after 30+yrs we are gone

[wolfman2543]

last 5 yrs fishing has gone down hill.We sold everything and are going to say in myrtle beach and fish down there.thanks two all how bought  stuff from me.  wolfman

[Paul gee]

Can't say I blame ya....I'm thinking lake Norman area myself...I don't see things getting anymore productive here....

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[Custom Deluxe]

Its been a great season on the east end.. Sorry to see you guys go, but goodluck and have fun in myrtle!

[team38]

I just started fishing Lake Ontario last year and learned alot over the past 2 years. This year fishing out of Henderson Harbor has been a great year for me and I can't wait for next year!

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[FISHMRTEX]

Lake Ontario was and still is the best fresh water fishery in the world !!!!!!!!!!!

[GAMBLER]

2012 - the best season I fished on Lake Ontario in 32 years of doing it

2013 - good year

2014 - slow year

2015 - slow year

2016 - Decent / good year

 

I'm having trouble finding five bad years here. 

[Rich s]

35 year trib fisher , 3 year lake fisher . Thought about moving western lake but it's beyond my means .

Thinking it's over for me as well . . I'm still trolling around in a Dead Sea out here . Granted there is no other fish like a king but there are other many great fisheries in New York State . IMO , trolling is my least favorite fishing style .

Wish you well wolfman

Rich

[garrymny]

Well, seems to be some disagreement as to the status of the lake as far as fishing success. It was my first year. Here is my impression: In July we did pretty decent for newbies. Caught some nice  steelhead and some salmon, but no mature salmon. In August- NOTHING. Totally changed lake. Now, years ago I lived in Florida and fished the Gulf of Mexico.  GREAT fishing. Have not found any freshwater fishing yet that comes close to the saltwater fishing we had out of Destin Florida in early 90's. Wouldlove to go back.......not to live, but to fish!   

[dvdegeorge]

If you know your poop and can adapt its good fishing every year

[Gill-T]

If you know your poop and can adapt its good fishing every year

Agreed. A number of years back there was a charter vessel next to my slip in Wilson. I could not help but notice his rods in his rod holders all had fluorescent orange line stren spooled on (probably from the 80's). Upon returning from his charter he would be in a good mood because he was able to catch a few Lake Trout for his long time clients (April season). I never had the heart to tell him how many fish came over my gunnels. Never stop learning in the face of a changing environment......or just take up golf

Edited September 13, 2016 by Gill-T

[Low Baller]

Don't know ya, but good travels. Those red snapper are pretty tasty too. Just keep fishing, it's a big world out there.

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[Xxx]

Sorry to hear your leaving us Wolfman😢 I see both sides of the story, my uncles are old school and won't change in their ways to the point, where it isn't fun for me anymore!! I mean it's not 1986 when the water wasn't crystal clear, the days of running lures to their depth should be good is no more. The days of 50-60 bass a day are gone, where if you found a weed bed and had live minnows you could fish all your minnows off in 1 1/2-2 hrs, aren't going to happen, first off the weed beds out of the Black River are gone!! Try telling a 76 year old guy who's been fishing longer than I've been on planet earth you need to run your lures 2-3-4 hundred feet behind your boat 😤 You'll get are you phucken nuts kid?? I've been busy this year rigging my trailer so I can go solo, skipper19 got me well under way, a few more inventions and I got er licked!! Best of wishes to ya Wolfman!!

[HitorMissIV]

Yes Wolfman , As you know I'm with ya'.. The problem with us " Old Guys" is we have seen the Great Days of the "BIG O" ,and our problem is Age, we can't wait years to see it rebound or the opposite! I Loved being a Captain for over 20yrs.and enjoyed being able to take Clients out for a day of Good Fishing & seeing their expressions when the first of many 20+lb Kings would come to the deck. We learned how to adapt to the changing ways of the Lake's Conditons, to continue to be successful ,but again the cost in Tackle & Terminal has also become a huge expense. I hope for all the fishermen of Ontario the fishery returns to what it once was!  If you're a Fishermen & enjoy the thrill of the Catch...Then it doesn't matter whether it's Sailfish or Salmon..Panfish or Pompano....It's Just Plain Ole' Fishin' that keeps us "Old GUYS" Going!  P/S the Flounder Fishing in LSD (lower slower Delaware) has been GOOD !! Good Luck to You & hope to see ya' again!   Capt Randy

 

[Sk8man]

I'd like to throw my two cents in here....my first fishing experience on Lake O was from shore in 1955 long before the salmon were put in there and we fished for pike and bass and perch  and panfish during the summer out on the Sodus Point pier and along the lake shore near the bluffs. It was a great experience and the fish were plentiful and being a young kid I sucked it all in and looked forward to it each summer.  I also lived very near Seneca Lake for much of my life and again I clearly remember fish all along the shoreline little and big fish and being able to catch all sorts of warm water species right from the docks and shoreline. There were minnows everywhere of many species and you could catch crabs at will in the shallows under rocks. These days the situation on both lakes is very different. You see very few minnows and pan fish and very few people fish from shore any longer because there is little point in it other than a few over fished places like a certain marina.  I for one am thankful that I have a boat and am able to get to where there is a chance of catching fish. I have fished for salmon and trout on Lake O since 1975 and have seen many changes along the way. There have been many ups and downs along the way and severe fluctuations in the bait and fish availability cycles. In the seventies many folks thought the lake would "die" because of the Mirex (toxin) scare and folks unloaded their cottages for almost nothing and now some of those places are worth big bucks. We are definitely in a down turn of the cycle on Lake O but also on some of the Finger Lakes as well and  possibly for some of the same but also different reasons. These lakes and their fisheries are under much stress from many different aspects  some perhaps natural in origin (e.g.fluctuations in bait levels due to severe weather) but others attributable to human actions (e.g. introduction of invasives and pollutants). There has been a noticeable change in water quality. There are now many more boats on these smaller lakes than there used to be with fishermen using much more sophisticated equipment to harvest the fish and much more knowledge available to help in this activity. I kept DEC diaries for many years and during the late 1970's it took something like 6 hrs on average or so to catch a legal trout on one Finger Lake if my memory serves me correctly....it was tough fishing but we hung in there and during the 80's stocking improvements etc. led to good fishing in subsequent years. In short, things are vastly different now on the Finger Lakes and Lake O from earlier times but we shouldn't lose perspective things can and hopefully will improve. We have one of the largest amounts of fresh water nearby (right on our door step) on the entire planet and overall unusually good fishing by many standards. For those folks who give up on it and move off to other places best of luck to you and that is what life in America is all about :"To each his or her own" but lets not give up hope on New York State waters just yet.....the jury is still out

Edited September 15, 2016 by Sk8man

[spoonfed-1]

When are you leaving Dennis?

[wolfman2543]

When are you leaving Dennis?

 

glen we are gone.one stop in nj then home.

[RD9]

I fished with a gentleman this weekend whom has spent his entire life fishing Erie and Ontario. This past weekend off the bar was the best fishing experience they have ever had on Ontario. He fished with my grandfather since they introduced Salmon into Ontario. Also spent tons of time on Erie. Said he believes that back then everyone could catch em. Now it's harder his theory is based more on water clarity. We only fish the western basin of Ontario and for us it's wonderful. We catch kings every time we go some days better then other. Lake Ontario is a great fishery and I believe is strong right now. I can't speak of the east end of the lake but all reports from Olcott west have been good for along time. I have noticed a real lack/decrease of detailed reports on this site.

[spoonfed-1]

glen we are gone.one stop in nj then home.

 

Best of luck in your future endeavors Dennis. Let everybody know haw you are doing evry once and a while. Say hello to Joe if you run into him down south.

[oscarfish]

See ya Dennis and Ruth, I'm sure we'll meet again in Florida with Joe and Sue.  Have a safe trip home.  Bob & Gail

[tove12345]

2012 - the best season I fished on Lake Ontario in 32 years of doing it

2013 - good year

2014 - slow year

2015 - slow year

2016 - Decent / good year

 

I'm having trouble finding five bad years here. 

I  was thinking the same thing.2011,2012 were fantastic..