Finders Keepers

Here is the latest weigh-in location map - 66 total stations and still growing! Today we started to put together the youth and adult tackle prizes to be given out to the Top 3 winners across all 10 categories. Some BIG things on the horizon - stay tuned!!

Pretty cool, I have never seen these ones from Finland...

I think it is like anything else, you have to adjust and tweak things a bit to get them to work (i.e. leader length, etc.). I also remember some anglers were getting better results last year by tying the leaders direct to the flasher rather than using a swivel clip - gave more action on the fly or spoon trailing behind.

They are similar but have a bit more kick, and the facets send out a vibration in the water (same as the downrigger weights) that is picked up by the lateral line on a fish (just like that given off by a school of baitfish).

Shark Flashers Which one do you like best? Anyone have any success on these yet?

Count Finders Keepers in for both the BFF and the main event - looking forward to it as always! All veterans will be given 1-Day passes into the NYS Summer Classic (if they are not a part of it already) for any Lake Trout caught during the event (or other included species if they happen to be caught).

Ok, good to know - thanks! Seems like with the number of fish/bait being seen and caught, we're in for a fantastic season!!

Thanks guys! I love getting youth anglers involved and helping them become successful out on the lake - there's no better feeling! Building their ambition and seeing their excitement is so much fun!! Brian, thanks for the help on Sat - it's great having anglers like yourself willing to lend an extra hand making things like docking without a dock easier! What did your FF screen look like out there on Sunday? Were there good numbers of fish and bait? Without any electronics I have no idea what we had below...

Niagara Pro-Am Report This past weekend I was invited to join Am team Just Wingin' It to fish the Am Division of the Niagara Pro-Am Tournament Event Sat and Sun. Here is the short report: Sat: Blow-off day and tourney canceled. Sun: Fished the bar from the red can to the fence and finished 5 for 8 (4 kings and a laker). Fish came on Atommik meat rigs (010, 012, 001) and one shot on the UV Wonderbread Spin Doc/shredded glow hammer fly. All fish came on wires out 220 to 400. Our top 3 kings pushed the scales to 45.02 lbs landing us in 3rd place. Long Version (the whole story): After hearing great reports all week we were pumped for the weekend to get into some kings! Sat morning we headed for the Niagara River at 2am putting at the launch at 4am. We headed out and were greeted by an angry lake with easterly winds 15-25+ and building seas. We made it a little past halfway to the red can before we started hitting 4-6 ft waves and questioning whether the event would even still be on, we called tourney headquarters to find out the event had been postponed until 8am. So we came back to the launch and later the event was canceled due to a Small Craft advisory being issued for the day for 4-8 ft waves. The fellas took advantage of the down day and caught up on sleep while I went to work visiting Slippery Sinker, Bald Eagle Marina, and Evans Ace Hardware for the NYS Summer Classic Tournament. Bummed that we couldn't fish, our hopes built for Sunday as we discussed and formed our game plan for Day 3 of the event! On Sunday we hit the water early at 4am with the initial idea to check temperatures as we headed out and fish the inside waters if the temps dropped as motored out. Near the green can we had temps around 54 and as we headed out towards the red can temps continually fell and we decided to head a little west and work the inside warmer waters for the first hour. We set out 2 riggers with spoons and 2 short divers with a flasher/fly and meat rig. While the wind had shifted to the SE, there were still 4 ft swells out of the east making it difficult to maneuver and maintain speed in the shallow waters, so after 45 mins with no luck we decided to pull lines and head out to the red can and bar area. On the way out all of a sudden all of the electronics (FF and Fish Hawk) went blank as if they lost power. We continued out and used Navionics on our cell phones to navigate and find the edge of the bar. After setting our spread (4 wires - 3 flasher/flies, 1 meat rig, and 2 riggers with spoons) we began trying to diagnose the electronics issue figuring one of the connections had come undone, but that wasn't the case. As we approached the Canadian border we turned to work back east but with the wind and waves still sporty we couldn't get up to speed (judging by the bend in the wire rods), so we pulled lines and began motoring east with the plan to set back up 5 miles east of the red can. However soon after passing the red can the motor bogged down and eventually died. Another problem to diagnose! So we started the kicker and set back up heading west while we took a look at the main engine to see what the issue was - a lack of gas due to some debris in the gas line was thought to be the problem and mitigated. We also snapped a rigger cable during the run. As we passed the red can the 275 wire pulling an Atommik meat rig got hit. AJ was on the rod and had it 100 ft behind the boat when the outside wire took off - doubled! Handed the rod to first-timer Cody while I netted AJ's fish - a healthy 17.5 lb king! Soon thereafter Cody's fish came unbuttoned. By this time we started to approach the border again and with the lake starting to settle back down we were able to work back east. We continued working the waters between the red can and the fence picking up a fish each swing. Saw several other boats hook up around us as well. It got to be 12:15 and we had 5 in the box including 2 mid-teens kings and small laker as our biggest 3, and decided to pull lines and head in. As I was pulling in the last wire rod it started ripping line at 200 ft!! Ended up with another mid-teens king to upsize our box! As we headed in the main motor bogged down again - Ughh... AJ pulled the gas line and found a valve clogged again. Once cleaned out, she ran great getting back with plenty of time to get weighed in. Our biggest ended up being just shy of 18 lbs and the full box pushed the scales to 45.02 lbs. putting us in 2nd place! We were stoked!! After all the teams weighed in we had gotten bumped to 3rd - quite the accomplishment for all problems, using no electronics, and navigating the bar with Navionics on our cell phones! What a great experience (although nerve racking at times) with a couple great upcoming anglers!! I look forward to my next with them whether it be on Finders Keepers or AJ's boat again!! We still don't know what happened to the electronics (Garmin FF and Fish Hawk)...

State Launch by Arney's on Sodus remains open at this time - swung by and talked to the owner of the house next to it tonight. However he said many boats are still hammering down after leaving the launch. Please adhere to the no wake ruling put into effect otherwise owners like him will be pushing for a ban on all boat traffic on the bay...

Both Port Bay launches are CLOSED.

Thanks guys! I'm going to try to give detailed reports this season from the various ports we're fishing out of. Definitely head the caution for debris - more out there than I have ever seen, including stuff under the water surface too...

Hughes 5-6 Got out this morning for a short trip out of Hughes with my dad and Albert Fordham. Turned left out of port and set-up. Soon after setting up the 10' rigger fired with a hefty 6 lb brown. It hit a gold/green edge stingray 50' behind the ball. A little while later the same rigger fired again with a brown pushing 8 lbs. We made it all the way up to Ginna before turning around and starting back, then packed up at 9:45. We ended 7 for 8 taking 5 on the gold/green edge spoons, one on a NK28 black/green glow, missed another on the gold brown trout Stingray, and and got another on a white/black/silver Stingray. Riggers and board lines with 2 split shots fired. Fish came between 10-25 fow with 15 fow being best, four 6-8 lbs, others smaller. Creeks were putting out huge plumes of super muddy water with stained water everywhere else. Several bites came near the creek plumes. Lots of debris in the water with many large chunks of wood and logs - be very careful if under power out there!! Seemed to get worse as we got closer to Ginna. Hoping to get out again later in the week...

Can't wait to hit the water this weekend!! Good luck to all in the LOC events this year!!

**Tournament Update** New Weigh-ins added to the network for this summer: Fishy Business B&T in Bluff Point Woody's Tackle Sportshop in Pulaski Henderson Tackle Shop in Henderson Jim's Baitshop in Mayfield Screwy Louie's Sportshop in Fair Haven Ernie's B&T in Richford Bald Eagle Marina in Kendall Evan's Ace Hardware in Medina More coming soon! New sponsors confirmed for the Summer Classic Line-Up: Hirsch Taxidermy Shark Cannonballs Multiple Weigh-in locations adding tackle to the Youth Prize Packs.

10,000 flyers and 100 posters have been sent all over the state and should be in your local weigh-in locations soon if they aren't already, along with registration materials!! Anglers can start signing up now at most locations! Several sponsorships confirmed this week are adding to the prizes to be given out this summer and will be announced starting next week, along with several other announcements associated with the prize structure! This is going to be awesome - stay tuned!!