Grady95

Count your blessings! My winter project is a functional restoration of a 2000 Lund 1700 with a 90 HP Johnson oil injection 2 stroke. Had to go buy a used trailer and convert it to bunks, have new bearings and brakes done on that. ($$) Probably pulled 50' of useless wires out from years of slapdash electrical add ons that don't work anymore then rewire all the electronics. Had to have new throttle and shift cables installed because the ones on there were so long they kinked up and bent the metal ends like a pretzel making it impossible to add throttle. ($$). So after a winter's worth of backbreaking work, I took my project out for a maiden voyage yesterday. Will now need to drain the onboard fuel tank, clean the carb, new plugs and install a water separator so it will run at low idle without stranding me at the dock with no motor power to assist getting it back on the trailer. You never want to be "that guy!" ($$$) Etc, etc.......point being, look at how much fun you had without all the baggage. There something to be said for simple beauty. Those are some great looking fish. Don't be surprised if you see me out on the piers soon!

The pipe is still a hazard out in front of Pultneyville. I was out there about 6:30 this evening. It is still well marked with orange ball shaped bouys. For the record, it has absolutely nothing to do with dredging at Pultneyville Yacht Club. That operation is conducted at a specific time using materials and machinery necessary to complete the operation and then all machines and pipes are completely removed and stored well up on shore with no way for them to spontaneously enter the lake. In all likelihood, this pipe is used by the Water Authority. Not sure where you came up with that idea or why you choose to suggest such a thing but it is absolutely incorrect. As far as public launches in that area, there isn't much. Both Pultneyville Yacht Club and Pultneyville Mariners Club have private launches for the exclusive use of their members. I have heard there may be a launch by The Pizza Shop but I can't say for sure it's available or even still there. Bear Creek or Sodus are the nearest. There is a public launch at Sodus Bay on Rt 14 just south of town that is open and pretty good. Bear Creek as mentioned requires a visit to the town hall for a $5 day pass. If you use that one, keep an eye out for a sandbar just out from the mouth of the inlet. Last I saw, that was built up quite high creating a possible place to ground. Parking is across the street. I have also not been to Hughes in probably 10 years. They did have a ramp that was available at that time for public use and they did charge some kind of fee. Can't recall what that was. You can probably just call them.

Jeff, All I use anymore are simple in-line planer boards. Have not had the mast up in years. I run Off-Shore brand, one per side. Probably get yourself a set for around $100. You'll wind up using them for walleyes anyway and I have even been know to run them for shallow water northerns. As for "a spoon down the chute," that's a good idea for a small boat with minimal tackle but I would suggest that line at least should either be lead core of have a clip on in-line weight of some kind. Spoons get weird in prop wash, even well back. Once I switched that to the lead core or snap weights, that line fired a lot better. Anyway, hope you had fun! Making memories with your dad is all that matters anyway.

Jeff, For what it's worth, when I fish browns in the spring, I'm running anywhere between I-Bay to Pultneyville. The areas around Sodus are always productive as are the obvious ones like Webster Park, etc. So as lumberjohn suggested, you're in a good spot. As far as depths, this time of year I like seeing the sun come up from the water and I have no problem running in-line planers as close to the shore as I am comfortable getting them. You'll find plenty of browns in 10' or less, especially early in the day. About 100' back from the board, somewhere around 2.0-2.3, run shallow diving sticks like Smithwicks, Rapalas, Yo-Zuri or anything like that. Good luck!

Wow. Water looks like glass. Was it that calm for the whole trip? These winds have been brutal.

Should be. Ice breakers have been through and shipping traffic is starting. Bear in mind though that we are dealing with record low water levels at this point so if you're coming with a boat, check if launches are usable and be VERY careful around shoals.

Not sure exactly what it is but man it's big! There are now a number of large orange hazard markers attached to it. It's maybe about 700 yards out from the yacht club apparently grounded in shallow water. Glad you didn't try to tow it. I took a quick run out from the yacht club in a 12' rowboat with a trolling motor to take a look. I wouldn't have towed it even if I had the big rig. Anyone have any idea who's responsibility this would be to remove it? Coast Guard, State Police? Whatever, it is clear that someone is working on it given the attached hazard floats.

I restore boats as well, usually center console Boston Whalers. I recently picked up a 17' Lund Fisherman that is my winter project. It's fishable now but it looks like bachelor pad! My two main concerns are replacing the carpet and paint. So what was your paint regimen? And your flooring looks terrific. The Lund has a solid floor and carpeted areas on the sidewalls and in the walk through bow area. The carpet is stained beyond any hope of shampooing so it just needs to be replaced. The old Starcrafts had similar carpet schemes as this one but you chose to go all EVA. Was that decision based on cost, ease of cleaning of what? Also, I don't see how the floor drains to the scuppers. How did you channel water out of the boat? You did a beautiful job here!

Are they in the meat?

If you are ever up here near Morristown/Brockville area of The River, have a look at The Three Sisters islands. One of them is basically free of cormorants, that island having a residence on it. The other two look like an Alfred Hitchcock movie. They are devoid of vegetation, their color is now various shades of white bird poop and depending on where you are in relation to the breeze, you either don't smell them or you are literally gagging. I applaud every effort being made by our DEC and their Canadian counterparts. We all know there are laws protecting certain wildlife and we do our best to abide by them. At some point, I would hope that the authorities come to recognize that this problem has completely outsized their efforts at a solution and begin to enlist the help of the citizens that hold this precious resource we call The River so dear. We've lost control of zebra mussels, we've lost control of gobies, we're soon to lose control of snakeheads. There's not much we as fishermen and outdoorsmen can do about those but we could conceivably help control the scourge of cormorants. I hope they recognize that someday soon.

1) Be on the water to see the sunrise 2) Bring some way to run lures away from the boat. In-Line planers work really well if you don't have a mast and big boards 3) Be willing to run in tight to shore early in the day. Some of my best luck comes from running in-lines up in just a couple feet of water depth 4) Try flatlining behind the boat about 125-150 back 5) Run at 2.0-2.5 MPH 6) Sticks are great. Yo-Zuri, Rapalas, Long-A, Thundersticks. You get the idea. Red, white silver, blue, purple 7) Move out as the day gets on. Fish the outer edges of any mud bonnets you see outflowing from streams Hope this helps. Don't be surprised if you hit some small kings.