rmcguirk

Favorite is a paddle tail. After that, a rage tail grub.

After several weeks of nice outings on Conesus, yesterday and today were tough. Yesterday, I thought I had a good chance of getting skunked. The day started out slow--with the temperature drop and high winds, it was tough fishing. Not surprisingly, the bass had abandoned the shallows. Once I figured out the right depth, 7-9 feet, I did ok. Not great, but better than I expected. All fish came on moving baits, and primarily a swim jig. Given the 15+mph winds, that's all the really had any chance. Today, for bass, I did get skunked. First time this year. I did get three pike, the first of which destroyed my last swim jig (or at least freeing him did). The first was pretty modest but really choked done the jig, but the second two, both on a 5XD were studs and put up great fights. Both came off the bottom in 15 feet. I never weigh pike--just want to get them out of the boat without getting bit--but each had to go 8+ pounds. Hope the weather settles down or at least the wind, and we can get into a traditional summer-type bite soon.

As a comparison, Conesus was 49 when I started on Saturday morning and up to 55 by the time I had to hit the road yesterday around lunch.

Finally got out on the boat on Conesus and on the board. In about an hour and a half, picked up three bass and a pike. All fish were shallow, in about 5 feet of water. Good to get things started...

Yikes!

I took a drive to check out Conesus and Honeyoe yesterday. Honeyoe is wide open. Conesus was almost wide open, except for a scrim of slushy ice on the north shore to about 50 yards out. It looked like remainder ice that had blown north and got piled up there and was now melting. There were only a few boats out on Conesus (I checked the state boat launch). I saw a few more at Honeyoe. One guy said surface water temp was 37 when he launched in the morning and that it was about 45 when I saw him around 2:00. You can check the Conesus cam at the following website, something I do pretty regularly before I head down there to fish: http://conesuscam.com/ This view is looking south from the north shore, east of the restaurant. Just checked it and you can see the last remnants of the ice I mentioned. Should be all gone by tomorrow.

6.3/6.4 reel is fine. I generally use a MH/F rod, though I may bump up to my new 7'6" H/XF to see how that works.

In cold water (if we ever get any instead of frozen water), I generally stick with lipless (red works best around here) and suspending jerk baits. I catch the overwhelming majority of my "moving" bait fish with one of those two. I'll chuck a flat sided crank to mix it up occasionally, but with much less success. As to how to work the lipless, as with anything, let the fish tell you what they want -- steady retrieve, stop and go, slow, fast, yo-yo, etc. But, once the water gets up to about 50, they really seem to like it being ripped out of whatever leftover vegetation there is in the shallows. Let it tick the top, pull up hard, let it flutter back down, and often it gets hammered.

Count me in as well.

One opened recently near me in Rochester, NY. Also across the parking lot from a Dick's. A Gander Mountain is about a block away. I've been to the new F&S a few times already. It's nice and has a good selection. I'd guesstimate about 2/3s the size of the BPS about an hour away. The F&S has a much more extensive collection of fly fishing gear, though. Frankly, I'm concerned about saturation. While neither Dick's nor Gander Mountain has everything I need (a/k/a want), they've got plenty. And, when I just want to guarantee that I get exactly what I want, I put in a TW order. In addition to the BPS about an hour away, they're building a new BPS about 10 minutes from me (there goes the budget...). Additionally, there is a new Cabellas in Buffalo, an hour the other way. It just seems like a lot of stores in a pretty small area, and some of them are just not going to survive. My gut sense is that the new F&S is destined to be the loser in that group.

Another satisfied and repeat customer. Getting ready to send my collection off for spring cleaning again.

Another local, here. Would love to get together with other locals. I have my boat on Conesus. I've also fished from my kayak around a bit on Irondequoit Bay, but only had limited success. Would love to try it from a boat.

I generally use a 7' MF for a 3/8 swim jig. It's an Avid, though, so it is closer to a MH. For both chatter baits and spinner baits, I'll generally use a 6'9" or 7 MH F or XF. All my baitcasters are spooled with 30lb power pro and a 12lb flouro leader.

Thanks for the help. Just left my local BPS with a new 7-1 PQ and a 7'6" HXF Carbonlite (the new white one). Feels great and balances nicely. Is it spring yet?

This. But my favorite would be a Lunker City Ribster.

Thanks for asking this, as I was wondering the same thing.

Yup, this would be a rod that I'd only use in my boat, and I am 6'3". Thanks.

So, I told myself that I wasn't going to get a new rod this winter....but the BPS PQ reels are marked down to $49.99, and that's just a steal. While I like my higher-end Shimanos better, I like my other PQs well enough that, at that price, I'm not going to pass one up. So, with a new reel, I'm going to need a new rod (see how the bait monkey works). I've got the usual stuff covered, with a nice collection of medium and medium-heavy rods. I don't have anything truly heavy, though, and nothing longer than 7'1". So, I'm thinking of looking for something longer and heavier. My primary uses for it would be, I think, frogs and pitching heavier jigs and punch rigs into heavy summer growth. I might also get into some swimbaits and A-rigs, though that would be a truly secondary consideration. Do you use the same rod for both frogs and punching? And, if you have a few that fit the bill, are they, effectively, interchangeable? What length and action would you recommend. BPS seems to have on sale some of their Carbonlite rods at 7'3" in HXF and 7'6" HXF. Is that the type of stick I should be looking for? Genreally speaking, any recommendations for that sub-$150 price range? Thanks. Rick

I have the 7' MHM. Very versatile and handles shallow to medium cranks very well. Can also do some deep cranking, in a pinch, though that's not a strength.

Thoughts and prayers to you and yours Here's hoping that the improving updates continue.

Thanks. That's a bookmark for a spring order...

For sale?

Pop tarts and iced tea.

I'd be a buyer. I love the skirt idea as well.

My Avid 7 ft MF is my most versatile and most used rod. I use it for numerous things. It is outstanding for ripping lipless cranks through weeds, it is great with swim jigs, weightless or light weight soft plastics, etc.