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Lake Erie Walleyes
| Fishing: Anglers
confront emergency bait rules By Will Elliott Update on VHS Updated: 04/08/07 Baiting up for that big bass or a nice bucket of yellow perch will take a bit more of a bite when buying minnows — and an understanding of what and how to do your bait gathering and keeping. Emergency regulations designed to stop the spread of viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) has put a strain on how anglers can collect bait minnows for personal use when fishing. Currently, rules have been set up to block VHS, and the stipulations are substantial. These rules remain in place until June 7, with a public input period extending until April 22. For now, here’s the deal: Anglers cannot transport bait (live or salted) from one site to another. Persons dipping bait must use that bait at the location where minnows or chubs were captured. The bait can be transported aboard a boat on the waterway from which the bait was taken, but minnows cannot be transported by any form of motor vehicle on land. Bait dealers can only sell certified live minnows or minnows that have been salted by Department of Environmental Conservation approved procedures. Dealers have to issue a receipt indicating the date and amount of bait sold to a purchaser, and that bait can only be used for a period of one week after the date of sale. Many fishermen rely on minnows as a bait option, but perch anglers, especially in Western New York, consider minnows a must for catching these tasty food fish. While bait prices have yet to double — as was the rumor over the winter — the new regulations are keeping area bait dealers busy trying to comply with the rules and finding sources of bait supplies. “My bait prices went up 50-75 cents per dip and quantity went down,” said Jerry Olejniczak of Penrod’s Bait & Tackle in South Buffalo. On average, his bucket of bait price went from $5 to $6 since the new rules took effect. “I’m sure it’s discouraged some people because they have to keep a dated receipt for only a week’s use, along with the price increase,” Olejniczak said. “This is not helping.” Bill Van Camp, at Big Catch Bait & Tackle in the Riverside area now sets his price at $6 per dip. Van Camp pegs the end of certified Wisconsin emerald shiners at no later than sometime in May, about the start of the Lake Erie perch run. Once certified emeralds will no longer be available, small golden shiners or fatheads will be the mainstay for perch pursuers — at even higher costs. He pointed out that bait dealers can sell salted minnows kept in a labeled bag as proof of purchase. He predicts, “You’ll see a dramatic drop in the perch creel survey on Erie this year.” Rick Miller, at Miller’s Bait & Tackle in Irving, dips about 60 minnows at $6 for his customers. “We’re relying on Wisconsin bait, but it takes so long to be certified before they can be purchased from wholesalers that we might not have emeralds when the good perch fishing starts,” Miller said. “Keep this up and there won’t be anyone doing anything [fishing],” he added. Dave Watts at Dave’s Bait & Tackle in Derby simply said, “Boy, it’s hurting us here.” His sales have dropped and he wonders about the forthcoming perch season. Lee Weber has already seen the enforcement side of these regulations. Weber was cited for selling $1 worth of bait to an angler without issuing him a receipt. He will appear in Evans court on Monday evening to argue this case. Weber’s prices have gone up about a buck, in line with other dealers. Lisa and Brian Green at Happy Hooker Bait in Ashville on Chautauqua Lake have not seen a drastic change in bait sales but, Lisa said, “They’re buying by the dozen rather than a dip of bait now.” DEC officials plan to post signs indicating details of these new regulations at access sites, but, to date, all bait-dipping related notices have been posted by private individuals. Tradition has it that Lake Erie perch only bite on emerald shiners. Oneida Lake perch like leeches, eyeballs, and nightcrawlers; Seneca Lake perch devour oak leaf bugs, many a nearby lake in Canada produce perch with just a can of blood worms. Erie anglers will have to adjust, test the waters and find alternate ways to round up ringbacks. These VHS rules could be around for a while. |
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FINGER LAKES FISHING WEBSITE! DON'T
MISS OUT, CHECK IT OUT!! |
| YOUTH PHEASANT HUNTING The DEC is looking at setting up a special youth-only pheasant-hunting weekend, starting in the fall of 2007. Mike Murphy, coordinator of the proposed hunt, points to the success of the youth turkey hunts and youth waterfowl hunting days. The proposal would include 12- to 15-year-old kids who have obtained a Junior License. Hunts would be scheduled for weekends prior to the various season starts statewide. Written comments on this proposed youth hunt must be received by Dec 11. Write to: Brian L. Swift, NYSDEC, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4754; or e-mail: blswift@gw.dec.state.ny.us. |
| FISHING: Lake Erie
Walleyes By Will Elliott Lake Erie The walleye run continues, but boaters have to run farther and set rigs deeper for a quick 'eye harvest. Trollers running from Sturgeon Point head west to find depths of 80 to 90 feet and set rigs - mainly worm harnesses - down 35 to 45 feet. The same depth ranges apply off Dunkirk and Barcelona Harbors, but in either calm or choppy weather down rigs do better at 45- to 65-foot settings, says Capt. Dan Dietzen. Harness blade colors are less a concern than depth settings and line length from side planers or down-rig clips to the lure. Calm days call for longer leads, but a steady surface chop allows for leads as short as 50 feet for steady hits. Warm surface-water temperatures have pushed both bait and predator-fish schools deeper, but some good fish still stick to the shallows. Boaters in search of both walleye and bass have taken a turn toward shore to pick off a few bigger fish. Bass casters in both New York State and Canadian waters have gone to depths of more than 40 feet, sending heavy jigs and drop shots to reach bass close to bottom. Capt. Terry Jones has been working both sides of the Erie shoreline and has found good, high-teen-sized bass, which often show up along 18-foot rock ledges. Drifters roll over the humps off the steel plant, around the edges of Seneca Shoals, Myers Reef and either side of the Evans-Angola Bar west of Sturgeon Point. According to every savvy angler along the Erie shoreline, perch pursuits are being put off until sometime this fall. Lake Ontario/Niagara River Steelhead began setting up in the top 60 feet over 250- to 400-foot depths off Olcott Harbor, said Wes Walker at Slipper Sinker Bait & Tackle in Olcott. Trollers have to go no more than three miles off shore to hit into these steelies and the odd king. Closer to shore, south-wind turnovers have pushed cooler waters near the surface and trollers get out over less than 60-foot depths for steady action from brown trout, some coho salmon and the odd Chinook (king) salmon. Some early signs show for mature king movement around the Niagara Bar. At all sites along the Ontario shoreline, trout and salmon have been going for spoons and flasher flies mainly, but a few good fish have been taken with "meat," cut bait on flashers and rigs. Along shore, bass activity has increased with warming shoreline water temperatures. Boaters out of the Niagara River, Wilson and Olcott Harbors have found bass around rocky shoals at depths of less than 20 feet. Off Point Breeze and farther east, steelies and kings have moved into shallows of less than 100 feet, hitting at depths of 60 to 80 feet, with an odd fish hitting just below 20-foot depths. Shoreline casters have done well on perch - and some bass - along Oak Orchard Creek banks and breakwaters.
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| FISHING: Lake Erie Smallmouth Bass -
Great Action!
By Joe Ognibene 6/11/2006 The bass fishing on Lake Erie over the past few weeks has been nothing short of phenomenal. The last two trips on the lake produced some very nice fish including a couple of over-five-pound smallmouth taken by Bass Charter Captain Terry Jones. Not only were bass hitting sheep-heads and Gobies were too. The top location I fished during the middle of last week was alongside the West Breakwater, also known as Donley’s Wall. If you’re coming from downriver and going under the Peace Bridge be wary of a reef that comes up suddenly. Bird Reef is in a direct line with the breakwater after you’ve gone under the bridge. The water can be as shallow as one foot and the heavy growth of weeds will tangle around the prop giving you all the problems you could ask for. Hug the Canadian shoreline in about 18 feet of water until you are abreast of the “Round House,” the abandoned lighthouse then turn left. The West Breakwater is the one with the white tower on the upstream end. There is a strong current running between the breakwater and shore and a tube jig dropped to the bottom and allowed to go with the current will work wonders. Simply give the jig a twitch every now and then, otherwise let it do its thing. Keep an eye peeled from an almost submerged wreck that comes close to the surface. You’ll see the riled water so you can steer clear of it. An electric trolling motor will help keep the boat positioned where you want it to be, as the current tends to carry it towards shore. Depth along the breakwater runs from about 10 feet to 20 or a bit more. I talked with some other fellows who were using Texas rigged plastic worms and enjoying success. Texas rigging a plastic worm is very difficult to describe and it’s best if someone shows you how to do it. Your tackle shop should be able to help or ask someone who knows how to do it. A special hook is needed for Texas rigging. Done correctly a plastic worm Texas rigged has the hook point buried in the worm and it become almost weed proof. Colors of the tube jigs that were most successful were motor oil, green with flecks of black and light brown with bits of red. I can’t say one was better than the other. A jig head on the heavy side is advised as the current can be strong and a light jig will not stay on bottom where the fish are. A week ago last Friday we had good luck with Rappalas with a short lip in blue and silver. This week you couldn’t beg, buy or borrow a fish on solid bait. Strange how fish react to lures differently on different days. On that day they hit the stick bait readily even though it was only a few feet underwater. That’s why it’s best to start with what you think is going to work and if it doesn’t, try something entirely different. You might have good luck with a spinner bait as one fisherman had on the day the bass were hitting stick baits and not plastic. A lot of fishermen worry about fishing for bass in Canadian water where there is no special early season bass fishing The Canadian line touches the western shore of the “Roundhouse” and then goes in a straight line to Bird Reef. Clear the reef and keep the “Roundhouse” on your right and head for the West Breakwater and you won’t have any worries. To avoid any possible run-ins with Canadian authorities keep well on the American side of the river. A chart is about the handiest thing you could carry, that and a GPS unit that tells you exactly where you are. On Saturday, June 17, the bass season opens statewide and the sand bar in front of Fort Niagara is where many will head for. The size limit will be 12 inches and you are allowed five bass per day. The sand bar is an excellent area to fish for bass as the current from the Niagara River will carry the boat out into Lake Ontario and if you’re using plastic bait let it bounce on the bottom as you drift. Any live bait, worms, leeches, crabs or minnows will take bass all day long. A very simple way to get a supply of leeches is to use a scoop net with a small weave and chug it along the bottom of any of the muddy creeks in the county. Leeches have proven to be one of the top baits and most bait dealers have them for sale. Minnows and large chubs are also an excellent choice and can be dipped in most of the small creeks in the area. The argument as to which way to hook a minnow or chub has yet to be settled. Many fishermen prefer to hook the small fish by the lip while others claim hook them in the tail so they make more of a commotion while trying to swim away. Either way will work and many fishermen use a three-way swivel with a dropper sinker on the bottom on a leader about two-feet long and the minnow on a leader coming off the middle swivel. If you’re going to go with this arrangement be sure you have a sinker heavy enough to keep the bait below the surface and keep tapping bottom. Some still use the time honored chugging iron when using chubs or large minnows. A chugging iron is a straight piece of brazing rod with a weight near the top and a clevis attached below the weight. The minnow is attached on a leader that is tied to the clevis and the whole thing lowered into the water until the fisherman feels to tip of the brazing rod scraping the bottom. The length of the brazing rod determines how far above the weeds the bait is carried. It can be awkward to use, but it works Is Oneida Lake worth a walleye try? Yes. But make sure the tackle and tactics get upgraded to what the 'eyes see and feed on now. Oneida Lake walleyes have rebounded, but fishing programs have changed channels. Go Here for Oneida report: Finger Lakes Fishing |
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