Oniada Eyes 6\5

[W.W.IV.]

Launched from the north shore about 7:30am, hadn't been on the lake since last year so I did the unthinkable and asked a fellow fishermen that was limited out before we got the boat in for directions and colors,he was very helpfull (thank you bro.). We headed for the south shore and started gigging, It wasn't long before we had one in the boat,there were nets out all around us and then the wind quit and the bugs got so bad we called it a day. We ended up with 4 keepers and a short one went back.Could have had the three man limit if we didn't lose so many fish. The sunfish were Hugheee. The early birds had there limits and were on the way home before we started.

[carpedium]

Sounds like a worthwhile trip, I have been thinking of taking a trip out - thanks for the report

[Fish Hunter]

Oneida has seemed to turn on lately.

Jigged for a bit Sunday morning, and boated 1, 20"er and rolled 2 others.

Gave up on that program by 8:00 am, and went to plan B. Trolling crawler harnesses w/ bottom bouncers.

Worked over a good spot, but it already had jig fisherman hammering it, so pulled the rods and moved to another location that I've had great luck at, over the years.

Tried a silent drift first pass and the wind from the notheast was only pushing me at .4-.5 mph, and I knew that was not fast enough to be effective.

Fired the kicker, and got my groove on. 1.0, 1.2 mph, and bang, bang, bang.

Had my limit in no time, and fiddled around with blade colors to see what I could grab them on, but those finicky buggers wanted nothing but purple blades that day.

Steadily picked fish off this spot. Grabbed a few Oneida Lake jack-perch as well.

Never touched a white bass, which did not bother me.

Water surface temp is now 65 degrees, and historically crawler rigs seem to steadily boat fish for me from now until we start pulling stick baits for them.

[W.W.IV.]

FH.

We did well with the black- purple gigs and then when the wind died we set up the spinner rigs and the electric motor but the bugs drove us off.

[jj7leaf]

I got out on the 4th in the evening pulling sticks and did ok, just have search to find the active fish more than I'm used to.

I'm noticing alot of shorts (11"-13 1/2") eyes this year.

If you see the rod do anything you need to reel it in and clear the perch or the short eye off to start fishing again.

Remember all these short fish are next years 16+

jj

[Mark Komo]

Nice report. Think it worth investing a shallow or weed bite for walleyes? I spent a number of years on Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin. Essentially a big pickle running north and south. Somewhat similar to that east west pickle called Oneida.

I have had some of my best walleye fishing in summer in weeds and skinny water, especially with a decent wind. Wondering if its worth a look.

[walteye]

The Sunday before was the same for the bugs-swarms of gnats and biting flies. I was choking on the gnats flying into my mouth and nose. I did nothing on blade baits and jigs-only toyed with harnesses. Everything else came on Dave's Kabooms-green perch-purple prism and black-silver prism.

Walteye

[W.W.IV.]

Hey mark, that's all some of the guys do is fish the weeds or shallow bars. They cast jigs or inline spinner rigs Carolina style. Give it a try,that's a long drive for three eyes, better bring some friends and stay a while.

[Mark Komo]

Yeah, I hear ya. My commute to winnebago was 3 hours flat. 170 miles. But I had a place up there. Pretty expensive buying near Oneida.

I used to love rippin ratltraps through the weeds. That and pitching 1/8 jigs and 1/2 crawlers into the wind blown shoreline.

Gotta make at least one trip. ya know support the local economy.

[Fish Hunter]

"Bass is for guys that can't catch Walleyes". I like that!

[Mark Komo]

I am gonna have to change that.

"Bass is for guys that cant catch walleyes......or salmon"

[Iceman]

Winnebago is just a shallow swamp, with an average depth of 9', Oneida is nothing like Winne. Sorry Mark!

Oh, forgot to mention the incredible stench from the paper mills on Winne. Smells like a dead body for miles.

[NitroMusky]

I am gonna have to change that.

"Bass is for guys that cant catch walleyes......or salmon"

I thought it was "Bass is for guys that cant catch salmon...salmon is for guys that can't catch walleyes". .

Anyone want to go bass fishing with me?

[mostlymuskies]

I thaught it was Walleye's are for the Guy's who are Scared of Muskies With Bigger Bad Ass Teeth!!!

[zach]

Who cares as long as we all go fishing right? I fish muskies but I tell you that a big ole walleye is a nice treat when I get them by accident. Fish are for people that can fish- stories are for people who can't. Nitro- why do you have to go stirring the pot?

[Mark Komo]

Winnebago is shallow, no deeper than 20 feet. I wanna say 21 miles long and 11 miles wide. Its part of the big chain, so tons of water to fish. The first thing I noticed about Oneida was the pickle shape and immediately was drawn to the shallows, like winnebago. Oneida is far more complex, but the similarities to bago are there.