The Angler Magazine | August 2017 | Upstate New York

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UPSTATE NEW YORK EDITION

Best of ICAST Guide To Adirondacks Bass

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Fishing Reports Catch Photos News & Events

Alaska's Best Fishing Destinations PHOTO COURTESY OF LOUIS TORRES OF LOUISTORRESPHOTOGRAPHY.COM VOLUME 23 • ISSUE 270

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EDITOR IN CHIEF : Ben Martin • camads@coastalanglermagazine.com VICE PRESIDENT : Tracy Patterson • tracy@coastalanglermagazine.com ART DIRECTOR : Rebecca Snowden • graphics@coastalanglermagazine.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR : Nick Carter • editorial@coastalanglermagazine.com WEBMASTER : Dmitriy Pislyagin • webmaster@coastalanglermagazine.com ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: Corporate Headquarters info@coastalanglermagazine.com • 888-800-9794

FLORIDA

BIG BEND : Mike McNamara • (850) 510-7919 • captmike@coastalanglermagazine.com BREVARD : David String • (321) 684-5888 • dstring@coastalanglermagazine.com DAYTONA/NEW SMYRNA BEACH : Don Meadows • (321) 436-5895 • donm@coastalanglermagazine.com FLORIDA KEYS : Cliff Lumpkin • (305) 849-9093 • cliff@coastalanglermagazine.com FORT LAUDERDALE : Gene Dyer • (954) 680-3900 • gene@coastalanglermagazine.com FORT MYERS : Nadeen Welch • (239) 595-8265 • nwelch@coastalanglermagazine.com GREATER MIAMI : Scott Deal • (561) 945-6999 • scott@coastalanglermagazine.com

Monica Isaza-Deal • (561) 945-8899 • monica@coastalanglermagazine.com GREATER ORLANDO : Phillip & Giselle Wolf • (407) 790-9515 • phillip@coastalanglermagazine.com LAKELAND & SUMTER : Mary Brasher • (352) 598-4219 • maryf@coastalanglermagazine.com NAPLES : Nadeen Welch • (239) 595-8265 • nwelch@coastalanglermagazine.com NC FLORIDA/NATURE COAST : Cary & Lynn Crutchfield • (352) 372-4237 • crutch@coastalanglermagazine.com NE FLORIDA : Danny Patrick • (904) 742-4696 • danny@coastalanglermagazine.com PANAMA CITY/FORGOTTEN COAST : Randy Cnota • (229) 834-7880 • randyc@coastalanglermagazine.com PALM BEACH COUNTY : Barbara Ryan • (561) 373-8040 • barbara@coastalanglermagazine.com SARASOTA : Phil Prevoir • (239) 257-4684 • pprevoir@coastalanglermagazine.com TAMPA BAY : Chuck Atkins • (239) 464-5153 • chuck@coastalanglermagazine.com TREASURE COAST : Misti & Gary Guertin • (772) 285-6850 • treasurecoast@coastalanglermagazine.com

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SOUTHEAST

ATLANTA/SW GEORGIA : Bob & Brenda Rice • (706) 614-8231 • bobr@theanglermagazine.com CHARLESTON : Jane A. Redden • (205) 725-9616 • jane@coastalanglermagazine.com

Sam Buckareff • (843) 607-8629 • sam@coastalanglermagazine.com CHARLOTTE : Mark & Haley Alberghini • (704) 651-1934 • mark@theanglermagazine.com TIDEWATER/OUTER BANKS : John Tiger • (757) 707-9654 • john.tiger@coastalanglermagazine.com

Laura Seitz • (757) 707-9655 • laura@coastalanglermagazine.com UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA : Gregg Thompson • (864) 542-3112 • gregg@theanglermagazine.com WESTERN NC : Debra & Joe Woody • (828) 775-9663 • woody@theanglermagazine.com WILMINGTON/MOREHEAD : Kenny Ritter • (910) 550-9094 • kenny@theanglermagazine.com

NORTHEAST BOSTON : George Regan • (617) 488-2842 • boston@coastalanglermagazine.com LONG ISLAND : Lisa & Michael Danforth • (203) 321-7635 • lisad@coastalanglermagazine.com CONNECTICUT / RHODE ISLAND : Lisa & Michael Danforth • (203) 321-7635 lisad@coastalanglermagazine.com

GULF COAST

GALVESTON/MATAGORDA/UPPER COAST : Chanci & David Mowry • (713) 446-7395 •

chancim@coastalanglermagazine.com • davidm@coastalanglermagazine.com MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST : Adam Nelson • (228) 627-5903 • anelson@coastalanglermagazine.com

Toby Nelson • (228) 623-1761 • tnelson@coastalanglermagazine.com NEW ORLEANS : Dr. Dave Dunaway • (225) 400-8156 • nola@coastalanglermagazine.com

GREAT LAKES

UPSTATE NEW YORK : Frank Geremski • (518) 898-6484 • frankie@theanglermagazine.com WEST MICHIGAN : Phil Belsito • (616) 957-1714 • phil@theanglermagazine.com

INTERNATIONAL BAHAMAS : Misti & Gary Guertin • (772) 285-6850 • treasurecoast@coastalanglermagazine.com

flahama@coastalanglermagazine.com PUERTO RICO/VIRGIN ISLANDS : Ace Bassue • (407) 285-9453 • ace@coastalanglermagazine.com © 2017. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher.

Disclaimer: Coastal Angler Magazine / The Angler Magazine will not be held liable for injuries incurred while partaking in activities described herein, or for claims made against products or services provided by advertisers.

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Best Of

By CAM Staff

Overall Best of Show - Bote Rover

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ach year, the fishing industry and anglers eagerly await ICAST, the world’s largest sportfishing trade show, to see what new rods, reels, lures, apparel and gadgets companies will roll out in the show’s New Product Showcase. For the gear-heads out there, it never disappoints.

This year, 1,263 products, accessories and apparel were entered by 280 companies to compete for Best of Category awards in 26 different categories. The products were viewed and voted on at ICAST in Orlando on July 13.

This year’s big winner was the Bote Rover, which took home Overall Best of Show. It also took top honors in the Boats and Watercraft category. It is a truly innovative little SUP/Skiff hybrid, powered by a small outboard to get you where you’re going.

Once you get there, it gives you all the skinny-water and stealth capabilities of an SUP. The following is a list of all the other cool and innovative products that earned top honors in their categories.

Boating Accessories: Yeti Coolers LoadOut Bucket With the LoadOut Bucket, Yeti has done for the lowly 5-gallon bucket what it did for the cooler. This injection-molded workhorse is Yeti tough and designed to exceed any need from the boat to the backyard.

Eyewear: Costa Sunrise Mirror Lens Sunrise Mirror lenses are designed for low-light conditions.

They let in 30 percent of the available light while maintaining 97 percent polarization for optimal performance and eye protection at dawn, dusk or on cloudy days.

Huk Attack

Footwear: Huk Performance Fishing Attack The Huk Attack is the most engineered, purpose-built fishing shoe ever created. It brings performance features for the serious fisherman with unique traction, bullet-proof durability and all-day comfort and support.

Giftware: The Catch and Release Print Shop Actual Size An alternative to taxidermy, these fish prints are created to the exact length of your catch and stamped with your name and information about your catch.

Lifestyle Apparel: Frogg Toggs Prym1 Series Pilot II Jacket and Bibs The Frogg Toggs Prym1 Series Pilot II Jacket and Bibs is the company’s camouflage style of its bombproof Pilot II. It is available in shoreline blue, silver mist and blackout options.

Technical Apparel: Frogg Toggs Sierran Transition Wader A zippered, flip-out chest pocket, large multi-function pocket and exterior fly storage area allow these waders to fill double-duty as a chest pack for storage of fly fishing gear.

Electronics: Humminbird Solix 15 Chirp Mega SI GPS Humminbird has achieved improved detail and target separation with Chirp Digital Sonar. With touch screen or keypad interface, the screen can be customized and viewed with up to four panels.

Fishing Accessory: Yeti Coolers Panga Duffel The Panga Duffel is a hardcore drybag designed to withstand brutal treatment and be completely watertight. It is fully submersible, and Yeti called it a gear fortress.

Fly Fishing Accessory: Simms G3 Guide Stockingfoot Wader Simms has built its most breathable and durable wader yet in its new G3 Guide, with four-layers of Gore-Tex fabric in the legs and three layers above the waist. They also feature a chest pocket, handwarmer pockets and built in utility tabs.

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Fishing Line: Berkley Fireline Ultra 8 With four times the abrasion resistance of its original Fireline, Berkley’s thermally fused Ultra 8 comes in a range from 4 pound test up to 30 pound test.

FishSmart: Eagle Claw 2017 Flounder Sample Pack Eagle Claw jumps in for the conservation of summer flounder and catch and release with its 2017 Flouder Sample Pack.

Kids’ Tackle: 13 Fishing Ambition Combo Designed specifically with the smaller size of a child in mind, but packed with some features required by serious anglers, these salt and freshwater combos are perfect for the little angler who is really into fishing.

Tackle Management: Daiwa Tactical Backpack This tackle backpack is perfect for hiking into a stream, walking the banks of a pond, hauling down to the surf or for use as a quickgrab on your buddy’s boat. It is custom designed to hold all the gear an angler needs.

Saltwater Soft Lure: LIVETARGET Hollow Body Mullet The Hollow Body Mullet is sure to find a place in nearshore and inshore boxes and be deadly for sea trout, redfish, snook, flounder and striped bass. It is an incredibly detailed and lifelike walking bait with great action.

Fly Reel: Pflueger Supreme QRS Fly Reel With its innovative Quick Release Spool, the Supreme QRS offers an interchangeable large-arbor cassette spool system. The polycarbonate cassettes are secured in the spool carrier by an advanced locking system enclosed by a full stainless steel and alloy construction.

Freshwater Reel: Shimano Curado K Baitcasting Reel As if the Curado weren’t legendary enough, Shimano has improved on its venerable reel with the latest in Shimano technology, such as smooth, efficient, durable MicroModule gearing. It is available gear ratios up to 8.5:1.

Saltwater Reel: Shimano Sustain Reels C4000/5000 Shimano’s Sustain Reels are a saltwater line of spinning reels that fits into the higher end of Shimano’s line. Featuring Shimano’s advanced Hagane technology, they are smooth, powerful and durable for anglers seeking to do battle with midsized saltwater species.

Terminal Tackle: Trapper Round Bend Treble With an innovative “trap,” the standard version of this odd-looking hook has proven itself by holding baits in place and keeping fish on the hook. The treble-hook version of the trapper is revolutionary.

Freshwater Hard Lure: Savage Gear 3D Topwater Bat This crazy-looking bait plays on the nature of predatory species to strike on reaction. It is a hard, surface-walking bait 3D scanned to mimic a bat struggling in the water.

3D Topwater Bat

Saltwater Hard Lure: Rapala X-Rap Magnum 40 Did somebody say wahoo? The new X-Rap Magnum 40 dives consistently to 40 feet with aggressive swimming action. It can be trolled as fast as 13 knots without rolling or kicking out.

Rapala X-Rap Magnum 40

Freshwater Soft Lure: Lunkerhunt LP Prop Series The Lunkerhunt Prop Series combines the design of hollow-body soft plastics with modern prop technology previously found only on hard-body lures. The Prop Series features three body styles: The Prop Frog, The Prop Fish Sunfish and The Prop Fish Shad.

Rod & Reel Combo: Lew’s Mach Crush Speed Spool Combo This baitcast combo features Lew’s exclusive SLP Super Low Profile compact design in a premium 10-bearing Speed Spool reel with MSB Multi-Setting Brake dual cast control system. The combo’s onepiece IM8 graphite rod sports a Winn Dri-Tac splitgrip handle.

Fly Fishing Rod: G. Loomis IMX-Pro Fly Rod G. Loomis’ IMX-Pro series was designed for professional guides.

IMX-PRO MATRIX is a material that allows Loomis to use fewer wraps of graphite and build fast, responsive rods that are lighter and more sensitive without sacrificing power or durability.

Freshwater Rod: 13 Fishing Fate Black With crisp action, incredible sensitivity and superb balance, the Fate Black offers the benefits of a Japanese 30T HTC blank, an innovative seamless reel seat, tanglefree guides with zirconia inserts, hybrid comfort grips and handles made of hand-selected Portuguese cork.

Saltwater Rod: St. Croix Legend T o u r n a m e n t Inshore Legend Tournament Inshore rods are the blending of the sensitivity, power and durability found in St Croix’s existing Legend Tournament Bass and Walleye series with components and technology reserved for saltwater environments.

Lunkerhunt Prop series

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The amenities offered at this exceptional northwest Florida marina include transient slips, a 450ft lay-a-long transient dock, wet slips, and a dry barn facility storing boats up to 32 feet. We also have a gift shop, the popular Dockside Seafood & Raw Bar restaurant, WiFi Hotspot Internet Access, charter fishing, boat rentals, party boat fishing trips, and more!

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A boater’s paradise, Bay Point Marina is gently tucked away along the Grand Lagoon in Panama City Beach, Florida, yet conveniently located just five minutes from the beautiful Gulf of Mexico and 15 minutes from the Intracoastal Waterway. Fortunately for patrons and guests, Bay Point Marina is also just minutes by boat from Shell Island, which offers excellent snorkeling, superb fishing and some of the most secluded beaches available in North Florida. This quiet, full-service marina offers worldclass facilities and services including 180 protected slips, housing for boats up to 125 feet and luxury pontoon boat rentals at a relaxing price.

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Alaska’s Can’t Miss

Freshwater Fishing Adventures

By Christopher Batin

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laska sportfishing offers wilderness realized rather than imagined and quickens the pulse in all types of anglers, from panfishermen to veteran world anglers. When an angler returns from Alaska and shares an evening on the flats or at the catfish hole with friends, talk quickly turns from big catfish stories to Alaska fishing adventures.

The reason is obvious.

If you are searching for action, the roostertails of spray generated by a 50-pound chinook salmon on a five-jump run through shallow water will satisfy your need. If the sight of huge shad migrations have you tying on a lure in finger-fumbling fashion, wait until you view pristine rivers teeming with five species of Pacific salmon that are counted not by the thousands, but by the millions. Valdez anglers see the return of as many as 11 million pink salmon to intertidal waters.

Choosing the right Alaska adventure is complex, with its various runs, timing and weather. Knowing when to go, where to go and with whom is key.

I’ve fished and covered Alaska’s fishing for more than 42 years, and I’ve helped countless anglers find the trip best suited for them. Each angler has separate needs. In the freshwater realm, here are some of the top considerations for can’t miss adventure, fish-hooking action and personal service worthy of the Alaska experience.

Interior Alaska

If you’re looking for a quiet place to fish, with scenery, comfortable cabins and located far from the crowds, drive down to Denali National Park and visit Kirk Martakis at Fish Denali. He offers several lakes on private property that offer about 3,000 wild rainbow trout to 31 inches and trophy-sized grayling. They cruise the lake like sharks, and the clear water makes sight casting to them with single-hook jigs, nymphs or topwater lures too much fun. It’s some of the best lake rainbow fishing I’ve experienced. Cozy, fully equipped cabins located at lakeside offer everything you’ll need for a multi-day stay, including Wi-Fi and multiple bedrooms. It’s a good choice for large families, fishing buddies or couples who want a quiet, laid-back trip with some of Alaska’s best scenery (www.Fishdenali.com).

Float fishing offers a change of scenery around each turn in the river as well as great fishing opportunities. Alaska River Tours offers remote float trips along the road system, with neither the crowds nor the expense. Depending on the season, owner Reinhard “Reini” Neuhauser chooses the best rivers for grayling, trout, sheefish, pike, salmon and char. On overnight excursions, he provides tents, camping gear and boats. You arrive ready to fish.

I recommend the overnight float, which makes the most of Alaska’s 19-plus hours of daylight. Fish when it’s light, and float during the remaining five hours from midnight to the 4 a.m. during the twilight period, when it’s still light enough to read. It’s a heady trip that is only surpassed by his camps and food served (www.akrivertours.com).

The Kenai Peninsula For a quick day of fishing, the Kenai River offers big king salmon to 70plus pounds that sizzle drags. Guide Joe Connors was my instructor back in 10

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my college days, and he’s still as tough on catching fish as he was on me learning public speaking. He’s a long-time Kenai veteran, and his guides at Big Sky Charter and Fish Camp have a long-time, sterling reputation for helping anglers of all skill levels catch silver and sockeye salmon, char and rainbow trout in the 25- to 34-inch range. He offers comfortable riverside cabins, evening barbecues and a quiet place to enjoy the river (www.kenaiguide.com).

Bristol Bay Bristol Bay lodges offer the crème de le crème of Alaska sportfishing in these western Alaska waters, where tens of millions of salmon move into various watersheds each year. A couple hundred lodges and camps offer a variety of services, from bare-basic outfitted trips to spectacular lodges with fly-out fishing, shore lunches, and gourmet meals.

Mike Gorton runs Goodnews River Lodge, the only lodge located on the 400-milelong river that offers some of the best boat-accessible river fishing for silver salmon, rainbow trout and char you’ll find in the region. It is a mixed-bag fishery, where no matter the weather, you can fish. There wasn’t a stretch of the Goodnews when friend Mark Wade and I fished that didn’t have silver salmon hammering our flies and big rainbow trout swarming in numbers like piranhas. The guides have great people skills and are skilled in their knowledge of the river (www.goodnewsriverlodge. com).

Southeast Alaska In southeast Alaska, Marlin Benedict, of Fish Wrangell, offers freshwater fishing for salmon, cutthroat trout and char in the remote, beautiful jungle streams of the Tongass National Forest. You don’t walk long distances here, as most of the good fishing is within a half mile or so of saltwater, which also guarantees fish as fresh as they come. The most fun in fishing these shallow waters is watching salmon attacking your fly or lure. Personal service is topnotch. (www.fishwrangell.com).

Chris Batin is editor of The Alaska Angler and author of nine award-winning books and Alaska fishing DVDs. He is featured as an Alaska legend in a new book, “Alaska’s Greatest Outdoor Legends,” published by the University of Alaska Press. For over 40 years, he has run The Alaska Angler Information Service. Discover more at www.AlaskaAngler.com.

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

HAMMERHEAD TUFF GRAB AMARRA

Hammerhead Tuff Grab spearfishing gloves are the toughest warmwater spearfishing gloves available.

Tuff Grabs were designed in Hawaii for use in asspetto spearfishing, which involves the diver descending to the bottom and scratching up substrate to attract inquisitive fish. In this style of ambush diving, normal diving gloves only last weeks. Tuff Grabs last months, saving the diver money in the long run.

A full 5-finger, 2mm neoprene glove with reinforced flexible amarra (synthetic suede) palm and double-stitched gripped reinforcements offer exceptional durability without sacrificing dexterity. Anti-Slip rubberized grips are sewn into each fingertip and palm, leaving the knuckles open for flexibility.

Large batting-glove style Velcro enclosures keep the glove tight.

Tuff Grabs are available in both Deep Reef and Pelagic Shatter camouflage to help make you the ultimate predator.

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MAVERICK DARIAN YOKOOJI HYBRID SPEARGUNS Darian Yokooji made his first speargun back in 1993 because he didn’t have money to buy one.

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All of Yokooji’s guns are handcrafted in small batches to ensure quality workmanship, and he uses only the finest materials to construct beautiful, durable spearguns that perform to the highest level.

His best-selling guns are his Hybrid Signature line. Originally designed in 1996, this line offers the stability of wood with the maneuverability of a pipe gun. The latest rendition of this classic gun has been retooled through collaboration with Maverick America’s Mark Laboccetta to improve on the original body design, add a carbon fiber barrel and redesign the Delrin muzzle.

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Each log is perfectly engineered in our state of the art, climate-controlled facility prior to construction.

This precise engineering of the logs prior to construction also ensures a superior thermal mass. Prior to the Blue Ridge Log Cabin process, thermal mass was affected by less than airtight construction. Ensuring exact fitting and high thermal mass has enabled our log homes to be very competitively priced with traditional construction and traditional building thermal efficiency, making our log homes View time-lapsed video at www.blueridgelogcabins.net an exceptional value, both now and into the future. bviously the number one attribute for log home owners tends Ben Martin: You’ve mentioned the “manufacturing process.” to be the aesthetics. Log homes and the feel of real wood tend to create an ambiance that tends to suit the outdoor enthu- How is it that log homes would have a manufacturing process?

Chip Smith: Blue Ridge Log Cabins is an innovator in the log siast more than the traditional American home. But what about the cost to build and maintain a log home? Is it practical? That’s the ques- home industry. We were recently voted on as one of “America’s Favorite Log Homes” by Log Cabin Hub. Our unique process of comtion that we asked Chip Smith, Owner of Blue Ridge Log Cabins.

Ben Martin: Chip, some people would suggest that the cost of pletely engineering each log in our facility has enabled us to provide a consistency previously unavailable in the log home industry. This a log home is more than that of a traditional home. Is that correct?

Chip Smith: There was a time when that would have been true has also enabled us to produce a more energy efficient log home.

Eliminating the inconsistencies normally associated with log but today with our improved efficiencies in development and construction of a Blue Ridge Log Cabin the answer is no, they are not home construction has allowed us to create a better value for our more costly than a traditional home. This innovation in the actual customers and a more efficient building process. Beautiful log homes manufacturing of the logs themselves is at the core of the Blue Ridge do not have to cost more than traditional homes.

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7/18/17 12:00 PM

NEW ENGLAND STRIPERS

AT CUTTYHUNK ISLAND, MASS.

By Charlie Warfield

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etween Buzzards Bay and Martha’s Vineyard, 10 miles out to sea off the coast of Massachusetts, you will find Cuttyhunk Island. Early seafarers used the island’s natural harbor as a shelter for a few weeks in 1604, making it the first English settlement in New England.

When I first visited Cuttyhunk, I could have been in the Bahamas; it was warm and beautiful. It has New England charm with the relaxed feel of the Islands. In addition to the beautiful scenery and fun atmosphere, Cuttyhunk has made a name for itself as a premier striper fishing destination in the Elizabethan Islands.

In the summer, this small village is populated with surf casters and clients chartering one of the eight captains on the island. I fell into the former category and benefited from the sage advice of my friend Armand, who has been making an annual pilgrimage to this island for nearly 40 years. Armand knows all the locals, and he knows that the person for us to fish with on this trip would be Capt. Bruce Borges, because Capt. Borges was the only one on the island with a boat that had a full casting platform suited to pursue bass with a fly rod.

Capt. Bruce is quite the fly angler himself, and has guided big names such as Lefty Cray over the years. He is a sharp-witted salty fellow who looks all of 78 his years but possessed the strength and agility of a man in his 50s. As soon as we unloaded our gear from the ferry, we set out to fish the shoreline from the captain’s nicely appointed boat the Wahini. As we worked the rocky shoreline, I was impressed by the rugged beauty of this place.

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Cuttyhunk sits in the middle of the striped bass prespawn staging area. Fish glut themselves on an abundance of squid and sand eels as well as school after school of bunker. Once the water warms to the perfect temperature, the fish move inland and up the many tributaries throughout Massachusetts and Maine to spawn. This makes for a great fishery full of fish ranging from small schoolies up to 50-pound-plus monsters. It is all about timing as to whether you will catch the big fish or just the schoolies.

On this trip, it was the latter, but there were larger fish around, and bait fishermen were having better luck with the big fish. You know what they say, “they never refuse the naturals.” If you ever find yourself around Cape Cod and looking for some great fishing, check out Cuttyhunk. Even if you just take the ferry over for the day and spend some time on the beach with the family, I promise you will enjoy this beautiful and quaint Island.

7/18/17 12:00 PM

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shadow undulates just above the bottom of a clear-blue pool, its presence given away by the belly flash of a brown trout turning to pick off some passing morsel. A smaller fish would be nearly invisible, perfectly camouflaged against the browns and grays of a dappled stone bottom. But this fish was easy to spot. At 9 or 10 pounds, it stands out, a wavering form that seems out of place, too large for a small headwater stream.

Cicadas buzz and click incessantly from the bush on a warm New Zealand summer evening. A spun-hair cicada fly on the end of a 16-foot leader floats drag-free, high on the surface of the pool.

A gust catches the fly’s wing and briefly skates it just an inch across the surface.

The dark form rises from the bottom to inspect.

This is sight fishing for enormous brown trout in the Nelson Marlborough region of New Zealand. Undeveloped national parks provide miles of clear mountain streams where large wild trout feed gently in bubbling waters. Here, on the top end of New Zealand’s South Island, there are large rivers with huge popula-

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tions of fish, and there are also extremely remote headwaters that careen through heavily forested mountain valleys. In these high tributary streams, best accessed by helicopter, there is an anomaly that presents anglers with an exciting prospect. The smaller and more remote the stream is, the larger the fish are.

It’s the reason heli-fishing New Zealand is the stuff of every fly fishers dreams.

But as hard as they are to access, these fish are not easily hooked or landed. They are extremely wary in clear water. Kiwi winds can make casting difficult, and fishing super-long leaders that are under-strength for the size of the fish is a necessity if one expects a take from older, wiser fish. Often these fish will give you just one shot. If you can’t land your fly on the mark and get a good drift over its feeding lane on the first try, it will disappear into deeper water. You might as well move on. It’s a skills test with enormous rewards.

For a wild trout fishery that is so bountiful, it’s hard to believe the brown trout New Zealand is famous for are not native.

They were introduced from Europe for

fishing in the 1860s and spread like wildfire. Some even made it out to sea, where they then spread into other rivers. The species is remarkably well suited to the cold, clean waters of the islands, as is evidenced by the current IGFA world record, a 42-pound, 1-ounce giant caught in Ohau Canal in the spring of 2013.

Yet 40-pound trout should not be the expectation for traveling anglers. A few fish in the 17- to 20-inch range is the norm, and those with the skills and means to fish more remote waters can expect a shot at those 8- to 10-pound fish.

With flight times that average 20 hours or more and the potential for rain to wipe out a whole week of fishing, it is an expedition one should practice for and set aside several weeks to do.

It’s an adventure justified for the skilled fly angler in love with the anticipation, the tension, of watching the action slowly unfold before the take. Where else in the world could one watch a 10-pound brown rise to delicately slurp a dry fly off the surface?

7/18/17 11:21 AM

“On The Top”

Summertime River Smallmouth Tactics

By Britt Stoudenmire NROC client John Harrison with a topwater smallmouth caught on the fly.

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he late-summer months are an overlooked window to catch big smallmouth bass that have been lazily lying in the middle of the river after a long spawning season. Across the country, wherever smallies live, the insect hatches and emergences that occur throughout the day including mayflies, damsel flies and my favorite, the cicada, spur feeding frenzies and create an excellent opportunity to throw topwater lures and flies.

One of my favorite lures to target topwater smallies during this period is the Pop-R. I make long casts with a 6-foot to 6-foot, 6-inch G.Loomis medium-action rod with a Shimano Stradic 2500 C4+ reel spooled with 20/6 Power Pro braided line.

On entry into the water, I let the bait dead drift for about five seconds before working it erratically back to the boat. I target current seams, eddies, corner pockets and any type of structure or current break in the middle of fast water. It is important to continue working the bait with the same cadence, even if a fish is crashing behind

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it. Once you feel the rod load, reel into the fish and swing the rod back. Once hooked up, keep the rod and fish down in the water. Many big fish are lost while trying to pull the fish up to get a look at it.

Another one of my favorite topwater presentations is the buzzbait. I will target the same areas as above using a slightly stouter medium-heavy setup to drive the hook home. The key to the buzzbait is to get the bait up on the surface as soon as it hits the water. I favor a straight, steady retrieve, reeling just fast enough to keep the bait on the surface. When a fish eats it, allow him to load the rod before setting into him with a hard hook set. I favor longer shafted buzzbaits for better hookups, as I don’t use trailer hooks because of the damage they can do to smallies. If you have a blow up on your buzzbait and do not touch him with the hook, a quick follow up with a soft plastic will often garner an immediate bite from the same fish.

If you like to fly fish, summer is an excellent time to bust out the 7- or 8-weight and go looking for smallies. My favor-

ite presentation for smallies on the fly is dead-drifting cicada bugs. This technique has produced some of my clients’ and my personal best fly-rod fish. When dead drifting cicada bugs isn’t working, several other presentations can produce explosive strikes. Any popper in the size-4 to size-6 range can attract smallies. When they strike, remember to strip up the slack line and into them before raising the rod tip hard to drive home the hook. If fish aren’t responding to the popper, another option is a slider-style fly. When stripped, the fly will dive slightly beneath the surface giving a darting and diving action.

The Sneaky Pete is a good example, and this type of presentation can be deadly.

Britt Stoudenmire owns and operates New River Outdoor Co. with his wife Leigh and has been a full-time guide for well over a decade on the New River in Southwest Virginia. You can reach him at (540) 921-7438 or www.newriveroutdoorco.com.

7/18/17 11:21 AM

AUGUST 2017

UPSTATE NEW YORK

How Rich Ortiz Ended Up on The Angler Magazine Cover EVER SINCE WE STARTED THE ANGLER MAGAZINE OF UPSTATE NY last July, several well-connected fishermen informed me that it would be a home run for Saratoga/Lake George entertainer Rich Ortiz to be a contributor, since he was as into the outdoors as he is to his music. I’m originally from the Syracuse area, and was familiar with Rich’s music while visiting Saratoga. When the guys at FISH307 www.fish307.com invited me to their annual Ice Fishing seminar, they advised me that Rich Ortiz was planning a “monster pike” seminar, and they were confident he would share his tactics with The Angler Magazine readers, so we collaborated on a Monster Pike ice fishing article. When Mr. Ortiz found out I was a beginner to ice fishing and new to the Saratoga/Lake George Area, CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Rich Ortiz smiles over his clutch catch. Go to www.richortiz.com for more on Rich’s fishing and music.

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CALL OR TEXT 518-898-6484 OR EMAIL frankie@theanglermagazine.com OR VISIT www.theanglermag.com/upstate-ny Lisa Halsdorf, Operations Manager, 518-898-6350 Deanna Grant, Graphic Artist Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/theanglermagazineupstateny Instagram: www.instagram.com/theanglermagazineupstateNY

Rich Ortiz

continued from page 1

he and Joe Greco of Justy Joe Charters www.newyorkfishing.com patiently started taking me and showing me the areas ice tactics and nuances. They both certainly helped improve our content, and each has been providing outstanding how-to features since.

Just prior to the 4th of July weekend, the national content directors of The Angler/Coastal Angler were in a tight spot timewise for the August freshwater cover and requested if I could attain a colorful, impressive largemouth for the cover, but they wanted it to be a big bass. I asked when do you need it by? They replied they were hoping by tomorrow. Huh, who do I know who could catch a largemouth in Upstate NY that would impress a bunch of Southerners, and wow them with artistic professionalism?

CONFERENCE CALL RICH ORTIZ!!

Rich spoke directly with the art director, his production experience was obvious, Rich understood what they wanted. Now the tricky part. Go catch some lunkers. Since he was fishing with his goto partner Chad later that morning, Rich got into clutch mode (for those who fish with Rich know that is often) and hooked and landed an impressive 6 ½ lb trophy on the second cast. Loyal fishing partner Chad unselfishly sacrificed a broken fishing rod to net the beast so they could dispatch friend and professional photographer Louis Torres to the undisclosed Lake George Area water to take some professional shots. But Rich wasn’t done yet. Why not be double fisted with trophy largies when Mr. Torres gets here, so Rich scored a slightly smaller but equally impressive partner.

The Angler Magazine thanks everyone in the community for reading and getting involved with our publication. Well Done Rich.

Frankie’s Thoughts...

WE HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE COMPILED A varied and impressive stable of writers who are providing our readers with specific how-to, where-to, why-to and when-to features from all over Upstate NY. This is a grass-roots well intentioned bunch that simply is willing to share their passion and knowledge for fishing in this free publication. Remember this free publication and accompanied website www.theanglermag.com is solely sponsored by our loyal advertising base that have trusted in our vision to provide this high-quality free platform in a unique model. When possible, please consider our advertising base who are local staples and supporters of our fantastic local waters. Without their support and the help from members of our fishing communities, we would simply not be able to provide such cutting-edge information. The leaders at The Angler/Coastal Angler have noticed our rapid progress and impressive content.

Since January, we have supplied 3 National freshwater covers for The Angler who has 14 fresh-water franchises to go with their 28 wellentrenched saltwater markets with 17 in Florida. Also, many national articles have been featured, including this month. GET MY DRIFT, they have an appetite for our fishing. NYers have been migrating to Florida and other southern states during the winter forever practically, coining the phase “snowbird”. My plan is to reverse this migration, especially during mid-summer months when our weather is moderate and our fishing is fantastic and Floridians are searching for Air Conditioning.

Our free fishing magazine model has worked wonderfully in Florida for years, and it obviously has had a great start in Upstate NY. After just 3 months of operation we were in the editor’ Top Ten list and were welcomed into the franchises Leadership Team. The Angler/Coastal Anglers’ hierarchy has selected me to grow this model around the Northeast, Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic, by finding other franchises and then helping them build in a similar manner as we have. Once that is achieved we can grow our national freshwater content to a new level.

There are a few things I would ask of our readers, thank our sponsors both locally and nationally who advertise with us by giving them a chance at your business and let them know you saw their ad in The Angler.

Secondly, if you know anyone in our surrounding states and southern and western NY who may be interested in this business, have them contact me at 518-898-6484 or email me at frankie@theanglermagazine.com. Myself and our editor Ben Martin will access if this franchise is right for them and Mr. Martin will warrant if their market is right for this model. If they decide to continue and start The Angler in their market, I will ensure they get the proper training and will firsthand help them build the beginning stages of that market by joining them when they embark on this venture.

Lastly, keep staying in touch with me like you have in the last year, and continue to provide feedback to the writers, who we will be showcasing in coming issues, and let us know what species and fishing tactics you would like explained further. Hope you enjoy the issue as much as we enjoyed creating it. Participate in our free Instagram contest on pg.23, you can win a Fisher Guiding trip, and fishing gear!

We Buy, Sell & Appraise Shop: 518-644-2389 After Hours: 518-796-3445 2 UPSTATE NEW YORK

AUGUST 2017

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Lake George, A Bass Bonanza

BY JOE GRECO, OF JUSTY JOE CHARTERS THIS MONTH WE ARE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT LAKE George and it’s tremendously under-rated bass fishery. Bass have the reputation of being an “easy” fish to catch as many anglers not targeting them during the peak summer months may lack the appreciation for finding big fish when times get tough. Big bass like any other big fish are not a dime a dozen, and are not “easy” to catch. If they were, we would all be on the tournament trail professionally fishing and the unemployment rate would surely skyrocket!

Lake George is no exception, however finding and catching good numbers of bass make this lake an exceptional place to fish.

So you don’t have a sparkly boat? Your boat won’t do 85mph and you don’t have 18 fishing rods strategically arranged on deck that are rigged up with a variety of heavily promoted baits that buzz, pop, snap, crank, chatter Caught aboard Justy Joe Charters! and spin? Your rig is lacking www.newyorkfishing.com the latest in side imaging

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technology and you thought a power pole was something National Grid ran telephone lines on? Well I will put you and your wallet at ease when I tell you that Lake George is a great place to catch lots of bass using fairly simple techniques.

First let’s discuss the nature of the lake and how the fish relate to these conditions. Lake George is deep, cold and clear. There is not many lily pads, no expansive matted vegetation and for the most part weed growth will be found from 10 to 40 ft. This all boils down to fishing deeper structure than you typically would and using lighter CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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UPSTATE NEW YORK 3

Lake George Bass

continued from page 5

more finesse-style techniques. The largemouth bass and smallmouth bass will share similar areas during the summer months however, if you wish to target strictly largemouth head to slightly shallower areas where weed growth in the 20 to 30 ft. depth range can be found. If these areas coincide with rocky points, deep water nearby or steep drop-offs make sure to fish around all the edges of these features which could potentially hold pods of fish. Look for lush weed growth with a variety of weeds growing together in the 25 to 35 ft. range.

These can be seen easily on any color fish finder and will show up as reddish yellow clusters tight to bottom. Jigs, tubes, crankbaits and wacky-rigged worms in natural colors will all produce fish.

If beastly bronze-backs are what you’re after head to the main

The Garrison Restaurant and Bar Affordable Lunch and Diner in Lake George, NY Richie Ortiz Every Wednesday 6-9 Happy Hour Daily 3-6 1/2 Mile from Million Dollar Beach & Boat Launch

4 UPSTATE NEW YORK

AUGUST 2017

lake and start looking for points, humps, and bays that extend out into deeper water. After the post-spawn you will have populations of bass that hang on structure and you will also have bass that roam the open water chasing smelt. Use your electronics to locate pods of fish. It’s critical to use runand-gun tactics as you will find fish, lots of fish, and often times it is the wrong kind of fish. You will run into huge schools of perch and sunfish and sometimes you will have to fish several Lake Georoge Bass + Kids = Big Smiles. www.newyorkfishing.com different spots to find the bass. Begin your search by looking for areas in the 30 to 50ft. range.

Finesse plastics and light line are the gold standard for smallmouth on Lake George. We typically drop-shot these plastics using 6lb fluorocarbon line, a #2 Daichi drop shot hook and a variety of clip-on drop shot weights depending on depth. I am a big fan of tungsten as again, it’s less bulky yielding a smaller less conspicuous profile. Bass are commonly fished in 30 to 40 feet of water and it’s not uncommon to catch suspended fish in the 60 to even 80ft. range! It’s

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important to understand that the primary forage in these main lake locations is juvenile perch and/or smelt. Go-to colors are perch frymimicking natural patterns such as watermelon, pumpkinseed and smoke-black pepper.

Don’t forget about the “craw dads”! Crayfish are also a significant forage species at certain times of the year. This is when small spider grubs such as the Keitech little spider in the 2” and 3” models shine.

Rig these on a 1/8 to a 3/16 oz jig head and twitch them across rocky points making contact with bottom occasionally. You can also rig these drop-shot style for a unique presentation that sometimes turns them on when all else fails.

Give Lake George a shot next time you are looking for a great mid-summer bass fishing experience. We would be glad to take you

out on one of our boats (newyorkfishing.com) and can promise you an action packed trip. We will try our best to send you home with a tired arm and a big smile!

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UPSTATE NEW YORK 5

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IT HAS BEEN A FAIRLY COOL AND WET SUMMER THROUGH July, with the lake temps lower and water level higher than last year at this time. August is the month for smallmouths, this is when they are growing and really put the “feed bag” on, biting pretty much all day.

Finding the right depth is the key based on water temp and they may be shallower with cooler temps; don’t be afraid to go deep for the big smallies, up to 50 feet. One good rule is if you are getting rock bass that means you should move deeper but that is not always the case; there are some big schools of rockies so moving may be a good idea if you are looking for bigger fish. Crayfish rule as the bait of summertime, what fish doesn’t like a mini lobster. The Keithech plastics have been producing well the last several years. Unfortunately the company seems to have changed many of the good colors and they have been in short supply; they are available at Fish307.com and The Outdoorsman. Laker fishing should remain steady through the month, we have seen good numbers of keepers in the 24-27” range all season.

As you will notice on your sonar, the trout start to “stack up” and suspend in groups later in the summer, these fish are tempting to target but they usually aren’t feeding when grouped up like this. I prefer spoons at this time, and sometimes a faster troll will trigger strikes from them.

Salmon fishing seems to have peaked last year, we caught a few good ones in early July but didn’t target them much with the consistent laker bite. Spoons and dodger/fly combos are a good bet, there are some nice salmon around if you can find them. Speaking of salmon, we have added them for the Adult Division of the 3rd Annual King George Fishing Derby to be held September 15-17 this year. We hope that the move away from the busy season will boost attendance and make for better fishing. Check out the website: www.KingGeorgeFishingDerby.com.

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Boat Cruise Fishing – Simple Fun for Everyone be pleasantly visited while touring around this picturesque lake, and your fishing tour can be mixed with swimming and other fun designed to your wishes. Morning or evening trips are ideal for those visiting Saratoga Springs during horse racing season. ADK Cruises www. adkcruise.com also features a large 50 ‘classic fantail that can safely and comfortably handle parties up to 25. Visit their website to view the plethora of trips they provide that offers something for everyone!

Lake George and Saratoga Lake can be enjoyed by everyone thanks to the professionals at Bolton boat Tours and ADK Cruise and Charters.

Accommodations for handicapped, elderly and youths in a safe, funfilled experience can be scheduled easily. ENJOY THE SUMMER!

Another big smile courtesy of www.boltonboattours.com SOMETIMES THE SIMPLEST FISHING TRIPS BRING OUT the most smiles. That’s the fishing mission at both Bolton Boat Tours and ADK Cruise and Charter Co. Both Lake George and Saratoga Lake provide summer fisheries that bring out those smiles, and each of these well-managed boat lake cruises deliver a safe environment with decades of experience and lake knowledge.

Bolton Boat Tours is located on a pleasant, picturesque, post card worthy boat landing at Treasure Cove Resort in Bolton Landing on Lake George. This convenient location is located just feet from hungry bass, that are eager to put a smile on any angler’s face. There mantra is “Where Luxury Meets Recreation!”, and they have the equipment, experience and location to back up that claim. Their main business is fun-packed adventures while touring the Queen of American Lakes, which includes tubing, rock jumping, swimming and lake touring on their versatile, multi-purpose, high performance vessels. Each morning and evening they provide family fishing trips when the boat traffic is lighter and the fish are hungry. Captain Ted (who has decades of experience as a Lake George fishing charter), and his family run this operation that ensures a safe and supervised experience so everyone can relax and enjoy. Captain Tim has soaked up a lifetime of his fathers’ knowledge and they are willing to help teach you and your family the basics and provide hands-on instruction guiding your party to their “fish-holding spots”, while you sit back and relish your family vacation.

Lake George, because of its clarity and thick concentrations of bass is the perfect environment to learn “how-to” fish, and Captains Ted and Tim are ideally suited with patience and willingness to provide that instruction. Captain Ted’s daughter Kathleen will help you coordinate your tour and “Customize Your Itinerary”. Just call them at 518-955-1349 and arrange your trip today, it’s that simple. You can also view an idea of the fun-filled adventures on their website at www. boltonboattours.com, or at Instagram and Facebook.

ADK Cruise and Charter Company (see their ad on pg. 11 local) is located on the North end of Saratoga Lake at a spacious marina with lots of convenient drive-up parking. Their 22’ custom pontoon boat, coupled with the eagerness of Saratoga Lake’s dense populations of bass, pike, and panfish provide the perfect venue for any angler, especially the entry level or novice. Some of the best crappie and bluegill fishing that Angler Frankie regularly enjoys is with-in 100 yards from the ADK Cruise handsome location. Countless fish holding weed lines can

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UPSTATE NEW YORK 7

Local Fisherman PJ Clark – Perfecting His Largemouth Skills QUEENSBURY, NY OUTDOORSMAN PJ

I instantly googled The Bass University site CLARK NEARLY broke my iPhone this weekend and it was quite remarkable. The informal fishing when we reached out to him for some photos gathering that PJ fishes every week has 5 boats, of Eastern Saratoga and Washington County it’s for bragging rights, somewhat like a bowling largemouth. He sent me countless photos of night. Local venues can vary in size, some trying to impressively chunky bass that he has been scoring grow, and others happy with their current format on a consistent basis. When I asked him what his and members. Saratoga Tackle & Archery, www. secret was, and we got into some specifics, he saratogatackle.com, coordinates a Tuesday night explained that he has been learning by soaking event which has had healthy turnouts this year, they up tactics shared by his fishing buddies and meet then weigh-in at Lee’s Campgrounds from other sources. Just like all passions, to improve 5pm-8pm, they are welcoming new participants, at something, you must practice getting better, pre-register at 3:30pm at Lee’s or visit Saratoga listen, learn and put in the time.

Tackle.

PJ is good friends with several of The Angler

If you are new to the area or want to get Magazine field experts and he participates with involved in a local group, The Angler suggests his fishing buddies in some smaller informal bass you go in to a local shop like Saratoga Tackle or competitions that have become quite popular Country Pets and ask if something like this is on a grass-roots basis. Early in July, PJ won an available through them. These friendly venues are event on Cossuyana Lake with an impressive bag quite fun, but they offer fisherman like PJ and John of 5 largemouth bass totaling 19.96 lbs. while a competitive format to hone their skills. If you fishing with John McDougal who helps operate have a small club that wants new members, contact PJ Clark with one of many beautiful The Angler sponsor Lake George Distilling Co., us at The Angler and we will list your event. Dave of summer bass. www.lakegeorgedistillingcompany.com, with his Country Pets in Hudson Falls, NY, www.facebook. family. That is a tremendous haul for any tourney, com/countrypets, offers something a little different anywhere in the country. Recently PJ was laid up with a leg injury, and for his customers. He offers a free monthly photo contest that is easy his fishing pal John McDougal ordered him some tactic sharing videos and promotes CPR – Catch Picture Release. Each month Country Pets from The Bass University, www.thebassuniversity.com, for him to keep selects a specific featured species, August being BASS. Dave reported that up his bass homework. When asked, PJ attributed his improving catches all the area bass waters have been fishing great and have optimal water to these videos. temperatures, and that walleye fishing has been good on the Hudson River drifting worm harnesses for 15-17 inch fish, with bigger fish coming from the Catch and Release section. Country Pets mentioned that Moreau Lake State Park is a great shore, kayak or canoe option with good populations of panfish and bass, with a vibrant aquatic food supply and stocked with rainbow trout that 40 YEARS STRONG! carryover nicely and attain respectable sizes.

STOVES FIREPALCES & INSERTS The trout this time of year go deeper and can be reached by slow trolling Hillbilly Christmas WOOD • GAS • PELLET • COAL Trees, www.hillbillylures.com, or can be scored Complete Accessories & Installation trolling deeper 3/5 oz. Lake Clear Wabblers, 518-638-8950 www.lakeclearwabblers.com, trailed with ½ a www.thestovery.com nightcrawler or fly, keep letting out line while 4245 State Route 40, Argyle NY 12809 trolling till you get deep enough for strikes.

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SARATOGA/SACANDAGA AREA REPORT BY JOE GRECO, WWW.NEWYORKFISHING.COM Although I have been quite consumed with fishing on Lake George the past couple weeks, I always have walleye on the brain and mid-summer can be a fun time to target them. My favorite spot to fish summer walleye is “The Dead Sea” as they call it, The Great Sacandaga Lake. The GSL is truly a beast with endless rocky-sandy humps and bars, fluctuating water levels and little to no weed growth at all. This can make finding fish challenging if you don’t know where to look.

Many anglers think you have to go out in the evening or at night to catch walleye and during the summer peak period fish can be caught all day. In fact, my most productive time to fish during this period is right in the middle of the day. Bright sunny skies and muggy weather conditions push fish down deep and concentrate large schools that can be very vulnerable to stealthy live-bait rigging tactics. On calm days with such conditions I like to spend time searching for a biomass of fish hanging out on deep structure and fish it precisely with lindy-rigged live leeches. Using a ½ to ¾ lindy weight, a Sampo ball bearing swivel tied to about 4 ft. of 8lb. fluorocarbon leader and a snelled #2 red octopus hook, I slowly work around structure with my minn-kota I-pilot until I am hovering right over the pod of fish. A live leech hooked through the front suction cup gracefully pulled along bottom will be irresistible to any fish it slithers by.

With hardly any weed growth to hide under most fish at this point in the season will relate to deep main-lake structure, changes in bottom composition and edges of the old river channels. Fishing deep contour lines in the 25 to 35 ft. range using bottom bouncers and worm harnesses CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

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UPSTATE NEW YORK 9

Saratoga/Sacandaga Area Report

continued from page 9

or three way rigs with small stick baits is another great summer method.

This method will help you cover more water and is more productive on windy days when the fish are more active. I like 1 to 3 oz. bottom bouncers with worm harnesses and slow-death crawler rigs can all you need some days. I like the Okuma dead eye series bottom bouncing rod for this in the 7ft. size-medium power. They have a nice fast-action tip but lots of back bone capable of controlling up to 4oz. bouncers when working deep structure. Take note that this year the water level is unusually high so your spots in 30 feet of water will likely be more like 35 to 40.

Saratoga Lake during the months of July and August can be challenging for many anglers. For a little 3 mile-long lake, it takes quite a beating from local bass clubs and somehow year after year continues to produce quality fishing. The bass have seen every crankbait, spinnerbait

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and worm you can imagine by now and successful anglers often change up their tactics to be successful. Trying something a little different be it speed of retrieval, depth, color or location can provide action when others are striking out doing “the same old thing”.

Key in on weeds and deeper weed growth with cooler water that is off the beaten path which may hold overlooked pods of fish.

Try slowing things down with finesse Tasty walleye caught aboard Justy Joe Charters www.newyorkfishing.com plastics or spider grubs in natural colors rigged on 1/8oz weedless tungsten jig heads. Another option is fishing fast with crankbaits or lipless cranks and trying to trigger a reaction strike from fish that aren’t really in the mood to feed. Mix it up and try new things, it may be the solution to getting more bites when the pressure is on!

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Jigging Saratoga Lake Panfish

BY FRANK GEREMSKI, THE ANGLER MAGAZINE UPSTATE NEW YORK PUBLISHER LISA AND I LIVE ABOUT 4 MILES FROM Saratoga Lake in Malta, and we love to drive down to Saratoga Lake whenever we have time, simply to unwind, get away from the electronics and relax. I always bring my ultra-light combo and some small panfish jigs. If you know me, relaxing means sitting for 5 minutes while I gaze over this picturesque lake, suddenly, when I realize I can be battling bluegills in seconds, I will grab my rod and reel and find somewhere to cast, now I’m relaxing.

This medium sized lake is just loaded with bluegills, crappie, perch and bass that always seem ready to play.

No matter where I am on this lake, these panfish are like unconditional friends, always giving me attention when I have time.

When I have a little more time, I will often slide my Raddison canoe, which summers on the top of my truck, wherever I can gain access. I will row out and find some weed lines of some actively growing green weeds and start “catching”. Virtually every cast will bring some form of action. If action slows, it’s usually because that section of weeds has been cut and treated for lake management reasons, and it’s simply time to row until I find green weeds again. Now that I am away from the shore, the panfish average size increases and I usually can catch an easy meal in a half hour or so. The best dividend is that any sized gamefish will strike a small jig, and I often connect with pickerel, pike and tons of bass. Since my size expectations have been lowered, even a small bass feels like a lunker. No matter what my mood was before I started, within minutes I am relaxed and having fun, and isn’t that why

we started fishing in the first place.

Take this advice, if you want to turn a novice fisherman into an angler, get them some small panfish jigs and a light action rod and reel equipped with light 4-6 lb test line, and a package of worms. That’s all you need to get them started. Tie the jig directly to your line, do not attach the jig with a swivel, a simple clinch knot will do, simply twist your line 8 times around and put the line back through your loop. I hook a small ½ inch piece of worm to my jig, but it’s not mandatory, and that’s all it takes for unlimited action. Your novice now is not perceiving fishing as a sit and wait event, it is now a seeking adventure. They will learn in no time, and this “novice”, within minutes will feel like a pro, creating their own secret tricks and tactics. There is no wrong method, just cast at your desired spot, close your bail immediately, stay engaged with your line, wait a few seconds for your jig to reach the top of the weeds, and start moving, jigging and swimming your jig and I guarantee my Saratoga “friends” will be there. If weeds are thick or the water is very shallow before the weeds start, attach a SMALL float a foot or two above the jig and move, twitch and wait for the float to get submerged when the strike comes. When Mr. bass or pickerel finds your novice anglers jig, they will now learn what I have, anything and everything will attack these small jigs and you may be getting your camera ready. Trust me, learning to jig is very simple, inexpensive and fun. Once you have mastered it for panfish, the same techniques will work for ANY gamefish on ALL bodies of water.

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UPSTATE NEW YORK 11

ANGLER MAGAZINE FLY FISHING... next 3 pages

Edited By Jerrod Vila, The Angler Magazine of Upstate New Your Fly Fishing Editor

Smallmouth On the Fly THE DOG DAYS OF AUGUST BRINGS ON WATER LEVELS THAT are typically very low and the majority of trout streams have reached or are very close to that dreaded 68° degree temperature reading. True fishermen will hang up the trout gear out of respect and well being for the fish they love to pursue so much. Although this particular year with such an abundant amount of precipitation the water levels have been historically high throughout the state, and in turn keeping temperatures down a bit, but why not change things up every now and again?

Enter the warm water brown trout. The Smallie. The Brownie. The Bronzeback. Whatever you choose to call them smallmouth bass are pound for pound one of the best fighters in all of freshwater and so prevalent almost anywhere. Whether it’s a local lake, river or stream. If it is a warm water fishery it is bound to have a population of smallmouth lurking within it.

Typically, anglers target smallies with conventional tackle. Throwing cranks, twitching top water and snapping jigs and the like, but they will succumb to fly gear just as easily.

Most any flyrod in the 4 to 7 weight range will suffice, however I personally would stick with the higher end of things here and go 6 or 7 if you have the option. For one it will allow you to cast sinking lines and larger flies more easily and two, will have a bit more backbone for fighting a healthy size Bronzeback.

Fly selection really isn’t all that critical. Given the aggressive nature of a smallmouth you probably

won’t experience downright refusals like fishing drys for pressured trout if you don’t have the proper fly tied on.

If you want them to smash big deer hair bass bugs, have at it. Feeling like practicing your tightline Nymphing techniques? Throw on a big stone or a hellgramite pattern and dead drift away. Feeling like stripping streamers?

Small clousers, wooly buggers, and any other baitfish type streamer will work. It’s really up to you and the style you want to fish. The bottomline is that smallmouth can be caught using a plethora of flyfishing methods.

Smallmouth fisheries are very much different than the highly secretive and taboo locations of hotspot trout water, which even a close mention will give a diehard trout guy anxiety. Most anglers are willing to share places they’ve got into good smallmouth action.

One of my local favorites is the Schoharie Creek, a large but fairly non agrressive stream that can be fished almost anywhere along it. There are endless access points which a streamside drive will reveal.

It is easily wadeable and most any fly tactic will take fish. The water this time of year is warm and the fish’s metabolisms are running high as well, so keep your fly moving, an erratic stop and go strip whether fishing buggers on a sink tip or big poppers or even mice on the surface will elicit some vicious attacks. Top water action can be especially good in the early morning and late evening. Look for the darker, deeper runs with moving water to hold the larger fish. Bass in a stream are exactly like trout in a sense that they will stage

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and position themselves in a place where they will have an influx of food coming by them while exerting a minimal amount of energy. So scrap the waders for a pair of shorts, grab your rod and a handful of big ugly flies and target the usual haunts you would for trout and hold on.

WEST CANADA CREEK REPORT

BY JERROD VILA THE WEST CANADA CREEK EXPERIENCED A MASSIVE DOSE of precipitation the past month which ended up causing equally as massive problems downstream in Herkimer and surrounding villages.

A creek which is usually running in the vicinity of 600 CFS (cubic feet per second) at one point was running close to 20,000 CFS!! This is more than 30 times the amount of water usually contained within its banks!

Not sure how this will affect the aquatic insect life but regardless, it must have some effect. Although August on the West Canada Creek isn’t well known for giant hatches of anything really, you still may run into some sporadic BWO hatches and slate drakes (Isonychias), along with the ever present caddis factor. Nymphing the riffles and highly oxygenated pocket water may be your best bet to put fish in the net. However, persistent dry fly anglers will still have success, especially in the early mornings and late evenings into dark. Generic patterns like the Haystack, the Usual, parachute Adams, and caddis patterns will all take fish.

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UPSTATE NEW YORK 13

ANGLER MAGAZINE FLY FISHING...

Fly Fishing for Carp

BY GREG OSENKO – CAPITAL DISTRICT FLY FISHERS TARGETING CARP ON THE FLY ROD HAS BECOME increasingly popular in recent years as they offer a new challenge for us to target. Carp can grow to large sizes and live in many of our local rivers, lakes, and ponds making them accessible to almost everyone.

They are very tolerant of poor water conditions and can be found in muddy ponds to clear lakes.

Many people are accustomed to catching carp with bait. They have an excellent sense of smell and are able to smell bait in muddy water that other fish might overlook. When fishing with bait, anglers

cast out their line and let the bait sit in the water waiting for the carp to come over to it; this is a more passive way to fish. When fly fishing for carp you have to take an active approach and seek out the fish.

There are times that you might run across a carp accidently but in order to catch them on a fly rod consistently you have to see the fish to effectively cast at it.

Flies to use for Carp

Carp are omnivores and will eat both plant and animal matter so you can cast a wide variety of flies. It’s important to know what food source is in the water so that you can imitate it with your fly. Carp seem to have an affinity for marabou, rabbit fur, and rubber legs – many carp patterns use these materials. Most carp flies are situated to fish off the bottom either by using lead or bead chain eyes. You will have to experiment with what really works for each condition and don’t forget to have some dry flies and/or emerger patterns in your box.

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- Caddis Emerger - Damselfly Nymph - Swimming Clouser Nymph - The Usual or Elk Hair Caddis

SWILLYS LURE CRAFT – LAKE CHAMPLAIN REPORT THE NORTH LAKE FISHING REPORTS AS OF TODAY HAVE been descent, although the fishing has slowed a bit it seems due to the heavy rain and weather patterns the last few weeks. The unstable weather and runoff has stained the water and has the fish spread out. They typically are grouped together more this time of year as July and Aug are primetime for lake trout. They typical are tight to the bottom but seem to be more suspended in last few weeks. In situations like these a trolling method seems more productive given they are so spread out. Fish seem to be hitting around 60-80 feet of water over many different depths. We anticipate them stacking up heavy in the coming weeks and improving, Typical techniques still apply. Our salmon bite has not been very good this year in the north. We have not seen many reports. Although there have been some really nice fish taken they don’t seem to be in great number. This is partly due to this cormorant situation, has plagued our fishery and forestry and is seriously contributing year after year to depletion of

our salmon population. Some Typical techniques for salmon are trolling spoons, pin minnows, dodger fly setups with vertical/horizontal blades on downriggers, slide divers, and lead core. They prefer 52-55-degree water and are typically staged just above the thermocline. The thermocline has been tough to find and hasn’t setup as it normally does due to the unstable weather we’ve had. Thanks to all for the support and Tight lines to all. Feel free to offer any north lake reports and message me Will Nolan, Swillyslurecraft@ gmail.com Will Nolan, swillyslurecraft@gmail.com

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UPSTATE NEW YORK 15

A DAY JUST FOR THEM……

BY RACHEL VICKERS Chair member, Secretary, Great Sacandaga Lake Fisheries Federation; Writer/Field Expert Angler Magazine LAST MONTH I WAS ASKED TO LEND A HAND TO THE REID Hill Fish & Game Club’s Annual Kids Fishing derby, in my hometown of Perth, N.Y. Every year this 80+ year old Non-Profit club pays to stock 8-12 inch Rainbow Trout, a couple of days before the contest in a small spring-fed pond that’s located on the property of the Perthshire Banquet facilities. The Club then invites young anglers from the ages of 4 to 14 to participate , and encourages it to be a family event. The pond already has a natural population of bluegill, Pumpkunseed, Bullhead,White Suckers, and some Largemouth Bass. Besides the Kids’ derby every year there is no fishing pressure on this body of water, which makes it an optimal location, for the event, because it ensures that all the children will have the best chances of catching multiple fish, of different species. This particular Derby has been being held for decades, I can remember attending when I was a young girl with my parents, and again when my Son was a young boy. This Year, I was proud to be a mentor, and the Derby was a huge success, with overcast conditions which kept the fish biting for the kids all day long. They also boasted a record number of kids participating, with a record number of fish caught. A large number of local business donated fishing equipment, gift cards, and many other items for the kids who placed for prizes along with trophies provided by Reid Hill F & G . They also offered food and Drink

16 UPSTATE NEW YORK

AUGUST 2017

for the Family’s, They had 50/50, Donated Prizes up for drawing , & Japanese Raffles. They also drew for two brand new bicycles, one girls, one boys, the lucky winners were Brianna Savoie and Connor Loucks.

The. They offered food and Drink for the Family’s, They also had a 50/50, Donated Prize, & Japanese Raffles. They also drew for two brand new bicycles, one girls, one boys, the winners were Brianna Savoie and Connor Loucks. The Reid Hill chair Members Judged the youth anglers in respective age categories, 4-7yrs, 8-11yrs, & 12-14yrs, old. Places were given for 1st , 2nd & 3rd for largest Trout & first place winners for Odd species{anything other than Trout} The Winners were as follows: TROUT 4-7, group 1st place Nate Versuccione; 2nd place Jake Teresco, 3rd place Mia Natale. 8-11 group 1st and 2nd place went to Rocco Natale; 3rd place Connor Loucks. 12-14 group Ryan Savoie took first pace with the only entry in his age group for Trout. ODD SPECIES 4-7, group 1st place Levi Lawrenceson; 8-11 group, winner was Noelle Burton, and in the12-14 group Ryan Savoie took first place again.

These types of events are vital in the future success of fisheries in so many different ways, and Taking a kid fishing is one of the most important things you can do, weather you are a single parent which is becoming more common, or a nuclear family. The parent needs to foster the activity and show excitement in their child’s willingness to

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as kids become more skilled, it helps children learn the art of patience, it teaches healthy lifestyle habits, and most important in my opinion it allows them to become a part of a community and learn the importance of taking care of the environment, nature, and the fish they catch. I have to honestly say that there is no better experience as an avid angler, then to see the excitement and joy of ypung kids when they catch their first fish, and have biggest grin as they proudly march their conquest up to be recognized. You know right there at that moment a future angler, or lady angler is born! I would like to give a special Thanks to the active Chair Members of the Reid Hill Fish and Game Club, for their Decades of selfless work continuing this special event, for generations to keep enjoying and asking me to be a part of it.

Look at all the prizes! participate. Conservation is about teaching our youth stewardship at the earliest age possible. It is a proven fact that kids who grow up with an understanding, appreciation, and their own personal connection with their outdoor surroundings will be way more likely to care for them and carry those values into their adult life. Research conducted by the ASA, (American Sport-fishing Association) indicates that 57% of Anglers began fishing before the age of 10, and 88% began before the age of 20.

They specifically want to encourage youth participation, because these will be the Anglers of the future and the next generation of stakeholders in the conservation of valuable Aquatic resources and the continuing support of existing fisheries for years to come. That is the reason youth fishing derby’s are an important part of a Fishery program and can achieve many significant goals when looked at in the Big Picture. In todays digital fast paced world of Social Media, Virtual Reality, and online Gaming, it is more important than ever for us to teach our young Children who have been deemed “Generation Z” or “iGeneration”, the Post Millennials, who are characterized as more comfortable with Technology, and interacting on Social Media for the significant portion of their socializing. Its time a grass roots effort was started to teach this generation the valuable life skills needed to succeed, That a computer, a FB profile, or an iPhone can’t… don’t you agree? Believe it or not, Fishing can teach our children So many of those attributes. Just a few include, it Promotes Family bonding, builds confidence, Improves Balance & Coordination, It enhances motor planning (casting, hook setting etc,), It teaches both perseverance and Increases independence

Mayfield, NY

Open all year round – 1/2 days on Holidays

Full Supply of Bait & Tackle

Your gateway to fishing the ADKs and Sacandaga

“Jim’s August Sacandaga Tip” • Deep Water 30th Feet • Bottom Bouncer Crawler Harnesses • Deep Running Crank Baits - Rapala, Storm & Challengers Lures

118 Second Ave Ext, Mayfield, NY 12117

(518) 661-5724 www.facebook.com/jims.baitshop

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AUGUST 2017

UPSTATE NEW YORK 17

Winner of the MARSHAL SEAT contest is Andrew Bonnstetter!!

Proud to be an American, Andrew has been serving in the military for 3 years in the Army, and has been stationed at Fort Drum for 2 years.

with his wife, Lissa

WINNERS: BEST BOAT RIDE

Originally from Oklahoma, good things happen when he goes on boats, he met his wife Lissa while boating on Lake Lewisville, Texas.

Uncle Sam Boat Tours

45 James Street, Alexandria Bay, NY

www.visitalexbay.org Chamber of Commerce 315-482-9531 18 UPSTATE NEW YORK

AUGUST 2017

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St. Lawrence International Junior Carp Tournament THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES and Canada is one of North America’s best carp fisheries — and, each summer, home to North America’s biggest carp tournament for kids.

The St. Lawrence International Junior Carp Tournament has brought nearly 1,500 boys and girls to the banks of the river since it started in 2003. Youngsters from Great Britain, Europe, Russia, Japan and Canada have participated in the annual event alongside local youth who grew up with the St. Lawrence in their backyard.

This year, nearly 100 kids are expected to test their skills on August 17 to 19 along a 30-mile stretch of the river on the United States side, from Massena to Ogdens-burg. The tournament is open to boys and girls ages 11 to 18; parents and guardians can sign up, too. Contestants register to fish individually and may also register as part of a two- to four-person team. Registration covers all activities, including the popular Mort Backus & Sons Fishing School led by local adult carp anglers.

The tournament was the brainchild of a young visitor from England: Tom Felton, the British actor known as the sinister Draco Malfoy in the “Harry Potter” films. A devot-ed carp fisherman, Felton and his brother Chris had fished the St. Lawrence River in 2002 and broached the idea of a local carp tournament for youngsters to the local St. Lawrence County (New York) Chamber of Commerce. Tom Felton was Grand Marshal of the tournament in its inaugural year.

Since that time, the county Chamber has hosted the event. In 2015, the interna-tional Carp Anglers Group (CAG) officially took

the reins of the event with the Chamber remaining involved as co-host. Part of CAG’s mission is to promote catch-and-release carp fishing to young anglers, which the tournament certainly does with its emphasis on camaraderie, fun, and appreciation of the river and its plentiful carp.

The 2016 tournament saw 99 boys and girls reel in a total of 2,593 pounds of fish — a new record for the two days of competition.

An 11-year-old first-time participant, Tanner Smith of Waddington, NY, claimed the Grand Champion Trophy and grand prize of $2,300 when his top four fish had a combined weight of 80 pounds, four ounces.

There have been other milestones over the years. The biggest fish caught to date was a 44-pound, 8-ounce common carp caught, kissed, and released by Millie Ma-son of Hyde Park, NY in 2004. In 2011, Tyler Mitchell of Hogansburg, NY pulled in a 40-pound, 8-ounce beauty. Cash prizes are usually several thousand dollars for the grand championship, although one year the haul for young angler Connor Loomis of Waddington, NY was $15,000. He won the grand championship plus a special cash prize when his four biggest fish tipped the scales at more than 100 pounds.

In 2012, the tourna-ment saw its first female grand champion, Bryaunna Murray of Massena. The tourna-ment even has produced one marriage!

Find out more about the Junior Carp Tournament, and carp fishing on the St. Lawrence – visit CAG at www.CarpAnglersGroup.com; the St. Lawrence County Cham-ber of Commerce at www.NorthCountryGuide; or www.FISHCAP.net to learn about all the incredible fishing possibilities in St. Lawrence County, NY.

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UPSTATE NEW YORK 19

Underground Fishing League ST. LAWRENCE – BY MICHAEL SORRENTO THE ST. LAWRENCE CONTINUES TO PROVE TO BE AN astonishing body of water to fish as it powers through both the hot summer months and continued elevated water levels. Despite unprecedented conditions the Underground Fishing League heated up its 2017 season with the second tournament of the year. Kicked off by the Syracuse band “Old School” the Bassmasters gave its anglers all the fireworks this league can handle.

Sammy “Shipwreck” Iraci defended his Bassmasters title by out-

jigging the UFL competition with a respectable (13lb) bag of small and largemouth bass over (3) periods of tournament fishing.

His proven technique gets shared with only select fish-n-mates Sammy “Shipwreck” Iraci with his and he uses ½ oz. tournament clinching smallie.

Smoke Red Flake Tube jigs in (15-20 feet) of water. This 4lb “smallie” was the tournament clinching fish that allowed Sammy to fend off a charging UFL angler Kenny Goodman.

Ken took runner-up honors with a broad spectrum of techniques and tackle. This (3.6lb) largemouth was caught in (6-9 feet) of water using top water technique and a Sunburn colored Booyah Pad Crasher Jr. It took his Cabelas 7’3 MH TournyZX rod and 65lb Ripcord Pro line to handle pulling this fish out of the St. Lawrence lily pads.

The UFL angers now set their sights on “Ole Glass Eye” and the walleye-focused Vince Sorrento Invitational in August. It’s the third leg of the season and trolling skills really come into play. League leadership is ready, the river is ready, the fans are ready... Get Ready!

The 1000 Island Bait Store located in Alexandria Bay, 1000 Islands, N.Y. was founded in 1952.

Full Line Engine Parts Dealer Marine Accessories • Parts Department Stop in to pickup your catalog

315-482-3610

alexbaynapa@yahoo.com 20 UPSTATE NEW YORK

AUGUST 2017

St. Lawrence Headquarters North Country’s Tackle and Bait Source We also have Cold Beer • Ice • Ethenol Free Fuel • Lottery GUIDE SERVICE • LIVE BAIT • FISHING LICENSES

42980 Rt. 12 Alexandria Bay, NY

www.tibait.com • 315-482-9903

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ST. LAWRENCE RIVER REPORT INCLUDING BLACK LAKE GOOD NEWS, THE ST.LAWRENCE RIVER HAS BEGUN TO recede from the Spring/Early Summer high water event. Fishing was slow and difficult while the water was high, and spotty reports have the fishing improving slowly. More water has brought increased current and lower water temps. Consider everything as a month behind. Walleyes have begun to be caught while trolling plugs in 20-50 ft depth, Rapala Husky Jerks and Reef Runners doing damage. For smallie seekers, drop-shotting 25-50 ft depth with V-tail watermelon shad should score. Big Northern Pike can be had with large live baits. We predict a very active late summer/fall on the river, since fishing pressure has been light this summer so far.

BLACK LAKE

America’s Panfish Marathon is under way, yet you can still enter now. For a small $10 entry, you are eligible to win up to $85,000 in prizes. There are tagged fish with specific prizes from $100 to $10,000. Little Fish-Big Money. Dave at Black Lake Marine reported that the crappie have yet to school up strongly, but some nice fish have been had include a beautiful 17 in specimen. The water has dropped 18 inches in the last few weeks, finding largemouth in deeper

Ed Reyes, of Let’s Go Fishing Charters, with a St. Lawrence Musky. off shore weeds from 5-12 ft is best, with many good catches being had. A trophy 43” northern pike was landed using golden shiners. A few musky sightings have occurred resulting in breakoffs. To enter America’s Panfish Marathon, stop in or call Black Lake Marine.

WADDINGTON, NY

Black Lake Marine’s Cottages & Fishermans Landing

Great Fisherman’s Retreat!

www.BlackLake4Fish.com

CABIN FOR RENT

1-315-375-8962

DaveRoll@BlackLakeMarine.com 3490County Rte 6 • Hammond, NY

• Waterfront with dock • Camper sites available • Beautiful water views • On St. Lawrence River

Cottage Rentals with A/C & Cable Fishing & Pontoon Boat Rentals • Bait & Tackle Shop Free Firewood • Free Boat Docking & Launching

fourseasonsmx@aol.com

Call (315) 323 4138

On Black Lake, New York – A Fisherman's Paradise Cabin Rentals The Log Cabins Store – Tackle Shop Most complete line of tackle in the area!

Boat and Dockage Rentals

Fishermen Welcome 11421 St. Hwy 37, Waddington, NY • 315-388-7891

[315] 375-6691

3114A County Rt 6, Hammond, NY

www.fishlogcabins.com

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AUGUST 2017

UPSTATE NEW YORK 21

1000 Islands

River Rat Cheese

242 James Street, Clayton New York Phone 315.686.2480 Fax 315.686.4701 www.riverratcheese.net

Home of the Squeaky Cheese Curds!

Fresh every Monday and Thursday Make sure to stop in to see our selection of frozen fish fillets...

We’ve got Perch and Walleye!

Come see our vast array of cheeses and local products!

& stop in for some fried cheese curds Every weekend until Labor Day.

Open 7 Days a Week!

The Name Says It all!

Relax in Adirondack chairs by the riverfront or enjoy a swim in the pool. A boat launch is also available for your boating convenience.

5843 State Highway 37, Ogdensburg, NY

315-393-6300

6765 State Hwy. 37, Ogdensburg, NY (315) 393-4550 www.granviewogdensburg.com

Public Boat Launch Beach on Grounds with Picnic Areas Campgrounds Located on the St. Lawrence River

www.lisbonbeachandcampground.com 9975 SH 37 Ogdensburg, NY • 315-393-5374

Next to Village Boat Ramp On the Go Luncheonette • Ethanol Free Gas 3301 County Route 6, Edwardsville, NY (315) 375-4202 22 UPSTATE NEW YORK

AUGUST 2017

2 Crossmon Street Ext. Alexandria Bay, NY 13607 (315) 482-5248 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

First Class Food and Service Transient Boat Docks for Macks Inn Echo on the Lake Customers 315-375-8612

3302 County Route 6, Hammond NY 13646 macksinn@macksinnblacklake.com www.macksinnblacklake.com

PHOTO CONTEST

LAKE ONTARIO

Win a Free www.fisherguiding.com Trip

Biggest Instagram contest yet! Great Prizes. Big Fish. Free Fun. Simple to Enter.

During the whole month of August, Simply text Frankie at The Angler 518-898-6484 or E-mail frankie@theanglermagazine.com your Lake Ontario Salmon and Trout pictures, with your name and other details if you like, and we will post them on our Instagram Page with the hashtag #lakeontariocontest. No Instagram account necessary to enter.

Photos will be judged by the amount of Instagram Likes that each post garner from our Social Media Followers.

On August 31 at 5pm, the post with the most likes will win a free guided fishing trip ($300 maximum) from one of Fisher Guiding many professional guides. To learn more about Fisher Guiding go to www.fisherguiding.com.

These other great prizes will be given away, simply for entering and having fun looking at huge salmon and trout. Prizes for 2nd-5th place judged by Instagram Likes include: – A $50 gift certificate from Alex’s on the Water – Fine dining and harborside fun on the East Shore of Oswego Harbor – A $50 Selection of Bay Rat Lures – A $50 Selection of Speedy Shiner Spoons courtesy of Thomas Lures – A set of 12 Reel Rascals – patent pending easy to use reel protectors

UPSTATE NEW YORK EDITION

INCLUDES A $25 GIFT CERTIFICATE FOR GS STEAMERS BAR & GRILL

INCLUDES A $50 GS STEAMERS GIFT CERTIFICATE

CALL TODAY TO PLAN YOUR TRIP! 315-343-1600 SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. USE CODE: APRILSTAY613

Quality Inn & Suites Riverfront • Oswego, NY 13126 • 315-343-1600 • choicehotels.com/ny613 COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

AUGUST 2017

UPSTATE NEW YORK 23

OSWEGO REPORT AND FORECAST BY ROBERT MALLORY THE KING SALMON FISHING OUT OF THE PORT OF Oswego continues to be great and is only getting better. Right now the majority of the boats are targeting the kings anywhere from 120400 feet of water both east and west of port. Most days the kings can be found near bait and feeding in their preferred temperature ranges.

Downriggers and wire dipseys as well as copper presentations are all working. Most anglers are running mixed spreads of flashers/flies as well as meat rigs behind large paddles. Productive colors are white and green glows early in the morning and on overcast days. A green double glow echip flasher and variations of that flasher have been great the first couple of hours of the morning paired with either A-tom-Mik flies or meat rigs.

Once the sun is up, chrome flashers and mountain dew colored

attractors are all fishing well. The majority of anglers seem to be having more success with herring strips and cut alewives fit into Family fun on Lake Ontario. meat heads and fished behind larger flashers. Productive lead lengths range anywhere from 48-72 inches behind depending on the flashers action and speed that is being trolled.

For the kings, productive downrigger depths have ranged from 70-135 feet of cable out depending on the day. Wire dipseys from 240’ to 335’ and coppers from 400’ to 600’ are all working Check out our Website on any given day.

In addition to the king salmon, now that the www.eddiessalmonriverlodge.com thermocline has been established, brown trout are being caught in predictable areas as well when conditions are to their liking. Stingray sized Michigan Stingers in an array of color patters would be my first choice when targeting the browns. We have fished brown trout a few times over the past month to change things up and speeds that generated bites were on the slow side – 2.1 to 2.3 MPH was the best.

Cozy lodge located by the famous Salmon River As always – be safe and get our and enjoy some of the best fishing the area has had to Find us on @eddiessalmonriverlodge offer in several years!

24 UPSTATE NEW YORK

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WAYNE WEBER‘S TUG HILL/REDFIELD FISHING REPORT BY GUIDE WAYNE-O THE SALMON RIVER RESERVOIR IS STILL FISHING VERY well for bass and walleye. Senkos have been the bait of choice for smallmouth, largemouth, and rock bass. It is hard to find a section of shoreline where you won’t get a bite with a senko right now. Blue flake, pumpkin, and bubblegum all producing well. With the high water we are currently experiencing it’s a great time to flip and pitch jigs into the brush piles. As the water continues to warm it will be time to move off shore with deep diving crankbaits if you want to find the bigger smallies. This is also a great time of year to drop shot along the sides of the channel. The walleye bite has been best for anglers trolling crawler harnesses along the channel edges.

If you have never fished the Salmon River in the summer you are missing out on a very good time. The smallmouth fishing has been excellent this summer. There are a few guides floating the river and they are catching fish consistently. Last week I floated Altmar to Pineville with my wife and one of our friends. This was a quick afternoon trip so we set up with a simple and effective rig. Both of them were casting number 5 and 7 floating Rapalas on 8 foot light action spinning rods.

This is a great setup for the spin fisherman in the summer time. The smaller stickbaits fish well in water from 1 foot to 6 feet deep and they will catching everything. If they get hung up in the rocks most of the time you can just let a little line out and they will float free. We caught smallmouth, rainbow and brown trout, and fallfish. That trip I did not see any Atlantics but I talked to a guy would had seen two. There are enough around that you may very well find one attached to the end of your line while fishing for everything else. If you want to try specifically for them I would through inline spinners or swing flies and cover as much water as you can. They are few and far between earning them the nickname unicorns.

Tug Hill trout streams are still fishing well as we continue to see the same weather patterns. Every time they start to get low we see a few days of rain bringing them back up and keeping them cooled off.

You will still want to keep a stream thermometer in your vest if you are planning on releasing the fish you catch. Mid day temperatures especially in slower moving waters may very well cross the 70 degree mark. Please either keep your catch or stop fishing at this point. The fish you release will likely die. The East and West branches of Fish Creek are still fishing well. I have also recently had success on the North Branch of the Salmon River. Remember if you are looking for trout on Tug Hill walk walk walk. Get away from the parking lots.

Look for the streams that run through state land that you can hike into or access from a road crossing. Do your homework, explore and have fun. You will be rewarded for your efforts.

Drift Boat Trips on his beautiful Pavati Drift Boat!

Walleye Fishing Trips Tug Hill Trout and Bass Fishing Trips

315-529-3886

www.WayneOsGuideService.com

2nd oldest Pizzeria in the country.

O’scugnizzo Pizzeria was founded in 1914 by Eugeno Burlino. He only sold tomato pie (a pizza without mozzarella cheese) and they only cost a nickel. 101 years later, O’scugnizzo is still in business in the beautiful city of Utica and is now run by his son’s Steven and Michael Burline.

Exclusive distributer of the Angler Magazine in Utica, NY “All time favorite pizza!!”

–Angler Frank

315.732.6149

O’scugnizzo Pizzeria 614 Bleecker Street, Utica, NY 13501 North Utica Location, 50 Auert Ave #6, (315) 266-0450 South Utica Loaction, 2644 Genesee St , (315) 733-7300

uticapizza.com 315.732.6199

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UPSTATE NEW YORK 25

SUNKEN TREASURES HENDERSON/ SACKETS/CHAUMONT BAY REPORT BY CAPT. GENE BOLTON

Henderson Harbor, NY

TROPHY FISH SPECIALIST

SALMON AND TROUT FISHING IS STARTING TO HEAT UP along the Eastern shoreline with great catches of big Lakers and quite a few mature Salmon are showing up daily with smaller salmon mixed in. Few brown trout as well. Spoons and flasher fly’s off down riggers and dipsey divers. Salmon and trout are put over deep water 130 to 150. Bass fishing has been heating up as the water temperature is rising.

5 to 25 fow drifting crabs and minnows as well as casting big O’s and rattle trap’s. Perch fishing around Henderson Harbor has been great with large perch being taken. Walleye have slowed down lately but they will be turning back on in a month or so.

Give us a call and book your memorable fishing trip!!!!

315-486-8463 www.facebook.com/SunkenTreasureFishingCharters

Ship and Tackle Shop Featuring Low Price Spoons & Flashers

Key West, Tohatsu DuraNautic & Grumman Evinrude Platinum Certified Service Venture Trailers

Reiter’s Marina has been in business and members of Boating Industries Association of Upstate New York since 1973, when Bud and Rose Reiter purchased the facility formerly known as “Bubels”. Through the years the facilities have been renovated and expanded, to better serve our clients, as business and market conditions allow.

9203 State Route 3, Sandy Creek, NY 13145 www.reitersmarina.net • 315-387-3881 • reitersmarina@frontiernet.net 26 UPSTATE NEW YORK

AUGUST 2017

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UPSTATE GUIDE SERVICE REPORT BY MIKE CRAWFORD

Pictured is Mike Crawford of Upstate Guide Service “high sticking” trout with nymphs on Chittenango Creek. Contact Nymphing is producing excellent catch and release days for local stream anglers. Get on the creek when it is beginning to rise, or starting to fall and clear.

Tungsten hares ear in tan and olive and prince nymphs are effective deep searching and pocket water patterns.

THE AVERAGE UPSTATE NEW YORK ANGLER THAT EXPLORES the small lakes and streams has had to deal with high water and turbid conditions for the last few months...Record breaking high water.

The big boats on Lake Ontario, running heavy gear, deep, have found the high water to be of no consequence. But I don’t consider the specialized trolling of the Great Lakes to be a pursuit that the “average” Upstate New York angler does much.

A lake I guide on quite often is Skaneateles Lake. It is one of the Eastern Finger Lakes that is quite unique. The water is, in a “normal” summer season (most of the year even) to be found gin clear. Skaneateles is a deep, crystal clear, and cold lake.

With heavy rain, flooding, and even landslides occurring on its shores and watershed over the Fourth of July weekend, the lake was as turbid as I have ever seen it in 30 years of fishing.

Switching to larger profile baits, and employing rattles, helped to catch fish in these abnormal conditions.

Dough Made Daily Bass have We use never-bromated and never-bleached flour! begun to set-up in 2537 Otisco Valley Rd., Marietta, New York a summer pattern (315) 636-8400 • Like us on Facebook on Skaneateles, and facebook.com/Giuseppes-Original-Otisco-Lake-Pizzeria-347936048741690 the thermocline is

struggling but is beginning to set-up strong as of this writing (7/14).

When the trout thermocline they are very susceptible to the trolling outfit. Some guides (Charter Boats) know how a fine tuned trolling rig can be deadly on these trout that are constrained to a certain depth due to oxygen and temperature level.

Catching and releasing downrigged trout unharmed and healthy during the summer months on Skaneateles Lake, any lake, takes skill, extra effort, and special attention.

Killing limits every time out, and hanging a bag of dead trout on a board for the tourists to have their picture taken with, does not.

Peace, Mike

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UPSTATE NEW YORK 27

EAST SHORE BAIT ONIEDA LAKE REPORT BY JESSICA BERRY THIS HAS BEEN THE BEST WALLEYE YEAR WE HAVE SEEN in years. The jig bite has lasted through June well into July and has now started to slow down. Worm harness and stick baits have been producing good numbers for many anglers. Stick baits and worm harnesses casted over the weeds have been very productive for large walleye as well as trolling with shallow diving baits over weeds. If you want to fish numbers deeper water has been more productive. Adding attractants may make or break you day don’t be afraid to try some new stuff. Fish allure and smelly jelly sticky liquid are some of my favorites.

The south shore of Oneida lake has been on fire this year with numerous three pounders caught.

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Keeping up with the big box stores as a small business is always a challenge, at East Shore Bait and Tackle we are constantly adding new product and creating new lures Full Line of Lures & Live Bait for Any Season and tactics for Try Our Local In House Jigs and Blade Baits catching walleye.

1201 Main Street • Sylvan Beach, NY We have been (315) 418-6238 creating custom

28 UPSTATE NEW YORK

AUGUST 2017

sonars and worm harnesses and will be providing you with the ability to have them shipped to you. Check us out online eastshorebait.com and follow the links or just call for a full service tackle experience.

As the fishing slows down in August don’t think you can’t catch fish, there is still plenty of fish caught in the hot months. Tactics may change or colors but it is possible to go be productive and the way the weather has been this year we may see the best fishing in August we have seen in a long time. Anglers from all surrounding states and many more have been traveling to Oneida lake to get in on the walleye action. We have proven that you don’t need to be a pro to catch a walleye you just need the right tackle and advise for the time of year you are fishing.

We have recently put anglers who have never caught a single walleye in the boat to putting limits in the boat this year. Don’t be afraid to ask the local shop what’s working and where to fish. Most shops will give you a little info and point you in the right direction you may just have to do a little extra work or ask the other anglers around for a few tips as well. I am personally not opposed to putting you on fish. Good luck and have fun out there because any bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work.

“I have personally used East Shore Bait and Tackle’s customized Oneida Lake tackle. They are extremely well made to match Oneida Lakes forage base, and most importantly CATCH FISH.” – Angler Frankie

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Brought to you by Holiday Inn & Suites in Cicero, NY

A great place to stay and feel at home.

August Derby & Events Calendar Salt City Onondage Lake Tournaments – will be holding Wednesday night open tournaments on Onondaga Lake and Chaumont Bay. Tuesday August 1, 2017 7:30pm... Liverpool, NY Oneida Lake, August 6, 2017 – Points Tournament #4.

Launch: South Shore Launch.

The Onondaga Lake Family Fun Fishing Day Sunday, August 20, 2017 – Times vary, see website for details, www.events.onondagacountyparks.com. The day will include a variety of free fishing activities, including a learn-to-fish event from 9-11am, sponsored by the Izaak Walton League CNY Chapter. Families may also participate in the Family Fun Fishing Derby for a small fee.

East Shore Bait and Tackle Walleye Open – Oneida Lake, Southshore Boat Launch every Wednesday evening in August, $25 per boat plus lunker pool. Go to East Shore Bait & Tackle or call 315-418-6238 for details.

Saratoga Lake Tuesday Night Bass Open – Tuesday nights until the second to last Tuesday in August. Lee’s Campground 5-8pm, pre-register at “Saratoga Tackle & Archery” or call 518-584-3952. The last Tuesday is our Tournament of Champions!

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Izaak Walton League’s Onondaga Lake Family Fun Fishing Day IT’S BEEN SAID THAT FISHING IS AN ACT OF SELFrestoration. In what is believed to be the first book written on the subject, the fourteenth century fishing nun, Dame Juliana Berners, wrote… I think it’s safe to say that when we’re fishing, whether we know it or not, the experience brings with it physical, psychological and spiritual fringe benefits.

Last year marked the 30th annual Izaak Walton League’s Onondaga Lake Family Fun Fishing Day. The event was held on Sunday June 26th at Long Branch Park. About 75 young participants and as many spectators came out to try their hands at the art of angling. Participating anglers caught nearly every kind of Onondaga Lake fish there was to catch, from Round gobies to several Sunfish species, Northern pike, and the burly carp.

In addition to plenty of fishing fun, the 2016 Family Fun Fishing Day offered participants free basic beginners’ fishing lessons and a broad range of fish and fishing related We welcome fisherman! educational displays Conveniently located off and activities. interstate 81 fishing Not too long ago, access, boat launches and Take Out & Delivery our local lake was bait shops nearby.

(315) 668-1546 considered one of 5771 Miller Rd, Brewerton, NY 13029 the most heavily

Fresh Food Scratch Made

polluted bodies of North America. In those bad old days, only about five species of fish called Onondaga Lake home. Today, years of water quality improvements and the resultant habitat increases, we’re proud to be able to say that there are more than sixty fish species living in our lake.

Last year’s Family Fun Fishing Day on the water was brought to a close with a raffle drawing for fishing rods and reels. This year’s raffle awarded prizes to over thirty lucky ticket holders. One of those not so lucky was a boy of maybe five or six years of age, hanging back from the rest of the crowd, and showing some sad body language about his not being among those fortunate enough to have won one of the coveted Zebco complete fishing tackle packages. His sadness touched a slightly older boy who had just won his own rod and reel deeply enough to have him offer his prize to the younger boy. At first the younger boy’s mother was hesitant to have her son accept the offer. But the kindness expressed in the older boy’s gesture quickly broke through her resistance. A good deed well received is a good deed indeed…..

I’d like to believe that fishing often brings out the best in us. I don’t know how many of us actually saw the happy exchange, but I have to tell you that I still get goose bumps and a little teary eyed when I think about it..

So, in closing, the act of fishing is certainly restorative; restorative of spirit, mind, and body, and if this little story of a boy’s generosity doesn’t restore your faith in human nature, I think you should at least consider going fishing, preferably with a youngster for company.

This year will mark the 31st annual Izaak Walton League Family Fun Fishing Day on Onondaga Lake. The event will be held on August 20th at the willow bay section on Onondaga Lake park. Time, 9:00am to 12:00pm . Tickets are $2.00 for adults and $1.00 for children. For more information go to Onondagalakefishing.com

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MICKEY’S ONEIDA LAKE REPORT IT’S BEEN OUR EXPERIENCE THAT HIGH WATER YEARS, plenty of precipitation, combined with cooler temperatures can make for some pretty good fishing. This year so far has been just that. Oneida Lake is witnessing not just great walleye fishing, but the walleye being taken are larger in size than years past. As of this writing, mid-July, their finding walleye in about 25 feet of water around the Lakeport bar area. Good success has been provided by the tried and true Dixie spinner along with night crawlers. Number 4 willow blades in copper or silver are in favor.

Some anglers make up their own Dixie rigs utilizing fluorocarbon line, 10lb with custom blades and high quality chemically sharp hooks; Some feel that this can make all the difference. Otherwise when the bite is on its said that you can catch them on cigarette butts; That’s fishing. Blade baits are starting to give way the crawler harness, which is typical for this time of year. Jigs are starting to pay dividends, especially the ones that closely resemble the round goby in shades of brown and olive.

Bass anglers are having success in about 15 foot of water targeting submerged weed beds.

Lure selection would include creature baits or Senkos in pumpkinseed colors. Try wacky rigging a Senko with a 1/8 oz black marabou jig or take the gloves off by using live minnows and craw fish. With the cooler temperatures and higher water levels there are reports of Crappie being taken in the Oneida River system, at least for now.

There is no doubt, it’s all about the weather and will always be about the weather.

Gobi’s still a problem? Check out the latest in three-foot-long bottom bouncers.

Another tactic would be to incorporate small styro floats into your crawler harness rig.

Stone House Cottage A SEASONAL VACATION RENTAL ON Oneida Lake, Brewerton, NY

SYR. AREA STREAM REPORT BY PETER GEREMSKI IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR WHEN FOLKS OF ALL AGES ARE actively engaging in summer fun. And we usually see that take the form of a vacation with friends and family. Yet, that vacation time off is usually required and we must return to our homes, to answer the daily grind of work. The folks of the Syracuse area, usually feel they need a boat and/or camp to enjoy summer fishing. I have a solution for you to get your “fix” outside of the necessary vacation/weekend planning it usually requires.

Trout fishing the productive Syracuse area streams during this 2017 season will not let you down. The best part about it is that an angler can break away from his/her busy schedule and squeeze in 1-3 hours of satisfying trout catching experience just practically minutes from home.

This year’s rainfall, occurring in heavy doses, during the Spring and Summer months in CNY has kept a brisk and hearty flow to CNY’s excellent and popular trout streams. As an avid trout fisherman in Upstate New York, I have not found it necessary to drive out of the Syracuse area, where I live, to experience highly productive and exciting trout angling.

The spring fed limestone creeks of Onondaga, Madison, and Cortland counties are typically (significantly) lower by the middle of June after the settling of winter run-off and April rains. This Summer if there were any complaints I’ve had, it was about the frequent swelling with high, muddy conditions after major rain storms. All in all, a day or two of sunshine and/ or heat after major rains, even in the midst of relatively higher, murky flows have been a beautifully surprising recipe for frequent catches, and at times, surprisingly healthy sized trout.

My stream time has been almost completely marked by the use of spinners and plugs (i.e. rapalas). My preference for fishing artificial lures has allowed me the enjoyment of great strike action. This has proven to be especially true in stream sections marked for catch and release/artificial lures only. Skaneateles Creek is almost the epitome of CNY rainbow trout waters that are highly populated with healthy sized rainbows and browns, primarily. Of course, this is due to much less pressure because natural baits (worms, minnows) re forbidden within most of its flow. Also, the Skaneateles Lake locale usually attracts more boat fishermen in the Summer months.

The streams I enjoy most are Ninemile Creek and Skaneateles Creek on the west side of Syracuse, and Chittenango, Butternut, and Limestone Creeks on the east side.

When conditions are clear, yet still running full and swift; I’ve had great results on gold blade (#4-6) black body Panther Martins. When conditions of heavy rains seemed, in my mind, to make trout fishing futile with higher murky conditions; I’ve come to defy them with f5/f7 silver Rapala plugs, proving good results. Also, Mepps (#2 or bigger) and Panther Martins (#4-6) silver blades have worked well. It is important to note and encourage CNY creek anglers to equip themselves with light or ultra-light spinning rigs with 2-4 lb. test line. This general set up not only allows for one to navigate overhanging trees and brush typical of our streams easier but also to prevent spooking hypersensitive trout and allowing a more challenging landing experience.

AVAILABLE WEEKLY, MONTHLY OR YEARLY Two Night Minimum Visit our website for rates: www.StoneHouseCottage.com Owner: Theresa Cangemi Cell: 315-727-4933 Email: StoneHouseCottageOneidaLake@gmail.com

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By Kirk Webb

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Get An Education On Colorado’s Fryingpan River

, COLOR

T

he Fryingpan River in Basalt, Colo. is legendary for complex mayfly hatches and discriminating, large trout—up to 10 pounds or more—that test the skills of the world’s best anglers and fly tiers.

Getting an education here is commonly referred to as going to “Fly Fishing Jesuit School,” according to local fishing legend, Roy Palm. Virtually every fly angler has, wants to, or will, get an education here; very few get diplomas. It’s a classic, small, Western tailwater that is sheer Nirvana for dry fly fishers the world over with celebrated hatches of green drakes, pale morning duns, blue wing olives and midges among others.

The 14-mile stretch of river below Ruedi Reservoir houses every conceivable water type, long sexy glides, deep pools, roily pocket water and everything in between. The small size of the river provides anglers with easy, intimate wading opportunities and a bounty of public water. Brown and rainbow trout compromise the majority of the anglers’ catch, though both brook trout and Colorado River cutthroat trout are also present, providing the opportunity to catch a Colorado grand-slam.

Having fished the Fryingpan River for more than 20 years, I’ve come to appreciate the lesser known, or even unknown, hatches along the river including March browns, brown drakes, aphids and the enigmatic Serratella mayfly to name a few.

Picture this. You’re knee deep in the Fryingpan, anxious to catch some fish. You’ve already made the commitment that you’re not going to be doing any nymphing today. You sit down

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on the bank and observe Mother Nature at her finest. Fish are rising in good numbers on the shady side of the far bank. You feel confident while tying on a size 12 Green Drake Sparkledun trailed by a size 16 CDC Thorax PMD on 6X fluorocarbon tippet. You know the drill here. These fish are tough, but seem to be rising with reckless abandon. This shouldn’t be too hard, you say to yourself.

You make your approach from upstream and get to within 40 feet of the pod of risers being careful not to spook them. You cast 10 feet ahead of the lead rising fish, which seems to be the largest of this hardened street gang. Your flies land on target, your drift is drag free, but no result. Not even so much as a half-hearted look. You go through your bag of tricks and try surface emergers, sunken spinners, floating nymphs, ants, 8X tippet, reach casts, downstream drifts and nothing produces. The fish continue to rise, but to what?

Welcome to the wonderful world of the infamous Fryingpan Serratella. They occur in fishable numbers in very select waters including the Fryingpan, Yellowstone and Henry’s Fork. The serratellas of the Fryingpan, however, are an adaptation that is unique to only the Fryingpan.

Many are enamored by the infamous, flightless serratella of the Fryingpan River, and many more have been beaten down by this hatch. This hatch is truly a spectacle to behold. It’s hard to fish, but extremely rewarding when you get it right. It’s just one of the enigmatic quirks that make the Fryingpan a world-class destination for fly anglers who feel the need to test their skills.

7/18/17 11:22 AM

Whitewater Trout On The

Nantahala River

By Nick Carter

I

f you’ve heard of western North Carolina’s Nantahala River, it’s likely because of the whitewater rafting or the spectacular delayed harvest trout fishery, which stays full of fish between October and June each year. Relatively few people know there is also a world-class tailwater fishery running through Nantahala Gorge. It offers a good mix of wild and hatchery-reared trout, with the shot at brown trout as long as your leg.

Because access to the best stretches of water is difficult, and because wading the river is nearly impossible during almost constant high water from power generation during the warmer months, this fishery has flown under the radar for as long as it has existed. It is, after all, primarily a playground for whitewater paddlers.

But what if you could combine the two… whitewater rafting and fishing?

That’s exactly what you’ll experience on a guided trip with Ken Kastorff or Bob Gernandt, with Endless River Adventures. As one of the few guide services permitted to take clients fishing on the river, they’ve got an inflatable drift boat that handles the whitewater as well as it fishes. And catching trout while careening through fast waters in a rocky gorge is about as much fun as anyone should be allowed to have. Just know you’ll have to wear a life vest and sign a waiver to do it.

Actually, it’s not as dangerous as it sounds. Ken’s got as much time on the sticks as anyone. With him rowing, it’s the angler’s duty to concentrate on the water, flipping short casts with a fly rod into each eddy and pocket as the raft bounces down the river. In long, likely eddies along the bank, Ken will haul back on the oars, fighting the current to allow for multiple drifts of a heavy nymph rig. Or, if they’re eating meat

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that particular day, one might wear out a shoulder chunking a double-streamer rig for one of the huge brown trout the river produces.

Ken’s got a photo of an enormous Nantahala brown he said might have been the state record if they hadn’t released the fish. That’s saying something. The N.C. record brown trout weighed 24 pounds, 10 ounces. It was caught from the Nantahala tailrace back in 1998.

The only thing missing from a float trip on the lower Nantahala is seclusion. Every few minutes, flotillas of whitewater paddlers float past. You have to watch your casts to avoid catching a paddler, but the fish don’t mind boats at all. If they were spooked by boat traffic, they would starve to death.

Usually there’s at least one guy in each whitewater raft who looks like he’d rather be fishing. This is the guy who inevitably asks if you’re catching any. You could tell the truth, that you’d lost count of the number of healthy rainbows and browns brought to the net. But when approached with the same question dozens of time over the course of a day, sometimes something a little more witty is in order.

You’ll have to see for yourself the variety of responses Ken and Bob have to answer that question.

Endless River Adventures can be contacted through their website at www.endlessriveradventures.com. For detailed information as well as maps and GPS coordinates for access points on the Nantahala and all of the region’s best fisheries, read “Flyfisher’s Guide to North Carolina & Georgia,” available on Amazon or by emailing the author at nsc8957@ gmail.com.

7/18/17 11:22 AM

By TAM Staff atching giant flathead catfish might get to be old-hat for Jake Robinson, of Shakopee, Minn.

In less than a year, he has Photo by Doug Kerr broken the Minnesota state record for the species twice.

Minnesota keeps separate sets of records, one for weighed and certified state records and one for fish that are caught and released after length measurements are taken. Both of Robinson’s monster cats fall into that second record category.

On May 15, Robinson caught and released his latest record from the Minnesota River southwest of Minneapolis near Savage. With 100-pound test line, he hauled in the fish, which had a length of 49 inches and a girth of 33 ½ inches. Now, we ran the numbers through several of those online calculators that are supposed to estimate fish weight and came up with a wild variation, from 35 pounds up to 75 pounds. So, it’s up to you to guess at this one’s actual weight.

The weighed and certified Minnesota state record was caught back in 1970. It weighed 70 pounds and was caught from the St. Croix River.

There is no record of that fish’s length and girth.

The IGFA world record flathead was caught from Elk City Reservoir in Kansas in 1998 by Ken Paulie. It weighed 123 pounds.

Maybe next time Robinson catches a big catfish he should weigh it.

The one in the photo sure does look mighty big.

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Rockin’ Bass In The Adirondacks

By Rich Ortiz

Rich Ortiz, the “Fishin’ Musician,” shows off a nice Adirondacks largemouth. Check out Rich’s music and outdoor adventures at richortiz.com. Photo by Louis Torres Photography.

B

y the time I was 12 years old, I knew and fished at least two dozen bass waters, most of them from a canoe with my Pop. Usually there were no boat ramps, no houses and seldom another fisherman. That’s the beauty of the Adirondack region of Upstate New York.

There’s tons of water and lots of fish.

Often when the Adirondacks (ADKs) are mentioned in fishing circles, pristine secluded trout rivers or brook trout ponds come to mind.

Our secret is that the ADKs have countless bass fishing options, as well, with any kind of water you could think of.

Three renowned waters within my 30-minute fishing radius are perfect examples of the great bass fishing in our area. Lake George, Lake Champlain and Saratoga Lake provide varied and endless opportunities for both largemouth and smallmouth action, with a spectrum of habitats that could keep any bass enthusiast occupied for a lifetime. Additionally, if it’s a secluded canoe/kayak adventure you’re after, I dare say the ADKs have more backwoods bass waters on public land than any state I can think of. These woods are the same natural forests they were in 1885, when they were deemed untouchable thanks to Teddy Roosevelt.

Imagine fishing secluded, crystal-clear waters with green mountains as a backdrop, moderate temperatures and a relaxing breeze. Since the founding of our country, these waters have provided sanctuary from the heat and congestion of the growing East Coast industrial cities. Summer retreats to the ADKs to fish and hunt were the norm, and coupling

these outdoor activities with attractions like Saratoga horse racing or a Lake George steamboat ride created traditions of the American summer vacation.

Today, if you are serious about bass fishing, yet want to include family on the vacation, the Saratoga/Lake George area is the spot. I feel qualified to endorse the attractions, since when I am not fishing or hunting, I’m performing music at many of the area’s top resorts and restaurants.

Though my profession as a traveling musician has allowed me to fish all over North America, my heart is still at home fishing the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park.

Let’s start with Lake George, which is a large deep-water lake that is the ultimate finesse bass water. This beautiful 32-mile-long glacially carved lake has rock shorelines and is speckled with islands that provide endless bass structure. Lake George has AAA reservoir water quality and is crystal clear. Light 6- to 8-pound fluorocarbon line is a must while drop-shotting 30- to 50-foot rocky bottoms for big numbers of smallmouth and some nice 4-pound-plus fish. When drop-shotting I prefer natural presentation baits like the Berkley’s Gulp! Nemesis in the Smelt color. The lake temperature remains cool all year, and shaky-head worm presentations or small bass jigs will score a mix of largemouth and smallmouth in ultra-clear 20- to 40-foot depths.

This is a great training ground for teaching your family or friends to fish. Shore fishing is a bonus, and many others and I make trophy catches all year from shore. I rely on my Costa sunglasses on this lake as much as my Lowrance Sonar. It’s so clear that I can watch strikes in 20 feet of water. I keep three pairs of Costas on board. I prefer yellow lenses for sunrise, low light and cloudy days. These lenses work wonders sighting fish and contrasting bottom structure. I use blue mirror on bright days and amber green mirror lenses for most other situations on the lake.

Just to the north of Lake George, Lake Champlain offers everything a fisherman can imagine. Many experts rank Champlain among the top fisheries in the country for largemouth and smallmouth bass. You can fish just about any presentation in this vast lake, which combines natural and man-made structure like sunken ships, submerged train tracks and dock cribbings. My fishing concentrates on the southern end of the lake, where the water is usually very stained. Vast water chestnut beds yield many 5-pound-plus largemouth bass. Heavy abrasion-resistant line is a must; I prefer fluorocarbon or braid, depending on presentation. I normally punch the weeds with 1- or 2-ounce tungsten and big 10-inch Power Bait or Yum worms. Dark colors work best. Topwater and flipping are also go-to tactics, with countless backwaters providing breathtaking views and heart-pounding hook sets.

To the south, Saratoga Lake is much smaller than George or Champlain. It is slightly stained and can be highly pressured but still provides large numbers of largemouth in the 3- to 5-pound range. Dense concentrations of cabbage and mixed milfoil create great opportunities for tossing plastics and jigs on the edges of long weed lines. Saratoga Lake’s close proximity to the City of Saratoga Springs makes it an ideal morning or evening getaway for those visiting during track season, which lasts through Labor Day. While the tourist season winds down, the fish really turn on, which make for some magical days in fall.

The big lakes are great, but to me the gems of this area are the smaller lakes and ponds I learned to fish on. The unique chance to toss a lure to unpressured fish on public waters is a reality. The Adirondack Park features countless opportunities perfect for canoe and kayak fishing. With today’s lightweight watercraft, you can be alone with 2- to 5-pound bass after just a half-mile hike to numerous ponds and lakes. Many canoe and kayak waters are also roadside or within a state park. New York does a wonderful job providing trailhead access and parking areas for anglers with car-top boats. Research access at www.dec.ny.gov.

The amount of good bass water in the Saratoga/Lake George is staggering. With its proximity to so many metropolitan centers, a short drive up I-87 can have you setting hooks on some beastly bass in no time.

For an overview map of the area, go to

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FRESHWATER Mille Lacs Ranked No. 1 Bass Lake By B.A.S.S. Photo by Doug Kerr

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innesota’s Mille Lacs Lake has long been known for exceptional walleye fishing and ice fishing, but the smallmouth bass fishing on this more than 130,000-acre lake north of Minneapolis is what catapulted it to the top of Bassmaster Magazine’s 100 Best Bass Lakes rankings.

According to B.A.S.S. research, 20-pound five-fish limits of smallmouth bass are a regular occurrence, 30-pound sacks show up in some events, and two 36-pound limits were weighed in during events last fall. Those numbers are almost unbelievable on a smallmouth lake, considering a 36-pound limit would average out to more than 7 pounds per bass.

Here’s the rundown of Bassmaster’s top-12 bass lakes in the nation: 1. Mille Lacs Lake, Minnesota 2. Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Texas 3. Clear Lake, California 4. Shearon Harris Lake, North Carolina 5. Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California 6. Lake Berryessa, California 7. Lake Erie, New York 8. Santee Cooper Lakes, South Carolina 9. Lake St. Clair, Michigan 10. Falcon Lake, Texas 11. Thousand Islands area St. Lawrence River, New York 12. Chickamauga Lake, Tennessee

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Focus On Redfish In August

By Tobin Strickland

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big question on all the Internet message boards lately is, “Where are the midrange trout in the heat of summer?”

One of the indicators of either fishing too shallow or fishing in the wrong part of the bay for the season is catching mostly undersized trout. So, if you’re catching nothing but “dink” trout in August, fish deep structure with current.

I don’t like catching dinks, so I’ll focus on upper-slot redfish and sight casting to the big shallow trout I see while I’m fishing for reds.

The summer heat finally forces redfish to go in search of food in the marsh and grass flats. Shrimp are now mostly gone, except large white shrimp, so while there are main-bay, open-water redfish chasing those fish-big shrimp, some reds will now begin to work over juvenile white shrimp and shad in the marsh and grass flats. They’ll also be eating mullet and crabs when the opportunity presents itself.

Redfish are simple. They use current to feed, and the faster you learn about where the niche is, the more consistent you’ll be catching redfish in shallow waters. Follow a current from a marsh cut to the bank of a marsh pond it’s flowing too, and you’ll find redfish. Also look for eddies behind structure and where the current edge crosses structure, and that’s good as well. Big trout are similar in the summer in shallow areas. They are there for the big mullet and to eat little trout but are in small niche areas of their own.

Tobin created the TroutSupport.com weedless, snagless, long casting, walk the dog soft plastic for fishing shallow grass, shallow oysters, rocks, and mangrove where reds and snook live.

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MAKO SHARK ON THE FLY

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f you’re looking for some spectacular fly fishing for toothy critters, mako sharks are tough to beat as a game fish. They can be found pretty much worldwide, but right now is the time of year to visit southern California, where shortfin mako sharks show up off the coast every year within easy range for fly rodders with a small skiff.

The mako shark is one of saltwater fly fishing’s outstanding but unappreciated game fish. Found on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, a smaller mako in the 20- to 30-pound range can be the perfect-sized fish for the beginning saltwater fly fisherman. Of course, fishing for sharks is a tad different than fishing for bluegills in your Uncle Ned’s farm pond, and the equipment also differs.

First, you’ll need a boat, preferably a boat over 18-feet that can handle fairly choppy seas. Most center-consoles will do; however, a skiff with a beam of 8 feet or wider and a not-too-deep V will settle in the water better and will reduce pitch and roll to a minimum, offering a much more stable casting platform.

A good chum line is the most effective way of attracting makos to within casting distance of your boat. Chumming attracts the larger makos and will place you in the position of being able to sight-cast to them.

Into a chum bag, place the belly sections or fresh carcasses of tuna, bluefish or bonito, then place the bag into a milk crate or 5-gallon bucket and lower this mess over the side. Then sit back and listen for the musical score from the movie “Jaws” to begin. You won’t have long to wait once that chum slick begins to spread. Ideally, you should use fresh carcasses, but store-bought chum will suffice. One bit of important advice: Less is more when chumming; you don’t need much; no matter how small the slick, a shark can smell it from

miles away.

Now that you have the boat and chum, the next thing to do is find a mako. On the West Coast, we are fortunate to have the continental shelf only a few miles offshore. On the east coast, you’ll have to venture a bit farther offshore. Keep your eyes peeled for working birds and surface-busting bait; constantly check the water temperature looking for readings between 66 and 70 degrees. But, be patient when chumming. I will wait at least an hour or an hour and a half before moving to another spot, but there have been occasions when the sharks made their appearance within a few minutes of 1 ½ hours.

Once in the slick, makos will stick around for most of the fishing day. Drifting allows you to cover more water and in the process, attract more makos to your boat.

By choosing the right season, having the right chum and chumming the right areas, you can count on hooking and releasing a good number of makos during the course of a single day on the water.

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SCALLOP SEASON IS OPEN! DAVID MANEY, FOWLER’S SUNGLASSES

Value Versus Ego In Sunglasses

A

t Fowler’s, we know sunglasses. We sold more than 25,000 pairs last year, and we represent more than 30 companies, all clamoring for attention in the marketplace. This gives me intimate knowledge of most of what’s offered, and I have some insight to share on what makes a pair of sunglasses the right pair for you.

There are two types of

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Realize that frames represent very little in the cost of production for a pair of sunglasses. What you are paying for--or should be paying for-in an expensive pair of glasses is lens technology. A better set of lenses is going to cost more and last longer. Those inexpensive glasses with sprayon lens protection will serve you almost as well as the expensive ones off the shelf, but they might

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sunglasses shoppers. One views sunglasses as fashion accessories, to be matched to an outfit or activity. This is all well and good.

Good-looking glasses do help you look cool. The second type of shopper, which is a group I have found many anglers fall into, is more interested in sunglasses as an essential tool. All-day comfort and performance are considerations that come before style or brand for people in this second group.

If performance is more important to you than ego, do not lock yourself into one particular brand of glasses.

They can range from $5 to $500, and all manufacturers promote their own bells and whistles.

Sometimes you get what you pay for, other times you are paying for a brand logo on the side of the frame.

only maintain that performance for a year.

The single most important consideration with frames is they are essential to fit and the resulting comfort for the wearer.

This is why you should not be locked into a certain brand.

Everyone’s face is different, and so are everyone’s sunglasses needs.

Do not be a branded person, choose a pair of sunglasses that fits your face and your needs.

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David Maney is an expert in the general field of Sunglasses. He has appeared in Southern Living Magazine, USA Today and US. World Report. Fowler’s is a longtime leader in the sunglasses industry. For more information on Fowler’s and David Maney, visit www.fowlerssunglasses.com or call 888-340-9021.

6 Reasons Why Fowler’s Sells More Sunglasses than Anyone Else in the U.S. Over 250,000 Pairs Sold #1. Price #2. Selection #3. Price #4. Selection #5. Price #6. Selection

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7/18/17 PM 7/7/17 12:24 2:36 PM

1,000-Pound Tournament Hammerhead Shatters Texas Record Photo courtesy of Texas City La Marque Jaycees/Facebook nglers hauled some big sharks out of the Gulf of Mexico during this year’s Texas City Jaycees Tackle Time Fishing Tournament. Chief among those sharks was a 1,033-pound great hammerhead that shattered a 37-year-old Texas state record.

Tim McClellan obviously took first place for the giant shark he entered in the annual fundraising tournament for the Texas City La Marque Jaycees. The tournament awards the top three fish in multiple inshore, offshore and youth divisions. This year, it ran June 30 – July 9, and 964-pound and 817-pound tiger sharks rounded out the top three in the shark division.

McClellan’s fish beat out the 871-pound Texas state record great hammerhead, which was caught

by Mark Johnson in July of 1980.

The current IGFA world record great hammerhead weighed 1,280 pounds. It was caught from the other side of the Gulf by Bucky Dennis fishing out of Boca Grande, Fla. in May 2006.

Texas City is on Galveston Bay, just southeast of Houston, and offers easy access to the open Gulf of Mexico through the pass between Galveston and Goat islands.

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