Morgan-E

Here is a picture of Werner "Popeye" with some volunteers on board taking the fish to the lake through the chute. Thanks again to everyone who helped out in some way with this effort this season. Also a thank you to Chris Drogi and Jim Jared for spearheading the pen project in Fair Haven many years ago.

Fishing out of Fair Haven this past weekend was touch and go. I had my two parents on baord for the FH 321 tournament while my 2 daughters were fishing with Joe "Windtunnel". On Saturday I had hoped that the rain would have muddied the water a little to the west and powered out that way setting up in 15' of water with the usual sticks and spoons. We worked our way in by Black creek swamp to shallow water and had 2 hits and misses on a nuclear pickel stick and my daughter's stoplight spoon (orange and green). After seeing no color and seeing no action on other boats (almost to Port Bay) we turned out for deeper water to see what we could find. We were thinking of running to the laker area off of the chute and slightly east, but were afraid of passing up fish along the way so we trolled our way over (big mistake). Joe and my girls were having nonstop action on the lakers in 80 - 130 feet of water bouncing the bottom and we got into it when we finally got over there with a one hour time frame left to fish and still get in through the chute to make weigh in for the tournament. The girls and Joe only kept 2 bleeders and one that they would use to weigh in at 11lbs 12oz. Our biggest was 7lbs and 9oz. We heard that there was a big box weighed in for the tournament and had our work cut out to have any chance the next day. My parents and I headed east and found an area of warmer water that we worked and worked and then right before the fog rolled in my mother hooked into a great acrobatic steelhead that went in the net and the hook popped out. A little while later my father fought his first spring king (he usually does not go out in the spring because he gets cold very easy) and put it in the box at just shy of 11lbs. Both came off of dipsies with stoplights. We had a couple more tugs but then we were concerned about how thick the fog was so we had to abandon the area to make our way back to the chute to get in before 1:30. Unfortunately, the girls and Joe did not have the luck they were having the day prior and were also concerned about the thick fog so headed back for safety reasons (they almost got t-boned by a speedboat near the chute who was on plane in the fog). They had a great time though talking about what they were going to use and planning out the days - having breakfast at Turtle Cove with Joe before fishing each day did not hurt their experience either. Congratulations to Gray Fox for their win in the tournament with a huge box - great guys to boot. All in all it was a good weekend and the 321 tournament was a success. We are looking forward to the July 321 tournament on July 18 and 19 and more information can be found on the tournament talk link.

Team Gray Fox Captained by Reese Scott won the Fair Haven 321 3 fish tournament with a total weight of just shy of 48 pounds. They caught over 20 salmon on Saturday and weighed all three of their fish in as well as the big fish of the tournament at 17 lbs 11 oz. Thank you to all of those who participated and to everyone who helped make this a success. The next Fair Haven 321 tournament is July 18 & 19. Sign up at Screwy Louie's sport shop.

The fish are ready to go out as the temperature has hit 62 on the surface and their 3 week period in the pens comes to a close. Over the past three weeks there have only been 10 dead salmon and 1 dead steelhead. Werner "Popeye" is coordinating the release based on weather conditions. Thanks again to Turtle Cove and Bayside Marina for their support in the effort as well as to all of the people who helped with the feeding and project itself.

If you are in the area of Fair Haven and are interested in feeding the fish please contact Screwy Louies 315-947-6348 and sign up. We still have open dates for feeding. So far we have only lost a total of 8 fish out of ~31,000. The temps went up this past week, but were dropping as of this morning which means the fish in Fair Haven should be in the pens for at least another week and then some. They are all feeding well on bugs all day as well as the feed that we give them and they are growing fast. The pens are located at Bayside Marina and Turtle Cove restaurant, marina and cabins - if you are in the area be sure to check them out and thank the owners for supporting the pen project. Also the registration for the 321 tournament for May 16 and 17th has been extended through Friday to help increase participation. Packet pick-up is Friday from 6-8 at Screwy Louies. Call them for more information 315-947-6348. Also visit the tournament talk link for more information.

Lots of fun - especially for kids (old and young). Been doing it for a few years now and the biggest thing is to figure out how many you will need ahead of time because it is very easy to catch more than you could ever use. Then ask friends if they need bait and go back out. There are guys that do it on the open lake, but we use blow off days in the bay to catch alewives - just find the depth with the heaviest schools and then anchor in the depth and they will come. One other tip that works for us is to use a one ounce sinker on the bottom of the sabiki rig to make it easier to keep everything tight - especially for beginners. We brine all of ours using the over the counter stuff for color and UV enhancers and then add more non-iodized salt or Sea Salt to firm them up just a bit more. Lasts like the old stuff used to. Hope this helps.

Here are some pictures of the fish arriving this past Wednesday. Anyone interested or able to feed the fish please call Screwy Louies Sportshop at 315-947-6348. Thanks

The fish are scheduled to arrive on Wednesday at 11:00AM at Bayside Marina and Turtle Cove Marina. If you are around to help out or even to watch please come - it is a unique event. We need volunteers to sign up to feed the fish. There is a calendar at Screwy Louies and people can sign up in person or call the shop 315-947-6348 and let them know when you can do it and they will put your name on the claendar. Fish need to be fed once a day some time between 5 and 8 in the morning. It is really easy with the automatic feeders - bags of food will be located in the tubs near the pens. Simply take a bag of food to the feeder, open the feeder lid, pull back the belt, dump the food onteh belt, close the lid, and the fish are fed for the day.

The Fair Haven Fishing Association is hosting the first Fair Haven 321 tournament. The information and entry form are attached. This is being used as an opportunity to fish a different style tournament and will also benefit the Fair Haven pen project. Please be sure to get your entries in on time and call if you have any questions 315-709-9958.

The pens are in the water. Thank you to all who were able to help out and especially Scott from Bayside marina for him taking time out of his day to help us out and for the use of his equipment to make this one of the smoothest launches to date. Also thanks again to Bayside Marina and Turtle Cove for the use of their docks for the pens. The fish are sceduled to arrive on the 29th at 11:00AM. Anyone available is invited to help out (just seeing it is a neat experience).

Werner "Popeye" has been working hard on this and we have come up with a time for Saturday. We will start to meet at Bayside at 8:00AM to get the pens in the water. If you do not see us by the water we may be on the north side of the property moving the pens down. Scotty has generously put time aside to help us splash them in the water. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated since most of the movement will be from pushing and pulling the pens with waders and ropes due to very low water. We are hoping to have them all in andat their docks within a short time period. The fish will not be arriving until late the following week or the begining of the next. Also, hard copies of Fair Haven Fishing Association materials will be in local shops after this weekend including sign-ups for the Fair Haven tournament. Thanks in advance.

The finishing touches on the new pen will be made this weekend and we are planning on getting the pens in the water next Saturday the 18th and will need help (anyone in the area that weekend is invited to help out and with waders would be a plus). The time will be posted once we check with Scotty from Bayside Marina so that we are not in his way while he is busy splashing boats in the water. Two of the pens will be located at Bayside marina and the third will be located at Turtle Cove marina, restaurant and resort. Scott Prindle of the DEC informed us that the fish will definitely not be arriving until after the 19th, but he cannot give us a tentative date just yet due to the water temperatures dictating when we will get the fish. The exact date and time will be posted as soon as it becomes available. The contact information to help out with the pen stocking will be made with the date being posted. Also, anyone in the area between then and the middle of May please contact Dana Bernetski [email protected] to sign up on the feeding schedule (the feeders only need to be filled once in the morning). Do not forget to sign up for the Fair Haven 321 tournament - download available at the top of the thread and hard copies will be available in Fair Haven establishments by next weekend. We will be sure to keep you posted.

A big thank you to everyone who was able to help out with the pens this past weekend. Both pens were renetted despite the cold temperatures that compromised the zip ties. It was a good time and was nice working with people whom I had only known before by boat handle. As soon as we receive word from the DEC on the fish arrival it will be posted as we will once again need volunteers to help out. Also, make a note on your calendar for the tournament on May 16 and 17 - information is available at the top of this thread with a download and hard copies will be available from Fair Haven businesses by mid April. We concluded the morning by having the first FHFA meeting of the year where financial reports were given as well as information on upcoming events. The other piece of information is donations for the net pen project can be made out to Fair Haven Net Pen Program and sent to Fair Haven Fishing Association, PO Box 373, Fair Haven NY 13064 Also the wounded warrior project is in need of donations and they can be made out to AllAboard FHFA and sent to All Aboard Fair Haven Fishing Association, PO Box 566, Fair Haven NY 13064

Even though the winter is not relenting we are still a go for this coming Saturday, March 28th to work on the net pens located on the northern Bayside Marina property on the north side of the blue barn. The two pens are accessible and need to be re-netted. We will be meeting at 9:30AM and hope to be done by 12:30PM. The forecast is that it will be cold and sunny on Saturday. Sunday is supposed to be warmer but it may rain (rather work in cold than cold rain). We figure that this way the nets are done and ready to go (whenever that may be). Anyone in the Fair Haven area willing or able to help out are encouraged to come. If you have any questions please call me (Phil) at 315-709-9958. Thanks in advance. Fair Haven Fishing Association