vicarious

Up for my normal 4th of July trip and have been spending some time on the water with my oldest daughter, Mayson (9) with good (for us) results. We've been concentrating a mile south/north of sampson. Monday, 7/2 Lines in by 6:30 and off the water by 8 before the sun got too hot. went 4 for 6 with 3 lakers and a land lock. If I recall, 2 came off of sliders and the ll came off 5 color leadcore. Fished 80-90 feet of water. Found 55 degrees was down 55ish feet. Orange and copper were the best colors and fish wanted 2-2.4. Tuesday, 7/3 am fished 6:30 to 9. went 3 for 5, but seemed to be a tougher bite. One laker, one bow and one ll. started out 2-2.4, but couldn't get anything to hit until we bumped it up to 2.7 downspeed and moved out to 100-120 fow. Tuesday 7/3 pm Went out with my father, wife and two girls (9 and 5). Went 4 for 5, all lakers between 7 and 8:30. All were 3 lbs and over with the biggest around 8/9. 4 on spoons and one off of a dipsey. Standard sized Mixed veggie as the main spoon took a couple with no hits on the cheaters. My wife and oldest daughter landed a double to start the action, so that was really cool. I fought a big fish on the dispey for about 5 or so minutes. Could barely get it to budge. It took a few nice pulls when it first hit, then just dug in deep and didn't want to move. My 5 year old was helping me reel it in, but we ended up pulling the hook. The fish were feeding hard with many puking half digested sawbellies all over the boat. Wed 7/4 am Got up a 5 to put a pork butt on the smoker, woke my daughter and had lines in just south of the sampson marina by 6:20. didn't even get the 3rd line in when a nice LL hit a copper/silver hammered sutton 31 down 61 feet. Slow after that with a laker coming on the same spoon about 45 minutes later. Turned back south about a mile north of sampson and popped a 3 lb bow in 105 fow on a cheater with rigger parked at 45 feet. Put it back down and about 10 minutes later, the other rigger at 61 fired. Fish stayed deep at first, so we thought it was a laker, then something jumped so we thought it might be a bow or ll. Got it to the back of the boat and when I went to net it, realized it was both. We hooked a 2lb laker on the sutton and a small bow on the cheater. Decided to pull lines at that point and had a small bow hit the 3 color to finish the morning. 2.6 was the best speed and 105 fow produced most of the hits. 6/6 with 3 bows, 2 lakers and one ll. off the water by 8:45. Had a couple fleas show up on the dispsey, but not a problem yet. Marked a lot of fish on bait in the 15-45 foot range over 80-120 fow each day. We fished during the derby and struggled, but the lake seems to be turning on with a lot of silvers in the 2-4 lb range. We're only a brown short of a Seneca slam for the week, so we may try to change things up in the morning. Happy 4th!

I wonder what impact the proposed incinerator would have if built? Based on what I've read, it would draw 445,000 gallons from Seneca per day and discharge into Reeder Creek. http://www.newyorkupstate.com/news/2017/12/seneca_county_trash_incinerator_army_depot_romulus_garbage.html

Awesome fish, congrats! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Great report. Looks like his 'lucky' shorts had the desired effect. He sacrificed his body for the greater good!!!

Incredible pictures! I went last year and can't wait to go back. Thanks for posting!

Beautiful color on that brown. Sounds like a great day on the water. Say hello to Mark for me. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Beautiful fish Brett! Your time on the water was definitely rewarded. You guys are locked in this year! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ed, Good to see you're out fishing again... I'm looking forward to seeing pics of some of your browns! Brad-

Dan, I fished Sampson from 7:30 - 10:30 this morning. We only managed 1 small rainbow (about 20") just south of the marina 66 down over 120 on a stinger frog pattern going 2.8 at the ball. Thermal is setup about 70 down with a lot of big marks deeper in the 80-150 range. Our best screen was on the point with the big log cabin just north of sampson in 170' of water... fish were stacked from bottom all the way up to 40', but we couldn't entice a bite! We tried lead, dispeys, changing speeds, spoons, etc but they were tight lipped. Good luck and pay attention to whatever Nick tells you... I have a feeling that his afternoon report will be much more exciting than mine!

Great story Les! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Beautiful fish... Looks like Seneca's giving up some nice fish this week. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Les! I didn't think to check whether or not it had a fin clipped.

Great report Les and beautiful fish! Looks like I may have to make an investment in some Great Lakes spoons....