Hello again my fitch'in frenz:

    It just wouldn't be right without contacting you before the opening of walleye season. This Sat., walleye will become fair game across all waters in NYS. Notably Oneida Lake will get its share of attention. Although I have fished the opener on Oneida for the last 32 years with charters, I will instead be on Lake Ontario Saturday morning in search of trout and salmon; however I will return to Oneida Sunday morning in search of ole marble "eyes" for my charter.

    The lake temperature is already 52 degrees Fahrenheit so I suspect the majority of eyes to have vacated the tributaries. Just before and at first light I would spend my  early effort in 8 to 15 feet along shore with a 1/4 to 3/8 oz. black/purple jig dressed with a nightcrawler. If the walleyes don't respond, they simply are not there! Now move to the next increment (8 to 25 feet), increase the jig size to 1/2 oz. and proceed to indent the bottom with every stroke until you entice that first eye to strike. Keep sampling deeper if necessary.

    In past seasons, particularly after an early spawn I have caught most of my walleyes in 32 to 40 feet. The transition from 30 to 40 is always a good choice since the bottom changes from mostly "pancake" iron-manganese concretions to mud. These hard to soft ridges run east/west and are veritable fish highways. In this depth, I prefer the 3/4 oz. jig simply for its efficiency to get to the bottom more quickly than its lighter cousins. Mo Bottom Means Mo Walleyes.

    If you enjoy jig fishing and the bucktail jigs are coming up short, then it's time for the "blade baits'. The Bass Pro Shops Lazer Blade in gold holographic tape 1/2 oz. is among my favorites. The advantage with a blade bait is the sonic frequency emitted by the vibrating blade. At times it's the trigger you need to motivate inactive walleyes into striking. Don't forget to apply Mustad's Activate(pheromone technology) in spray or paste form to your jig or blade. It adds to the lure's appeal since the pheromone is from fish extract.

    Here is a picture of Jim Sollecito, local award winning certified landscape professional and world traveled angler with a very respectable Oneida lake walleye caught on a jig in 32 feet off Lakeport Shoal last June.

Last Sunday, Phil Roe, Hamilton, NY well known deer processor and smoked meats specialist, with guest Ken Kunkel, Shedds, NY caught their limit of browns while on a charter with me and Capt. Mike Conroy. We made contact with 12 fish, boated 6, kept 5 and most of the strikes came from 20, 35 and 40 feet down over 50 feet of water off Nine Mile Point. A black/silver Michigan Stinger fished behind a Legendary Products Teaser Rig generated most of the strikes.