Anyone on the susquehanna

[justtracytrolling]

All this striper talk has me ready to load the truck and head to the canal...fall is great too...tho ive never done it and dont need another fall activity...lol! Sounds like i should hit the hudson for a day on my way to the cape...it would be a much better place to get tracy on a cow...she cant cast well enough to be effective at the canal and struggles in the dark jigging. Trolling is the play for family trips and beginners...do you ever try trolling surface plugs at daybreak? I just love the top water hits! 8 pound walleyes are fun on topwater too, but nothing beats a striper!

Justin

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[MTpockets]

Mostly we drift live Herron

[Sluggo / NY]

Justin / Greg.. Thanks for the info on the baitshop. Guess I'll dig out the monster cooler/bubbler setup and see if I can store some. Oh.. that's right.. I can't because of the new bait laws. I Love NY! Good Fishing, Sluggo (Chris)

[MTpockets]

It will be all over soon you'll see we're lucky to use bait still

[justtracytrolling]

Chris,

You can legally save/store leftover certified bait for your next trip for up to 10 days from the date on the receipt.

Justin

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[panfisher]

Many memories of fishing (mostly snagging rip-rap!) near the Sagamore Bridge on the way to further adventures on the Cape as a kid. Tried again a couple more times there as a college student in bean town, but not much luck...a couple of baby blues. But didn't care much as it was not really serious fishing. I need to go there for them seriously....MTpockets.....NNnniiiiiiice!! I can't decide which is better in that "We crush um pic"....the fish or the face on the guy hoistin' him   !

Edited November 5, 2013 by panfisher

[justtracytrolling]

Panfisher,

 

My first canal trip I lost so much tackle I had to go back to the bait shop 3 times!   There are places where its a sandy bottom, and thats what you want when you are learning to jig, and once the current takes you downstream past 45  degrees you better reel up fast or you will be snagged for sure!!!!!!   Timing is everything up there just like a salmon run.  If you are there at the right time EVERYBODY catches fish.  If you don't hit it right you need to know a bit more and even still its tough.  Once you figure out what tides to fish its much more predictable.  I joined a forum and it took over a year to get anyone to open up at all!  I ended up making a spreadsheet and pouring over every post that was good fishing for the last five years and looked up the tides and bingo the pattern was glaringly obvious.  Those guys don't post a report till the fishing goes south so theres no way you can jump in the truck and haul up there to time it right.  I wasn't looking for a specific spot I figured I could catch my own fish I just wanted to know when to go as its a 6 hour drive and I cant go every weekend till I figure it out.  Those guys are THE REASON why I post and share info!  Im not gonna tell anyone every detail Ive learned, but Im happy to give a report so somebody might at least know what to use and when...as far as EXACTLY where goes that's where the fishing comes in!   Up there the guys that are good think they are so sneaky...they put down there rods if they see you riding by or just watching as they don't want to catch a fish when someone is watching...the newbies just keep on fishing....so by not letting you see them catch fish they are in a sense telling you they are in a good spot.  Id never move in but I make a mental note of the pole number for future reference...yes there are 7 miles of numbered light poles on each side of the canal so you can find the spot again.  Its illegal to fish from a boat there too which is kinda cool and access is limited, but there is a real nice bike path down each side.

justin

[Sk8man]

Hey Justin your comment about the seals at Nauset was real accurate but the last couple years the Great Whites (big ones) have been cruising there and at Chatham chowing down on the seals so there is some hope   When I first started fishing for stripers back in the late 80's the MINIMUM size was 40 inches....then when they started making a "comeback" it was lowered to 36 then on down. Pretty hard to get the 40 inch plus fish then just to be able to keep them....it really sucked throwing back ones that were over 3 ft long after all the hard work....They have made one heck of a comeback now though...great fish and wonderful fighters especially on light tackle (kinda like a "salt water" chinook in that regard). Les

Edited November 6, 2013 by Sk8man

[panfisher]

Drat!... Those sneaky Massachusens.....used to be one myself. No wonder they gave up most of New York....They try to act as if nothing is happening at all.....All the way to the bank! 

[BSmaster]

Justin,

Going there this weekend.  Well, kinda going there.  I'll be closer to New Hampshire.  I tried to find info on the canal and the charter boats.  Looks like the striper action - for the big girls anyways is over.  I thought about just driving and learning this (for family) trip.  Asking some advice.  I am going to check on a mixed party trip.  I like Cod and Pollock and the rest of the fishing would be for fun.  Got to check the chumming forecast.  I do not like choppy seas.

 

You have a good set up for fishing the Hudson and that is closer.  Tides work the same way.  Back and Forth.  Middle of May every year.  Lots of big girls...

 

Joe

[justtracytrolling]

Joe,

Check out littlesister1.com Captain Jason Colby is a very well respected fisherman on stripersurf.com. He has an amazing number of 50 pound stripers on his resume from shore alone before he was a captain. Ive read a lot on him and he is a fish catching machine. I know i have what it takes to hammer the hudson, but once you have stood in the canal in waders alone and fought a striper in the current its hard to go anywhere else. The canal is only shore fishing so its strictly you and the fish...no electronics. I love trolling and boat fishing, but deep down im a shore guy if its possible. Its just more special casting and using plugs and jigs. I didnt troll all fall, but i certainly could have caught just as many eyes and easier that way. I chose to cast for them. Trolling allows me to catch fish whenever i want, casting you are at the fishes' mercy...if they move in to skinny water its game on...if not its a zero. If i had the money id start my season on the hudson and then move to the fingerlakes, and im sure ill do just that in a couple years. Otisco gives me all i need and for now ill deal with only 1-2 striper trips a year. Let us know how you make out...im jealous btw! Lol

Justin

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[justtracytrolling]

Here's a couple pics tracy took. We have only a few as i lost the phone that had tons.

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[Sk8man]

Nice pics.....sure makes me want to be down there next Spring and Fall....looks like the Sagamore in background....we usually go the Borne on way in and Sagamore on way home right along the canal...very scenic.....sometimes I feel like pulling in to one of those pull-offs and getting out the rod but the girls are usually anxious to get home  at that point

[Sluggo / NY]

Finally got the little boat down to the river today. Spent about six hours drifting (blowing) around Murphy's . The wind was a pain, leaves were a pain and it seemed a bit colder than I expected. All in all it was a great day down there. As for the fishing.. pretty slow. I did get one good female walleye that I dropped back in, kept a 19"er and got a short. Also got the usual musky, bass, carp and perch. We definitely need some more water in there, but I think they're on the move. Guy down there told me they're doing well on the Chennango, but I'll just wait them out. May try again this weekend. Good Fishing, Sluggo (Chris)

Edited November 6, 2013 by Sluggo / NY

[justtracytrolling]

Thanks for the report chris...the chenango has the gravel pits and plenty of depth in those areas...water is too low up in binghamton at rock bottom and confluence, but i thought Murphy's might have enough....ill go try home depot...heard it was decent there and campville, but not much size. I have to get off my butt and do some fishing.

Justin

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[justtracytrolling]

Inspired by chris im down at hhome depot and they are biting...2 17's and a15 so far on f13's

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[justtracytrolling]

1 more short...worked upstream nothing...then hit confluence on my way home...way too shallow and called it a night...ill try the spillway next week unless the water comes up...or maybe make the haul up to otisco grocery!

Tim, that little boat ready? Maybe laders?

Justin

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[rnsurfnturf]

shes ready!

[Sluggo / NY]

Inspired by chris im down at hhome depot and they are biting...2 17's and a15 so far on f13's

 

Justin.. nice job! I don't know why I don't hit there once in a while. I live just up the road a bit and probably frequent Home Depot at least a couple times a week. Do you need waders down there or is it easy access from shore? Good Fishing, Sluggo (Chris)

[justtracytrolling]

With the water way down they might be useful...i wore muck knee boots and had to go to the tip tops for a snag. I wanted to work up to goudy with waders but was too chicken in the dark alone. There is a great eddy below the little island, but it can be hairy wading to it in the light let alone in the dark. Thats where ive caught dozens. Anywhere in that huge slow pool behind home depot can be good. You know its a water level thing...gotta find the right little hole for the level its at. I got lucky and hit em in the second spot. I caught all 4 in a ten foot circle and missed at least 1. My f13 was ticking rocks a lot and that river is a spot where hooksets arent free! If i snag and dont set she floats up with the current.Only had 1 lure with me! Casting at otisco i set hard on everything that touches....no snags there. PM sent.

Justin

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[Sluggo / NY]

Spent another half-day playing around on the river. She actually came up a bit from Friday's rain and has just a little color. Unfortunately.. I don't think much of the herd has arrived yet. After hitting all my secret spots..(that everyone knows).. I ended up with one keeper and another released female. Still better than working though! Decided to do some chores today because of the wind forecast.. but I'll be down there next weekend or before. Good Fishing, Sluggo (Chris)  

[Sluggo / NY]

I hit it yesterday and today for about four hours each day. Yesterday was just too nice out.. bright sunshine and no wind at all. Ended up with just a couple keepers. Today was not so nice out.. warm enough, but overcast/rain.. and windy. But.. the fishing was better. I had four nice fish within the first half-hour, then spent a few hours getting my fifth. Just throwing jigs with twisters. It'll just keep getting better from here on. Good Fishing, Sluggo (Chris)   

[bulletbob]

 I hit the river down at Cannon Hole in Barton.. Not as many walleyes down there as there are  at Sluggo's stomping grounds, but I get some  pretty good size ones every year, just casting from shore.. Got a VERY good one saturday morning very early before the bright sun came up over the trees.. She was about 27-28 inches, and as big around as a football. I mean shoulders like a big Carp.. Probably close to 7 pounds if I had to  take a guess... I thought hard about taking her home, but you know, that big old breeder is worth a lot more in the river than she is cut up into chunks, and placed on a hard roll with some lettuce, tomatoes, mayo and a slice of cheese.. if it was 17 or 18 inches, I would have kept it... From now on I plan on returning most really large fish.. There just aren't enough of them, and I simply don't need them as food... Kept a monster smallie I caught at Keuka a  month ago, and I still feel awful about it... Never again.. It was really nice to see a walleye that size again.. Been a while for me.  Hit a  really ugly GULP purplish minnow thing on a jig head bounced along the rocks... bob

[Sluggo / NY]

Hey Bob.. Congrats on the nice fish and Kudos on the release! I don't bash people for keeping them, but I also feel "our" river is a more fragile fishery than most and can use all the help we can give it. I've kept my share of big females over the years.. usually after a frustrating day on the water till some unlucky lady hits just before quitting time. Maybe we're getting older and wiser? (I know I'm at least half right). Good Fishing, Sluggo (Chris)

[bulletbob]

Hey Bob.. Congrats on the nice fish and Kudos on the release! I don't bash people for keeping them, but I also feel "our" river is a more fragile fishery than most and can use all the help we can give it. I've kept my share of big females over the years.. usually after a frustrating day on the water till some unlucky lady hits just before quitting time. Maybe we're getting older and wiser? (I know I'm at least half right). Good Fishing, Sluggo (Chris)

 There was a time when I kept any keeper walleye, years back.. I just don't need to any more.. kids are gone, wife doesn't eat fish... 1 maybe 2 smaller fish is plenty...

  The river isn't accesabile in a lot of spots, and doesn't get overfished for much of its length, and there are plenty of fish/ so I am not trying to be noble.. its just that, the fish aren't everywhere, and the big ones  are the breeders, and are more valuable alive than dead... Next time I go I'll keep a small one to fry up.. Thats plenty for me... bob