Fishing Report #21

11/10/08

 

 

    The bite is now "on"...shallow and deep! We all know that at some point during the fall season Oneida walleyes will pattern feed. Seems like it took a little longer this year. Typically by mid-October, walleye catches repeat night after night. Not the case this season. Inconsistency throughout the October bite sent anglers searching well beyond their favorite haunts in search of "walleye nirvana". No need now to wander. The nightly primary feed in shallow begins anytime from 5:15 P.M. and continues through 9:30 P.M.  I have noticed that it isn't the typical slam bam bite with the total catch coming in fifteen minutes. It is more of a pick one every 10 mins. My charters have had their best results using the Bass Pro Shops XPS Suspend Nitro Minnow in the black/chrome, blue/chrome, and the new olive shad along with the Jr. Thunderstick, herring bone pattern. 

    During daytime I have been spending my effort in the depths jigging with again Bass Pro Shops XPS Lazer Blade 1/2 oz. gold or 1/2 oz. gold/black. Walleyes and jumbo yellow perch are schooled together in 31 to 38 feet of water. They seem to be moving anywhere from north of buoy 115 to north of buoy 109. This is a fairly large school and it is worth the time trying to keep track of it daily. At times I have searched for 1 hour before fishing. I subscribe to the adage "you can't catch what's not there".

    You all know I am an advocate of Mustad's Activate fish attractant. This is not only scent technology but also a pheromone application. I like using it for two reasons: pheromone appeal and its ability to captivate a fish's interest for just that extra fraction of a second more. The longer I can keep a fish's attention the greater the probability of getting it to strike. Consequently all my walleye presentations are enhanced with  Activate spray.

Here are a few recent walleye catches

 

 

 

Jeff Smith, Jimmy DeRito, Brad Bryan, all from Syracuse, Doug Neish, Baldwinsville, and Gary Wood, Clay, spent election day afternoon with me on Oneida lake in 31 feet of water north of buoy 113 enjoying a jigging fest. When the sun set in the west we headed southwest back to Fremac Waterfront after boating 25 yellow perch, 25 walleyes with 10 keepers, 2 white perch, and 1 sheepshead. The XPS Lazer Blade 1/2 oz. gold/black captured most of the fish. However the same size silver/perch model used by Gary Wood also performed nicely. Those of you who have supported the Lion's Club Walleye Derby over the years certainly remember Gary, the primary force behind the event. He hasn't lost his eye for measuring walleyes. He nailed the length of each one before I put it on the measuring stick.

 

 

Election evening, Don Churchill, Clay, NY retired AD Corcoran HS, and x-professional MLB pitcher with the St. Louis Cards led his guests Dave Pickard and John Chilinski, perennial Syracuse High Noon Chess League champ to this whopping catch of "eyes" just west of the marina along the shore in 5 to 8 feet. The lure of choice that evening was the XPS Suspend Nitro Minnow in the Olive Shad finish.

 

 

Jim Wiley, Baldwinsville, NY boated this 23 inch eye, the largest of our fall season with the Jr. Thunderstick herring bone pattern visible in the foreground.