New regs from DEC

[chinook35]

The new fishing regs. are about to take effect on Oct. 1. It looks like we are still going to have problems with cut bait. My experiments with fish from the super market are probably at an end as the fish are not listrd in the "acceptable" list. Oh well, back to the drawing board.The new regs can be seen at www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/34113.html

[ray koziatek]

chinook 35 dont be too upset with the cutbait regs. ive been fishing ontario for 6 years now,every fall derby i dedicate cutbait for 2 days for 1 or more rods, at least one or 2 times a year i try it again for the pro ams and when im alone and no one can see me (buffy time) . my days on the water usually start before sunup and end after or near sunset,in the last 2 summers ive logged over 1200hrs on my fishfinder,in 6 years im shure ive put several thousand fish (not all salmon of corse)in the boat or released at the side of the boat and I ant never got 1 fish yet on cut bait ,familure bite,Seneca lakes Hemlock spinner,(except 1 laker on a ultralight with live sawbelly),and trust me i dont skimp on rigs or my attempt to catch fish. Will i still try the familure bite rig or cutbait ,yes for reasons unknown to me .It would be one of the very last items I would recomend to anyone for a must have set up on there boat.THEY SAY THE BIG ONE WILL HIT IT SOME DAY,well 6 years later ima still waiting, and waiting ,and waiting..............Ray K.

[chinook35]

I am surprised by your lack of success with cut bait. I have used cut bait and twinkie rigs for 15 years and I can tell you it works. I even tie my own teaser cut bait rigs. The lack of cut bait availability has seriously hampered my fishing program. I have a high degree of confidence in cut bait. I have all the other options as well flies,dodgers,squids, too many spoons,j-plugs etc. , but I like fishing with meat. I hope Rhys Davis can get things straightened out with the DEC and bring their product back. It looks like in the new regs that they may be able to brine their bait and make it saleable in NY. I hope so.

[Tim Bromund]

I agree. Ray, you must be doing something wrong. Cut bait kicks butt on big matures. It's a pain in the toucus and messy, but there's no denying it is a big fish taker. I probably started running cut bait in 1998 or so.

When I run meat, I am prepared to dedicate the presentation to it, minimal rods and slow for me. Many times it is just 2 rods/riggers and since I like to run the big 11 inch hot spots/O'ki big shooters with cut bait, my downspeed is usually 1.7-2.0 with 6' leads on the bait head.

I started using the Familiar bite whole alewives last year and they do work well and seem to be a bit more speed tolerant. Just as much of a messy PITA to run as the old cut bait strips, but it catches fish as well.

Tim

[chinook]

Ray, have to agree with 35 and Tim. I know that you are a good fisherman, and take your share of targets. But I mentioned before that if I was limited to just one rig from mid Aug on, it would be a cut bait rig. Wish I had time to talk to you the time you were heading up the Oak, and I hollared hello. Would have given you a proven bait rig. Pearl fish scale 11'' Coyote, pulling a bait rig with a glow frog head. As Tim mentioned, you have to commit to it. I won't run anything around it when dredging for the kings buried in the mud. Won't put a second rig within 20' such as if I'm fishing in 100' off the flats, rigger set at 103' for blowback, if that rod fires, I'll send the second one down if set at 80' Again as Tim mentioned, I prefer a slower presentation as well when pulling meat. His speeds as mentioned are real close to where I target. Lastly, I run leads off the ball starting @ 20' early morning and then stretch them out a little further as the day progresses. One other good early morning flasher is that of the White Lightning. But day in and day out that Coyote Pearl fish scale is tops in my book. So much that a small circle of us call it "Old Reliable" It has proven itself. Year in and year out.

[rolmops]

I have used live sawbellies in Keuka and Seneca lake with great results.The lake trout and the landlocked Atlantic salmon love them.I troll them with leadline at 90 feet down about 10 to 12 colors out with 6 foot fluorocarbon leaders.

I wish we could buy live sawbellies in Rochester.

[skipper19]

Ray, use the familiar bite to catch cormorants and use them like the asians do...put the cormies on a leash and deploy off the boat and reel em back in after they fill their gullet with catch of the day.. then squeeze em to git yer dinner