Paul Czarnecki

What you call a "joyride" was what most people would call "doing their job". The DEC patrolling in 500 Fow is no different than a state trooper taking a "joyride" in his patrol car. [ Post made via Mobile Device ]

Howie there has never been a big boys event on Oswego and the big boys tourney in niagara this year was cancelled due to a lack of interest. At the first (and only) niagara event last year, I proposed a gentlemens agreement for closed communication. Greg Gehrig and I were the only ones that abided by it....lol. [ Post made via Mobile Device ]

That boat would meet the ProAm requirements for an 18 ft. boat. Not having a head is not an issue either FYI. However you have missed the entry deadline for the Am Division. You should consider entering the Big Fish Friday and the Open Division since you will be fishing Friday and Saturday. You can enter the Open up until Thursday evening and the Big Fish Friday up until Friday morning at 7 AM. Some VERY nice prizes are being awarded this weekend.

Capt. Bob Songin is a certified Marine Surveyor and he is at the Oak. In fact, when he's not on the water you will find him in the boatyard at Lake Breeze working on HIS new ride. His number is 585-733-5829. If Bob is too busy running charters try Ira Jones. Ira has done two surveys for me and I would highly recommend him.

I just heard from a reliable source that someone, at the conclusion of yesterday's ProAm, dumped their entire cooler of fish into the water in the Oswego Marina basin. This morning the dead fish were floating and rotting in the marina. I'm sure someone witnessed this dispicable act of wanton waste. If ANYONE witnessed the dumping of fish into the Oswego marina basin yesterday please contact me privately so that those responsible may be dealt with in the proper manner by the Tournament Series Committee (and the DEC). I have had several sources come forth already with information but we need someone with an actual visual confirmation to be able to do anything about it. This kind of dispicable behavior gives a black eye to the Tournament Series, to tournaments in general and to ALL fishermen. Please contact me privately by PM here or email at [email protected] Thanks, Paul Czarnecki

Power Pro, and most other braids, will be flea attractants. For best results try the Flea Flicker line or bump up to 30# mono. The ONLY way you'll prevent line twist with a spinning attractor like a Spin Doctor is to use a high quality, ball bearing swivel. The cheap barrel swivels will NOT work and you'll end up losing a LOT more money in tackle and line than you thought you saved by going with a cheaper swivel.

Clean them on the water but make sure to leave the skin on for ID purposes. If you're cleaning a fish with a size limit like a steelhead or an Atlantic it would be better not to cut it into pieces. You can dispose of carcasses anywhere in the lake as long as you're at least 100 feet from shore.

My charter boat is based full time out of Lake Breeze Marina in Oak Orchard. Lake Breeze is next (south of) to 4 C's on the east side of the river and yes, they have all the barns with all the boats. When I fish Erie (for a few tournaments and to fill the freezer with walleye fillets) I fish my dad's 28'Baha out of Presque Isle Yacht club in the bay so I guess you could say I fish the "east side".

Lake Breeze has LOADS of indoor storage and TWO great mechanics. They've bailed me out of jams on a few ocassions.

The body shape and lip configuration suggest a Bill Norman plug. "May" have been made by Cotton Cordell. I've got a bunch of em from my Erie Coho Days. Still a great fall steelhead plug. I just checked my stash of old plugs and I thnk what you have there is a Blakemore. Another Erie steelhead "go-to" bait.

Hi Tim, When fishing a ProAm the cooler is considered sealed at the end of the fishing day (1PM for Ams and 2PM for Pros). The Observer stays with the cooler to make sure it is not opened or taken anywhere other than the weigh station. After your fish are weighed for the day in the ProAm and the cooler is released you can do whatever you want with your fish--including weighing them for the LOC.

A general rule of thumb that I use is to tie the hooks on, slide on the bait head and let it dangle so that the hooks just touch the floor. I then cut the leader at chest height. Of course, I'm 6'3" so it might be different for you. Try 50" and you'll be in the ball park.

Greg, when I encountered a problem last June coming across the lake from Canada (a cabin full of water IS a problem) it was the Border Patrol chopper that showed up first. In fact, things could have gone horribly wrong if the chopper pilot had not vectored the CG to my position. Apparently the radio operator in Youngstown had some trouble hearing me and understanding basic GPS positioning. I, for one, was VERY thankful the Border Patrol was there! Paul FreeSpirit

I don't think the C-130's you see flying the southern shore of Lake O are Coast Guard planes Iceman. I believe they are C-130's from the National Guard base in Niagara Falls, NY. Not sure where you got that.....

Is there more to this story jimski?

600's are what you want for your wire divers. Use the 700 for a 300 copper.

That "crack" has been seen a LOT! And that's all I'm gonna say about that.......

Rod had it on backwards because he said it fit better that way!

Its a steelhead. Square tail completely spotted with small spots aligning on the fin rays. I've caught thousands of steelhead and have never seen one with a black mouth. I think you got your pics mixed up... And the second pic is a coho.

I don't know Jeff. You in HEELS or Ray NAKED? Kinda scary either way. I gotta get me some new friends.....

Jeff was wearing heels?????? And I"m gonna let him on my Erie boat this weekend for a Walleye tourney???? Might have to rethink that one! Thanks for the heads up Ray/.

I didn't say they "looked the other way" BECAUSE it was a tournament Chris. They "look the other way" because as I said, any reasonable officer knows that one cannot intentionally foul hook a fish while trolling---at least not reliably... Their looking the other way concerns trolling in general and has nothing to do with tournaments. Didn't see your post as disrespectful but quit stirring the pot and making more work for me! Besides...I'm sure NO ONE wants us to revisit the foul hooked rule! Right Capt. Vince?

And that's exactly WHY stuff like this should not be posted! Thanks for reminding me Chris! The ONLY reason I responded was because Dodger asked me the very same question at the tournament on Saturday and since he posted it and it was going to become a "topic" I thought I should weigh in on the "rule". The DEC has "looked the other way" when it comes to foul hooked fish caught while trolling. Any decent Conservation Officer knows that the Rule was implemented to stop snagging and lifting in the streams---not normal trolling practices. Releasing a fish that hit a Spin Doctor/fly combo with a tandem hook rig on a 450 copper and was dragged backwards through the water violates another DEC rule----that of "Wanton Waste". Keep the fish---violate the law. Release the now dead fish and violate the law. Interesting situation, huh? There ya go.......I'm sure the "pot stirrers" will have fun with this one!

The reason the "rule" is not written anywhere is because "technically" it is illegal to keep a foul hooked fish. Taking the DEC regs strictly "by the book" the fish Dodger mentioned would have to be released. However, since foul hooked fish caught while trolling were clearly going for the lure the DEC has "looked the other way" when it came to the ProAms. We simply made the Rule easier to follow by eliminating the foul hooked rule and saying that if you got it to the boat the fish was legal. The DEC has, so far, allowed us to do this. We couldn't "print" that rule because, as I said, it is "illegal". Hope you can understand the way I've drifted around this sensitive, politically incorrect topic.....

"Unofficial Results" have been posted twice that I know of. It was done once by a Committee member trying to satisfy those that "have to know NOW" and once by a "well meaning" LOU member who felt the "need" to keep the masses informed. In both cases it resulted in TONS of phone calls, irate internet postings and emails and a general bashing of the ProAm Committees for shoddy work. The Committee decided at the very next meeting that NO results would be posted until the numbers were checked and cross checked and the final standings were checked and cross checked. Like it or not, guys, YOU helped create the current posting time delay with your complaining. When the results are posted they will be the correct and FINAL results---just like you asked for the last time this topic came up. Dick I understand that not all criticism is meant to put something down. I do know the difference between constructive criticism and bashing and complaining. However, when the same criticising names come up over and over again without ever offering to help I tend to get a little ticked off. If you think you can do better.....get off your lazy butt and do it! In the meantime quit complaining about volunteers doing the best they can with what they have to work with.