Fishing With Face

Quote: odiousgambit

he is really something!

Something indeed. And today that something is "humbled"





The bad weather continues here on the Great Lakes, and the wind was such that Chautauqua was gonna be churned. Break out the fish maps to find somewhere else when it hit me - duh, go to Grandpa's house. So for the first time ever, we went south to wet a line in Lake Perfidy, known to most as the Kinzua reservoir.





If you clicked the link (or have heard it before), you know the deal. It's the damming of the Ohi:yo what made the lake, and being in the canyon country of the Alleganies (I suppose technically the "Alleghenies" at this particular location =p) it's a damn sight deeper than I can usually manage. That child in the above pic, assuming he goes in like a dart and not like a pancake, is perfectly safe. One boat length from that rock is 75' deep, if it can be believed, and many of my childhood tubing sessions ended with a leap (not me personally because f#$% that).

But, because it's a flooded canyon, it not only has a number of shallow flooded bays, but also plains in the valley that create vast flats. Perhaps we'd get lucky? Probably not, but only one way to find out...

This lake is odd for more reasons than it's history and topography. Some of it under stewardship of the state, as it abuts both Allegany State Park (NY) and Alleghany National Forest (PA), as well as has a portion under control of the Seneca Nation. Dunno about you, but I just worry about crossing the state line, which is easily seen via my chart, and also (at least 23 years ago) is delineated by giant white signs near shore's edge. Nation rules I just can't inconvenience myself about, partially in protest (don't recognize me then I don't recognize you) but mostly due to the policing. Seneca preference in hiring means Seneca officers, and it's not often you catch a ticket from a cousin lol. So far it's worked out wonderfully.

We came into town with the Ohi:yo about as dark and muddy as I've seen a waterway. Not good, but perhaps downstream and in the deep would be better. Got to the park's edge at the ramp, and nope. It was a murky, muddy mess, even in the secluded bays. But it was a nice day with storms on their way, might as well have a good day out of doors, right?

So, we did what we always do - went somewhere we could've easily went by foot, only spent $30k to do it LOL. Instead of hitting the lake, we went up the bay where it terminates at the Quaker Lake spillway and decided to give it a shot.

The spillway carved a good channel at least 6' deep and 3 boat lengths wide, but spilled out into a flooded flat. We tried the current in the spill while camping kids tossed worms from the overlook, them kicking up something quite large right at the base of the concrete. Good sign. I decided to toss into the flooded flat and hooked up on first toss with something little. A rock bar piled up from the spillway prevented my entrance, but I was able to electronically motor to put the stern pretty much right on it. Seeing this the kid jumped off and went into the flat on foot lol. He got stymied quick as the rock bar gave way to a mud drop, but I found a drop in the bar just a bit downstream and managed to wiggle my new ride into the flat. He hopped back in and we spent most the day there, flippin shallow cranks under trees and along the shoreline. Not much action given there was only 6"-8" of visibility, but we pulled 3 or 4 little dinks out of there before timing out...



Out the bay and into the channel and I felt I made a good decision. Storms were popping off everywhere, but the lake's river shape and being ensconced in the Allegany foothills meant it was glass as far as the eye could see. It's a bit confusing riding one of these lakes when the water level can change tens of feet. The channel is quite inconvenient to follow, but there's not really any telling what's under the unmarked water. Thinking back 23 years ago to my tubing days, I took a chance and ripped it. Still here to tell the story, but after a 'too fast for the sonar' rip at 75' ended at 3' when I finally slowed... we're just not going to do that anymore lol.



I decided that if fishing was gonna be junk, we should at least check out some other bays. If you can't have fun, get information. Start learning the water, maybe open up another hot spot. We made it a few bends when the flooded plains caught the boy's attention, and I have to admit, mine as well. Tons of small, scraggly islands dotted the plains, absolutely stunner places to overnight. Save the water color and presence of leafy trees (and lack of perpetually crowing cocks and braying goats), it looked identical to BVI. Well... might as well, right?

We tossed at the first island without much luck, the boy catching an attitude I was beginning to tire of. So I decided to island hop and do what I want. Pointed the motor and turned her up while he was whining about something or another, and just before we get there my pole lights up in my hand, knocking my drink out and spraying it everywhere. Just a little bass (couldn't tell which as I lost it at the boat) but it was encouraging. I just had the line in the water cuz I didn't want to set my drink down to retrieve it, and I caught one. Maybe we're onto something here?

Everyone was into it now, whining forgotten. He and I pitching into the trees on an island edge, Snacks working the weed edge behind the boat. She kept getting hit but failed to hook up, while I just kept throwing into the trees, confident I was gonna "pull out a pike, just you watch". For kinda the first time that day we all finally clicked; the boy stopped whining, the dog stopped whining, everyone just sort of fell into their zone. So much so that it took a mighty, lure stealing gust to punch through the mental haze; holy s#$% that storm snuck up on us fast. No clouds, just that giant, formless sheet of purple sky was beginning to peek over the top of the hill right next to us. I yelled an all hands on,... and holy s#$%. It's starting to come together. I had about enough time to stash the smokes and electronics in a dry place, secure my hat, and when I looked around every single other thing had been stowed or battened and ready to rip. So pleased was I with the efficiency I decided we still had time, so let's bang one down before it gets here (lol)



And that's when it happened. "One last cast" had the kid exclaim "I GOT ONE!" as I see him reared back with pole bent. Used to this by now, I just watch; good as he is, every single bit of resistance is still always "a fish" to him, so seeing the pole bent means nothing. We're casting into trees, after all. And sure enough, it's just bent. I can see his excitement growing, but that is definitely the boat being blown away that's causing it to bend more. And then, I see it; tonk-tonk. That pole kicks down twice. Holy s#$%, it IS a fish! I snap my attention to the terminal end,... and folks, I'm not gonna tell you what it was. I can't, cuz I don't know. I can't even tell you what it looked like, as it all happened so fast. But I can tell you what I SAW, and what I saw was a fish of a pale-ish color break the surface, and said fish was bent so much only the side was visible. No head, no tail. And it did not jump so much as "roll". And as soon as it did, PANG! Boy's rod snapped back to attention.

What fish do YOU know that's pale, long enough to fold on itself, rolls when caught, and pangs monofilament instantly?

With my opinion of there being NO SHOT that he hooked a walleye in some 8" of water, I think the little s#$%box tagged a musky. If not that then a northern. I had JUST, all last week and this, been on him about checking his line for damage since we've been catching walleye and jigging in mussel beds. I had JUST, quite literally right before he started casting at the island, cut several feet off his spool at his request, because he checked and it was all knicked up. He wasn't in the scrub when hooked up, and we weren't catching 7lb smallies...

He was positively devastated. I haven't seen him cry in years; he actually cried about it. Me? God, I'm so happy right now, and by the time we got home, he was, too. We just might just have a new stomping ground.

PS - beat the storm, just. Soon as that line snapped we ran from the front like that YT vid of the volcanologist running from the pyroclast. It caught us just after I turned perpendicular to head up the bay and hit us with winds so hard it took the wall of water off the hull and turned it right into the boat with so much force I though the goddamn thing tipped over and we were going down lol. But we DID beat it. Where's my scoresheet...

Face, my first instinct was Walleye when you said pale. A Northern tends to be more silver and I would not expect a Northern to roll over, it would more than likely just keep diving.

While not familiar with northerns in person, I do agree with part of that. I find northerns (in my very limited rl experience) to be much more white than anything. Some may have red tinged fins, or a paler/browner green, or less/more defined stripes, but I've never seen one with a belly that looked anything but white, and I can't think of a single one, even in stained water, that I would call "pale".

The color I (think I) saw was pale. It reminds me of the pale silver of a walleye or musky. A gar, in my experience, is white like a northern. A paddlefish wouldn't be that shallow. And a crappie or white bass wouldn't have broken him off. Wally/musk are all that fits with what I saw and what happened.

And given the likelihood of catching, walleye certainly leads that category. But... dude it was eight INCHES of water, maybe 18 where he actually hooked it. It's a 100'+ deep lake with a 70' channel about 200yds from where I was. Why would it be there, in the trees?

Catfish or Carp?

Didna think of cats, and there's for sure channels in there. Scare the hell out of dam maintenance lol. I suppose it could be. Carp round here though are all some sort of orange, save the gold/white patched specimens folks loosed from their fish tanks =p

Suppose I'll just have to go catch it, now.

Quote: Face

Didna think of cats, and there's for sure channels in there. Scare the hell out of dam maintenance lol. I suppose it could be. Carp round here though are all some sort of orange, save the gold/white patched specimens folks loosed from their fish tanks =p

Suppose I'll just have to go catch it, now.

Pink belly from breeding up in the shallows? I didn't ask if you could see them big carp scales, so I decided smooth and went with breeding fat cat?

Perfect place for either. I'd rather release carp than not get a bite. lol

Funny how one fish can instantly change the mood of the whole boat.

It was good to see, you already thinking about boat camping. It's pretty special.

Nah, way too late for breeding 'round here. I'll just go get it. 5knt wind tomorrow, time to raid the change jar.

While on the subject of camping...

You know the technique for double anchoring? I assume it's more than tossing one off either end, and it'd be pretty dumb to wake up to 55* and fog and have to swim because the wind changed lol. Just totally ignorant on procedure.

And anyone ever put lights on their boat? I'm sure wiring is standard, but I've no idea the power side. LED's are generally power conservative; I assume the o/b charging system can keep up? Been coming in kinda late and the moon ain't always out...

Quote: Face

Nah, way too late for breeding 'round here.

Well maybe he was just sport ****in?

Quote:

I'll just go get it. 5knt wind tomorrow, time to raid the change jar.

While on the subject of camping...

You know the technique for double anchoring? I assume it's more than tossing one off either end, and it'd be pretty dumb to wake up to 55* and fog and have to swim because the wind changed lol. Just totally ignorant on procedure.

Anchoring is a science in itself. Make it as easy on yourself as you can. Looks like there are plenty of trees around there to tie to? No tide or currant to worry about, nobody else running out there at night, is there? Have a campfire and sleep well. Captains don't sleep the whole night anyway. Catfish just love them some campfire light. : )

Quote:

And anyone ever put lights on their boat? I'm sure wiring is standard, but I've no idea the power side. LED's are generally power conservative; I assume the o/b charging system can keep up? Been coming in kinda late and the moon ain't always out...

Boats don't have headlights, they have navigation markers.

Why are the buoys in Magenta on NOAA charts?

Quote: petroglyph

Looks like there are plenty of trees around there to tie to?

Jesus, some days I need a handler. Yes, I suppose that totally viable and wholly obvious option would work lol. Sometimes I wonder...

Quote: petro

Boats don't have headlights, they have navigation markers.

Yours does, maybe lol. Mine's blocked by the troller.

I can navigate just fine, never had a question no matter the water. I just hate not being able to see where I'm going. Being primarily a bass fisher means being in the s#$% pretty much always. Would very much like to see the rock piles and blow downs I know I creeped past just last hour, ya know?

Quote: petro

Why are the buoys in Magenta on NOAA charts?

Wtf is "magenta"? ;)

I can't see colors, just shades. Whites are easy, but the rest may as well be randomized. Two together mark a channel, one by itself is either info or a hazard. That's about as good as I can do, and I ain't hit nothing yet =)