out
    that evening and showed him the warm water species! 
    
    signed.....
    An Ex Content Fisherman  ;^)
    Bob M�

    
    
      Bob,
    
       I was gonna take him bass fishing out on the lake for smallies, so
    he could have non stop action and then take him in on the bay for some 
    good pike and largemouth fishing but we just didnt have enough time to 
    do everything.
    
      he is already making plans for the labor day weekend, hopefully every
    thing works out between the weather and lake conditions, i hope there
    is alittle more chop one the water then. at least i will have 4 days to
    spend trying to get him really hooked on this lake O fishing, course he
    is almost there now:-)  
    
       The best part of having first timers out is the look of sheer shock 
    when that first big fish hits the deck. hopefully labor day we can get
    into some real good king fishing. 
    
    
    
        well gotta run, I am home today to work on the drain under the
    house, I dont want too but I gotta, I just rode downtown to get a 
    bottle of pop and man oh man does that lake ever look tempting! I think
    I even heard it calling my name, well maybe if i get done with the
    drain early enough maybe i will just take mo & jo and head out for a
    few hours.
    
    
                                         Lee
    

    Lee,
    
         A last minute decision has been made to head up to the Big O
    Thursday morning. We've never fished for the King's before so I was
    wondering if you could give me a few pointers. I already spoke with
    Dave and he was a big help. 
    
    Waiting for my first hookup.......
    Bob M�

    
    
       Bob,
    
         Well what kinda pointers ya looking for? lets see,
    
         #1 put a real good lure in the water.
         #2 put that real good lure in front of the fishy.
         #3 make sure you get a real good hookset.
    
        :-) :-) :-) :-)
    
      really tho, where are you going on the lake? at this time of the year
    i would make sure that you have some J Plugs, and magnum spoons, and
    bring those planer boards if the fish are in close those boards come in
    handy. 
       You may have to fish out in the 50-100 foot range also, and at those
    ranges you will probably be fishing down 40-95 feet, the lures are
    gonna be the NK28's, J plugs, dodger & squid, and cut bait run with
    dipsy's.
    
      you should be able to find the kings stacked within several miles of 
    just about any stream/river emptying into the lake. I will say that
    once you find them you can either stick on them or if they are not 
    hitting, you can even head out to deep water and start looking for
    juvenile kings, and some monster steelies. sept/oct has been a good 
    time of the year for some fantastic steelie fishing. and the brownie
    fishing will pick back up along the shore also. 
    
       if ya want to chat give me a shout.
                 252-7007
    
     
                         Lee
     

    
    
    
       Oh yeah forgot one thing Bob, That new rain gear you were talking
    about in an earlier note, make sure you bring it along, the weather
    guru's are calling for rain all weekend.
    
       I know just what you wanted to hear, but the rain will help the
    salmon run too.
    
     
                         Lee
    

    So I hear......Time to put that expense Gortex to the test. The real
    problem is that my buddies wanted to camp up there. They can! I'll
    find a room.
    
    I'm going to give ya a ring,
    Thanks,
    Bob M�

    Lee........
    
    What did this last lovely storm do up there? It didn't look as though
    you guys were hit as bad! Our Annual Lake Ontario Fishing Trip departs
    April 26th at 3:00a.m.. I can't wait!!!! I was just wondering what kind
    of melt off we have to look forward to.......
    
    I read on the internet that the Redfield area still has 7' of snow but
    the resevoir itself was down 8'. So maybe we'll actually get to fish
    the river this year that we were washed out of last!!!! I really want
    to hit the Oswego again. We had a blast fishing that one.....
    
    Thanks,
    Bob

    
    
      Bob,
    
    
       This last storm we made out ok, I could give a rats *** how much
    snow we get during a normal year, but the lake level is WAY up, its
    higher now than back in april of 93 when we had the severe flooding 
    and property damage along the shoreline of the big O. during this last 
    storm we didnt hear much about snowfall, most of the warnings were for
    lake shore errosion. 
       We lucked out tho that the winds werent too severe, still unfishable 
    conditions but not bad enough to have us filling sand bags. there are
    boats in already and when the guys have gotten out they have done
    pretty good. stick baits in red, blue/silver, green, black/gold have 
    done well off the boards at 1.5 mph or less.  tight to the shoreline 
    and close to creeks or fast running springs seems better.
        so far the browns are running small 4-8lb  (most being 4-6lb) but
    the fishing has been good, boats are limiting out on most days. things
    sound good enough that I have entertained thots of dumping my boat in,
    but I have been busier than a 1 armed paper hanger with flees so I
    doubt if I get to fish the lake before the 20th (unless I can sneak
    away for a few hours)
    
        As far as melt off goes, here in the point I can see grass, and
    seing as how your still 3 weeks out its hard to tell but unless we get 
    a real freak storm and some really cold weather things should be pretty
    green by then. (hopefuly not too green tho cause it will be close to 
    turkey season)
    
       Let me know your plans closer to the trip I may be able to blow off 
    a day or a half day to drive up that way.
    
       Lee
     

    Lee,
    
         Well you know me......I'm like a bird dog shaking in the truck
    just waiting to get out!!!! I read on the internet that the water level
    was 17+ inches above normal now with more coming in from the St. Law-
    rence. I hope everyone fairs well up there. I know now what that place
    is capable of... On the positive side the high water will be making
    some muddy shores and man do those Giant Browns just love to cruise in
    that stuff. That's what we were pulling those 14+ lb Browns out of last
    year.
    
         I was thinking about bringing the shotgun with me for Mr. Turkey
    while I was up there but I think my buddies would start pouting if I
    left them on the LOC Derby days.....We have two boats this year with
    three guys to a boat. With two it can be a little tough if there's
    traffic.
    
         Dave L. have you been out yet?
    
    Thanks for the info.......
    Bob M
                                       

    
    Bob/Lee:
    
    I made a few trips up this winter to check the snow on the roof kinda
    thing.  I am leaving tomorrow morning to open my place up officially
    but not to fish.  I will ask Salmon Country to drop my boat in the 
    water for Saturday the l9th. We will probably fish a little that 
    weekend but am planning a trip with a few folks in HLO for the 24th
    thru the 27th..  If we get blown off any of the days, we ought to 
    plan to meet somewhere to do a few arm curls.  Becks in Mexico, has 
    been bought out and under new management.  Their lounge/bar isn't too
    bad.  We go there quite often for a sandwich at noontime.  I don't 
    like cooking in my place, unless mom is with me.  Simply hate doing
    dishes...
    
    Give me a shout before you depart, so we can put a plan in place...
    
    Dave

    Yes Sir........Sounds real good to me!!!! I agree on the dishes as
    well. Especially this year. After fishing 14 hours the last thing I
    want to do is come home, cook and then do dishes.....Especially with 
    6 guys ranging in age from 23 to 41. At night were good for about two
    beers each before we pass out from exhaustion........
    
    But it's a Good Exhaustion.......
    Can't Wait
    Bob M

    
    
    
    
      Bob,
    
       Man its 1:30 the day your back and nothing reported yet?!!! how was
    the drift boat trip? I wont even ask about friday, if it was anything
    like the point friday, ya didnt fish much if at all.
    
      BTW I took the charter on sat. not a good day, the guys werent in the 
    derby so it didnt matter what they got, we fished out on the lake from
    6am till 11:30. first fish landed was a nice little salmon (but a coho)
    the next fish caught was a big ole hog laker, then we dropped either a 
    large small mouth or a nice brown. all fish were taken in 8-12 feet of
    water. and all on black/purple/pink alpena diamond.
       we headed back to the bay as it was rough, and the guys had fun
    catching and releasing a bunch of gatorheads (northen pike) at one
    point I couldnt hand off poles fast enough, I had 3 poles in my hands 
    with fish on the end of each line.
    
       the derby finished yesterday, a guy from ohio won the big prize, he
    caught a 30lb king yesterday., the biggest brown was ~26lb that fish
    was caught from sodus point, a friend of mine had the charter that fish
    decided to strike, a $5,000.00 fish.  
    
       Well thats enough fishing talk its back to turkey hunting!
    
                         Lee
    

    Lee,
    
         My arms aren't that sore this year! We ended up getting into a lot
    of fish just no real bigguns. I think our biggest fish landed was an
    8lb Brown. Of course when you saw us we had just lost that 15 + lber
    that my Brother in Law insisted was bottom until it came to the surface
    and waived it's massive tail good bye! I also managed to hook into that
    Pig Steelhead (12+lbs) that broke the anti reverse on the reel when he
    smashed into my spinner on the Oswego. My hand still hurts from trying
    to catch the handle and tighten up on him. Unfortunately, he had gotten
    tooooo much line out at that point and also waived good bye :(
    
         We did our drift boat trip but unfortunately hooked up with the 
    wrong guide. I had heard good things about him and maybe we caught him
    on a bad day but the creep still took our money. I should have left him
    on the couch in his lodge where I had to wake him up after his Tequila
    embalming!!! I ended up leaving him and hooked into two Steelies on my
    own on his fly gear but I'm no fly fisherman. The first one took off
    screaming drag with me trying to palm the fly reel. No Good she hit a 
    branch further down river and broke me off. Couple of casts later I
    hooked into another one in the same hole. This was another BIG male
    like the one in Oswego but he threw me for a loop. At hookset he came
    screaming at me. I looked down between my waders and he was there!!!
    He then must of looked up at me, gave a big YUK and took off in the
    opposite direction. I guess when he came at me and slacked my line
    it had twisted on the eye. Bye Bye again when he took off. Fly fishing
    tippets make a nice snap when the break. That was it for the drift boat
    trip. Out of three guys I had the only hookups. The drift boat guide
    kept us at the same place all day. He was too busy puking to take us
    down river. I get more angry every time I think about it.......
    
         On the bright side it was great to finally meet you. Maybe next
    time we can fish more prime time hours. I hear you got your Turkey....
    Congrats on that and you also landed a salmon on your first trip out
    even if it was a Coho. Not too bad a jinx.......
    
         All in all it was a good trip. Just one bad experience which I
    will never duplicate. Caught a lot of fish and all the big ones got
    away. Can't catch 'em all but it sure is fun trying ;^)
    
    Bob M
    
    ps. After the 11 foot waives came down to 3 to 5 footers we made it
    out on the Lake and tied into a few more browns on Friday......What a 
    Ball 

    
    
       Bob,
    
        Now I know why the guy at the diner gave us a wierd look when 
    you told him you were gonna do a trip with a guy named moose and
    claimed to hook up 20 fish a day. when you get a guide like that it 
    makes slow fishing even worse.
    
         did you guys start running the boards out farther? saturday when 
    I was in 8 feet of water the shallow board was skipping on the shallow 
    rocks:-) gotta spread them boards out so you get your piece of the
    lake.
    
         next year hopefuly your here before turkey season starts, then
    I will leave the house by 3am to get there before daylight. I can do 
    without the sunburn I got.
    
         About the salmon, I kept saying boy I hope its a salmon, it acted 
    like a brownie but when it came to net low and behold a nice scrappy
    coho. the streaks still alive!
    
          
                                     Lee
    
     p.s. turkey hunting motto "homework pays nice dividends" :-)
    

    Hey Lee,
    
         Yup, the guy at the diner is real good to us. You know I've been
    talking to him for two years and I don't even know his name. I guess
    I don't want to know cause he may not be around long going on those
    Polar Bear hunts with Archery equipment while using himself for bait.
    His wife sure can cook. Me and the guys were looking more forward to
    breakfast and lunch then fishing on some days!!!
    
         Well, anyone hanging around the Salmon River looking to do a drift
    boat trip. Don't book a guy named Moose....
    
    Now it's time to focus on Bass.......Large Mouth, Small Mouth and
    Stripers..........
    
    Good Luck up there.....
    Bob M.