Finders Keepers

The GoPro's are sweet! We're looking forward to shooting video on our boat with them this year!

I bet that taxidermist is loving having that in their freezer!

30 days prior to the first day of the event if mailing in your registration and a check, or 15 days prior if submitting online at their site: http://www.lakeontarioproam.net/

It's $690 per event, as stated on the registration for the tourneys: http://www.lakeontarioproam.net/ The additional $40 is for admin fees, I'm pretty sure I read that somewhere.

Fishing Report Your Name / Boat Name: Finders Keepers ============== TRIP OVERVIEW ============== Date(s): April 13 Time on Water: 10:30-4:00 Weather/Temp: Sunny around 50 degrees Wind Speed/Direction:west 10-20 becoming 10 kts Waves: 2-4's subsiding to 1-2's Surface Temp: 44-45 Location: West of Sodus LAT/LONG (GPS Cords): =============== FISHING RESULTS =============== Total Hits: 9 Total Boated: 7 Species Breakdown: 5 browns, 2 lakers Hot Lure: purple alewife dreamweaver SS Trolling Speed: 2.5-3.0 Down Speed:2.5-3.0 Boat Depth: 10-75 Lure Depth: 5-25 ==================== SUMMARY & FURTHER DETAILS ==================== Today we splashed down in Sodus for our shake-down trip. Motor fired right up and we were almost set to go, except for the water pouring in under the engine!! Put her back on the trailer, drained the water, and crossed our fingers that we didn't have a crack in the block! Come to find out, there are two identical holes right next to each other on the block, one for draining the water and the other ??? My dad had put the plug in the unknown hole leaving the drain hole open. A quick fix and we were back in the water and on our way. It had taken a while to put the rig together so we got a bit of a late start heading out the pier around 10am. We were greeted with the first busted NOAA wind forecast (10 kt SW winds/waves 2 ft or less) with a stiff west/northwest wind 10-20 kts and 2-4 footers. It was just me and my dad and he wasn't sure he wanted to stay in the lake and sport the waves or go back and troll in the bay. We decided to give it a go in the lake and set lines just east of Maxwell. I set the first rigger with a Nuclear Green Stinger SS and before I could rig the 2nd rigger the first popped with our first fish of the year: a healthy 6 lb laker. It was released to fight another day and I set the rest of our spread. Since we were testing all the gear, doing some new rigging, and since I was rigging solo (my dad just drives), we only ran two riggers with spoons and two long-lines with stickbaits. It wasn't long before the orange J7 Rapala got whacked with a 5 lb brown, followed by several shots (small browns) on the purple dreamweaver alewife SS set 8 ft down on the rigger. We decided to swing our deeper and run a king spread to see if we could hook into a big boy, but it wasn't our day for a screamin' drag. We did pick up one more 5 lb laker over 75 ft of water, 25 ft down on an NK28 black w/ green glow, but that was it out deeper. The screen was blank all day with no bait or fish marked. All in all a great first trip and it was really nice to be back on the big pond!! With all the reports of kings in the eastern basin, it looks to be a banner year for us this year!! Tight Lines!

Nice fish! We're in for a banner year!!

Nice one!! I don't think we could use a bunch of Banjo Minnows and Spinnerbaits anyway...

If you're not helping with the pens today and want to swing over to Bass Pro in Auburn, we'll be there with our tournament rig doing demonstrations and a couple seminars on tactics and techniques for targeting trout and salmon this season. We also have some new mini flashers and spoons from R&R that look dynamite for you to check out. This will be a great way for those of you who are new to the game to avoid the HUGE learning curve of trying this and that to find what REALLY works on the lake. Seminars are running from 10-11:30 and 2-4 (weather pending) and we'll be around in between for questions and to talk fishing!!

Thanks Vince!

Yeah I know - But I didn't write it down! IT's something like Wilson Harbour or Wilson Boatyard or ... I need to know so I can get it out. Anyone know?

Would like to send in remaining deposit - who should the check be made out to? Thanks!

We may be able to help with the pulling and mending too. Shoot us the dates when you know them!

We use exclusively Seaguar - stuff's awesome!!

The Finders Keepers Pro Team will be at Bass Pro Shops in Auburn on April 1st to offer two seminars. The first will be from 10-11:30 am and will cover knot tying, lure descriptions and presentations, hook sharpening, meat/sushi fly rigging demonstrations, etc. It will take place in teh store by the large trophy fish tank. The second will be from 2-4 pm outside the store and will feature live demonstrations with our tournament boat - how to set-up and run various presentations (planer boards, down riggers, wire rods, copper rods, etc.), advantages of electronics, tackle we use (clips, lines, releases, rigger weights, etc.) and we'll answer any questions people have. The seminars are free and most of the gear presented is available at the store.

Well, if the lake's a no-go, you can always troll the channel and in the bay. I've heard they're doing well casting off the piers at Sodus! Perch action this spring should be extremely good as well!

We're planning on stopping out for a look-see! I know Dave from R&R will be there with new spoons for this year. See everyone there!

We are looking for a representative in the Oneida Lake area. This person needs the following: 1) Extensive knowledge of the lake and surrounding areas. 2) Willingness and drive to help put on and run the 2nd event in our series on Oneida Lake. 3) Must be responsible and able to keep to timelines. If you want to join our committee and help create the largest ice fishing series in the NE USA, drop me a PM. Thanks!

We'll be fishing 3 of the events - looking forward to giving the new format a go!

Reguardless how it shakes down, we're looking forward to the events! Maybe the changes will be better, maybe not - won't really know until we all go through one at the Niagara, and then we can start looking at the pro's and con's, instead of hypothetically guessing what it will be like. I think the higher reg fee would be tourney suicide given the current economic impacts and forecast gas prices. Otherwise, I say BRING IT ON!! Figuring out what is going to get our reels singing is what we find fun and challenging! If we cash a check - that's just gravy...

Well, it's going to happen next year and it's looking to be HUGE!! The official website is up at: www.NYSiceproam.com where the tourney details can be found. The rules and regs are still being "massaged", but the nuts and bolts are there, as well as the tentative dates, and the locations for the 5 events. Check it out and stay tuned!!

happy B-day Glen!!

Happy belated b-day Tom!! How was/is the ice fishing?

We now have connections/support across the state and it will happen next year!! We're planning on 5 events spread across the state with the final event occurring on Sodus Bay, where the Triple Crown Award will be given. The tournament website should be done by early next week and then we'll be lining up the powerhouse sponsors. Thank you to all those who have submitted info and opinions on the polls and through PM's! Stay tuned and we'll keep you updated as the year progresses!

Aw man, you got me jones'n now guys!!!

Looks great Tom!! We're looking forward to it!