bosco

Salmonite....My folks bought a place on Honeoye in '70 and I've been going there my whole life. I don't know of ANY public campgrounds within proximity of the water or even any that are up from the water but that might have an easment for lake access. No hotels. No motels. No Bed & Breakfasts that I know of either. Maybe other folks have information to the contrary but to the best of my knowledge, there's only one camp ground within reasonable proximity to the lake and it doesn't have water access. It's on West Lake Road immediately south of Jersey Hill Road and it's on the west side of that road. I don't know what their renting policy is but I suspect that it consists of a bunch of snow birds who rent for the season because it looks like largely campers and pop ups and such that are there the whole summer. I'll talk to some folks and see if I can conjur up a name or phone number if you'd like but even so, there's a cartop launch at the Sandy Bottom Beach on the north end of the lake (also on West Lake Road). I have twice launched my 16' there but without all-wheel it's a risky proposition, especially with low water levels. Gotta back her in REAL far. The state launch couldn't be farther away from the campsite if it had to be.

Freaky story. One time 1 caught a 30"er while ice fishing on Otisco. Funny thing was...I caught it on a lone tip-up that I found frozen in the ice with my binoculars. Had to use the spud bar to free the tip up thinking "cool...free tip up" and then began to bring the line in when suddenly it took off the other way. Unreal. I had to hike back to my site and grab my auger and hike back to drill a hole next to the chisled out tip up hole, reach my arm through to grab the line from under the water, and pull a bunch of line through to play the fish. Blew my mind when that baby came through the ice. Funny thing is, it's ALL I caught all day. So here's the question. Was I skunked if all I caught was one fish on someone else's frozen tip up?

Yup you got it right. Thanks for the correction. I wasn't envisioning it in my head correctly and explaining it even worse at 1AM.

and oh yeah....if using crawlers, hook it just once, right at the tip of the nose. You want it to look real natural. Because you have the luxury of feeding line to the fish so it doesn't detect anything, you shouldn't have trouble getting a good hook set. If you do or if your getting stripped, tie stinger hook a couple inches long off of the first hook and hook it through the midsection as well.

Cut off a length of mono, maybe 2 foot long, to make a leader. Instead of using a hook, tie a floating jig head to one end of the leader (favorite color chartreause). Then forget the split shot and instead feed the other end of the leader through a slip sinker or more properly a "walking sinker" and then tie a small barrel swivel to that same end after you feed it through (but not so small a swivel that it can get through the eye of the sinker). Then simply tie your main line to the left-over eye of the barrel swivel and.....presto....you've got a bottom walking, floating slip rig. Hook a leech, minnow, or (my favorite) a fat crawler with a shot of air in it's collar (using a worm blower) and send er down. The sinker will keep contact with the bottom while the floating jig head and inflated crawler will keep your bait a couple foot OFF the bottom and generally in the strike zone of walleyes (who tend to hug bottom when not suspended and chasing schools of baitfish in the open water like on Erie or Henderson Harbor or places like that). Keep your bail open with an index finger on the line. Walleyes are often a very subtle strike. Sometimes all you feel is a tick and many are lost by rookies who don't know they've even had a strike. Anyways, bail open, you get a strike, let your finger go and you can relax a couple moments and let it take some line (that's the reason for the slip rig) and the fish won't detect a thing. Until you stick it. On real calm days I'll let my line float slack on the water. When all of a sudden the line starts moving away from you, there's no mistaking it. It aint weeds or a snag. Only problem, it sucks when you get into panfish that keep leaving you with half worms and bass INHALE these things sometimes making hook removal difficult. The deeper the water, the heavier the sinker and the longer the leader. Everything I've mentioned here can be bought at Dick's. Good luck.

Jigging is a Walleye fisherman's bread and butter.

But didn't I tell you about those bass? Cripes...on most days you could catch those dummies on a paper clip tipped with a booger.

Well....for what it's worth....I went trolling for walleye up the Genessee between 104 and driving park. Lost 2 fish I'm certain were walleye but I boated 3 smallmouth. So there ya have it. It don't get any more Rochester than that. I can only imagine how someone who knows how to target smallies in the river during prime hours would do if I was able to catch 3 retards at 3 in the morning.

Is the boat traffic all fishermen or rec boaters too? What about night time? I've really got to get my boat in out that way and check it out sometime.

I believe Honeoye has a much larger population than Hemlock. My brother's been getting them on white twisters with a spinner at low light periods fishing the outside edges of the weedbeds toward the southwestern portion. Not huge numbers and not big sizes, but good eaters. I'd go with Honeoye because you'll likely inadvertantly catch a bunch of largemouth as well. Can't keep those annoying buggers off long enough for the walleye to hit on some days. Good luck and let us know.

And don't feel bad. I just got off of I-Bay and got skunked on the eyes too. Had one big largemouth and a few tugs. Funny, the only eye I've pulled out of the bay from my 3 outings so far came in the daytime when I targeting Pike. But you know you're a sick in the head walleye guy when you get a big hit, feel a great fight, know instantly it's a bass and not a walleye, and get disappointed as you play out the fish. (and also feel like you've been saved the effort if it shakes off before you boat it)

Did you try the Ditch again?? I've heard that it's almost a sure hit working that stretch. From what I've read, the stretch just a mile or East off the lake is supposed to be fantastic for a number of species.

Trust me....I'm not missing it. Just being a bit agreeable with YT. Pound for pound they are not even close to the best fighters but....they're elusive and challenging. In fact, they are the species I target 95% of my time on the water.

Great tablefair but weak fight indeed. Classic line from my brother. "You think it's a Walleye, Bill?" "It aint fightin'. It's a Walleye alright!!"

Hey Yankee....do you EVER fish for Walleye? Just curious. I often see you reporting from great Walleye fisheries but it sounds like you're always wasting your time on those Bass. j/k

Well then what the hell are ya doing with that Salmon for yer picture? LOL Just kidding. Thanks for starting this thread though. I'll likely be heading up there myself in a few weeks and as a first timer to Henderson, I could use some info. too. From what I have seen from past derbys and such, it looks like in-line planer boards with reef runner and thunderstick type of baits on the open water would be the way to go for the eyes.

Thanks to the 2 who PM'd me some Pike tips. There were several fishing boats concentrated in the one area that was suggested as well as several pleasure craft. I think it's because due to the wind and a bit of a chill, it was the warmest and place for the sunbathers (which provided nice scenery but too much commotion). No luck and all I saw was one guy get one small bass. I bounced around to a few more areas and finally ended up at one my night time walleye haunts because I thought the shoreline features and familiar structure might be conducive to pulling out a pike or two. The kid I took got 2 small Pike and I got a surprise 20" Walleye all in our last half hour. So.....not a teriffic day but hey....beats working.

Thanks alot. I'm going out this Saturday. I'll report back.

I've never fished that lake. It's on my short list though. I almost made it out there for my spring break but the weather was so bad that whole week that I decided to I can it. I think for any of the smaller bodies of water that I'm not familiar with I'd probably do something along the lines spending some time before sunset scoping out some potential areas and getting familiar with the shoreline and any obstacles or hazards as well as structure and then hit it hard after dark, pitching big stickbaits or the larger #9 shallow diving Shad Raps along the shoreline. I also might long line troll between about 5 and 15 fow, covering water. Sometimes if I'm in a low snag area I'll use a crankbait and just pull it hard across the bottom, banging rocks, making noise and vibration.

JW-Have you ever tried the ditch for the eyes? I've heard it can be productive.

I'm normally a night time Walleye guy but I'm taking a kid fishing next week on I-Bay. I figure Pike would be the best bet for getting him into some excitement in the afternoon so if anyone could shoot me any pointers, I'd appreciate it tremendously. I'm figuring on keeping it simple....shiners a few foot under a bobber and maybe casting some sticks, spinners, or spinner baits. This is likely going to be a one-off for me (again as I'm a Walleye guy) and I don't expect anyone to give me their honey holes but any GENERAL info would be great. Thanks folks. Bob

A week ago or so I saw a few guys getting quite a few off shore at the launch at I-Bay

brianbassman...not to many rec. boaters when I'm out there. I usually don't even launch until after 10:00 PM and I'm pulling out just about the time the first couple AM boats are launching. Try night fishing for eyes. Your numbers will likely go up significantly....even for a rookie.

I agree. It's the same sort of thing fishing the mouth of the Genny when the salmon start running. A whole carousel of boats and boards and stress and ill-manners. I fish to relax, not to have to fight that sort of stuff. I've wanted to take my boat to the Oswego for years but I'll stick to more placid waters like Honeoye or I-Bay for my eyes. No matter. I'm sure there's plenty of anglers who figure it's my loss and no skin off their *** if there's one less angler on their river.

It's a huge Crappie lake too.