T man
07-09-2005, 02:32 PM
Went out of Buffalo's Small Boat Harbor, Sat. 7/9.
Started trolling about 7:15 AM, from the vicinity of the North Gap, towards the Departure (bell) Buoy.
The DEC weekly report, and the Sander's web site message board both talked about copper colored spinners/worm harnesses, over 35 - 40 feet of water.
So.....
We had 2 "meat" harnesses with (real) nightcrawlers out; 1 flatlined near the bottom w/ 5 colors of leadcore, and 1 behind an in-line board, slightly higher, with a snap weight.
Also ran a copper w/ watermelon stripe harness with a Gulp nightcrawler, behind a Jet 20, 125 - 150 feet behind an in-line board.
And finally, a large Chrome w/Blue Herringbone Hot-'N-Tot (tipped w/ a piece of Gulp worm, flatlined 140' out, with a 1 oz. snap weight 20 feet in front of the lure.
Started trolling about 1.4 MPH (GPS, and gradually worked our way up to 1.9 - 2.1 mph (GPS). Started getting strikes at the higher speeds.
Initially, we caught/released 4 sheephead, 3 on harnesses w/ real nightcrawlers, 1 on the Hot-'N-Tot.
Then we were caught in the middle of a large pack of racing sailboats (many 36.7' - 41' long), some of which just about ran us (and other fishing boats in the area) down. One actually changed course when she was 200 yards away, from passing comfortably behind us, to directly at us - cutting across our stern about 40' from the boat, just missing the boards, and going right over our lines. Much manuvering, course and speed changes, and obcenities followed.
The wind picked up, and shifted from the NNW to the W, and the waves began breaking small (then larger) whitecaps.
When we just on the SW side of the Departure (bell) Buoy, headed towards Seneca Shoal, the walleye started to hit (about 10:00 AM).
Picked up 3 walleye, 21" - 24" long, in the next 45 minutes.
All came on harnesses with real nightcrawlers (which, of course was what my partner was using!) pulled near the bottom, over 39 - 41 feet of water.
We were going to continue; however, the pack of sailboats was coming back towards us, balloon jibs flying. So we picked up and went in, rather than get (more) aggrevated.
It was a very good day for us, fishing wise. Too bad the antics of a few of the sailboats put our bloodpressure over the top.
T man
Started trolling about 7:15 AM, from the vicinity of the North Gap, towards the Departure (bell) Buoy.
The DEC weekly report, and the Sander's web site message board both talked about copper colored spinners/worm harnesses, over 35 - 40 feet of water.
So.....
We had 2 "meat" harnesses with (real) nightcrawlers out; 1 flatlined near the bottom w/ 5 colors of leadcore, and 1 behind an in-line board, slightly higher, with a snap weight.
Also ran a copper w/ watermelon stripe harness with a Gulp nightcrawler, behind a Jet 20, 125 - 150 feet behind an in-line board.
And finally, a large Chrome w/Blue Herringbone Hot-'N-Tot (tipped w/ a piece of Gulp worm, flatlined 140' out, with a 1 oz. snap weight 20 feet in front of the lure.
Started trolling about 1.4 MPH (GPS, and gradually worked our way up to 1.9 - 2.1 mph (GPS). Started getting strikes at the higher speeds.
Initially, we caught/released 4 sheephead, 3 on harnesses w/ real nightcrawlers, 1 on the Hot-'N-Tot.
Then we were caught in the middle of a large pack of racing sailboats (many 36.7' - 41' long), some of which just about ran us (and other fishing boats in the area) down. One actually changed course when she was 200 yards away, from passing comfortably behind us, to directly at us - cutting across our stern about 40' from the boat, just missing the boards, and going right over our lines. Much manuvering, course and speed changes, and obcenities followed.
The wind picked up, and shifted from the NNW to the W, and the waves began breaking small (then larger) whitecaps.
When we just on the SW side of the Departure (bell) Buoy, headed towards Seneca Shoal, the walleye started to hit (about 10:00 AM).
Picked up 3 walleye, 21" - 24" long, in the next 45 minutes.
All came on harnesses with real nightcrawlers (which, of course was what my partner was using!) pulled near the bottom, over 39 - 41 feet of water.
We were going to continue; however, the pack of sailboats was coming back towards us, balloon jibs flying. So we picked up and went in, rather than get (more) aggrevated.
It was a very good day for us, fishing wise. Too bad the antics of a few of the sailboats put our bloodpressure over the top.
T man