bulletbob

 er umm, they look like Pumpkinseeds to me...

On 6/14/2017 at 7:54 AM, Sk8man said:

I think a basic consideration is the type of habitat a particular lake might provide walleyes  as a viable place to feed, seek shelter, and spawn. The larger deeper Finger lakes such as Seneca, Cayuga, and Canandaigua seem to be far from ideal conditions in this regard in terms of water temperature profiles and relative absence of  supportive bottom structure and shallows. They and perch are by far the best freshwater fish to eat.

 With all due respect I disagree.. The waters of Cayuga has some walleyes, and they are massive.. I have seen them come out of Fall Creek during the month of April trout fishing. They are caught every year by guys fishing for rainbows, right by the black iron bridge.. Massive , all 10 lbs +....They would provide good fishing in Cayuga .. They  would spawn in the feeder streams,or shallow rocky areas in the lake, and exactly like the salmonids , and the SMB do, they would simply alter their natural penchant for bottom structure ,and would key on the Sawbellies... Actually with the goby population boom, they would have a spectacular alternative food source besides the sawbellies...

We'll never see it however..

the DEC doesn't want them there, just like they  don't want Pike in cayuga in any numbers,, We used to watch them capture Pike in some sort of stationary nets at the South end of cayuga  in spring, and kill them.. Not every year, and not in several years, but I am an eyewitness to it happening. Personally, I think the fingers that contain good sawbelly populations  could have spectacular Walleye fishing, but the DEC is geared for trout, and thats what we'll have to be content with..  bob

 Panfishing has been good there, but man the pressure this little lake gets is enormous..  I only fish weekdays, and every time I have gone there, there are  boats covering the lake, all of them fishing!.. i would hate to see what it looks like on a saturday or sunday.... bob

 Glen... check your PM..
bob

2 hours ago, relentless said:

May have to worry more about VHS. Saw an articlr that says its in cayuga, it had a picture of an infected fish. One of the lakers I caught last weekend had the same sore on it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Lake Ontario United mobile app
 

 Most of the mass die offs I have seen in Cayuga over the last 25 years were not salmonids...  SMB, Rock Bass, Pike, Pickerel, Sunnies,  Perch,Bullheads, Suckers. Also seen the bottom covered a few times with dead  crayfish and most recently with dead  Gobies. Those are the fish I have seen in big numbers wash up dead a few times.. I have yet to see a large die off of trout or salmon in Cayuga, maybe  someone else here has at some point... bob

FREE Minn Kota Autopilot trolling motor!

 OK, don't get too excited, Its an older one, and it has an issue,,  The motor itself, speeds, switches ,etc all work fine, smooth and quiet, I used it a week ago,, however this is of course   electric  steer, NOT cable.. The electric  steering section  does not work.. It could be the foot control switch, the circuit board in the foot control, the wiring or the servo motor that  turns left and right.. it looks good cosmetically, but sat for many years unused, so  it might just need to be freed up or something..  I do know parts are readily available, and are priced reasonably from what i understand.. I  have a couple other trolling motors that are hand or cable controlled, and I will just use them the rare times I use an electric trolling motor... It actually looks pretty good too..  12 V 36 lbs thrust.. The price is right on this one guys, if you can use it and can drive to Candor you are welcome to it.. it is off the boat, and ready to be taken away... bob

 maybe ALL the damn gobies will die.. We can only hope...

 The fish are still there on the east side by lake source cooling plant.. Couple young guys today  were catching browns , salmon and pike  fishing from shore  off the rocks there with bobber rigs  and  live sawbellies.. Sometimes the fish  just want real meat.... bob

41 minutes ago, lily said:

I understand your points just trying to use what I already have. The motor right now sits on a older mirror craft that is not much more than a row boat and will troll all day without loading up. I want to keep motor because I will use that boat in smaller water. Like I said before I know it's not perfect but financially a new 15 to 20 hp is out of the question. I thought if I could troll with the little boat at around 2 mph at a idle I should actually be working the motor a little harder on a bigger boat wich in theory should be better for the 2 stroke. As far as brackets go was going to fabricate them my self. I don't know just like the idea of having the second motor for the just incase times and also save the hours on the main motor. Thank you for your response just don't know what the best options are. The main motor I have a trolling plate on and also have bags but the insurance of having a second means of propulsion is a good idea.


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T337A using Lake Ontario United mobile app
 

 If you like that motor, and it idles down low enough to troll without loading up, than really you are golden as far as operation... The only question now is the actual mount for the swim platform.. If you have the capability to fabricate something good and stout, why not?... There are   maniacs out there with boats your size with twin 175's on the transom.. You should be fine as long as your  platform mount is good and strong... bob

 A couple points  of concern.. First,  most swim platform mounts are rated for 20 HP max.
 There may be some I am not aware of rated higher, but I have my doubts...
 I understand the weight differential between a 20 HP 4 stroke is not that much, but there is a huge power differential.

 Personally, i wouldn't go that much over rating, but its not my setup,  I don't know it,and you know  do of course.
 Second, a 35 as a trolling motor??... Again, its only personal opinion, but thats overkill.. If you run it at idle, you might be ok as far as speed, but typically older 2 strokes get cranky when idled for long periods, and start loading up and fouling plugs, stalling etc,,,
 I would think a nice 15 or 20 max would be a better way to go.. Have  you considered selling your 35??.. either that, or swap it straight across for a clean 15 or 20... best of lick no matter what you decide... bob

 boy that would be  big kicker.. I suppose if the mount you  wind up using is stout enough, and the transom is sound you will be ok.. That 35  is a lot of kicker, but if you have it, trust it, and can mount it securely it will be fine. Personally I would  go with a 15 HP  2 stroke with high torque prop.. Are you wanting to use the 35 for power and speed,or simply because you have it on hand???...You are correct   in the fact that 35 won't weigh much more than a modern 20 HP 4 stroke

 Very nice shape for the age, clean, starts right up, runs smooth, idles low and quiet.. Pumps a ton of water and is ready to go.. Just cleaned carb, and adjusted ignition points...

 I have seen several of these sell on ebay recently in this condition between $450-550... This one is a nice deal at $250. Price IS firm...
 Shift handle was broken off and solidly repaired years ago... Very common on this model..

Come hear it run in a bucket or with flush ears  ...

Will  consider trade for 3 or 4 HP OB in good running cond...  Please respond through PM..  bob

Water has started clearing and settling down, so of course, the fish are gone from the area I was fishing.. Went last  evening  not a touch from a Walleye.. 2 small SMB. two other guys fishing near me  as well, no one had a touch.. Thats just the way this river is, and always has been.. VERY inconsistent.. One day you're an expert, next day you're a jackass ..LOL.  bob

 If you are sure you are marking Walleyes, here's what i would do...  Fish at FIRST LIGHT!.. I would start fishing before dawn while its still dark.. If you get there before sunup,and put jigs down  with a big minnow hooked through the lips, or a half nightcrawler, you should get them to bite...  The shallower the water is, the more light conditions affect the bite.. i catch a lot of walleyes in the  Susquehanna river which is very shallow.. On a good day they will bite maybe  2 hours, from say   5:30 am till 6:30 am , and then its done.. They might bite  again from 7 pm till 7:30 or so at night and then quit again. Its been that way for as long as I have been fishing the river,, VERY short "bite windows"... You didn't mention where  you were fishing, but as a general rule, the deeper the water, the more prone walleyes are to stay active.. Next time, bring some live bait, and get there early, before sunup... bob

  Went again this morning 5/10... Landed 5  before they quit at about 6:30..  3 at about  14 inches, one about 17, and then a really nice 24 incher-[measured before released] with big broad shoulders.. Not a monster but a really good  river fish.. Water in the feeder creek has  cleared a bit, river has gone down a foot or more but is still really high fast and muddy. At one point I hung what felt like a GOOD fish but it was off within a second.
Upon reeling in the jig, I found a  single quarter  sized scale  neatly impaled on the hook.. So there is a pissed off , but unharmed 20 pound carp swimming out in the muddy  susquehanna  this morning, with one less scale.... bob

susquehanna river walleye 5/9

 First off, the river is unfishable for the most part.. High as  hell, raging torrents of chocolate milk at the susky  here in the southern tier.. However, there IS a feeder creek that enters it, and was sending  large amounts of green water[NOT clear] into the river forming a   nice  line of  eddies, upwellings, rips, and a distinct mud line.. I know from past experience, the the lure must be close the the transition ... If its in the raging  mud, you'll never get a hit.. the green water, you might, but not often.. those fish hold in that tiny narrow band where the currents meet and churn... Starting  before dawn in the  moonlight, I hung a good fish first cast, but she spit the hook.. About an hour later at first light, all hell broke loose and i had my limit within about 15 minutes, always standing on the same rock.. The action slowed but by the time the fish totally shut down at around 7:30, I had landed  9, all keeper size except for one short about 14 inches.. I kept my limit  of eating size fish-  1 at 16 inches -2 around 17-18- and  2 just over 21.. Not huge by big lake standards , but the susquehanna doesn't have many Erie size walleyes.. A 4 pounder is a good one there... Nothing drew a hit today except a small  2 inch  chartreuse Mr Twister on a 1/4 oz head.. that stupid lure that looks like it came out of a 5 year olds, toy tackle box, has caught me more river walleyes than  any other by probably 3 to 1 over the past 25 years.. It is my go to, when they will touch nothing else.. So it was a good first day of walleye fishing, but the window is short.. When the water clears up, the area I fished does not get the concentrations, they disperse, and then 2 keepers is a good mornings work.. Still its been  a while since i limited on walleyes, and it was nice never having to move a foot or two in either direction.. That raging brown river swirling and heaving all around me, with me perched  on a   bit of rock was  kind of scary as well, but it was either go there, or catch nothing.

 One of the fish puked up a massive Madtom catfish, , over 6 inches, by far the biggest one I have ever seen.. Trying again early tuesday, but any caught  will be released.  .. bob

 They can't be any worse than  Lake Trout.. Here's an interesting read on them as food fish..

http://www.voanews.com/a/illinois-solution-to-asian-carp-invasion-eat-them-130748253/174885.html

10 minutes ago, Bozeman Bob said:

  As long as it was in the Mississippi river. You set the commercials boys loose on any of the Great Lakes and they will just about wipe out everything with gill netting. I think the Canadians [ that are grandfathered in, no new licenses are issued I believe ] are still allowed to do it for Walleye on Lake Erie. Sure wouldn't want them on O taking a ton of incidental Kings etc. It will be a mess once the Carp hit the Lakes ,unfortunately., 

I understand your concern of course.. The catch would have to be regulated .. tightly.. NO "bycatch".
 These fish seem pretty easy to get on top and  jumping .. I have seen videos of commercial guys loading boats up to the gunnels with them, and nothing else..   there are small regional markets for them.. What would be very helpful is a serious "demand" market where every one caught would have ready buyers at a good price.

The commercials would find a way to get LOTS of them out of the water and  into the boats, IF they could turn a buck on them...We'll see.. meanwhile, I hope they NEVER make it into the big lakes.. If so, they will be into the Fingers and way beyond in  no time, and I am not sure   we will have any kind of decent  sport fishery again....bob

 These are supposed to be very good to eat, not at all like "regular" Carp.

 It would be great if a high demand  market for them could be created, and set the commercial boys loose on them. They would have them rounded up in a year..

  Nice to see . This is mainly a trollers forum, and although I hardly ever troll, I admit you will generally catch more fish per hour trolling. That being said, especially this time of year, these fish are readily caught casting and jigging.. You will certainly catch more trolling day in and day out if its about sheer numbers, but there is something to be said for catching salmon and browns on a one handed 6-7 foot spinning rod with 8 pound test from a drifting boat instead of one that is forced to  keep moving forward to avoid  catastrophic rig   tangles.. So much more fun than trolling  if you don't need the meat .... bob

 just a shout out to an LOU member that  is a straight shooter.

 I recently posted a WTB for a small insignificant elec trolling motor.. No bow mount/foot control, just a cheap little thing

 for a little Jon boat.. I dunno, I wanted to spend maybe 50-75 bucks or so ..
 Forum member HOP [real name is Gary]  PM'd me and told me he had one laying around, and if I didn't mind the drive up to OVID I would be welcome to have it-free.

 I thanked him for his kindness and generousity, and went up and picked it up, and was shocked.. Its a gorgeous old Evinrude, in simply spectacular condition, very well built, and very unusual in form, never saw one like it, and they simply don't build them like this anymore. Gary could certainly have sold this for a decent buck, but instead chose to give it to someone he only met once for about 2 minutes. My only "payment" is he  wants me to show him how I jig for lakers,, Pretty brutal price to pay , right?.. My techniques should increase his catch by a FULL 2 or 3 fish a YEAR! lol..

  Also a shout out to  ontherise ]Joe]another member that sold me a very nice 2007 Tracker/Fisher Jon boat in VERY nice shape for $200...  Most I had seen before buying his  were a LOT older, in a lot worse shape, for a lot more money. I got a really really nice deal on a nice little boat. I appreciate guys like this,  and when I  see  a member here that has a need or simply a want, I will certainly do the same as I was done...

 Over the years, I have bought/sold/traded stuff here, and never had a bad deal, always positive.... thanks again!... bob

1 hour ago, bandrus1 said:

I don't think humans have much to do with the survival of the smelt... I think their days of being plentiful are long gone. Simply out competed 

1 hour ago, bandrus1 said:

I don't think humans have much to do with the survival of the smelt... I think their days of being plentiful are long gone. Simply out competed 

1 hour ago, bandrus1 said:

I don't think humans have much to do with the survival of the smelt... I think their days of being plentiful are long gone. Simply out competed 

 You are correct of course. However, as we know, there are always cycles   in these  large lakes.. Smelt were being out competed for years by  sawbellies, and then piled on by zebras and now  those damn gobies.. However, anything might have a few down years due to any number of natural factors, and the Smelt might be able to rebound some.. Personally, I would rather see fewer sawbellies and more smelt in the lakes.. I have my doubts of course, but you never know... bob

 Smelt still there, but in greatly reduced numbers. If we are smart as fishermen/ conservationists we will leave them alone and maybe in time, there will be a comeback of sorts in the species.. I hope so... bob

2 hours ago, bandrus1 said:

lost of junk on top of the water?

 Its not horrible, but you do need to watch, especially the closer you get to the creeks/inlet... We dodged a few  nasty half submerged logs, and  other pieces of wood... Should be ok soon.. Didn't see anything out there that would sink you, but there is still stuff floating that will take your prop/skeg out  and leave you rowing back.. bob

 Did a shakedown of my battered but trusty OLD starcraft  holiday 18 yesterday in the afternoon.. treman ramps were high and full of junk, but usable.. i was the ONLY rig there which surprised me..
 Not 30 seconds into  trolling[flatline only] I had a  hard hit on a chartreuse hair  bucktail I was trolling/jigging.. I troll the jig but keep a steady jigging motion going as well.. Works pretty well actually if you don't mind the exercise.

 We landed a    nicely shouldered 19 incher.. Not 2 minutes later my son had a good fish on a  really small  silver black rapala, but it got off.... We thought it was going to be a great afternoon but it wasn't to be... Not another hit for probably 2 hours trolling , and then I got a good hit on the jig and a pretty good battle as we  were casting in the mud at the very south end where we caught the first salmon.. I was shocked to see a very sizable bullhead hooked directly in the tail.. They fight pretty well when tail hooked!... I also   lost another very  nice size fish on the jig shortly after.. It was slower heavier fight and may have been a carp, or pike, or something other than a salmonid.. We could not draw any hits in the clearer water, The one salmon we caught, the 2 or 3 other fish we lost while trolling  and casting and the stupid bullhead were all in the shallower/ more colored water.. Saw a guy in a  tricked out kayak trolling out there as well, not sure if he had anything.. So for certain there are some fish active in the south end, but it was no great shakes.. Got a flat on the way to the lake, had no time to even put the FF on the boat, just starting to get my boats/gear/junk in order..  Its funny -last year in May, the same son and I fished Cayuga for salmon  off shore with live sawbellies, and our tally was exactly the same as yesterday... 1 salmon and one bullhead..
I'll bet YOU guys don't catch bullheads when you're salmon fishing!  lol... bob