LOC Takeaways

[Gill-T]

I was wondering what everybody thought about the weird derby this year. Notably, where are the big browns? Did the browns spread out when the bait came in?  Did all the two year old kings around displace the browns and lakers?  Where are the three and four year old kings?  I fished from the Niagara Bar to Summerset. We caught an incredible amount of two year old kings from the trench in front of the green can out to 300’. It didn’t matter where we went. We caught one brown, one Atlantic, and only about 15 lakers. I saw bait some days that extended from Wilson to the bar suspended. I saw bait on the bottom from Olcott to the bar. A crazy weird derby. 

Edited May 14, 2023 by Gill-T

[GAMBLER]

8 minutes ago, Gill-T said:

I was wondering what everybody thought about the weird derby this year. Of note, where are the big browns. Did the browns spread out when the bait came in?  Did all the two year old kings around displace the browns and lakers?  Where are the three and four year old kings?  I fished from the Niagara Bar to Summerset. We caught an incredible amount of two year old kings from the trench in front of the green can out to 300’. It didn’t matter where we went. We caught one brown, one Atlantic, and only about 15 lakers. I saw bait some days that extended from Wilson to the bar suspended. I saw bait on the bottom from Olcott to the bar. A crazy weird derby. 

The amount of 2 year old kings is astonishing.  Lakers are abnormally shallow for this time of the year off Sandy.  Browns are scattered all over.  We caught browns in 15' on boards, in 40' on the surface, 50 on bottom and 90' on the bottom.  The bait showed up Monday all over the bottom in 110' or deeper.  Lots of 2"-4" alewife in the kings I cut up.  I already caught more coho than last year.  We also caught an Atlantic that was a typical beat up fish (dorsal fin and pectoral fins messed up).  

[Gill-T]

Yes, I forgot we have a good coho crop. Brian, our board laker was caught 28’ down over 48’ on a rigger ….  I also caught a lake trout on a jplug off leadcore…..   wierd year but fun!

[dickey]

My buddy caught the brown weighed in yesterday. It was his 1st trip out this year and asked me what lures have been hot for me. I said Carbon 14 was good for me on kings. He was in 180 fow fishing for kings right out of Genesee River. Said rigger was out 135.  Hit a carbon 14. I tried for browns almost every day and landed a handful of small ones and did lose 2 nice fish but that’s how it goes. 2 days I went deep and fished for kings and got a few with biggest being 17lbs. A week off of work fishing is a good thing. 

[Gill-T]

Weird off-color water for a lot of the derby. 

[whaler1]

1 hour ago, Gill-T said:

Weird off-color water for a lot of the derby. 

X2

[Gill-T]

I survived a midge hatch that seemed like the world was ending 

[HB2]

Weather / wind was good for the most part , a lot of fishable days . 

 

Nice green water where I was 

 

Marked lots of fish and bait . 

 

Never took a hit above 50 ft and I think we had around 50 hits . Although I set lines there and moved them deeper . All fish came 50 to 100 ft down . 

 

 

 

 

[Missdemeanor]

There is definitely a missing year class of Browns. I remember getting a call that a bunch of trout were washed up on the shore in Greece. Sam Zucco and I responded and there were dozens of BT stockers dead on the beach in Greece off edgemere. It was in the last 3 years... I just can't remember what year

( I think it was the start of the COVID thing) . In the following years, the BT fishing took a decline... 

   Hopefully the browns are on the rebound. I had a fantastic winter and Spring Fishery this year. Most were the 3-5 lb cookies which is a welcome sight....