bosco

I think that's how I'm going to spell it from now on. Launched at 11:00PM. Went back to the spot of my opening night 8lber and had a fish on my 2nd cast but it hit at the boat and shook off quick. Slowly worked the shoreline and lost 2 more including a hog. It was then I realized I was without the most important tool in my box...a hook file...so I grabbed another rod with my 2nd choice tied onto it and bam, bam, bam!! Boated 3 in about 20 minutes. I'd run into a nice school of eaters. All 20"ers. There was another boat a hundred yards away fishing out a bit deeper so I quietly slid over toward them with the electric motor and shared my info with them and was off the water by 1:00AM. So far it's been a real nice start to the season...by my standards at least.

There's one (Zander) hanging on the wall that the 1,000 Island Bait Shop off Rte 81. I saw that thing on the wall and immediately asked if it was a Zander. I KNEW it couldn't be a Walleye. Not that big. But it sure looked like one. Owner said yes, it was a Zander, and that he'd caught it on a trip to Europe.

Shore casting. It seems like I pretty much run the same program on I-Bay as Justin does on Otisco. Stick baits (and big shallow running shad raps) at night. If I EVER troll, it's usually just one hand-held rod (I hate dredging for fish) and it's usually if I'm getting blanked and I want to learn an unfamiliar stretch of the bay a little better. Search for new areas that might produce. I slow troll with an eye on the graph looking for hooks and learning the contour.

Opening night has always been more of an annual rite than a bonanza for me. Honeoye was my home water for a whole bunch of years without a lot of success (1 maybe 2 at the most and a bunch of skunks thrown in). I tried bouncing over to Chatauqua one year and got one plus a Tiger. The last few years it's been I-Bay (since moving to Irondequoit) and I've only gotten one eye in 3 openers. This year I thought I might try Otisco and that was my plan until Thursday when I was convinced the weather would be good and I could spare myself 3 hours of trailering and I had just as good a shot in the bay because I've got summer spots that produce. Was I disappointed? Not so much. I got one an hour in. Just one for the night but it was an I-Bay peronal best of 28" and just over 8lbs. Hit right at the boat and made some great bursts. It fought great and I was pretty sure I wasn't going to get it to the net but thank goodness for brand new line and the hook file. I'm usually a little lazy about that stuff but grateful I wasn't yesterday. So I've blathered long enough. How about the rest of you? Where'd you go and how'd you do? (Oneida doesn't count)

I think that was a 20 pounder, not a 28. http://www.in-fisherman.com/walleye/new-20-pound-record-walleye-pending-washington/

I don't think it's on yet. I watched several boats yesterday and didn't see anyone hooking up. Saw a lot of boat movement. No one parked on a spot and stayed there. By the early afternoon they were all gone. Much lighter boat traffic today. Unfortunately, my schedule dictates my fishing times and, with the exception of opening night of Walleye (emphasis on the "night"), I won't be fishing any time soon.

One fella reported 3 inches all over the south end. Made it out to 25 fow. I'll be trying tomorrow afternoon after work. A spread of tip-downs and jigging for perch and walleye until sundown. Then collapse it in around the lantern for the night bite Crappie.

I'm with you gonefishin71. Personally, I'd rather jig all day to catch one and drop one than boat a dozen dredging for them.

Night bite is on. Shhhh......

I've taken them home frozen, thrown them in the stationary tub in cold water to thaw them out and an hour later they're swimming. Albeit on their sides, but they're still kicking.

I usually set up three tipdowns with fathead minnows on them in a semi-circle a few feet in front of me in front of my jigging hole and lantern. I set up four jigging rods with various glow in the dark jigs. my experience is that it doesn't matter what I start with. I usually catch three or four fish and they stop biting so I switch to another lure or I switch from minnows to grubs or vice versa all the while picking up a few extra fish on the tip downs. I usually do pretty well like this but I did get blanked the last time I went out

I often get out of work and head to Honeoye Lake and get set up at last light. Crappie by lantern light has been very effective for me most nights. A lantern in your shanty will attract Crappie and an occassional Bluegill. For Walleye set up tip-ups (with reflective tape on the flags) way far away from where your hut is and check them frequently with a flash light.

My brother was in Lake Placid last week. I asked him to scope out Tupper Lake on the way home as I'm looking to get up there for Walleye in a few days. He said guys are fishing Simond Pond and Tupper Lake. No vehicles out there yet but it sounds like guys who are two footing it have plenty of fishable ice.

62 on ibay last night

Been out 3 times recently. Kinda slow. First night I played captain and let my brother and niece do the fishing. She got her first two walleye ever and she outfished her old man who got one. All were 21-22". Next weekend I got one just under 18" which is nice because it's the first time in 7 years I've caught one under the limit in I Bay (hopefully bodes well for future year classes). Last weekend I lost 2 at the boat. So I'm picking away but not the 5 to 7 a night I was getting a few years ago. Interested to hear if anyone else has been targeting eyes on the I.

The chatter here on that topic has silenced while from the 104 bridge I see more boats hanging around the usual haunts. Might be an indicator of something....or not. I plan to try and get out there myself this weekend and I'll give a report if things work out.

"you can count on 1 hand how many times ive seen other anglers fishing 4 them"- bingo!!

Honeoye??