zach

Is that pic from ice fishing last year or are you fishing at the ice rink?

I might have some baits left at the Happy Hooker Bait Shop in Ashville. The Happy Hooker got about 150 baits this year but just about all are sold to the best of my knowledge. If you are close to Rochester, I live in Henrietta and have a few baits here at the house that I make. Take a look at Baker Baits on Facebook and if you like any baits- why not support your local NY musky lure maker? If you like casting jerkbaits, those LL are tough to beat! Here's a pic of a newer bait I am making.

Awesome bud! Amazing fishing and some cool stories to tell!

Awesome job guys, makes me miss it that much more!

Yeah Billy what ever you need. I have around 125 all painted and ready to go. Attempting to get ready for this years show season a head of time. I have changed clear coats and a few other things trying to make them better. Wanna try out a bigger bait?

Awesome Billy! Great job once again! Nice to see you got a big one. Any pics of the smaller fish on my baits?

Hope you did good Bob. Drove to Chautauqua- signed up at the Happy Hooker Friday night, put boat in the water Saturday in the morning and it wouldn't stay running. Took it by Smith Boys and they told me that the fuel pump crapped the bed so I drove home to find out that there was a death in the family. Sorta bummed out but I hope the event was a good one for those that attended! This is the first tourney I have missed but I am looking forward to next years! Hope someone from LOU won it but most of all hope everyone had a blast!

Nice to see you got out and did a few!

Just thinking- do they mostly do this during high water temps? Could it be an oxygen thing?

I say go down to the Genny at the Seth Green access and bring some worms. Everything from bass to walleye to some big ole nasty catfish. All from shore. Like Stinky said- leave before the sun sets.

Yeah and then it will be 28".

I personally do not. I have seen others take them home but have no idea how they turn out.

Nice! Chad- better watch those VMC's! Sharpest darn hooks out there! Nice job getting those pike!

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Let everyone else go 6 miles out to in Erie and lets keep these for us.

Still got a few of your plugs sitting on my table here at the house Nitro. Thanks for the kind words! I am thinking about doing another auction soon. I have some Stan Durst custom painted Wiley's that are going to be donated by a gentleman named Larry Carter from the great state of Kentucky. He saw that we do these bait fish auctions and donated them out his own pocket for us to raise money. A guy from Kentucky helping us out, awesome! A painter from Tennessee painting them up, awesome! The Wiley's will be custom painted by one of the best and maybe this will get a few people's attention. I also have a nice Wiley Scout (has not been made for years and is considered a collectible) to donate from my collection of Wiley's. My goal is to make a few smaller plugs, a nice hardwood glider and a big 10" deep diver I have been playing around with all summer for this next auction. With fall coming up I think I am going to make fewer of the smaller baits and start switching to the bigger baits. No one has seen this new style of deep diver other than me and I hope to display it for the first time at the next auction. Just trying to plan ahead b/c nothing has been made yet. I love doing these auctions and get excited every time!

Just found it, http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/other ... 507245.ece Under "Soldiers Stalk Muskies"

Come on, really??? Thats really cool of Dave and Larry to do that! To even be mentioned next to Wiley is way too much. One thing I am sure of is I couldn't have gotten off the ground if it wasn't for so many of you guys! Awesome! It has gone from a hobby to a full time job and I am still pinching myself every time I send an order out. Very thankful and lucky to be associated with so many good people! Yeah Joe- I would love to get a copy, is it available on-line? I will even trade a plug to get a copy.

I am thinking the same thing Mike.

84 degrees- ouch

Look at you tossing homemade baits! There is no turning back now Mikey boy! Crank that drag way down! Very cool that you banged a huge bass on a homemade bait! Hopefully you make baits as long as you fish. Once again- give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done! "Ronix Blade Baits"

Just about all of us use 80lb braid and 80lb or 100lb flouro leaders. If you get a chance to fish with Solgrande you would learn a lot. Sol is a good fisherman and can show you the right way. Best luck bud!

Like Ronix said the temps are really high on Waneta and most people have been laying off it. Trolling speeds will usually be faster than the trout/salmon speeds but it changes. Anywhere from 3.5-5.5mph in general but you have to experiment. You can also cast the lake and some people I know do well casting it. I won't give locations but there are fish just about everywhere in that lake. If your not getting them trolling try casting the weeds, its a small lake they have to be somewhere. As for equipment. Get some quality leaders, heavy line, sharp hooks and lots of determination. Some guys get lucky but for the rest of us we have work hard to get them but that's what makes them so rewarding. When you go there you'll see people fishing muskies and pay attention to what you see. I honestly think the easiest way to catch a musky on Waneta is to go bass fishing, lol. You may laugh but lots get caught that way. As for baits that you can easily access and don't cost a ton of money- check out the biggest Rapala's they sell in your area. Best luck and sorry I can't give you exact locations and techniques but lots has been discussed about this lake in the past and guess what- more fisherman than ever now fish that lake. This year I have stayed very, very quiet about it and will continue to do so in the future. The lake gets HAMMERED all summer and its only an 800 acre lake! One thing I can say is, I do better on orange colors on this lake than any other I fish. Best luck! "Dirtbag Zach"

Never have used wire at Waneta but it may work. Yeah- just troll around and hopefully something likes your baits enough to try to eat them. Best luck.

P/M me what colors Slimyfish and give it a week or two if you want a few. I was hoping to make you a few and it hasn't happened yet. Let me know if there is anything I can do. Is the Michigan Muskie Shop that just opened out of your way when you are at LSC? They have a few if its on the way?

Until some things are cleared up I can't do any auctions Old Man, maybe soon. I think we are all itching for some fishin'. I am going down for some night fishing this week. Last year at this time it was the only way I could get fish in the boat. McCoy- got any fish pics? lol. Come on- it gets us all worked up.