Paul Czarnecki

Sorry for coming down so hard on you Jakey. Its just that I have heard that EXACT story for nearly 30 years. I personally handle DOZENS of coyotes every year and have friends that, literally, handle THOUSANDS. No one, NOT EVER, has seen a tag to corroborate the story you told here (and said you believe). In my taxidermy studio I still hear "your story" about 6 times a year---most of the time its as a joke nowadays. I also hear the coyote stocking truck and the coyote trail cam story about a dozen times a year. Like I said, the stories are ludicrous and were, most likely, born on a barstool. People spreading them around as "fact" only makes it harder to try to educate people on simple high school biology. Coyotes are a predator. They are thriving now because of man's encroachment into the habitat. Every time a subdivision or shopping mall is built it displaces the rabbits, squirrels, woodchucks and deer----pushing them into more confined areas. As a predator, a coyote will take advantage of abundant food by having larger litters. In fact, it has been proven that killing significant numbers of coyotes only increases their population over the long term. Females will actually have larger litters in areas where large numbers of coyotes have been killed. The ONLY way to get rid of coyotes is to get rid of their food. They are here to stay. Making up and repeating conspiracy theories as to how they "got here" does nothing to educate or help anyone. Again, sorry for coming down so hard on you.

Call it "bashing a fellow sportsman" if you want to Keith. I was squashing a barstool rumor that's been around for close to 30 years.

By posting that crap on an open forum spreading rumors is EXACTLY what you're doing. And you did say you believed it! That story is as preposterous as the "I just saw a DEC truck loaded with coyotes in cages" or the best of the best-----"My best friend's uncle found a coyote den on his property and put a trail cam on it. In a month he had 40 pics of coyotes carrying dead fawns back to the den"! Use a little common sense when you hear these stories. Even an 8th grade science book explains basic biology and predator/prey relationships. Relying on your "buddy's uncle's cousin" who spends more time in the bar than in the woods is a great way to embarrass yourself.

BULL! A coyote is a predator. Predators will thrive when food allows them to. They don't need to be stocked and you really shouldn't spread BS like this. I've been hearing the same "My buddy's friend's uncle" story for about 20 years. Its BULL!

Best post on this thread. Can't believe the narrowminded selfishness I've read here. Did you guys forget that just last year you couldn't bowhunt AT ALL until Oct. 15th. Maybe we should go back to that and leave the 1st to the 14th for the kids!!!

I don't think anyone is saying it doesn't work. What I am saying is, scales coming off a fish does, in NO way, indicate species as ALL salmonids exhibit soft scales when they are immature. What you have there is an immature king by all external appearances. It would have spawned next year. If you want to call it a hybrid based on your count that is certainly up to you---it may well have been. [ Post made via iPhone ]

I agree Tim. I can't believe there was this much discussion over what is so obviously a king. You guys saying "the scales come off cohos" and using that as your rationale need to learn some fish biology. ALL salmonids, when immature, will have very soft scales that appear loose and come off easily. A coho or a king in April, May and June. A Steelhead almost ANY time before October. Do the scales come off the mature cohos you're catching now or are you calling those kings too? Sheesh!

I will have to disagree with that statement. 2009 saw one of the worst economic downturns in American history,rivaling the financial collapse of the great depression. Yet the 2009 Orleans Pro/Am saw 57 boats compete. In 2010 again with the economy still struggling the tournament was able to draw 62 different teams combined Pro/AM/Open. That sounds pretty consistent to me. As I stated before the 2011 numbers were again in line with prior years. So, the last 3 years participation remained a model of consistency, to state that rules changes and entry fee structure were not the driving factor on participation is short sighted in my opinion. Are you trying to say the economy is worse now than it was in 2009,2010 or 2011? Statistic's say it is not. How about this, call some of the former teams that competed in the prior years and ask them why they did not compete in 2012. I would think that would make it crystal clear. I know the tournament organizers have a thankless job at times, plus they have incentive to see the changes they have made work. So defending those changes when they have appeared to not work can be a tough pill to swallow. No set of rules and entry fee structure is going make everyone happy. But taking into account the feelings of the particpants themselves is what is going to make the tournaments viable well into the future. Because, no matter if it is an economic upturn or downturn as you can plainly see by past results, if you always keep the teams participants in the forefront you will have a tournament series that will always draw. I think tournament organizers may have forgot that ,just like any business,the teams that participate are their customer's. So, how have you treated your customer's lately? Fishfighter.....what is your name and why the HELL aren't you on the Tournament Committee??????

It's gonna be a tough time to learn the ropes. The fish at the Oak are getting ready to run. They quit eating about ten days ago and most all of the bites are aggression strikes right now. Pulling green glow and silver bullet J plugs in front of the T wall first thing in the morning may produce a few bites. After sunup move out to 80-120 and put spinnies and flies wherever you see the fish. Spoons in green glow and black and glow may also take some fish. White spin doctors with green dots couples with green glow Siggs Rigs flies have been hot all year and produced well for us again today. Good luck. [ Post made via iPhone ]

And that's exactly what you should continue to do. Whatever "works" for you . However, if your hit to kill ratio on divers isn't at LEAST 85% perhaps you should think about what I wrote. If I am missing fish on the strike on my divers and no one else around me is its either a speed issue, an angle issue, or BOTH. Rarely do I lose a diver fish once its hooked up. BUT........at least for the 2013 Wilson Invite, you should continue to get to your diver and copper rods as quickly as humanly possible. And maybe even throw a good hook set or two in for good measure. Glad you're not going to Cali---I was gonna miss ya.

Rod, in my experience the worst thing you can do is get to a diver or copper rod quickly. My mates, clients and team mates are given STRICT orders not to grab a diver rod the second it starts to go. I like to let the fish hammer on it for 7-10 seconds AT LEAST before taking it out of the holder. On coppers with inline boards clients are not even allowed to touch a screaming rod until they count to five SLOWLY. It seems that moving and changing the angle of a diver or inline rod before the fish is done with its initial head shakes results in thrown hooks 95% of the time. The fish is either hooked or its not---allowing the fish to hammer on rods that have straight line contact (coppers and divers) simply assures that they stay hooked.

The idea was concieved in a bar Vince----as most good ideas are. Bob Stevens, Bob Songin and myself were sitting in the North over 6 years ago lamenting about the end of the season. We came up with the idea for one last, end of the season, bash. And it really is! Every year we get promises from lots of people wanting to fish it and lots of smack talking from guys who say they're gonna win it but yet, when the day comes, those people are no where to be found. It goes on anyway and its still the BEST way to end the season!

It may Rick but I've won TWO fish Bowls without it. If I do get one it will be to make charters and tournaments easier. I have too much fun fighting fish from the wheel and really want to get a hat trick with no auto pilot.

The Johnny V was won by Butch Cooley (Pisces) with a very impressive catch. Bob Songin (Reel Excitement) was a close second. The One Man Fish Bowl was a BLAST and for most of the time it felt like we were SWIMMING in a fish bowl----torrential rain and some lightning. However, the lake was calm as 5 captains set out alone in their boats and in about 2 minutes we knew it was gonna be a great day. Bob Stevens (Sunrise) and I set up about 100 yards apart right in front of the harbor in 45 fow. As I lowered my first rigger I could hear Bob yelling---he was hooked up already! No sooner did I stop my rigger and it went off and I was fast to a nasty king as well. With no auto pilot I had to fight the fish and drive which, although fun, is not an easy task. Once I had the fish netted and had reset I collected my bearings in time to see Bob hook up again. However, this time he was NAKED! Well.....almost. He doubled as I got close and I got to see WAY more of Capt. Bob Stevens than I ever wanted to as he struggled with two fish on at once. From 150 yards away I could hear him laughing and yelling like a school kid in the downpour. As I passed Capt. Clarence Crisp I saw him putting his net away, having just boated his second. He stood up and he was NAKED TOO! Oh my GOD!!! Well....at this point I'm trailing by at least one fish so I figure I better drop a diver in to complete my three rod "set". No sooner did I lock the diver in and the center rigger went off again with a SCREAMER that got way more line than I wanted him to. In mid run, my freshly set diver goes off as well! DOUBLED UP! In between trying to control the first fish which was out nearly 150 yards and trying to drive in the downpour I managed to get the diver rod out of its holder and into a rigger holder to keep the fish from yanking it out. I finally worked the rigger fish to the boat and netted the 22 pounder then immediately grabbed the diver rod. Luckily the fish stayed close. I had him to the boat in a couple of minutes and got him netted as well. By the way its not easy netting a diver fish by yourself with a 10 ft leader! Two time Champ, and last year's winner, Capt Butch Cooley, decided to join us after his charter cancelled and quickly went to his "secret spot" and boated two cohos! With a 25"+ no cull rule he had to keep them and promptly conceded defeat after he discovered that his four other competitors each had three kings in the box. All of the brave competitors boxed out by 8:45. Radio banter, naked solo fishing with great friends in a torrential downpour and incredible salmon fishing combined to make the 2012 One Man Fish Bowl our most memorable yet. After the final weigh in it was Capt. Bob Stevens and his Sunrise Pursuit that narrowly edged out Capt. Clarence Crisp and yours truly. First year competitor Jim Cond came in 4th but his catch was voted "Prettiest box" by everyone in attendance. Per tournament rules Capt. Bob Stevens treated us all to a terrific lunch of pizza and wings at the Black North Inn where the banter and smack talking continued. It should be noted that there are now THREE captains that have won this coveted trophy TWICE. Paul Czarnecki, Butch Cooley and now Bob Stevens have each won the award twice setting up next year's tournament to be a virtual BLOOD BATH as one of us tries to make it a HAT TRICK. It would be great to see this event grow. It is a terrific end of the season stress reliever and is about as much fun as you could ever have by yourself. We are very safety conscious and clothing IS optional.

You guys ever wonder why charter boats never use the east side? It's shallower and there is a prop eating monster that lives near the east side of the T wall. [ Post made via iPhone ]

Wow! Good luck in your fishing adventures. With your "knowledge" and skill I'm sure you'll have plenty of them. "it must not have been that bad"? He made it in on a kicker motor! Neither they nor YOU know how close those two guys came to dying. And YES .... Had there been a flare or a distress call I would have been the one to risk MY life and equipment to try to save them. Bottom line is they should not have been out there in a 17 ft Lund 3 miles downwind of port with a 25 mph nw wind blowing. And I don't care what skill level they, or you, think you have. [ Post made via iPhone ]

Ivan I 'confronted" the guy and his MUCH younger companion because, had they gotten into trouble and/or capsized it would have been ME that would have had to jeopardize my life, my client's lives and my equipment to rescue his sorry ass! I have a wife and a three year old at home and I have 30 years of charter experience. Putting himself into a potential life threatening situation also put me in the same situation since I was the closest vessel to him. In fact, the two other 10Meters out there never even saw the tiny boat. When we finally boated the fish we were fighting and cleared lines the waves increased immensely. In fact, in 30 years of chartering the Great Lakes I have only encountered waves of that height and type four or five times. It was the one of the most wicked cross chops I have ever seen. Have you ever seen two 8 ft waves collide from opposing directions? Your lack of respect for the lake is as obvious as your lack of experience with it. 3-5 ft waves kill people every year in the Great Lakes and threaten dozens more. Do you really think fishing Lake Ontario 2 or 3 times a year gives you enough experience to handle everything that lake can dish out? The next time you "drive up to the lake" and "have to fish" think about the boat and the crew that will have to rescue you and the needless danger you will be putting them in. Whether it be a Coast Guard crew, a fellow boater or a charter vessel--none of us should be jeopardized by your stupidity. Know your limits or stay home!

Just a note to remind everyone of two very important upcoming tournies. On Saturday Oak Orchard will again host the Annual Johnny V Memorial Tournament. This is a weigh your best 3 event with a $100 cash entry. You must be in line to weigh your catch at Lake Breeze Marina no later than 3 pm. Entries will be accepted by Bob Stevens (Sunrise) and myself (Free Spirit) at Lake Breeze Marina. New for this year----you can fish from any port but must enter and weigh at Lake Breeze Marina. On Tuesday the 5th--the day after Labor Day-- we will be holding the Annual Oak Orchard One Man Fish Bowl Tournament. It is a $100 cash entry and weigh your best 3 event. There will be a captains meeting at 6am at Lake breeze Marina with fishing from 630 to 1130 and weigh ins immediately thereafter at Lake Breeze Marina. Lunch will be hosted by the winner of the event at the Black North immediately following the last weigh in. I will be accepting entries up until 6am on Tuesday. For more info give me a call at 716-390-0085 See ya there! Paul [ Post made via iPhone ]

OH PLEASE>.........tell me you haven't seen the "Icicle" hijack posts with smart ass answers? Was just returning the favor. Lighten up.

How do I get "annointed"??

our biggest problem is coming from your poor quality reel. Magdas are not known for their drags---I don't even like them for walleyes. A sticky drag and too much angler pressure will break a lot of leaders. Like Ray said, go heavier on your leader and buy a better reel.

Put a probe down and find out for yourself.

You must have gotten some bad Eagle Claws because I have been running them for over 20 years and have never broken anything---not even a guide. Capt. Vince Pierleoni, Thrillseeker, uses them as well and LOVES them. I just hope I can find more before he does....

The biggest fish of the day is ALWAYS the one that got away... I had a client fight a fish for 20 minutes on Sunday only to have the fish break the fly leader in exactly the manner you described. This fish was beat, on its side on the surface and coming in and was pushing 30 pounds. It took me 40 minutes to untangle the mess and salvage the fly. Sometimes "stuff" happens. Stay tight to the fish, fight it as best you can and hope for the best. We are dealing with the biggest fish of the decade right now and they are getting bigger so prepare to sacrifice some tackle. When everything goes right and you boat that giant it will all be worth it.

Personally I think you're overthinking it. Many times a king will charge the boat and when you are unable to keep up with him the fly leader will become entangled with the spin doctor. The spinnie will continue to spin and turn the fly and the fly leader into a god awful mess. Breakoffs are common at this point and always look exactly as you describe. I notice this phenomenon a LOT when running 10 inch spinnies deep on a rigger. The larger spinny seems to cause the fish to rush up causing the leader to tangle.....often before the angler even gets to the rod. While some of the "remedies" mentioned here could be helpful (at times) I don't think there is anything that could fix what the actual problem was----crazy fish that wrapped your spinny and fly into a ball.