Finders Keepers

The dates & locations for the NYS Ice Pro-Am Tournament Series have been confirmed: January 17 - Chaumont Bay - Team-Only Event - $100/team Entry January 31 & Feb. 1 - Black Lake & Chaumont Bay - Full IPA Event - $160/team, $30/Open Entry Feb. 15 - Oneida Lake - Team-Only Event - $100/team Entry Feb. 21 & 22 - Sodus Bay - Full IPA Event - $160/team, $30/Open Entry March 14 - TBA - IPA Invitational - $275/team Entry NYS Winter Classic Tournament: January 1 through February 22 on all NYS waterways - $25/angler Entry We now have 14 weigh-in stations securred across the state for the Winter Classic Tournament. Registrations for both the IPA Team Events and Winter Classic Events will open on Augiust 1st. Open registrations for the Full IPA Events will only be taken at check-in/registration for each event. All IPA Events will be limited to 100 teams, the Invitational will be limited to 12 teams (by invite only). Rule changes for next season: 1) Open Division anglers can bring their fish to the weigh-in stations via the ice or vehicle. 2) Disputes with just cause for winning anglers can be submitted with $500 deposit for a lie detector test to be given. If the angler is found to be guilty, the $500 deposit will be returned and the angler found guilty will be blacklisted from all future IPA and Winter Classic events.

I agree. Plus it doesn't necessarily have to be a cash prize either, could be a prize pack or a trophy. It's one of those things that's always asked: who won and what was the biggest fish.

We have items from several sponsors. My brother Jeff will get in contact with you with all the details.

What is the format for the Condor BFF event - single largest fish, largest 3, etc.? Thanks!

Sounds good! Any word on the Sodus Pro-Am Registration?

Finders Keepers will be there! Good luck to all 37 teams - should be a fun weekend!!

The Wayne County Storm Trackers are now offering marine weather statements/watches/warnings to be sent to your phone via text message. These will be issued any time severe weather is affecting the Lake Ontario waterway near Monroe, Wayne, and Northern Cayuga Counties. This is a free service although texting rates from your provider may apply. To be added to the text list and have the statements sent to your phone, simply text: lakeont07 to 757-632-3329. You can also get severe weather statements for Wayne and surrounding counties sent to your phone. Visit the team's Facebook page for the codes to be added to the lists for each county you would like. To find the team on facebook, just do a search for "Wayne County Storm Tracker Team". Good luck and stay safe on the water this season!!

Great question Rick! I suppose it depends. As stated, better fishing would help promote the tournament as those running charters would have happier clients, pictures/videos on the boats and at the awards ceremony would be more impressive which in return would offer better feedback to sponsors, and it offers a different set of decisions to be made by the teams: bang out your numbers or alter your presentation/location in search for bigger fish. A tough bite lends itself to tough decisions and brings out all the skills possessed on each team. Either situation has its element of luck (landing on a pod of bigger kings or simply A KING like this past weekend). I think I would lean towards a slugfest though simply for the promotional aspect and our current push is to show-off our amazing fishery and draw in more attention/interest.

Thanks! Yeah, that's the way fishing goes sometimes! On Sunday we had 46 degrees on top and 44 down 30 ft near the Red Can where we were hitting the fish. There were lots of suspended marks along with the lakers on the bottom. It won't be long and the bar area will light up! Things are just running a bit late this year as expected...

Tough fishing is an understatement as 2/3 of the field came in with empty coolers! On Friday our initial plan was to head east to the plant east of Olcott in search for the warmer water. When our team arrived in that location we found 38 degree temps - not exactly what we were looking for. So we continued east and found an area (along with about 30 other teams) holding temps around 50 degrees. 4 passes through the area in 8-12 fow yielded 3 small coho for us and we saw at least 3 others boated by other teams, but again all small. Two came on UV black tuxedo spoons and the other on a SS Purple diehard spoon. Knowing that there were at least coho in that area, we ventured deeper to see if we could locate some kings. After several passes with cold temps and a blank screen, we started venturing back westward to see if we could locate any other areas holding coho, and hopefully locate some kings. We did find some steelies and lakers galore east of Olcott, but no king action to be had. So with the wind/wave forecast showing an increasing west wind for tourney day, we had a difficult decision to make: run back east to where we located the coho in hopes that they were still there, that we could catch some larger ones, and chance the wind forecast that could make for a very long, rough ride back, or head west and fish the bar where we have done well on coho and kings in the past and not have to worry if the wind came up. After many long discussions, our gameplan was to head west just short of the Niagara River in close and try for coho in the warmer waters, then head deeper for kings/coho. In the morning we were greeted with a ripping sw wind and felt we were making the right decision. For the shot gun start we hugged shore and lead the pack heading westward. We set down a little east of the river where we had 48 degree green water. We set up our spread heading east with 2 riggers and 4 long lines off the boards with a full spread of small and SS spoons. After setting up, we turned back westward and worked towards the river. The green water had disappeared and was replaced with clear, cooler water, so decided to pick-up and run out to the bar where the pack was located. We set down a little west of the red can by the boarder on the bar. We worked the area north of the red can from just off of the bar to 300 fow. There were fish there but we just couldn't manage a bite. After a couple hours with nothing to show, we decided to work eastward and try some skinnier water (40-80 fow). Again we marked fish, but no takers. So for the last couple hours we put out a shallow water program and worked the inside waters all the way back to port. We managed to boat several browns and steelies, but no sign of cohos or kings. At 2:45 we called it a day and headed in with an empty box. Once back at the dock we learned that very few boats managed to put a coho or king in the box, as our partnered team Two Fish had managed two small kings and were sitting in 8th place. Congrats and huge props go out to Team Kingfisher who pulled out a very tough win, along with the other teams that placed!! Thank you to Kevin, Penny, and everyone else involved to organize this awesome event! It was cool having the crew from Salmon Showdown there and we hope this will springboard more opportunities for future tournaments! Wouldn't you know, the next day we returned to the bar in search for a LOC fish targeting lakers and wound up working just inside of the red can (about a 1/2 mile from where we were the previous day) with a ton of fish on the screen and landed 2 kings amungst the lakers and steelies boated that morning all before noon! We also saw 2 larger kings jump nearby to really rub it in! We'll be doing some promo work over the next three weeks, including Bass Pro Shops next weekend, then we'll be getting ready for the Oak Orchard Open and will be ready for a comeback!! Good luck to everyone in the Niagara Pro-Am's, let's hope those kings show up soon!!!

Well said! Plan your strategy accordingly this year and hopefully next year this issue will have been worked out. Keep up the great work Kevin!!

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Sounds good! Thanks Rick!

Hey Rick - When is the deadline to register for the OOO? Thanks!