Capt Vince Pierleoni

Very well said. Ditto. Thank you and God bless all past and present military members.

The effort was intense for 2 days. Boats, helicopters and planes. Very sad that this happened.

Not much color on the shoreline other than in the plumes. Lake trout abundant 50-200 fow, pockets of Coho, Steel, and odd Kings. Water moving around alot, needs to get pushed together by a strong NW. Niagara river area hazardous with copious amounts of lumber including lost water skis, trees, telephone poles ect. Be careful out there.

Tourny players, The last call/ final deadline to enroll a team into the Cup chase will be at the Oak Orchard Open Captains meeting. Teams that enrolled prior to the WHI are entitled to use their scores from that event. Teams that wish to compete for the Cup that did not enroll or participate in the WHI can get in by the end of the O.O.O Captains mtg and would then have a Western score to use. The rules in complete detail are on the L.O.C.S. facebook page. Teams that are "IN" at this point are:1) Oh baby, Captain Matt LeClair, 2) Screamer, Capt Dave Antenori, 3) Prime time, Capt Pete Lahosky, 4) Team THRILLSEEKER, Capt Vince Pierleoni, 5) Vision Quest, Capt Pete Alex, 6) A-TOM-MIK, Capt Tom Allen 7) Top Gun/Free Spirit, Capt Greg Gehrig Cold Steel, Capt Tom Burke, 9) Finders Keepers, Capt Tim Thomas, 10) Strong to quite strong, Capt Bill Kopek, 11) Running Rebel, Capt Jerry Felluca, 12) Tall Tails, Capt Brian Garrett, 13) Green Dolphin, Capt Wayne Stoutner, 14) Cannon ball Runner, Capt Eddie Monette. The prizes are substantial in consideration of the $100 team buy in. Enroll your team, and good luck! Hopefully one of the players will post a pic of the Cup!

Some of todays best tourny fishermen started as observers. If you are reliable and enjoy watching teams function or want to learn, its great! It is a very important part of tournaments, and it is to be taken seriously. Some observe year after year just to learn tactics for their fun fishing, others soak it all in and end up fielding their own teams. The best arrangements are when you get to enjoy some prefishing with the team you will represent, and get your out-of pocket costs covered. The act of literally paying for an observer can be troublesome, as it is definitely NOT a way to pick up some beer money while you sleep in the cuddy. We have found paid observers that get placed on our boats to be disinterested sometimes, and hungover often. If it would be a chore like mowing the lawn, then its not for you. If you think you can remain alert, learn the rules of the particular event and see that they are followed, it's a great way to spend a weekend.

It's time for teams to get "in". The "buy in" is $100 per team, and cash or checks payable to "the Wilson Boatyard" will be accepted. The cash or checks can be given to; Kevin Jerge, Tom Allen, Matt LeClair, Brian Garrett, Paul Czarnecki, Rick Hijecki or myself. The first deadline is at the end of the WHI Captains meeting. It is necessary to get in before the end of this meeting if you want the option of using your score from this event. The second and final deadline will be by the end of the Oak Orchard Open Tournament Captains meeting.

There is so much more than meets the eye to this issue. Kevin has now garnered heavyweight sponsors, companies that will have no tolerance for international incidents. As I am reading(and this became official only last weekend), it's a done deal. Kevins tournament is what it is because he's willing to make tough, unpopular decisions. There is no advantage or disadvantage to anyone at this point--its plenty enough notice. The bait and Kings are spread out all over, and noone knows how the ice will distribute as it flows out. Even playing field as of right now. I know Kevin had been trying to get an official answer from Canadian customs for quite awhile. As one of the champions of the integrity of "no comm" Tournaments, he has never wavered. No phone use on the water except in an emergency-period. Once it was determined to be insufficient to call from U.S. soil, it was game over for crossing the border. I know I don't want to jeopardize my boat or Captains license for any tournament, and at the same time think its ridiculous to even have the possibility of an event getting determined by who gets stopped and who doesnt. Not to mention, to place the burden of background checks on teams getting observers placed on their boats by other teams is too risky for most. Things have tightened up in the last few years border-wise. River boats have been issued tickets for merely NAVIGATING across the IMAGINARY line without calling in. Precedent was set many years ago by the original Lake Ontario Pro-Am ( U.S. origin) brought here by Lowrance electronics. U.S. ports, No Comm, U.S. waters only. Later, in the Canadian Tightline Shootout events, Canadian port, No Comm, Canadian waters only. Perhaps it was a mistake to ever leave the border open from the start, but with higher and higher stakes both tournament wise and customs wise, it was the right call for the longevity of the event. This stuff is no joke, the fines are real, the boat confiscations are real, the guilty until you can prove you're innocent stuff is real, and what is going on terrorism-wise in the world is real. Heck, I had a client just this week get interrogated for taking a walk behind a gas station in Lewiston by a border patrol agent. It seems he got a little too close to a large propane tank for his liking. The fact that we can immerse ourselves in this fishery and in a tournament and have little concern as to what is going on elsewhere is a Godsend and a tribute to both the U.S. and Canadian border patrols. Actually, it is quite shocking that there are any individuals who are not understanding that this was the safe play, and the best way to insure it's future existence.

There are so many variables out of our control. Rumors that the boom will be pulled soon are circulating. The big easterlies will push some of the lake erie ice out of river mouth but there is alot packed in there still. Depending on wind direction, it could all come down relatively fast or be a longer affair. Either way, I would not be planning on docking in Youngstown until all the ice is gone through.

The Kings looked larger and vibrant this year. Hats off to all the LOTSA volunteers, Newfane town marina staff, and Wes from the Slippery Sinker for their time and dedication. Many hands make light work. I will get on the feeding calendar next week.

I know there is a huge shortage of gunsmiths out west of Rochester. May have to work under someone for a while but the good guys retired and moved south.

Thank you for the clarification. Very interesting format.

I discovered in March that my weblon top could not go another season. I've had excellent work done by John Mann in Sodus Pt but I wasn't going there with the Viking anytime soon. I had heard that Jason and Trish Franz, who operate a charterboat out of Sandy Creek were starting a canvas business catering to boats and campers. Jason came right to the boat and assisted in removal of the old top, which they used for a template. The finished job is excellent and color match is perfect. I know it can be challenging to get canvas work done on the west side, and now there is another option. They can be reached @ 585-615-6504

It was the real deal. Bunch of stuff froze and burst at nearby campground.

Outboards are fine as long as you performed all the regular steps when you pulled your boat out and your seals in lower unit are good. Inboards and I/O's will most likely have water laying in them throughout the block, manifolds, and hoses. They actually would be much safer if they are docked, the ones most vulnerable will be on trailers sitting in boatyards or driveways if they have already been run this Spring. A forecast of lows in the mid teens is enough to do damage away from the buffering of the lake. In the early 80's this happened and lots of damage was done. Some guys who have their boats sitting out exposed will actually drain them but a heater with a safety shut off or a trouble light left on can keep engine room warm enough to avoid freezing.

Scott, There are a few anglers on your Lake Ontario North shore that chase Browns early, but most trailer to the extreme West or South shores to do so. I know the OMNR and anglers groups want to improve that fishery, but it does warm much slower and the cormorant population is absolutely out of control(which could eradicate the planted Browns in little time). If you choose to remain in your home area, shallow Spring fishing is conducted in 4-20 fow, with lures sometimes even shallower. Obviously you will need to know the area to prevent collisions with shoals, boulders or any underwater hazards. Start by finding the warmest water available relative to the area, and creek flows are often a great place to start. The easiest way to get started is to troll flat lined floater/diver plugs either directly off the boat or with planer boards. Good Luck!