how is fishing in buffalo

[copo427ss]

I'm liking all the small throwbacks myself. we. all know next couple. years is gonna. be great. fishing

That is true, the amount of sublegal fish everyone has been catching this year will be 20 inchers next year.

[captainjoe]

Most of the bites have been light all over the lake. People that i know that fish out of Dunkirk see the same types of bites - very very light. The only way you find a fish on your line is when you pull up to check your bait. ?????

[bailey]

Kinda glad it isn't just me who has dropped lots of fish. Its been driving me nuts and all the short hits also. I haven't made it out 2 weeks in a row maybe this weekend i'll make it out things been hectic and that darn wind. It just won't let up

[copo427ss]

Most of the bites have been light all over the lake. People that i know that fish out of Dunkirk see the same types of bites - very very light. The only way you find a fish on your line is when you pull up to check your bait. ?????

That's what I've heard. Also know a few guys that are bottom bouncing harnesses and holding there rods to feel the hits. But they are also picking up alot of trash fish.
A small treble stinger in the tail end of the worm will fix all those short strikers. I used a single hook stinger tied to my jig this spring for eyes and most of my fish I boated were hooked by the stinger hook. yeah bailey this wind is brutal. It ruined my whole vacation last week. Only made it out once to fish.

[fishkiller16]

85% of the fish we have caught this year have been slamming them, during the Amara Can everyone of the 45 fish we caught either the lower hooks were down in their throats or I needed to use pliers to remove them out of thier jaws. We have dropped some fish this year but mostly due to human error. I think most of the light bites come on a dipsy or a rigger with short leads. I have found over the years that on the really hot summers with a lack of rain the water clarity is so good that the dipsys, jets and riggers are too spooky for the fish, therefore they nip the bait and swim on. Also increase your trolling speed to 1.9-2.1, you will get better hook sets, and as I have always said set the hooks hard dont pussyfoot around. We loose very few fish and Bailey and Fishon 51 can atest to that. Try a straight Lead Core or a Torpedo program (more of a stealthy approach on both) and I think your success rates will increase, but you will need 3,5,7,8,9,and 10 color rods to cover the water colum. You will always loose fish to human error but you can help eliminate the tackle errors. If some of you are dead set on running dipsys switch to the Lite Bite Slide Divers and run 100' leads, or run your dipsys on OR 16 clips with 50' to 100' of line behind them. One other thing its not worth my time to sharpen hooks I never have nor will I ever sharpen hooks as a matter of fact I dont own a hook hone. Buy better quality hooks such as Mustad Octopus hooks, they are some of the sharpest hooks available. If I get a hook that I feel is getting dull or bent up too bad I cut the harness apart and tie new hooks up and rebuild the harness. I use a Red Mustad 1/0 or 2/0 Octopus (model# 92553) with 30lb red coated 7 strand AFW wire on all my personal harnesses. I buy my hooks by the 1000 ct boxes so I always have a few "extras" laying around.....lol. This is by no means meant to bash anyone elses program or ideas its just how we do things on my boat and we average almost 400 walleyes a season just in NY. Good Luck Everyone.

[copo427ss]

Jim right on with the water clarity to light strikes. My buddy and I talked about switching over to leadcore on a couple rods. I am only running a 7 ft lead on the dipsys. But was running 130 lead on the riggers. Troll speed is 1.8-2.3. Flat water no current is 2.1. My grandparents who used to fish exclusively for muskies and monster northerns in the 1000 islands swore by leadcore line. And they caught some of the biggest fish on the island over the years.

[fishkiller16]

Jim, what do you recommend for a leader length on the standard dipsy's. I'm using 6' but I'm thinking about increasing to 8'.

A general rule of thumb has always been the same length of the rod, but when I used to run dipsys we ran 8-10' leads and I always ran snubbers. I always ran single strand 30lb monel wire on the rods and 15lb flouro as my leader.

[lineman49]

For the light bites off the riggers try useing a rubber band between the line & the release you can pretty much see the smallest/lightest hit on the line. Watch the rod tips.

[wishin fishin]

i consider this walleye fishing summer school

thanks teachers

[wishin fishin]

i've learned to tie harnesses recently fishkiller whar are you using for blades - your preference?