Gill-T

What the hell was going to pair up and mate with that thing! Jerry, we should have gone to Michigan on Saturday.

Why not ice it and weigh it in the next day? Is that against the rules?

Been fishing it since a young lad. One rod with a egg sack/skein on the bottom or under a float. The second rod I am hucking jointed orange rapalas, hot'n'tots or a spoon during the day, then a glow cleo at night. The fish bite or come into the pier in waves at about 4 hour intervals so be prepared to spend some time exercising your shoulder. I can't do "all-nighters" like I used to (ask my wife), so I will go out in the evening one hour before dark and fish until 11:00 or I will arrive at the pier at 2:30 am and fish until one hour after sun up. Ten foot spinning rod with 12# test mono with at least a 225 yards capacity reel. Best times are after the lake turns over bringing cool water in tight. Light N or NW winds are best followed by W then S or SW winds. I don't fish any type of east wind.....they just don't bite. Best weekends lately have been the second and third weekends in September. The old days, we used to catch fish as early as the third weekend in August.

From Mexico Bay, try in tight for Kings early, then head out deep for steelhead. A NW heading out to 400-500 fow will get you into steelhead country. Find a scum-line, you will find bait........you will find steelhead. Fish 62-52 degree water with spoons. Those temps will be anywhere from 30-75' down.

I buy the reduction of Lake Trout and Atlantic Salmon on Lake Ontario being caused by all the talked about reasons ie. pollution, Alewife-Thiaminase production, dams on river systems, Lamprey etc. .....are mostly man-made problems, so the bios feel obligated to restore native stocks. Lets hope common sense prevails and the economic impact of pacific species is considered. I find it funny that initially all these invasive species that played havoc with Lakers and Atlantics, now may be helping ie. cleaner water/Zebra mussels, laker predation on gobies (lakers are getting bigger, have you seen the LOC weights!), and I guarantee young Atlantics are feeding on Spiny fleas similar to how they feed out in the Atlantic Ocean on krill and other small creepy things ( their little mouths are not designed for feeding larger baitfish). My vote is for Pacific species. I hate hipocrosy . If the stateside DEC and DNRs plus Canadian DNRs are SO dedicated to "native" stocks, why do they continue to stock rainbows and browns in upland streams. Rainbows are native to the pacific, and browns are native to Germany. Why do they continue to stock Largemouth bass all over the place?

I am for NO COMMUNICATION. However, cell phones should be allowed to be operated for family reasons. This past Niagara event, my wife ended up in the hospital on the Sunday. Many of us have children also. The observer should be able to monitor proper cell phone usage. Team "Still No Sponsor".

I contacted Dave a month ago, expressing interest in obtaining information I could pass on to perspective sponsors. I also contacted Bill Hilts. I have yet to receive the sponsor information I requested nor the prize my team won at the Niagara Pro/Am. I understand there are only a few behind the scenes doing the majority of work, so I have been patient......but come on guys I am volunteering to help and have not received much help in return.

Would have been the third year in a row the winner might have come off the bar. I think I see a trend.

Orleans Pro/Am I found a school of kings that held thousands of fish out over 350' off the summerset powerplant. The problem was reaching these fish which were down 150-250'. Frustrating. I wasted most of day 1, and some of day 2 chasing, until I gave up and went for steelhead. Sure could use other options for targeting those deep spring fish. Will an otterboat carry a two pound weight?????? I think they will be limited to down the chute.

He looks like a "free spirit" to me.

Try long-line trolling hot'n'tots in the 12-20' FOW area.

Mike, I think the problem with the trebles breaking off on tournament ties......which I hear is happening everywhere, ......is a simple mechanical advantage problem. The treble burries into the corner of the mouth, with the salmon's teeth in the area between the eye of the treble and the snell knot on the front siawash. If the front single gets snagged on the outside on the yap while thrashing about those teeth cut through when the fish turns to run. Later in the season as those maturing fishes teeth seem to grow and become more prominent the problem worsens. I have been running a no-bead harness with an owner treble, braid and a barrell swivel and have had no break offs to date. The swivel helps keep the hook from tearing a big hole when a fish thrashes by countering any twisting during the fight. #40 fluoro as leader tied to the swivel. The swivel lies under the fly head not in front. It is very difficult to tie these small enough without getting an owner stuck in your hand. I use the "wire-line knot" on the eye of the treble and then tie with both ends a double improved cinch knot to the swivel. I do the same for my j-plug harnesses. The knots look like this....

Wow, great steelhead!!!!!!!

Make sure you buy her something expensive, and throw a party. I little show of celebration will go a long way toward goodwill for future fishing excursions ........at least in the short term. After that, all bets are off.....crafts, crafts, crafts. When is the craft fair in Canandaigua?

I don't like the observer calling time on the water, because a lot of observers are regulars and have gotten to know the captains over the years. It may be human nature for an observer whom has had prior relationships with a particular team to potentially look the other way as a team lands a fish just past the alotted time. With the pierhead rule, you can have officials at the pierheads making sure the rules are enforced. I DO LIKE THE IDEA THAT YOU CAN HAVE MORE TIME FROM THE TIME YOU LEAVE THE DOCK TIL THE TIME YOU CAN DUNK LINES, to get some scouting in.

I almost rented a slip that weekend on the Catt. but the weather reports kept me away.......thank god!!!!

You are right in that it seemed like it was over before it started esp. with the amateur division losing fishing time this year . However, when you are having fun, the time always flys-by. Keep in mind all the volunteers have to be on call, so I can see where they would like to keep these events as short as possible. People behind the scenes, putting up and taking down tents, food stations, leader boards, etc. Now, I do my part by registering at least one zero box per event to keep things moving . Guess you could do the pre-fish friday contests?

Better to get them hooked on Kings than those brown walleye things .

I have not been out on Ontario since Orleans Pro/Am. Honey-do list, wife taking nursing boards, and some health issues with my daughter have kept me in drydock. One of those lost years. Off to NC for a week of saltwater fishing next. Will try to hook up with you off the bar end of August, September.

Skinny fish. How was the bait picture out deep?

Holy cow, a diversion report. Where you been boy! Good to see you got into some matures.

Lake Erie

I have done it without success. It is really wierd out there in the dark....better to tag with a another boat. I did not like trying to dodge debris in the dark on the way in. I will only do it again when the fish are close to the pierheads.

Catch and release unless bleeding from the gills. Then there are the unfortunate suicide fish that when released, bolt into my trolling motor!

I agree, if you already have two wire set-ups, then either #50 powerpro or #30 fireline. Remember to wrap the braid twice thru the dipsy swivel if tying an improved cinch knot due to braid slippage.