@#@$#%&$## weather!!!!!

I haven't gone back out yet. 2 days of 50 MPH gusts on a wide open lake in a 16' alum boat is not my idea of fun. And were heading into a pretty good cold spell for the next few days until the middle of next week.

Nice haul!

Anyone ever fish Oneida Lake? Might be getting a vacation house on it..

I spent about 2.5 hours on Silver late yesterday afternoon for as long as I could stand the cold and wind. It wasn't on fire. I caught 4 smallies, all but one clone 2.5 lbers, the lone good one was 4lbs. 

The docks aren't in yet at Silver, are they?  Not that I'm even ready yet, but hoping to get out a little earlier than last two years.

9 minutes ago, TheBug said:

The docks aren't in yet at Silver, are they?  Not that I'm even ready yet, but hoping to get out a little earlier than last two years.

No, and they won't be for a while yet, usually they don't go in till the end of April/early May. But I don't need them..............I actually prefer it when they are out.

Thanks. Yeah, once I'm ready and the weather cooperates no docks isn't going to stop me either. 

Got out for about 2.5 hours before dark late this afternoon............2 smallies, and a couple pike. Water temps still in the high 30's........... I am going to report on every trip this year, for no other reason  than to keep a running total of # of bass caught, # of times I go fishing, and hours on the water.

I'm ready to get out on Erie or the Niagra river..... Soon... Looking forward to fishing Oneida this summer..

Trip #4 for the year.

 

I was out from about 3pm till 6:30 or so......................SLOW. I fished for smallmouth for 2+ hours with nothing but a handful of dink perch to show for it, switched gears and went looking for largemouth the last hour and a half or so............it wasn't on fire, but it was better than the first two hours. I put my first pair of largemouth in the boat for 2016...........on 4lber, one 3lber , and added another retarded 3lb smallmouth who was up where he shouldn't be, as well as about 6 or 8 pike

Trip #5...........between AM and PM family Easter festivities I was able to hit the water for about 3.5 hours today. Fished from about 10 am till 1:30 pm........................Stunk with a capital S. A couple pike while looking for largemouth, and a bunch of perch while looking for smallmouth and that was it..............first time I have not put  multiple or at least one bass in the boat in a long long.............long time.

What water temps are people seeing on the larger lakes right now? LG was 36-38 about 2 weeks ago.

I have not seen anything on the main lake much more than 40-41........and 42-45 in dark bottom, back water areas. But that beats what the water temp usually is this time of year which is................frozen.

Trip #6 of 2016

Went out for a few hours this evening.........poking around in back water area's looking for largemouth.........never went out on the lake and looked for smallies. Caught two 2.5lbers, and a handfull of pike......not much activity in the shallows yet. Water temps there are still in the low to mid 40's, and the hoards of panfish that the bass usually follow have yet to seem to show up either. Pike are still spawning in there..........at least some late stragglers............past history tells me that the bass and panfish mostly stay away until the things with teeth that eat them leave LOL.

WW2 Thanks for the updates.  I can't wait to get out soon in my canoe on the 2 smaller finger lakes.  Your reports provide great info.

this is ridiculous

It's not the wind that's driving me nuts.............it's the return to winter for the next week to ten days.

1 hour ago, ww2farmer said:

It's not the wind that's driving me nuts.............it's the return to winter for the next week to ten days.

Sucks... Have been loving this weather. . 

On ‎4‎/‎3‎/‎2016 at 8:50 PM, ww2farmer said:

It's not the wind that's driving me nuts.............it's the return to winter for the next week to ten days.

It's my fault for getting my boat and gear ready last weekend, so it had to go back to winter.  d**n the fishing gods...

This weather really sucks.... But hey, its Buffalo....

2 hours ago, TheBug said:

It's my fault for getting my boat and gear ready last weekend, so it had to go back to winter.

Yep. Me too I Almost put my boat in the water last sunday to test out my new finder, but we ran out of daylight.  Pretty glad I didn't right now or I would have had to change out the lower unit oil again.

I'm curious, why would you have to change the lower unit oil again if you splashed it?  Does it leak?

10 minutes ago, TheBug said:

I'm curious, why would you have to change the lower unit oil again if you splashed it?  Does it leak?

Well I don't think it does but we have had a lower unit crack before so I don't take any chances.  if it has been in the water I assume water got in the lower unit so if it is going to be freezing for a slightly extended amount of time I will change the oil before it freezes.  the ten bucks in oil is worth it compared to the risk of losing my motor.

I can understand your not wanting to take any chances and I agree changing the oil is cheap insurance.  Was just curious, I am definitely not an expert, just knew I didn't have to be as concerned with the freezing (as long as no water in the LU) on my outboard like I do with my inboard.  Just making sure I wasn't missing something, cause a cracked lower unit would suck. Especially now!

Nothing to worry about................it's not going to be cold enough for long enough to be an issue. And if you changed your lower unit oil in the fall and only put the boat in the water a couple times before this cold snap, It's highly doubtful enough water water would have gotten into the lower unit to make the oil so watery that a couple cold days/nights would effect it................if enough water did get in there in such a short time...............you got bigger problems than a few cold nights. All  I do to prepare for these early season cold spells is keep my motor trimmed DOWN. I get more worried about it the fall with a seasons worth of use and possibly a little water in the lower unit.