Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna

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llp30
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2014/12/19 14:26:51 (permalink)

Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna

Hey Tuna,
any ice up there????  are you "on the water" yet?  :
 
#1

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    hot tuna
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2014/12/19 18:12:20 (permalink)
    Technically I personally have not in the local area ( 35 miles south of albany ) but that will change on Sunday when I head north of Albany . Nothing is safe around me ( looked at a few ) and that was even at a higher elevation, not the Catskills .
    Folks heading and North of Albany have been able to find some good ice in sparse but enough places that are getting fished regular. I have no doubt my go to early ice spot up in the adk's has been solid for a month , just no time for me.

    Hope to share pics and better info after this weekend

    "whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
    #2
    llp30
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2014/12/19 19:46:45 (permalink)
    thanks! we are heading to Adk's tomorrow. I'll let you know what we find. BTW I caught Donna the Buffalo and Hot Tuna a couple weeks ago in Ithaca. Great show!
    Tight Lines
    #3
    hot tuna
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2014/12/22 08:16:59 (permalink)
    How did you make out llp30 ?
    We did well with many hammer handle pike and bunch of dink perch. Ice was great, about 8" on the lake we were on . There was a perm shanty out there already and machines have been on the ice.
    Stopped at another larger lake on way home and about the same conditions.
    It's on now and my wife won't be seeing me around the house until spring, all be it for a short time until the stripers show up :)

    Also caught the buffalo with Tuna at the egg.. It was an " OK " show but strange on by Tuna standards .
    Good luck on the hard water this season
    Peace & Tuna

    "whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
    #4
    pafisher
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2014/12/22 14:17:33 (permalink)
    Hey Tuna,did Santa bring you that flat screen TV and heater? If so Maybe I can get enthused.....did I mention that I HATE winter!
    Seriously,good to learn that the weather is stroking your passion...go get "em TUNA!
    #5
    hot tuna
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2014/12/22 20:32:14 (permalink)
    Thanks Jack, Yup I got serious wood now :)
    No flat screen yet but a new shanty addition and plenty of HEAT ..
    Hope I don't bore you folks to tears with all the hardwater pic's to come.. Should be as much as one can handle until I get tossed..
     
    Had to give this pup the huge hero shot pose,, oooo it looks so big:)

     
    Home at last  !!!

     

    "whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
    #6
    Clint S
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2014/12/22 21:31:16 (permalink)
    Looks good to me, playing the waiting game here.....

    The gods do not deduct from man's allotted span the hours spent in fishing.  ~Babylonian Proverb

    #7
    hot tuna
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2014/12/27 20:37:00 (permalink)
    Well I guess I'm not worthy ..
    Figured with the near 50 deg weather the last few days that all local points would be wide open.. loaded up the Kayak, jig rods, vex and headed to my favorite perch grounds..
    Gosh, there was ICE !!

    Out there right where I wanted to be..
    So I paddled away and tried on the inside of ice, nadda..
    I broke through with the yak as far as I could to an open pocket and settled in, amongst the ICE..

     
    Fishing was super slow and only had a couple chasers..
    Went back to the open water and jigged up 2 jumbos, no pics.. THEN the sun started dropping and so did the temp.. I hung out as long as I could.. fingers got cold real fast and high tailed it to shore.. once I hit the beach I knew I was in trouble..
    Shivering uncontrollably.. Loaded gear as fast as I could, cranked heat on High the whole way home (20 mins) and shivering ..
    I had Hypothermia , big time !!!
    Totally unprepared for sittin "in" the ice..
     
    Be careful out there and Have a Great Safe 2015 Ice Season !!

    "whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
    #8
    Fisherlady2
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2014/12/27 23:43:28 (permalink)
    hot tuna
    Well I guess I'm not worthy ..
    Figured with the near 50 deg weather the last few days that all local points would be wide open.. loaded up the Kayak, jig rods, vex and headed to my favorite perch grounds..
    Gosh, there was ICE !!
     
    THEN the sun started dropping and so did the temp.. I hung out as long as I could.. fingers got cold real fast and high tailed it to shore.. once I hit the beach I knew I was in trouble..
    Shivering uncontrollably.. Loaded gear as fast as I could, cranked heat on High the whole way home (20 mins) and shivering ..
    I had Hypothermia , big time !!!
    Totally unprepared for sittin "in" the ice..
     
    Be careful out there and Have a Great Safe 2015 Ice Season !!




     
    I'm glad you made it home with nothing worse than the chill... it would have to be difficult to get the right combo of warm layers which still allow adequate movement for kayaking and avoid overheating.  I do a brief cold water safety speech for kids when they do tours at the ambulance station.  It is incredible how fast the hypothermia can begin having drastic affects on your motor abilities!
    I give you credit for getting out there and giving it a good go even in December.  I have to admit I am a warm weather fisherman at heart, although I will go once or twice during hard water.
    I do look forward to your posts through the winter!
    #9
    Clint S
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2014/12/28 13:01:16 (permalink)
    Everything around here has broken up once again. I got a little buddy heater so I am set for staying warm in my shanty. last year I used a Colman lantern for heat. It worked but was not the best.

    The gods do not deduct from man's allotted span the hours spent in fishing.  ~Babylonian Proverb

    #10
    hot tuna
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2014/12/28 13:57:57 (permalink)
    Well Jack my friend, Santa did bring me a 50" flat screen TV so I guess you'll be joining me this year . Lol

    "whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
    #11
    pafisher
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2014/12/28 14:48:40 (permalink)
    hot tuna
    Well Jack my friend, Santa did bring me a 50" flat screen TV so I guess you'll be joining me this year . Lol



    When are you setting that flat screen up Rich,and don't forget the HEAT!
    #12
    fichy
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2014/12/28 17:41:11 (permalink)
    Pretty cool, RJ. I've broke through thin ice with the bow of my yak , and gone through slush chasing ice- out pike and trout. I thought about it lately, too. You do really need some layers on. Hypothermia is no joke, glad you got off easy. I would have had fun going, despite the cold.  I always joked if you were going to freeze to death, get  down on your elbows and knees and put your hands together in front of you. That way, rescue people can just put a rope around your neck and sled you out. It was funny until I saw a frozen body in that position on Mt. Washington.
    I've fished the SR for the past 6 New Years's mornings. I'm breaking that streak this year and going back to a much  longer tradition of backpacking up a mountain somewhere. We're going up a steep trail to a shelter in front of a waterfall for this year. Finished shingling my current  project yesterday, and poured a bunch of sonna tubes. The weather was VERY cooperative. I'm glad I've got this one closed in, I lose sleep at night worrying about swelling in the framing and the damage it does when it dries out. Cracked floor tiles and popped sheetrock screws are often the result. This one was long sheathed  though, so my hygrometer readings are good. Ice is mostly gone here, but this week will change that quick. Wish all a good New Year.
    #13
    dimebrite2
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2014/12/29 07:14:48 (permalink)
    Hard to believe I was on oneida on Jan. 3rd last year with well over 10 inches of ice..it is wide open with absolutely no ice on it
    #14
    pafisher
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2014/12/30 16:35:05 (permalink)
    I got out a couple times in the last week out west,the fishing was nice but the catching is SLOW.Managed a couple hook ups and a few landed but nothing to get excited about,might give it one last try on Friday before I head for the barn.won't try again until the THAW!!
    #15
    dimebrite2
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2014/12/30 17:40:00 (permalink)
    Nice jack... I did follow your reports. Catch rates seem to be down everywhere. As well as crowds. I think the internet era had its heyday and most folks are keeping their lips zipped. Folks on Facebook are even keeping their reports minimal. But its great to know that friends are still getting out and enjoying the outdoors. I think social media in general needs to cool down. Too much bs propoganda and inflated opinions getting thrown around in the world... Sorry for the hijack rj!!! Lol
    #16
    Lucky13
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2014/12/30 21:07:58 (permalink)
    There has been no catching to report, either seen or participated in in the few hours I could scrape out with the Holidays. 
     
    Happy New Years, and dress warm, we're in for an arctic blast, and HT is in  for some good ice!
    #17
    dimebrite2
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2014/12/31 00:00:42 (permalink)
    Could be 45 days of mostly below freezing at this point... Lake effect moved in and the radar shows it lingering on salmon country for a pretty long haul
    #18
    hot tuna
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2014/12/31 21:51:37 (permalink)
    Well I hope to have a better 2015 then the last day of 14.
    Arctic blast bit me in the azz with a cracked boiler this eve. Ugh.. At least the woodstoves are still burning.
    Screw it I say, I'm walking on water in am .
    Hope your'r all days of the New Year are happy .
    Peace and Tuna

    "whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
    #19
    BeenThereDoneThat.
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2014/12/31 23:49:11 (permalink)
    Must be something to "out with the old; in with the new"  Tuna; I just had a new heat pump installed today, my other one took a dive two weeks ago and we been on the electric heat side of the  system til today.
     
    Ohhhhh my aching electric bill.
     
     
    11 minutes and counting; I gotta get ready to light some fuses and welcome in 2015!
     
     
    HAPPY NEW YEAR................... Everyone!
     
     

    Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you will feed him for a life time. ~Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie (1837–1919)~
     
     
     
      Old fisherman never die; we just smell that way. 
     
    #20
    dimebrite2
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2015/01/01 09:18:30 (permalink)
    Happy new year and have a blast tuna!!! Steam or hot water boiler bud?
    #21
    llp30
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2015/01/14 12:31:04 (permalink)
    Hey Tuna
    that first day we ended up north of Speculator on some small lake with 7-8 good inches of ice. Caught several smallies, largemouth, perch and only 1 northern. 1 largemouth was rather large! guessing 7lbs. Been out a few times since with mixed results. It looks like we will have good ice everywhere after this weekend! Tight Lines!
    #22
    llp30
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2015/01/14 12:38:46 (permalink)
    [image]C:\Users\Larry\Pictures\Bass.jpg[/image]Attachments are not available: Download requirements not met

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    #23
    dimebrite2
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2015/01/14 14:56:02 (permalink)
    Nice bass bud!
    #24
    hot tuna
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2015/01/14 17:34:51 (permalink)
    Pretty sweet hog :) I got a hog of a lifetime through the ice and they do pull back well .. The shirt is cool too ..
    Glad you had success and now the ice is golden everywhere around here. The big lake George should be all good to go next week.
    My season has been the worst ever.. Been putting in a lot if time with little results. Not even the perch are liking me:(
    Gotta keep trying though because ya never know when that monster fish will be there since now its anybody's game on the hardwater :)
    Going perchin' sat and chase some wabbits Sunday then it's all jiggin for trouts after that. Maybe jack will venture out.. Lol

    For the first time since napster was born I am without an actual PC ( computer ) so I haven't figured a way to upload any pics .. Soon , I hope..
    Keep us up todate on things and thanks for sharing the pic of a Phatty bass
    Peace & Tuna

    "whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
    #25
    llp30
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2015/01/23 08:33:40 (permalink)
    OK Tuna,
    being mostly a walleye guy thru the hard water, we are thinking of hitting fingerlakes region for lakers. we catch them from the boat pretty regularly but never targeted in winter before. Would you say they would be in the same areas as early summer? I know you mainly jig them but not sure what you use specifically or if tip ups would also work? Any Laker tips would be greatly appreciated !! 
    #26
    Lucky13
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2015/01/23 09:28:58 (permalink)
    If you are traveling any distance, be aware that the laker water on some of the finger lakes never freezes (Seneca, Cayuga) , and on many others only freezes in some winters (Kueka Canandaigua, even Hemlock, which is still reported to be iffy except very close to south end and near shore despite the low temps we've had the last few weeks).  I don't know about the eastern Lakes, but the Lakes I mentioned are all big deep energy storage units, and can take a lot longer to freeze than HT's stomping grounds.  Most of my time has been on Canadice, the smallest of the trout lakes, and I have not had a lot of luck, but the guys who do connect are mainly jigging in deep water, but report that the fish can come from anywhere in the water column.  I've had flags fishing dead smelt right on the bottom in the deep parts of the lake, we've also caught some browns in shallower water(20-40fow) 3-6 feet under the ice.  The shallow tip up sets make sense to me also because the guys who jig smelt are often not in deep water, but there are also a lot of pickerel in the lake and they will be keeping you running, and eating good if you like to make patties, these are some of the biggest pickerel in the state with 20" + fish relatively common (also on Hemlock), but if you are after trout and have limited bait, they can be a nuisance.  As to lures, I've always fished pimples, but I will defer to anything that Tuna tells you as Lake Trout are Lake Trout!    
    There are threads for all these lakes on IceShanty, and the guys who report on that site seem to be extremely honest about conditions, so I would watch the posts when you want to come up.
    post edited by Lucky13 - 2015/01/23 09:31:13
    #27
    hot tuna
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2015/01/23 10:05:16 (permalink)
    L-13 gave good info. I really know nothing about the finger lakes. For the big lakes we fish for them , Otsego , schroon and lake George , we start in areas they frequent in the fall. They usually spawn in November . Generally a bit shallower (45-65) fow near an outlet area. That said , its only a starting point and lakers can be anywhere now as the smelt are moving around and then congregate near inlets closer to spring ( march- April )
    I have always been a tip up guy until I got electronics .
    For tip ups I would put a 1/2 & 1/2 mix out.
    Small- med suckers right on or near bottom. Don't be afraid to step on one or 2 and smush its guts out then drop it down.
    The other 1/2 I would set emeralds out 25 ' down. We can't use smelt on LG but if you catch some and can use them by all means do..
    As for jigging. Heavy jigs 3/8 to 1 oz. I like buck tails, Swedish pimples , buckshots and the such, even have good luck with 3 & 4" gulp smelt on a jig head.
    I generally always tip my spoons and jigs with a fathead or a 2" gulp smelt.
    Start by pounding the bottom, stir it up to draw attention.
    If using electronics and you mark fish the get them to chase the lure by reeling it up fast away from them.
    I have had fish follow from 100' all the way to see them hit just before the hole. Also had them follow and watch through the hole as 4 swam around the lure and just bump it with their nose then swim back down. Exhilarating indeed !!
    Good luck and from what L-13 said about the finger lakes , be safe !!

    Db ,get your boots ready. My buddy told me to bring a clicker ( counter )

    "whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
    #28
    troutbum21
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2015/01/23 12:26:28 (permalink)
    I'm not an ice fishermen but I did read a good article about Otsego Lake last winter.  It seems that the sharpies who ply those waters like to work the shallow waters 12' to 15' deep for lakers.  Suckers were the popular bait. 
    #29
    hot tuna
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    Re: Early Season Info Needed Mr. Tuna 2015/01/23 13:47:20 (permalink)
    Yea TB, that lake has been under hard times and the lakers have taken up feeding on perch in the shallows.
    We used to fish 140 fow water there now those areas are barren .

    "whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
    #30
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