bosco

5 tonight. 18”- 24”. Would like to have gotten 1 more for a 2 man limit but they all went back tonight anyways. Hands down this is the best month of May I’ve ever had. (It helps I went to Erie and Chautauqua opening weekend to pad my numbers a bit) Temps 52-53 up 3 degrees from 2 nights ago.

You know...I thought of that but I didn't have any stingers in the tackle I brought. I have a small boat and night fishing sort of requires everything to have a place and extreme organization so I bring only what I need so my terminal tackle box stayed home. If I had them I'd have used them in that moment. Honestly though, I've NEVER utilized these type of paddle baits so I'm up for the challenge. I'll chalk up losing a few eyes to growing in my learning curve.

They slammed them though. Interesting that I was getting fish on two totally different colors, actions, and retrieved. If it wasn't for the mouth full of trebles they get on those Rapalas my box would've been empty.

4 for 6. Fish are active but it's a work night. First I-Bay limit this season plus one 24" that went back. I'm pretty happy.

Moved around early trying some atypical spots. Watching the graph. Getting better acquainted with some out of the way spots. Nothing. Went to my 90% spot and got one first cast. Firetiger HJ. Said "okay, time for the Keitech". Got one on the 2nd cast and lost it. Had another on the cast after that and it broke off. My fault. A few more casts and nothing. It's SO flat and calm. I figured I'd float away, let the water settle down, throw up a report and get back at it. So far, so good on the Keitechs. Just my own mistakes kept them out of the livewell.

Sight Flash are the ones Justin's been pushing. And by the way, mine JUST CAME IN MAIL TODAY!! So Justin, I'm putting them to the test tonight. They only had the Swing Impact FAT in stock when I ordered so that's what I've got to go with. But I've got a spot on a spot where 90% of the time there's eyes there. And 90% of that 90% I can pull 1 or 2 out of that spot. Often times more than that but not this early in the year for some reason. So I'm putting the Keitech to the test tonight. They're down a little deeper here so I've got my favorite option next to 2 other options next to the Keitech. I'll let you know about 2AM how they stacked up.

I'm working from home now so I can pretty much set my own hours so I'm doing Monday and Tuesday's work today and tomorrow so I can maybe go out Sunday and Monday night (or Monday/Tuesday...whatever I want, really). I need it just a few degrees warmer. Shore casting would be one thing but putting the boat in and floating around on an aluminum ice box with the wind they're calling for tonight? I've got better options coming down the road real soon.

Seriously though....I ordered some.

So 2 things. First, I won’t fish with anything whose pronunciation is in question. That’s why I use Smithwick instead of Ruh-Pal-Uh (or is it Rap-Uh-Luh?) See what I mean? Second, I’m not going fishing again at all until the temperature drops a little. Just too darned warm out there for night fishing Walleye right now.

2 shorts. 1 about 12" and 1 JUST under 18". A little early yet based on previous year's experience....but I had the itch.

I-Bay was between 49 and 51 last night depending on where I was.

So Justin, got any thoughts about the disparity between Friday and Saturday for you? Also, if you're banging them on Otisco like that already, I-Bay may be closer to turning on than I would have thought. The two have seemed to follow similar patterns in years past.

Black and silver was the ticket for me too. I went with Smithwick though because I like the rattles.

Did Chautauqua last night. I don't know the lake. Looked at the DEC contour map, picked a couple spots and got into them pretty quick. 1st was a 26" and it was all down hill from there. 2 more eaters and 3 shorts. I'll take it. It was a nice night. Little windy. Few other things I'd rather be doing.

I got 1 eye 27”. Barcelona. Couldn’t fish away from the protection of the break walls. Just a bit too rough. 46 degrees also. Chautauqua tonight.

I hear the creeks and streams are blowing chocolate milk from the rain. I hope water clarity doesn’t become an issue.

Been watching the forecast for the last 12 days and I've never seen such a dismall looking long range outlook budge so little. That being said, I think Erie's out for the opener. I can handle cold. I can handle rain. But a 16' semi-v hull that's surfing in stiff and steady west winds in the middle of the night might not be the wisest option for me. I always nicknamed my boat the "Finger Lakes Special" and now I meekly plan my retreat to the safety of said lakes (or maybe Chautauqua). Kinda bummed but I'm still confident I'll get out and get a couple eyes in the box.

One week to go. Sharpening hooks, tuning stick baits, charging boat batteries, and generally doing what I can to scratch the itch until showtime. Weather does NOT look promising. I see my Arctic Armor ice suit getting an opening night workout.

I wouldn’t be so quick to rule out the Larry. If you can establish a contact by your launch site (or others nearby) to let you know if any launches are open, you might still be in business. For all of my bravado, I just went down and checked my local launch and it’s still open and collecting launch fees via kiosk. Technically it’s a county park, signage indicates code enforcement is carried out by town police, but it accepts my NYS Empire Pass so maybe they just haven’t decided yet which government agency is responsible for putting up the barricades.

Problem is, it’s not the law. Laws are deliberated over and passed by a legislature and then signed by an executive with a judiciary to check the power of the previous two. A governor’s dictate that can’t receive oversight by a legislature or a judiciary because they’ve been forced into recess and sent home by yet another governor’s dictate is illegitimate. Government governs “by the consent of the governed”. Mostly, that’s through elections but it’s also through our willingness and cooperation, such as wearing masks, maintaining six feet, opting out of gatherings of various sizes. I do not consent to a dictate telling me that I, somehow, am working against the public interest or public health by launching my boat and going fishing by myself. No good explanation has been provided to justify such a decree nor has any science been provided to back it up either.

I will work from home as long as I have a job. I will wear a mask if I have to buy groceries. I will (and did) reject my parents wishes to come over for Easter. I will be prudent and practical. However, I alone in my boat in the middle of the water imperils no one. I will not abide heavy-handed, disingenuous, and unconstitutional government dictates. The only thing keeping me off the water will be the weather.

New for me....I'm doing opening weekend on Lake Erie if weather permits. I go out every year on I-Bay and I'm usually 50/50 on getting a fish or not. My best opening night on I-Bay opening night was 2 eyes but one was my personal best on that body of water. Usually it doesn't turn on until the 3rd week of May for me. I haven't fished eyes on Erie in over 20 years and even then it was just once on a charter with a buddy who was swapping an Erie eye charter for an Ontario trout/salmon charter. I got to tag on because we brought my boat and fished smallies on Erie the day prior. But...I can't do any worse than no fish here on I-Bay. So....I may actually violate my absolutely sacred and most tightly held religious conviction and...GASP....dredge (ooops....I meant to say troll) for Walleye!

Nice job. Thank you. I wasn't marking anything that deep. But I was starting shallow and moving out. The few I got we're all good size. I'll try again when weather allows. Thanks again.

Anyone getting any numbers? I'm having no problem finding fish. The sonar's lit up in some of the usual haunts. Getting them to turn on is another thing. Was out today 4/12 and Tuesday 4/7 and I'll I'm getting is a handful of milting males. I'm used to getting 40-50 in a day this time of year, not 4-5.