panfisher

Try weedles spoons; I particularly like Johnson's Silver Minnow with a piece of Uncle Josh Fly Strip pork rind (really old school and really effective; and for the largemouths too). Or any other weedless spoon. Soft plastic worms of various types (simple Cremes or Senko's or ANYTHING long and wiggly) rigged with weedless hook (1) and no or very, very light weight (splitshot.....). Seems 2 me that often, besides chrome or silver, pike or pickerel are attracted to anything with some or all orange color to it, with maybe yellow another good color (yellow frog pattern or perch). And if you are really targeting the Esocidae, U might want to invest in braided wire leader; they are thinner and lighter than the steel ones, to keep from losing some of the good ones. Seems I have caught plenty without these leaders, including some to near 10lbs (not in Braddocks), but I've had some break off and wondered that I should have one on in front of the bait.....

Gee, Deaf Fisherman, what does this tell U...? Never give up on a proven good thing! If U read about fishing of almost all kinds, jigs have been THE go-to lure for almost all types of fish for centuries.....including even various trout (jigging for lakers for example). Smallies really love 'em. About the only big hangup with them is just that... hangin' up on the bottom. But, they are cheap! Welcome to the bottom world...where many fish can always find a meal!!

They do have a really good fight... not unlike smallies as far as the pull and doggedness; but I have never seen them jump like smallies can! They are also pretty tasty and r a regular, along with white perch (silver bass) and stripers, in fish markets around the country. I've only run into them in tight aggressive schools a couple of times in Irondiquoit Bay, incidentally, while targeting nothing in particular...they are a wonderful treat in many ways....

deftik...Yes, they can be caught in and around Oswego....tmckenzie... is spoonbill catfish another name for paddlefish....and the drum, if these freshwater drum are the same as you caught in the Alabama (kissin' cousins to the very tasty red drum or redfish), get cottony in your mouth, they probably would be better in some kind of chowder....I love that "the more you chewed the bigger it got"...

I clicked on the picture before I read your posting and thought ...."He's either a small guy or that's a REALLY DESCENT LL'....Looks like it was a really descent LL!! And from the fingers, too. We've caught some bigger Atlantics in recent years in the big O... They are happily starting to come on nicely there. But that is a seriously nice Salar anywhere And yes, it would be great to see an even bigger one (10lbs.+) from the fingers...good luck with it...and post it!

You'll be able to fish for 'eyes in the bay AND go out to the main lake for salmonids from Henderson Harbor....

Morone chrysops.....white bass

Excellente!!! Could not do any better on the "big O"!!

I wonder if this guy knew he had a good chance of possibly doing something in his exploit.... It seems he must have. He made the rig, knew what he was doing, but for some reason (I guess) he drops the ball at the goal line....(weigh in and certification). Very little chance of this kind of thing happening twice to him. Did he indeed even have Mustad hooks? So far, way to waste the chance of a lifetime; world record and a million.....plus the big fish's life....Whewwweeee! Hope he gets a break down the line here

Maybe try where the smallies were at 10 instead of Chautauqua with sticks and minnow baits (casting)... Don't know if they move into shallower, near shore waters like in smaller lakes in the evening. Good attempts, though!

That's an impressive shot of a descent pumpkinseed ...

Sweeeet stripers...!! Catch 'em in the California Bay area (quite nice ones too). where I have been for a time. Home is New York baby, where the fresh and salt fishing opps can't b beat. Love 2 try some of those Hudson stipers, along with the surf casting on Long Island...

Yummy yummy yummy I got 'gills in my tummy.....

Yeah yeah yeah....! Swimbaits and jigs are . And some awesome micropteris shots!! (did I spell that right?)....

Great photo to add to the unusual fish archive... I think, at least with esox members, this happens more often than you'd believe. Just makes U a little nervous about swimming in waters like Great Sacandaga or in Europe where those BIG guys lurk !

Beauteous 30th, man! Wonderful mixed bag!!!!

Good stuff, man, although I'll bet #6 down is a fake!! Not so with the b/w with the 3 guys....

.....From the "21 Archives".......btw, I spent much of my younger life in Boston. I went to several Sox games at Fenway with grandpapa (a big St. Louis Cards and Yankee fan)....and I would invariably root for whoever they were playing against. And, as I recall, the visiting team would win!!! Lots of dirty looks from "grown up" old farts, but I did not care: grandpapa was there. Kind of glad they finally got the skunk out. Now it's the Cubs turn....

Great observation jj7leaf...

As water temps rise in spring, the early season close to shore thing begins to move out into deeper waters...and if it is a warmer winter (as far as water temps go), this would happen sooner....or so it might seem...

Upon much eye straining and guessing, that trial and error colored Bomber looks sort of like an old pike-tooth-worn Daredevil spoon!...Nice haul...

Yes. plenty of 'eyes in the canal...Along with plenty of largemouths, smallmouths, and northerns....and other warmwater fish...Anywhere a creek, like Garnargua, comes in is good for the 'eyes. Also, there are some really small creeks, unnamed to me, that enter into it, and the 'eyes and bass and everything else will be there. I generally will use minnow baits, such as countdowns or flatraps or fatraps or something like those. Swimbaits have worked, to. Try traditional low light, (or night) times of the day close in to the banks and any cement walls, like in Palmyra. Work right into the flow of any entering waters. Often some really good fishing in the canal.

A dozen??...Swweeeeet!

Cottonwood. Fleas. Walleyes and perch sleeping together... What's the world coming to...?

I said softbaits of some kind will work for me almost 100% of the time when all else fails. Lately I've been having good success with swimbaits, too...