I'm Jolly 1

[Jolly 1]

Father of Jolly II . . . .

I've often visited your very informative and useful website but have not reponded to any of the subjects. Thought I'd best register and contribute if and when I can.

I have been an avid fisherman for all but the first 4 or 5 years on my current 70 years, fishing with my brother Tom Jolliff, 2 years older than me, starting when we were kids growing up in Dansville, NY. Actually Cumminsville, a suburb of Dansville, in nearby Canaseraga Creek.

Been fishing Lake Ontario ever since my brother Tom and Bill Pearce started the DEC LO salmon program back in the mid 1960's.

I especially liked the early brown trout fishing in my 14' Mirrocraft Deep Fisherman in March and April.

As soon as my son Chris, known here as Jolly II, was able to go several hours without pooping his pants, I got him out fishing with me. He was about 4 years old when I first took him out under good lake conditions after school/work and weekends. So Jolly II has seen a few hours on the lake.

He has mated for several of the LO charter captains and I think he may have picked up a technique or two that he has found successful.

I liked that early BT fishing and discovered that the use of side planers was quite effective and more productive than just flat lining off the back of the boat, especially when fishing alone.

I started using Yellow Birds but found they were cumbersome when fishing alone so I adapted it to use it with a separate tow line and came up with a funky but effective line release made from some wire, a nut and bolt, two washers and two rubber pads. It worked pretty good so I made some for my brother Tom who liked the early BT fishing.

Then I improved it some and made it look less funky and made quite a few and started selling them.

I called it a Jolly Release for Side Planers. Some of you side planer fisherman may have used them or have heard of them. I've been making them for 25 years beginning in 1982. Have made and sold about 200,000 of them. And still make and sell a few of them to whoever wants or needs them, including replacement rubber pads.

Any way, that's me.

My brother Tom still fishes with zest. He still lives in the Cape Vincent area where the LO trout and salmon program started. I'm sure he would really enjoy this forum but he doesn't do computers. And he's kinda' stubburn so not likely to change.

That's too bad because even tho he has been retired for more than 15 years from DEC, he still has a very enthusiastic interest in what's going on with the LO fishery and is somewhat displeased with some of the things that have happened.

Thanks for having me on your forum.

Bill Jolliff

Ontario, NY

[ray koziatek]

bill dont stop now jump right down to fishing reports and share some of the lures you washed over the years ... ya could of ended AND NOW YOU KNOW THE REST OF THE STORY jolly's were the first releases i used and still do today for the heaver stuff,lead core and copper ...................THANKS Ray K.

[Jolly 1]

Ray,

Thanks for the nice words. Glad you like those JOLLY'S.

Bill Jolliff