Fishtails

Thanks Rich. I made reservations for the 9th thru the 13th. No cabins available, so we took a tent site with power. Wife informed me she's coming along too. Is there anyplace to keep the boat without having to haul & launch every time? If not, that's okay. What dates will you be there? Rod

I'm sure this question has been asked, so I appologize if I missed it. I'm thinking about heading out west for the loc, but I've never been to that end of the lake, let alone fish it. I'd guess many places are booked up during the derby, any suggestions on where we could stay? A campground would be cool, I'm thinking about taking my son and doing a nice father & son outing. What might our options be on launching, sleeping and dockage? Thanks!!!!! Rod

Jointed Rapalas are a good ticket early season. Orange & gold, chart, fire tiger, blk & silver, depends on the day & amount of sunlight. My favorite producer for salmon last season (and many other boats too) was an A-Tom-Mic hammer fly. The hammer behind a blue holo & crush glow spin doctor was deadly for the coho for us. I wouldn't leave the dock without it, or a green krinkle fly & green pro chip, or white & white. Those three accounted for pretty many of our fish last summer. I'm just starting out myself. This will be my third season, so I stuck with things I knew would produce a couple fish most every trip. I'm gonna leave my comfort zone and try a lot of different combos this season, but I think those three will still see plenty of water time. Good luck on the water!

I checked into this inlet depth question and here is what the owner of Sandy Pond Resorts had to say: I own a 34ft. crusier with twin I/O's and have kept it here since new in 1999. I have always been able to get in and out. The sand bar out in front of the channel between Sandy Pond & Lake Ontario does require us to trim up and go slow mostly in late Aug., and Sept., but we have always been able to pass through. The channel was dredged last season and there is plenty of water in the cnannel itself - it's out in the Lake about 100 feet in front of the channel that you have to be careful in during the late summer. But, if you stay in the marked areas of the channel and just watch where everyone else is navigating through - you will be fine. We have many larger boats in our marina and all of us have been able to get in and out of the pond right up until the end of the season.

Guess they frown upon going through the inlet on plane, eh? Well, I'm a pond'er for the season so We'll see how a 24 fter does. Seems every place has a down side. Thanks for the insight, It's something I'll keep my eye on ( and hope I don't have to much trouble with). I'll have to ask Chuck about this. Rod

I'm docking in north sandy pond this season, but this will be my first season there and I don't know that I have a lot of information. I was thinking Henderson originally, but for several reasons decided against it. In part by information offered by members of this forum. I choose Sandy Pond Resorts, but I got the only slip that was available. Website address is www.sandypondresorts.com Chuck is the owner and seems to be a super nice guy. He may be able to help you find a slip in the area by giving you numbers of other marinas. Another choice to consider is Mikes marina in the little salmon. Last I checked he had slips avail. I almost went there cause it was $300 cheaper but the wife wanted to be at sandy pond for the beaches, and chuck has showers, restrooms, grills & a picnic area along with water, electric and cable tv hook ups at the boat. Kind of a no brainer when you factor in the family. Good luck. Let me know if you land in the area. Rod K

Thanks Greg...I'll take your advise and break her in slow. Rod

You just gotta cook it right Gambler. Howz it go? Fillet the fish and soak in marinade of choice for several hours. Season and bake @ 325 for 25 min. or until the fish flakes with a fork. Garnish and serve on a plate. Throw away the fish and eat the plate :roll: All depends on your taste and appitite, I reckon. If I was hungry enough I'd probably eat a goby :shock: umm umm good!

oh yeah, almost forgot be favorite addition...my crew mate. Just got an 8 wk old female chocolate lab we named River. Never had a dog for a boat buddy before.....looking forward to it.

I just painted the outdrives on my boat with Pettit Aerosol Black antifouling paint for outdrives and outboards. Says it has advanced slime resistance and is excellent for all underwater metal surfaces. Here's a little FYI for anyone thinking of using it. It's pricey...I paid $33.95 for a 12oz aerosol can. If it works, I don't mind spending the coin. My problem with it is they give you no extra spray tips for the can! The paint clogs the tip about once every 15 seconds! I refinish furniture for a living, so I have spraycans around. Lucky thing, cause I went through 10 to 15 spray tips I had to pull off other cans. Hope it works....anyone else use this stuff? Rod

OMG....I don't know where to start, but you guys are making me feel a lot better. Sounds like a few of you joined the empty pockets club with me. It all started with a trip to Alabama 5-6 weeks ago to pick up a Sea Ray 240 flybridge with twin I/O's, but it's never been a fishing boat so I'm trying to outfit it the best I can within my means knowing I'll upgrade as time goes on. Garmin gps Furuno 667 w/thru hull ducer 2 walker downriggers Tite loc rod holders & track system super ski mast & planer board gutted and customized boat interior various engine parts bottom painted boat (Blue Water ablative) topside painted boat (Interlux) antifoul painted outdrives (Pettit) New sunbrella bimini for bridge New sunbrella aft cover various sunbrella compartment covers vinyl boat name........Lucky Enuff lots of odds & ends more boat stuff to come (but not to much more the wife says!) Custom spin docs & flys from Tom (with plenty of Hammer flys thrown in) 15 J plugs 30+ spoons (fishlander, dreamweaver, nk & others) 15 jointed rapalas in 7,9 & 11 10 spin docs w some baby docs thrown in plenty more to come, no matter what the wife says ) Splash down in 2 weeks Rod

We catch them on the Saint Lawrence once in awhile Bass fishing. I chuck them back in the water, cause I've never been one to kill wildlife for no reason, but I've been told by several people to toss any bowfin I catch on the shore. My understanding is they are fierce preditors and eat alot of the small bass. They seem to be feeding all the time, and I'm told they are considered junk fish and have no food value. I was puzzled the first time I caught one........odd looking things with a nasty bite, but a good fighter.

As I get my newly acquired boat ready for it's first season on lake ontario, It seems the UPS truck is arriving daily with stuff. As I received several packages today, I was reminded of what the word Boat really stands for. B reak O ut A nother T housand Rod[/i]

Yankee, are the widows tinted on your boat, looks like they are? If so, did you have them done? I've been giving thought to having mine tinted, but I know it can impede dawn, dusk and night vision. Anyone have thoughts on that? It sure looks nice and helps cut down on sun glare. Little more privicy with the gf or wife too Just don't know ? I'd like to hear some thoughts. Thanks, Rod

Someone here (Reel Magic,maybe?) made mention of the Lake Trout numbers being down over the last two seasons. I haven't done as well the past couple times I fished for them....maybe that's why They fight like a log, but at least they'd bit in the afternoon when the other fishing was slow. How bad has this disease/hatchery problem affected the population?

Really nice fish Billy. Must have been a lot of fun! I found a floater in lake Ontario last fall on my way from stony creek over to the power plant. I netted it to show my 7 yr old what they look like. It wasn't real big, maybe 30". He saw it first...said "what's that dad"? The sturgen was dead for a day or two. It was pretty ripe so I didn't check it out for very long. I'd rather check them out ala Billy V style:) Rod

Ditto to the above. Cowbells and peanuts have been very good to me in 120 - 150 fow bumping the bottom. I run a ball snubbers for lakers now, lost two complete set ups including everything but the downrigger itself when I latched onto something near the shipping channel. It happened so fast. Good thing the wire snapped before the downriggers went in the drink with everything else :shock: I also have had good luck with cowbells and a green spin & glow. Some days only that would fire, other days only the peanut. Rarely both. I don't fish for them much anymore, but the very first time I ever fished them on lake O I caught 10 in 2 hours fishing by myself, and not one was a slot fish. Three were over 30" and the rest were under 25. I may have caught more but I drug around one that was about 8" for god knows how long? I thought, Geez this is easy! Never hit them that good again. Rod

Excellent taste in beverage Maniac. And some fine flys too. I'm a lager man myself, just not the light (yet). Like it....like it a lot

On the pirate, do you like the size 66 best? I want to put some of them in the box. It seemed like you could order the pirate in 66, but not the mirror image. Largest for the mirror seemed to be 55. Was I missing something? Thanks, Rod

Thanks guys. I've never used this type of board, so it's totally new to me. I think I get what your saying. Hey Bushwacker..you planing another trip to Highway Marine? I'm only 5-10 min from there. Us Sea Ray guys gotta stick together:) Rod

A set just went on ebay today. Dod

I'll be mounting a Super Ski planer mast this weekend on my boat and I'm curious as to where the best place to mount it would be? It's a port side mast and board only. I was thinking right at the back of the wheel house but I see lot's of guys mount them at the far front of the boat. What's the better position, front of the boat? Thanks Rod

Hey Mike, where is your cottage in the Islands? We have a summer camp in chippewa bay in the Thousand Islands. Been there since 2000. I'm up there a lot during the summer....wife and kids the whole summer. This year I'll be fishing the lake more than the river (I hope). Rod

Thank You Mark. That clears a lot up for me. I think I'm going to order the unit. Rod

Hey Mike, I don't know if your married or not, but getting the better half to see things my way was just as hard as coming up with the cash for the boat. I finally explained to her how a Lund holds it's value, so she might need to look at the purchase a little differently. We were not "really" buying the boat, but rather we were sorta putting down a deposit for it's value and "borrowing" it for several years. When we wanted to move on to another boat, we'd sell it and get our money back. It was just a crock to get what I wanted with a little truth thrown in for flavor, but low and behold I took good care of the boat and 4 years later I sold it for 3 grand more than I paid. Just an opinion, but good luck regardless of what you choose! Rod