Are there any places around buffalo I cannot dip net from land? Like the Erie basin marina?
If you are looking for emeralds they are in the EB marina right now by the billions. I have never seen so many.
Are there any other good spots?
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Are there any places around buffalo I cannot dip net from land? Like the Erie basin marina?
If you are looking for emeralds they are in the EB marina right now by the billions. I have never seen so many.
Are there any other good spots?
Sheridan dr. boat launch you can use dip net right off the right side dock. It was loaded last wed. am. Also sturg.pt off the docks but they are more scattered out, it will take a few tries to get enough.
Yep you can go to broderick park/bird island pier. You'll need a rope probably 10-15 feet long at least, and a net you can drop down and retrieve. There are people there all the time, where the wall does an L shape the water eddies up and the minnows hang out.
Also I wanted to add this isn't the safest place in the neighborhood. So I wouldn't go on a friday night...
also at the end of ferry
So I drove down to the foot of Ferry St the other day. I looked around on the canal side and didn't see a thing thinking no way the minnows could be on the river side with that current. I then spoted a few guys on the river side with buckets. I walked over and found a large area covered with live minnows flopping around on the ground. It looked like the guys that were there used buckets to get the minnows out of the river near the wall that cuts back. I was disgusted with the hundreds of minnows these guys just spilled on the ground. The whole area was littered with dead and dying minnows. I grew up in the Keys cast netting bait and we took pride in what we didn't use went back in the ocean or we would freeze the rest for chum. I just hate seeing waste of a natural resource.
So I ask a guy with the minnows if I can net the minnows and take them off the island to do some perching. He says you can't use a net and if you leave the island it is a $250 dollar fine. I believe he is wrong as the travel corridor is now in play. However I do not know if a long dip net is legal? Anyone? If not I will give the DEC a call and see what the have to say.
Good luck everyone!
I was definatly standing out among the crowd. But everyone was respectful even when I said that all the minnows on the ground was a waste. I guess I could have been mistaken for the man.
Also I wanted to add this isn't the safest place in the neighborhood. So I wouldn't go on a friday night...[/QUOTE]
gutpile its not illegal to use a net w ent there with a charter capt and dip for minnows in that spot just cant use the minnows anywhere but the river or lake erie and trib
I get minnows there useing a throw net & at times they are in there so heavy & the net is so full its impossible not to spill them on the ground. Not that I want to but I figure the gulls eat them witch they would anyway.
As far as I can tell you are allowed to net your own minnows, provided you do not sell them, and that you use the minnows in the same body of water that you caught them from. (there are travel corridors listed also) Also you are limited to certain bodies of water to net minnows from. In other words, it is illegal to run out to your local TROUT containing stream and net some minnows. But it is legal at lake erie and the niagara river.
Here is the web page from DEC that talks about minnows, if you scroll down you will get to the part that talks about personally harvested baitfish.
http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/47282.html
Now if anyone has any info to contradict what I just posted please add your comments.
The first time I saw minnows on the ground like that I was really annoyed and disgusted as well. In all honesty from what I have seen most people are pretty careful and try to keep all they collect, but there is always a bad apple, you know how that goes. Also you have to understand that those minnows are flipping all over the place when you net them, and it's easy to lose a few. Multiply that by lots of people and the minnows start adding up.
But mostly what happens is the infrequent moron who just doesn't care, if he misses the bucket and hits the ground he just nets more. It only takes one like that and you end up with minnows all over the place.
I have tried picking up some that were dropped & its tuff grabbing those lively, slippery little suckers, especially with no finger nails!!
I heard the other day that a few weeks ago the minows were in very tick but the numers have drastically reduced in the last few days. Where do they go? deeper?
We dipped minnows this morning at the Foot of Ferry they were in real thick I dropped the net 4 times and filled 2 3 gallon buckets. They were real nice minnows too, we only fished a couple hrs and just as we got into the perch the weather turned to ****, the winds picked up and the rain started.
Jim - I'm glad to hear that you at least got out. Where did you go? I was driving today and as I got further to Buffalo the weather got worse. The info that I receiived from a reliable source about the minnows is true. It's from the inner harbor, slip area. At least you had a good minnow catch.
The marina at west marine. Is full of minnows. Also the entire section between the black rock locks and rich marine is solid full of minnows. I've never seen them that thick. In fact my fish finder freaked out and I had to turn it off cause the shallow water alarm was going off and flashing 1.6 ft across the screen. :eek:
I went this afternoon, for my first time!, to dip minnows at the foot of Ontario Street. I was able to grab a ton of minnows in a few minutes, but most were on the small side.
I imagine that the average size increases quite a bit as the spring and summer progress - Is this correct? Basically, I am wondering whether it will be easy to get larger shiners for walleye & bass (when summer arrives & the seasons open).
I got my 36x36 at niagara bait & tackle $20.00. You can find them cheaper $14-20. Grander had them too.
thx guys for the help
I picked up a new umbrella net 42x42 at dicks for 14.99
Technically a 42x42 is not legal I think 36x36 is as big as you can go.
I didn't even think about legality for an umbrella net. It was all they had. My 36 is Mia. And while my cast net is great these early minnows are to small for it and I lose half or more of what I get on the ground. Which is a waste. Except to the gulls who inch closer and closer down the railing while your trying to pick up the fish off the ground.
Where does everybody get their bait from at sturgeon point?
I go to the foot of ferry st in the river by the corner of the rail.
if I have to I stop at DAVES in Derby. Depends on which way your coming from.
I live in Elma. When I fish out of buffalo I usually hit the foot of ferry. But I just cant see dragging the boat from my house to buffalo, then all the way to sp. wasn't sure if there was a place to net minnows down that way
I saw many minnows at Sturg. pt off the docks but they seem to be more scattered out. I am sure you cuold get your bait there but it would take a few tries/net throws, to get them between the docks. Seems to be more in the sunny areas. I go to Ferry st. or Ontario st. the night before I plan to fish & get my bait. I also saw alot of minnows at the Erie basin boat launch by the corner on the lake side of the launch.
Quote:
Originally Posted by copo427ss
Hey copo, be careful cast nets are illegal according to the DEC for use in Lake Erie.
I wasn't aware of that. Gotta love nys. Lol shows how much I pay attention to bait laws. Next they're gonna start restricting the number of baitfish you can catch in your net at one timeQuote:
Originally Posted by Gutpile
This state is really something. I love throwing a cast net and I was really bummed when I found out they are not allowed.
I couldnt find anything anywhere that says that they are illegal on lk erie. can you post a link I know a few people that use them.
I have not been using live bait, i have been trolling with hot n' tots & Sachs fishing spoons.