Open Water Reports - 2006

[CNYFrank]

Tank looked good with that weight off . . .must be really using the free time to stay busy vs eating and sitting around watching tv . . .that's great! Of course, you keep him busy as your guide!! LOL

[CNY_Outdoorsman]

Well the fireline was on my uncles rod that i was borrowing. I can pick some up if thats really what i should use. Just didnt like the way it casted, figured some cheaper 6 lb mono would work ok provided you didnt hassle the fish. I may be wrong though. Just better hope those teeth dont get past that lure. I gotta say one thing bout fireline, id worry about the rod breakin before the line.

[CNY Tim]

Jeff - Your sounding desperate and that leaves Dark Cloud and opening, my advice dont do that he's the best, i.e. I am the new net boy.

Hmmm $50 well there's alot of guys in here that will help chip in on this.

6lb. test Fireline or Power Pro is a good start until it get's below freezing and that's when the problems start with iced guides and water absorbed and freezing inside the spool.

Next duo lock snaps, I have been a big fan of these it allows you to change plugs quickly and there plenty easy enough to handle even in a small area like eye hole on a shad rap.

The challenger Jr's and the larger Minnow series, Rapala Husky Jerks size 10's, X-Raps size 8 and 10, Rapala Shallow Shad Raps standard size 7', 9' and 11's if you can find them. Berkley Frenzy's and Franky will help you with the colors on that. Colors are less a factor than you might think, plug action, rattle and retrieve, keep switching it up until you find some thing that works. Rod... Make sure it's 6'6" or more with a soft top section this allows the rod to act as a buffer while your handling the eye, too stiff and you'll pull the hooks right out. Because of firelines no stretch properties a flick of the wrist or less is all you need. Check Walmart I purchased a Berkley Hot Rod Express rod for like $14 it's two piece but has a nice soft tip and is light and telegraphs a strike and action on your cranbait well. Reels... Shimano, Okuma, Abugarcia make sure you have a medium to large spool so when you cast the fireline comes comes off the reel quicker and the large spool will reduce coiling, not all the time but keep checking your line especially on a new spool because you can ruin that expensive line if your not careful especially if your going into the wind. The reel will be the most expensive purchase here, Make sure it has a solid roller bearing that helps reduce line twists and a decent drag.

I'ts not rocket science walleye fishing but I hope this helps you get started. The Vassils have been at this a lot longer than I have and have much more experience. Listen to what he say's he's helped me immensely through the years ge it ice fishing or open water. There the best I know and they were the best last night too.

[CNY_Outdoorsman]

Paydays Friday just threw in the $50 limit to see what some guys considered the best. If thats all they had wanted to know what the go-to lures would be. Rods im covered. Always been a fan of ugly stiks have the ultra lite (tempting, but no good.) 7 ft , 7ft 6 and a 9ft. Im covered in reels to, seems i have to buy a new one every year out of principle. For the most part I have the same ol' stuff everyone else does except the lures and line. Since pretty much everyone is holding strong on the fireline ill stick with it. Will be picking up a few lures tonight to hold me off until payday. Will I be seeing you tonight Tim?

[CNY Tim]

Nope not tonight, it's all yours Jeff and I expect a full report when you return, sombody has to do it and I'm still in the dog house

[CNY_Outdoorsman]

Yep so am I haha. Im hopin to sneak out the back door when shes not lookin Ill have a report for ya later on in the night.

[CHM]

Tim - Duh! I know what a Sonar is. I thought you had some hot new crankbait out east.

You guys are making me jealous! All this walleye & bowhunting talk! I'm not hunting this year and I can't fish enough due to work and weather!

I have been using 8# Fireline in regular and Crystal. I love the Crystal! It's easier to see at night, doesn't seem to affect the bite, and it seems rounder than regular. I read somewhere on here that if you close the bail by hand it reduces line twist. I have also been pullling on the line to make sure it is tight on the spool after I close the bail. I have had ZERO line fouls this fall since starting this procedure. It seems like a pain but it is a habit now and I don't even think about it.

I have proven to myself that I lose less fish if I use a medium light rod. The medium rods with a fast tip don't seem to have enough cushion - perhaps the hooks are tearing a larger hole due to no stretch - not sure what, but when I went to a medium light 6 1/2 foot rod I stopped losing fish.

Chuck

[insurance guy]

I've never had a line twist problem with Fireline yet and that's all I use for walleye casting until it gets too cold and the stuff freezes up. I use a 2500 Shimano Stradic because the slightly larger spool size gives you some more distance and with that reel you don't get line twist and for rods I use a 7ft ML Cabela's XML for Fireline to avoid tearing out hooks. The longer and softer the rod the better as long as you don't go lighter than ML. The other trick to not losing fish is to replace all stock trebles with Gamakatsu EWG trebles, usually number 6's for small and medium baits and I RARELY have a fish get off of those hooks When they hit a lure with those trebles it's generally all over but the netting The other thing mentioned is my standard procedure in most cases which is dropping the split ring on stickbaits and just using a snap instead. Easier to change baits and the lure runs true more often than not versus the split ring which can mess up the action if the gap of the ring rolls into the eye. You just have to make sure to tie your line into the gap if you tie direct. Like Tim says, the walleye fishing isn't rocket science but there are a few "tackle upgrades" that make a big difference.

[north shore]

Just took a ride around the hot spots. The lake is as flat as a mirror. The canal had a few there , schniebles had a half doz cars and a few on the south shore. Guess that it may be a late run once they all clean out.Not in the dog house yet but he door isn't open all the way yet either. Will give a report later.

[tank]

It was nice to see everyone last night.Jeff you will find out that everyone has there turn in the barrel.Regardless of how much experience you have.(ASK TIM)

[CNY_Outdoorsman]

Well pretty slow.... I got there about 10:30 stayed till bout 12....Lake was flat, real foggy .... met up with northshore, he had a few bumps and then grabbed 1 18 incher.... I moved over to the point. Good amount of slashing in the marina.... couldnt get one in there though. Finally got my first eye out from the point. Was pretty pumped just to break the goose egg that had been hoverin above my head. Tried to take a quick pic with the phone but no such luck.... ill have the digital next time to take a pic of a worthier fish. always a good time.

[CNY Tim]

Jeff - Frank caught his limit early and Larry banged a nice 26.5"... Sounds like things were a little slow late... It happens.

I feel alot better getting some good sleep last night.

However Amanda is still sick she chucked and had blisters, benadryl fixed that overnight and she's weak this a.m. Poor baby she will miss one more day of school, no dance tonight.

I am feeling wally tonight but I feel it North, I like the winds so boys I'm scouting tonight and I'll settle into the bar later me thinks

[CNYFrank]

I heard some guys were asking about me at the bar last night around 9 or so . . .I was already home and phoned in my report to Tim by 9. Got 2 fairly quick and then all the 14.9s came in on a chartreuese Frenzy . . . finally listened to that little voice in my head and switched to a gold rogue and got the third 20 incher and headed to the house to avoid the house (dog type that is). LOL Lots of guys coming out and then leaving after about 10 minutes . . .got to have patience some times when you know they are there. I figure it is talk time so take advantage of learning a little about the guys around you. . . no use being strangers. Those ones in the bay are tough to hook. A couple of guys have "the technique" down . . .Donnie, Joe are two that consistently catch them in there. Jeff you'll catch on . . .just work the lure like you would crankin smallies . . .change the speed until you find out what they are in the mood for that night. Also use the lure to find the structure (weed, rocks, gravel humps) and then use the locations to concentrate your casts to. Just like bass, there is a reason they are where they are.

[Dark Cloud]

CNY Outdoorsman - Stick with the fire line. It does cast better than mono and will help detect hits. The night we were there almost all our fish came on the pause, 6-8 turns of the reel handle med/slow then a 4 second pause and they were just sucking it in. Fireline helps, I really like the new crystal. Those guys got you covered with the plugs, its more location and action/ retrieve(just like icefishing). Sometimes its just a matter of keeping your rod tip higher to keep the bait up in the water colum( if you hear more surface crashing or weeds are present this works). Those fish crashing in the marina are tough but its means they are around. A number 9 shallow shad rap realed slow on the surface V-wake style can work at times, and it is awesome when they blow up on it. Confidence in a bait helps, questioning what your useing dosent help. That will come with experience. My vote this year goes to a size 8 silver and blue x-rap. But if they didnt exist I wouldn't have caught any more or less fish. For years up there all we used was original rapalas in 7,9,11's silver/blue and gold/black. Caught tons of fish on them, only knock on em is they dont cast well...

Franky - Hes the busiest retired guy going. I help but he'd be busy without me too. His father was the toughest 70 year old ever(coal minner). Tell him to dig a ditch 3 ft wide, 3ft deep, and 30 ft long - and it would be done at the end of the day. He'd work 3rd shift, hunt all day, take a nap, and do it all over again.

Im going in now for a 14 hour day, gotta love time and a half OT...

[CNYFrank]

Jay . . .great advice . . .I only hope I can have half the energy your Dad has at his age . . .hey come to think of it . . .I probably am his age!!! Jeff . . .small world . . .your Mom says your Gander bag of lures is now in a Bath and Body Works bag . . .I think I know what the problem is . . .

[CNY Tim]

North Shore - Got my 3/8 oz. Challenger Minnows and can't wait to launch em this evening. Keeping my fingers crossed that Big Johnny can make a run east. Going to try for 8 p.m. start tonight with Franky.

Insurance man - Yo John check out the weather coming in for Saturday, not pretty, call me at work..

Guys the camera software still won't launch we tried for about 4 hours to fix it, uninstall/install, you name it and my wife and I were at our wits end. Need a pro to figure this one out.

[CNY Tim]

Johnny - don't worry about it, things come up all the time. Like Dark Cloud say's, "You gotta take the OT when you can get it." We will get it together and if not can always give you a couple bags of fillets in my private stock.

Insurance Guy - Looking forward to Saturday as the forecast is changing and ain't looking too bad

[BigJohnnyIce]

Timmy,

I just got home from work, and as I was leaving, I notice I nice west wind with warm temps. I thought to myself, "Timmy already has his limit by now". With the barometer falling, I bet you guys are reeling in fish left and right. And me, I need to make myself some dinner, maybe some mac-n-cheese.

Hope that everyone had fun tonight!!! Leave some Oneida Lake greenbacks for the hard H2O, Ok?

[insurance guy]

Quote:

---

Insurance Guy - Looking forward to Saturday as the forecast is changing and ain't looking too bad

---

It looks really good for tomorrow Tim! Warm, cloudy and breezy from the south! I've got lunch covered and I'm bringing my cook stove and we'll take a quick 30 minute lunch break around 3 and have some nice hot chili for a parking lot/shore lunch like I usually do and then head right back out for the late afternoon-evening bite. See ya around 1

[Fishingking]

Must be nice having a boat I am so jealous . Good luck guys

[Dark Cloud]

Franky - He is 61. Your not that old yet???

Insurance Guy - Love your signature "friends don't let friends use tip-ups". I want to get stickers, shirts, and hats made, LOL...

Getting the boat ready here, gonna hit the Susky for some eyes in the morning....

[CNY Tim]

OK guys were gonna have to open another thread for the rest of the open water 2006 season as we maxxed this baby out.

Let's keep it humming as we wait for the water to get hard