Irondequoit Bay

[Slimy Hooks]

Late report but the weekends coming up so maybe this will help a few people...Fished North of the bridge last Sunday, east and west side drop-offs from 20-40'...Steady action all day with more quality fish than i've seen this fall...

Brought home 42 perch and 9 crappie...Biggest perch was 13" and the biggest crappie was 12 and three quarters, biggest one ive ever caught...

While it was difficult fishing the small glo cubby jig in 20-40' it made the difference as my bottom rig with a sinker and 2 snelled hooks above, caught less than 5 keepers...They really wanted the jig with a fathead...Wish I could get niagara's though...

Highly suggest thoroughly fishing a stretch of drop-off...Anchor up, fan cast all around, and if nothing move over just out of range of your casts and start again...This was how I managed to find a pod that gave me a keeper a cast for a few hours...Hardest part was figuring the angle of the wind and how it would push me and still let me cast and fish effectively...Things to take into consideration instead of just throwing the hook and hoping for the best...

Good luck to everyone this weekend, going to the Niagara aquarium or i'd be perch fishing...Took a vacation day on Teusday so I dont go through fishing withdrawl and will be back at it with my 12' inflatable and pound of minnows...

[Grady95]

I carry two anchors when I fish Seneca lake for perch. You are right about needing to get in position and then try and hold the boat still. Getting the hook in and then keeping the boat from swaying around the anchor rope is a real key down there. I do the same out on the Bay and just like you are talking about. I usually fish on the west side of the bay and usually try to set the anchor in the shallows and let enough line out to drift the boat over the edge. The prevailing wind is from the west so this is not too hard to do. Once I feel I am where I want to be, I'll drop a big clunker over to stabilize the boat. I make those second anchors out of buckets and concrete. They just find the bottom and pin the boat into position. Seems to work.

Thanks for the report. Sounds like time to get out there again. Wonder if those crappie are getting so big for eating gobies. Did you cut any open to see what they were eating?

Grady

[Shakemsam]

If I am understanding your post correctly, you are fishing the lake........?

[Slimy Hooks]

Thats a good idea for making a anchor...Been using downrigger balls for anchors...16 pounds on each really holds the small inflatable well...When I cut the fish, I could'nt tell what was inside them besides fathead minnows...Was surprised to see that and there was food in there stomachs but very digested...

Was fishing north of the 104 Bridge, not the small one at the launch ramp...

[Grady95]

For your inflatable use a coffee can and cement. Bury an eye hook or whatever you have in the barn in the cement to tie to. That would be a good size.

I fish that same area. Let me know sometime when you go. I live pretty close to the bay and could run over and dunk a boat. Of course, this is all AFTER I find Bambi with the bow.

Good Luck

Grady

[Slimy Hooks]

Thanks for the advice Grady...Think I might have to do that, as it would store better on the boat and wont have downrigger balls rolling all over especially when my stubborness makes me plow through boat wakes instead of slowing down...

Cant fish this weekend, but will be anchored up and ready to go by first light Teusday...Thankfully, where I launch at the Newport blow-boat club, is 2 minutes from my house...

Good luck in your quest for bambi, and see ya on the water sometime...

[scrappy2543]

Hit the bay for the first time this season last night. Late @ 415 by the time I got to the bouys. Did pretty well for 2 hours of fishing by myself. Brought home dinner. Fishing died at dusk.

[Shakemsam]

Brought home 42 perch and 9 crappie...Biggest perch was 13" and the biggest crappie was 12 and three quarters, biggest one ive ever caught...

Any pics of the Crappies?

[Slimy Hooks]

No pictures...Rarely if ever take pictures, unless I am with someone that has a camera and i'm fishing out of a 10-12' inflatable so no one is there to take my picture...

If you dont believe me thats fine, most people dont but the crappie population is decent in the bay...Some days ive caught over 20 shorts, and 3 weeks ago one spot gave me and a friend 15 over 10 inches and many shorts...We fished side by side in 2 different boats that day...

Been finding them on the North end, on vertical structure in 10-25 feet of water...

[Shakemsam]

LOL........I have never seen a Crappie, that is why I asked to see a pic.

You got defensive awfully quick.

Now I have to wonder why?

[Slimy Hooks]

Last reason that came to mind of you asking for a picture was because you've never seen a crappie...Considering this is the internet, fingers are quickly pointed and doubts quickly raised, I was just giving my 2 cents for non-believer's before it came out from anyone...

Fished the Bay yesterday...Crushed'em...Never left a strech of drop-off for over 6 hours...Fish averaged a little smaller, but still pulled a few 12"-13" and my crappie spots only gave me 2 over 10"...

[Silver Fox]

Great job Slimy. From what I hear, the night time crappie fishing is good. I've never tried it myself.

[Slimy Hooks]

Fished the Bay, same way as usual...

Very good action, but tons of shorts...Still managed a 3/4 full 5 gallon bucket and was done at 10:45 due to an eye appointment...

Spent an hour at the crappie zone and pulled 5 over 10 inches plus a few shorts, then off to the perch zone and non-stop action which also included some very nice silver bass...A few sheepshead left me dissapointed hoping for a slob perch...

Bottom rig was hot, could barely get a twich of the jig before the bottom rig was getting pulled over-board...

Never tried the night-time crappie game, but have heard its productive...Tried a few times arriving an hour or so before sunrise and caught nothing until the sky lightened...

10 hour shift tomorrow, good luck everyone!!!

[LongLine]

A Black one & a white one:

Tom B.

(LongLine)