Gill-T

20 Mule Team Borax.

I put the big gear out because the laker numbers you catch in April off Niagara county is crazy and I want to weed out "small" fish. I say small but 7-8 lb lakers are trophys everywhere else. I can tell you big spoons do match the hatch as most of the deep bait coming out of winter are adult alewives. My time on the Kaho showed me that 6-8" alewives is what is available. With the supposed hole in certain adult alewife year classes, I think going with smaller baits would make sense. The slimy sculpin that were netted were only 2-4". Not sure how much the bloater chubby will play a role....might be putting a hook off a dodger one day??

If you want the big ones PAP then throw a big bait out there. Guys fishing out west use Cisco Kid Musky plugs to catch big lakers. I have been testing huge spoons for Lakers in the spring to target the big ones in April. I am up to 7" spoons and may try larger.

This is not a Republican/Democratic issue, it is a health issue. Cancer does not care what your political affiliation is. These are just guidelines for people to make educated decisions about what they consume. The state has to put this information out for liability reasons. There are no "fish police" out there preventing you from eating what you want. If you want to eat the fish you catch......eat it (BTW every fish sold in stores has heavy metals also).

I am sure Bill frequents this website. Disappointing behavior for a supposed "leader" in the industry. It also speaks to the pressure guides are under to produce for their clients that he would stoop to those depths. Difficult business to hang your hat on a sport that requires the timing of bird migrations. A little bit of laziness involved also. A small drive up to Upper and Lower Lakes WMA + a little legwork and he could get his clients a limit of ducks every time.

Definitely get the delay-slow down feature for the rigger if you are going to run an expensive probe on it. If you get the swivel base, you can swing the arm 90 degrees when netting fish down the middle. I have a 4' boom to extend beyond a swim platform.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndny/pr/north-country-guide-pleads-guilty-illegal-hunting-baited-waterfowl

Jake, June would be a good time. Find the bait under your boat and fish some Sabiki rigs above a heavy weight. Have a brine/ice solution in a cooler.....fish go over the gunnel and right into the salt/ice solution. Clean and cure the bait when you get home.

Typical spring pier fishing or in Olcott harbor from the docks is typically one rod for casting and one rod with a minnow tail hooked fished 4' below a float.

I ordered mine direct from company because I was planning on using them deep with heavy weights. I ordered a solid boom for strength. They also put a special 50 amp fuse on mine to handle the heavy loads. You can also order them with a delay that takes the ball down slowly for the first 5 ' or so before going to max speed. Call Big Jon and have them build you exactly what you want.

Below the dam. Muskies and Walleye.

500 grain Easton Axis arrows.

I have 4 colors - 8 color set ups. I won't go longer than eight colors. If I need added depth, I just add a keel weight or rubber core sinker to the leader. If you are targeting kings in May you would be safe to stay in 20'-60' zone. There will be winter pattern kings on the bottom still but those are tougher to catch.

Consider Capt Pete Alex of Vision Quest Charters out of Erie, PA. He has multiple boats and gives teaching charters. You can stay at the state park and enjoy the beach.

27lb Tuf-line micro lead. It lasts a lot longer because the sheath is spectra and won’t rot or absorb water. Thinner diameter allows for smaller reel size. For knots you pull out 5” of lead and tie a trilene knot to backing or leader. Burn knot ends with a lighter and zero frays.

I have a 13 lber and a 12 lber custom painted if interested.

Deeper deliveries on inside lines, longer but shallower on outside. For leadcore I use line counter reels so I can keep track of distance back so not to violate that principal. For two per side, I might run a 5 color on the outside and a seven or eight color on the inside. The five color will be let out further to extend 10' beyond the inside line. Mark on each reel the distance to the end of the leader to make it easy. The inside line gets let out + say 20' of backing so the knot is in the water. The outside line is set out + say 70' of backing to extend beyond the inside bait. You could put a leadcore on the outside line and a copper on the inside line. Same with divers. A mag dipsy on the inside line and a standard dipsy or a slide diver on the outside diver.

Alewives winter on the bottom following the foodweb, kings follow.