Todd in NY

IJC Reducing Lake Ontario Outflow I guess the lake is low enough for the IJC now... http://wrvo.org/post/ijc-lowers-outflows-lake-ontario-angering-some-property-owners

Prayers sent for all of you, as well as for the doctors and medical staff.

Where do you find 500 FOW out of Henderson? They call it Lake Ontario up here, but that's where the similarities end. It's a long boat ride just to hit 200 FOW out of Henderson. The conditions seem to change drastically every 3 or 4 days anyway.

This article is from January 8th, 2015, according to the top of the page. I don't know when it was printed in the newspaper. Definitely reads like propaganda to gets people's support before it was implemented (plan 2014).

My friend said to come up with a dollar amount for the organization's tax form, but tax write-off's are much more complicated than simply picking a random dollar amount or value to claim. I'll contact several different tax centers, and maybe even the IRS office in Albany, and go a step further and ask for reference material so I can see it (the tax law) in writing.

Good idea.

Nice catch!

Thanks for the replies! I'll research all of this with someone who knows the tax laws for NY.

I'm heading to Tractor Supply today to see what kinds of fly traps they sell. Something I can hang off my bow rail if or when the flies show up. I fished at Cranberry Lake (NY) yesterday and for half the day there were no flies to speak of. Then they came out of nowhere. The wind was light and steady out of the north, and never changed direction, so I'm not sure what attracted them to us. I'm going back to Cranberry Lake tomorrow and I'll report on my test of different repellants. Here's is what the Farmers Almanac says about our black fly nemesis. Mosquitoes are a much-dreaded fact of summer throughout the world, but anyone who enjoys the outdoors in Canada and the northernmost U.S. states knows that the real enemy of the wilderness wanderer is the malevolent black fly. Black flies, also known as buffalo gnats or turkey gnats, are small flying insects that feed off the blood of humans and other animals. Though tiny — they reach a maximum length of 1/8” when fully-grown — black flies are a formidable foe. Most prominent beginning in about the middle of May, and continuing to make the outdoors a miserable place to be well into June, or even July, black flies do not spread disease among humans, though their bites are painful, itchy, and slow to heal. They can cause severe allergic reactions in some, up to and including death. Because black flies tend to swarm their prey, a single victim can receive numerous bites in a short period of time, increasing the likelihood of a dangerous reaction. For this reason, some U.S. states try to control black fly populations for public health. Unlike mosquitoes, which breed in stagnant water, black flies lay their eggs in clean fast-running water, such as rivers and streams. Female black flies lay hundreds of eggs in or near the water, so they are very common in wooded areas near bodies of water. Repelling Black Flies Black flies can be difficult to repel. The simplest way to prevent getting bitten is to protect your skin by wearing long sleeves and pants at all times when outdoors. Because they are attracted to dark colors, it’s also a good idea to wear light-colored clothing, such as khaki, tan, or white. One particularly annoying habit of black flies is their tendency to swarm the face. This occurs because they are attracted to the carbon dioxide we exhale. A good way to protect your face is to wear a hat with attached netting, specially designed to protect the head and neck from black flies. Some recommended natural repellants include vanilla extract, lavender, and the extract from pine branches — just break open a young branch and rub the moisture from inside on your skin. Avoiding wearing sweet smelling perfumes, and indulging in candy or soft drinks when outdoors can also help to reduce your risk of attracting black flies. If you find that these home remedies are not effective, you may need to move up to a commercial insect repellent. Sprays containing DEET are often recommended, though their effectiveness against black flies is unpredictable — some even report that DEET sprays attract black flies. Repellents containing Permethrin are more likely to be effective, but they are also more toxic than DEET sprays, and can be harmful to fish, cats, and beneficial insects such as honey bees. Soothing the Itch If you do get attacked by black flies, there are a number of things you can do to soothe the itch: Wash the affected area with soap and warm water Avoid scratching the bites as much as possible. Scratching can break the skin, increasing the risk of infection. Apply a topical agent, such as aloe vera, witch hazel, or a gentle over-the-counter remedy, such as calamine lotion, which can also help. If the itching persists, or is very bad, an antihistamine cream may be needed.

I'm going to look into a product called lemon balm. Even if it reduces the biting insects, it might be a small victory.

I have to add that there is NO money changing hands. The organization doesn't pay for the trip, the veterans who go fishing also don't pay for the trip.

How Do I Donate A Fishing Trip To A 501c3 Organization? I good friend of mine is part of a nonprofit organization for military service members and veterans. He has asked me to donate a fishing trip for disabled veterans, to take them salmon fishing on Lake Ontario. I'm not a charter captain, and I don't have any plans to become a charter captain. However, I would love to help out some fellow veterans by taking them fishing as a "pro staffer" for this organization. The organization is oathinc dot org. My friend said that all I need for the 501c3 form is to come up with a dollar amount for the fishing trip as a tax write-off. There is no requirement by oathinc to be a licensed charter captain or charter boat to donate a fishing trip. One questions is, how much money value do I "donate" on the 501c3? I'm thinking in the $100 range to pay for gas in my boat and truck, since I tow my boat to different launches. But $100 doesn't cover the wear and tear on my equipment, and what is a reasonable and lawfully acceptable amount to claim on the tax form? Would I have to turn in receipts when I file my taxes? I wouldn't think about writing off the full cost of a charter boat price because I'm not a charter captain or a licensed charter boat. If you have any information or knowledge on this subject I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions.

Not familiar with that stuff from TSC, but that's where I get all of my chicken feed and supplies. I'd love to find something less toxic.

We were issued some sort of permitherine in the military but it was extremely toxic and could only be applied to your clothing, but not while you were wearing the clothes. I stay away from that stuff.

Without using bug spray on my boat, the best thing I have found is to wear long pants, regular length socks, sneakers, a long sleeve T-shirt and a hat to swat the flies with (when my fly swatter isn't within reach). I've stopped wearing shorts, sandals and short sleeve shirts. They're also real bad on the smaller inland lakes. I have found a true remedy yet.

What insurance company do you use, if you don't mind me asking? That's another reason to hate insurance companies. Let's face it... you paid those guys to break into your boat, steal all your stuff, sell it for WAY under it's fair market value, so you could "make a little money" to buy new stuff. Yes, I'm being sarcastic, but it seems to be what these insurance companies think. What a bunch of morons!

PM sent

I agree, and I think the wave forecast would be a little more accurate if the weather man had to cling to that buoy like a mechanical bull

Sorry to hear the bad news. I hope it ends well for you, and bad for the crooks.