2008 Derby/Tournament Dates ~ Greater Niagara GO HERE

2008 Tournament Events Results & Pictures by Bill Hilts Jr.

Gasport Woman Wins Summer Derby
with 31 pound 14 ounce King Salmon

Carrie Choate of Gasport,  a 10th Grade math teacher at Wilson High School in Niagara County, pictured with Husband Todd and Son Tyler won the $7,500 Grand Prize check in the Second Annual Summer Lake Ontario Counties (LOC) Trout and Salmon Derby with a 31 pound, 14 ounce king salmon. Choate was fishing with her husband, Todd, and their four children off the red barn between Wilson and Olcott, a favorite fish hangout. They were trolling a chartreuse Bechold Flasher and a Familiarbite Alewife with a chartreuse baithead behind a wire dipsy diver 220 feet back on a No. 1 setting over 200 feet of water. They estimated the bait to be down about 65 feet down when the trophy hit.
 
“I fought the fish a good 45 minutes before we finally got it into our boat,” said Choate before a packed house at Abe’s Waterfront in Sodus Point. When they netted the fish and pulled it into “Lit L Bit Cra Z,” a 28 foot Baha that they run out of McDonough Marina in Olcott, the first words out of her mouth were: “Holy Crap! That’s a big one!” No question, when asked at the awards ceremony, she said that it was the biggest king of her life. It came at a great time for her, but not a good time for Tom Allen of Oswego.

Allen led the derby for the better part of three weeks with a 29 pound, nine ounce king that hit a green E-Chip flasher and a No. 23 Green Crinkle A-tom-Mik fly. He was fishing with Capt. Tom Germain of Oswego out of their home port, trolling their preferred bait 125 feet down over 270 feet of water. Allen, who owns A-Tom-Mik Flies, fought the fish 25 minutes before he landed the lunker.
 
Top youth was a 28 pound, eight ounce king salmon reeled in by 12 year old Ryan Bobzin of Rochester. He was fishing with captains Bob Holden and his son, Bill, while fishing out of Sandy Creek aboard “Fishing Fanatic.” They caught the fish just west of Braddock’s Bay 70 feet down over 134 feet of water with a Mountain Dew Stinger spoon. The fish ended up in third place overall.

First place brown trout was a 15 pound, 10 ounce fish reeled in by Mike Engle of Hamlin. He was fishing with Joe Bianchi of Gates and they were trying their luck out of Sandy Creek on July 13th. At 8:30 a.m., they were trolling a Silver Streak spoon 45 feet down over 50 feet of water when the brownie hit. The spoon color was a gold spook pattern. Engle’s “Coyote Ugly” boat also produced a 12th place brown trout the same day when Bianchi hauled in a 13 pound, six ounce brown.
 
In the lake trout division, it was the Battle at the Bar between the Barber boat, the Klejdys clan and the Turton twosome – the Niagara Bar, that is. By the time the smoke had cleared, it was Richard Barber of Niagara Falls standing at the top of the hill with 21 pound, seven ounce laker he hauled in from the Bar while trolling Hammerhead cowbells and a chartreuse Spin-N-Glo. “I was fishing with my brother, Pat, and we had just trolled past our spot,” said Barber, a machinist. We were turning around when one rod went off and there was nothing there. The next rod went off and this winner was on the line, boating it at 7:30 a.m.”

Their 17-1/2 foot Crestliner, known affectionately as “The Killer B’s” on the Bar, also produced a third place fish with Diane Barber and a seventh place fish with Patrick. Ed Klejdys of North Tonawanda came up just an ounce short of beating the Barbers, hauling in a 21 pound, six ounce fish from the same area. His son, Steve, ended up in fourth. Roger Turton of Sanborn finished in fifth with a 19 pounder and his son, Robert, ended up in eighth place. That makes seven of the top eight lake trout from the same general area from three different families. The battle continues during the Fall Derby, set for August 15-September 1.

The first place steelhead was caught by mark Chybinski of Altmar with a 15 pound, 15 ounce fish manhandled off Oswego. He was fishing with Tom Wojslaw of Central Square and Fred Schneider of Central Square in over 600 feet of water with their Fish Hawk team. They were trolling 400 feet of copper wire with a Spin Doctor and an A-Tom-Mik Mirage Glow Fly when the steelie hit and it almost spooled them out.

Top youth in the Steelhead Division was Cody Osborne of Albion, weighing in a 12 pound, 12 ounce trout while fishing out of Point Breeze. He was using a Northern King spoon and finished in 11th place.
Empire State-Lake Ontario Promotions will be bringing you “The Return of the King” – the Fall Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby – August 15 to September 1. Grand Prize is a whopping $20,000. For more information, log on to www.loc.org or call (888) REEL-2-IN.

Junior Big Game Hunting License Bill Needs Support –

Probably the most important piece of legislation as it relates to the future of hunting in the Empire State is now on Gov. David Paterson’s desk. Assembly bill A-11033 and S-8228 – the Junior Hunting/Trapper Mentor Bill – would establish a junior big game hunting license, allowing 14 and 15 year olds to hunt big game with a shotgun. They must be under the supervision of a parent, guardian or youth mentor who is at least 21 years of age with at least three years of hunting experience.
 
“I don’t need to tell you the importance a junior big game license will have in promoting the sport of hunting, conservation and hunter safety to a new generation of sportsmen,” said Assemblywoman Francine DelMonte, one of the sponsors of the bill in the Assembly. Thanks to her hard work, 65 of her colleagues in the Assembly supported this legislation, something that’s been talked about for decades. Previously, this would always stall in committee in the Assembly and timing has never been better for this bill to pass the final hurdle – the governor’s signature.
At the time of this writing, the bill still hadn’t been signed so make the extra effort to fax a letter off to Albany as soon as possible. Faxes should be sent to 518-486-9652 and 518-486-9693. We need your support NOW. We’ve said it before many times in this column, New York is the most restrictive state in the country when it comes to minimum age requirements for big game hunters. This bill would bring us a little more in line with some other states and give junior hunters an opportunity to hunt big game here.
 
Many thanks go out to Assemblywoman DelMonte for all her hard work in the Assembly and to Senator George Maziarz for all his efforts in the Senate for the same cause. From a sportsman’s issue standpoint, there isn’t a better one-two punch in
Albany from any area in the state. Now get writing and faxing!

Candy is Sweet for Pro Titles; 5 More Minutes, Dodger Win Am Titles -

Picture is of the winning pro team is Gary Begy, Andy Sykut, Guy Witkiewitz, Roy Letcher and Andy Kupferschmid (left to right). The guy on the far right was an observer for the tournament, but not really a team member.

The “Candy” Fishing Team out of Rochester made the right move by targeting numbers of fish and chased brown trout just west of Sodus Bay to take the fishing trifecta and win the Professional Division of the AES Somerset/Maui Jim Lake Ontario Pro-Am Salmon Team Tournament out of Sodus Bay (Wayne County), the East Challenge Cup (combining Oswego and Wayne tournaments) and the overall Lake Ontario Challenge Cup (Niagara, Orleans, Oswego and Wayne counties) last Sunday. The team was led by Capt. Andy Sykut of Webster, owner of Andy’s Candies. Brown, like chocolate, was the lucky color all the way around for the team.

In the Amateur Division, it was the Five More Minutes/Sigg’s Riggs team that won the Sodus Bay tournament July 19-20, also giving them enough points to take the East Challenge Cup (between Wayne and Oswego tournaments). However, it was the Dodger team, led by Jim Skolny and his son, Dave, of Manchester that took the overall Lake Ontario Challenge Cup title for their first time ever.

The “Candy” team, in addition to Sykut, was made up of Gary Begy of Rochester; Guy Witkiewitz of Ontario; Andy Kupferschmid of Kendall; and Roy Letcher of Olcott. They headed four to six miles west of Sodus Bay and never broke 70 feet in two days of fishing, concentrating with spoons in the 60 to 70 foot range. A mix of Dreamweaver, Northern King and Michigan Stinger spoons – including superslim wonder bread and chicken wing patterns – did the trick. They ran their baits between 40 feet down and the bottom. They were one of five pro teams that limited out on the first day; catching nine the second day to take the title with a score of 351.23 points. Scoring is based on 10 points per fish and a point per pound. No pro limits were caught the second day.

Identical fish totals were also recorded by Randy Calas’ Sure Strike Team out of Webster and their total wasn’t far off the mark, recording 344.74 points over the two days. They finished in second place among 37 professional teams. Third place went to Fishin’ Magician with 287.15 points. Fourth was Rebel Charters led by Jerry Felluca of Hilton with 275.41 points. Team Savant Spoon/Fishing Fantasy was fifth with 249.26 points. To see the total rankings, check out www.lakeontarioproam.net

Consistency paid off for the 5 More Minutes team as they were the only amateur squad among 27 teams to score six fish limits both days of the Sodus event. Their two day total was 198.94 points, besting the Lucky Enuff team with 166.93 points. The Lucky Enuff squad ran out of luck after the first day when they led all comers with a score of 126.72 points. Third place went to Oh Baby with 164.98 points. Fourth place went to Thompson Contender with 162.72 points; Cold Water Affair was fifth with 150.54 points.

Niagara Outdoors 
for Tuesday  July 15  2008 
by Bill Hilts Jr.                    
Be sure to vote in our NEWEST  Mini-Poll HERE   NEW QUESTION!  

Red Line, Team Sparks Win Oswego Pro-Am; Boating With Joe

             A total of 62 teams were on hand to see two new fishing squads emerge as victors in the Maui Jim/AES Somerset Lake Ontario Pro-Am Salmon Team Tournament out of Oswego , their 14^th annual event held July 12-13. Day one saw near perfect conditions on the lake; day two saw the skies open up with heavy rains, but the winds staying from the south and not become a factor. The big problem was getting fish to hit as many teams struggled to catch numbers of fish the second day. At the end of the two days of action, it was the Red Line team led by Patrick Thayer of Milton , Vermont winning the Professional Division with a score of 381.25 points (based on 10 points per fish and a point per pound). In the Amateur Division is was Team Sparks, led by Larry Williams of Wharton , New Jersey with a two-day total of 223.01 points.

            The first day saw High Voltage (Mark DeSantis of Rochester ) take the early lead with a 12 fish limit and a score of 247.45 points. They were one of five pro teams that scored limits the first day. One of those five teams was Red Line, who opted to fish salmon out deep until mid-morning. If they weren’t turning any fish, their strategy was to move into shallower water and target brown trout. Thayer charters out of the Little Salmon and was fishing a favorite Mexico Bay brown trout spot using Michigan Stinger spoons in 75 to 82 feet of water. “Speed control is important with browns,” said Thayer, who also fished with Dan and Glen Peschler of Port Ontario and Tim Sherwood of Camden . “We tried to keep our baits moving at 1.9 miles per hour, which translated into 2.2 mph on the surface going one way, 2.7 on the surface going the other way.

            Day two there was a concern that weather was going to be an issue. Thunderstorms were in the forecast. The Red Line team opted to focus immediately on browns and their intuition paid off. Another 12 fish limit – the only pro limit on day two – was all they needed to take their first title.

            Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it. In the Amateur class, it was the Horsin’ Around team led by Louis Calabrese, Jr. of Taberg taking the early lead with a score of 107.59 points, one of two teams with limits among Amateurs. Only one team caught a limit on day two. Team Sparks was in third place, just like the Red Line team among the pros, after the first day. Five nice fish, including a 26.98 pound salmon and another 22 pounder, helped vault their team to the victory lane. But there was a catch.

            Team Sparks leader Williams had said that he’d get his head shaved if they ever get lucky enough to beat Dave Antenori’s Screamer/A-Tom-Mik team, a frequent winner in Oswego . Someone had an electric hair clipper on hand and Williams was called to the stage – with Antenori the first to trim Williams’ curly locks.

            Back to the fishing: the Team Sparks crew, which also included Scott Wagner and Lester Zimmerman, targeted big kings 15 miles east of Oswego off Port Bay . They fished 84 to 155 feet down over 180 to 250 foot depths with Spin Doctors, E-chips and A-Tom-Mik flies to take all their fish.

            For a complete rundown of the tournament, check out www.lakeontarioproam.net. The tournament series concludes next weekend when the action shifts to Wayne County and Sodus Bay for the fourth and final event for the year. We’ll have a full report for you next week.

 Boating with Joe –

             Joe Mattina of Pendleton is one of those guys that don’t go looking for trouble. Bad luck just seems to find him, no matter where he goes. A recent boat purchase led to the following tip sheet that could very well be a storyboard for a new potential cable show, “Boating with Joe.” The following tips came through as a result of our recent camping trip to Sampson State Park and Seneca Lake :

n      If you’re going to purchase a boat, don’t pick the cheapest and best-looking water vessel … or the first one that comes along. If you do, be sure that one of your friends (or more than one) is mechanically inclined to figure out anything that might be wrong with your engine, gear shift/throttle, etc.

n      If you’ve promised people in your family a ride in your “inexpensive” boat, make sure another back-up boat is available.

n      If the boat starts only sometimes and you’re not sure what the problem is, don’t take a long trip on the water to test it.

n      Make sure you have some form of communication to contact other boats or friends who may be able to assist you should your boat break down.

n      If you are forced to be towed to shore, pick a spot for easy access.

n      If a launch ramp area is unimproved and there are signs that recommend four wheel drive vehicles only – and yours is two wheel drive – pay attention to the signs. If someone else with a four wheel drive vehicle offers to assist in the towing process, take them up on it.

n      While a boat is normally used for fishing or other water-related activities, it still makes a good storage container for all your camping gear.

n      Before making any trips with the boat, make sure the lights are working properly – especially if you’re going to be driving at night.

Seriously, while Joe will probably never invite me in his boat again (unless he’s about to sink it), he really has a good heart and the best of intentions. If the cable show comes about, we’ll be sure to keep you informed.

 Bass Contests August 2-3 –

             A-1 Bait Supply and OutdoorsNiagara.com will be teaming up to run a one-day bass contest on August 2 for the Lower Niagara River, Lake Ontario and its tributaries. Entry fee is $20, plus a $5 Cash Bash. Check out details at their website at www.outdoorsniagara.com or stop in to A-1 Bait located at the base of The Silo in Lewiston .

            Independent Living of Niagara County is looking for a few good boats to donate their time for a worthy cause on August 3. The event will be held on the lower river and the barbecue and awards will be held at the 3-F Club in Lewiston . If you’re interested in lending a helping hand, call 836-0822 Ext. 108. The other way you can help is to participate, with the event from the mold of the John Daly Memorial Derby formerly held with the YMCA. If you’d like to find out more, call 284-4131 Ext. 31. It’s a great time!

Wollaston Lake Is Land of Big Pike

We moved stealthily into a back bay that took the better part of a half hour to get into because of shallow areas that harbored large boulders, appropriately named Rock Bay. As we cast our way in with plugs, spoons and spinners, we picked up four or five smaller northern pike. Still, it was nothing like what we had hoped for. Thunder rolled in the distance and we wondered whether or not our trip would get cut short. Timing is everything and we arrived just as an approaching storm skirted our position to the south. Fish on! The bay was loaded with big fish and they were extremely active with the nearby storm. We had arrived at Wollaston Lake in northern Saskatchewan, Land of Living Skies and home to monster Northern pike.

And these skies were alive. As one storm veered off to the south, another approached from the northwest and stayed just far enough north that it wasn’t going to hit us. Good thing, too, because we could see lightning off in the distance … on both sides of us. As the thunder rumbled, big pike wanted to do some rumbling of their own.

“Thunderstorms, combined with dropping barometric pressure, is one of the things that can really turn pike on,” said Jeff Harrison of Saskatoon, our guide for the day. “Of course, there’s a fine line of when you can stay to fish and how long you should hang around. It’s all about safety.”

I was fishing with Bill Hilts, Sr. and we certainly got caught up in the moment. Three different times we had double headers on, with Senior casting a rubber frog that spun on its retrieve and me tossing a Mann’s Minus One plug. Three different times we had absolute monsters attack our baits; three different times we failed to connect. Our biggest for this particular flurry was a 37-inch beauty that put up quite a tussle. All told, we probably caught – and released – 25 fish in less than two hours. This is a catch-and-release lake and barbless hooks are required. That might have had something to do with it, but not much. Once we got a fish on, we lost surprisingly few.

The bay held much bigger fish, but it was not meant to be this day. Off in the distance, another storm approached and this one wasn’t going to miss us. We needed to exit our honey hole and high tail it out of there. Just as well, the fish had shut off for the time being.

This trip started with in invitation from Tourism Saskatchewan for anyone attending the Outdoor Writers Association of America conference in Bismarck, North Dakota. Saskatchewan was surprisingly close to our meeting and a short flight into Saskatoon – which brought back some good memories of the popular Guess Who tune “Running Back to Saskatoon” – allowed us to clear customs. Another short jaunt to Points North and we were on our way to Minor Bay Lodge, our home for the next two days. A de Havilland Beaver float plane dropped us on the doorstep of the lodge in 15 minutes. Yes, it was a short trip, but it was well worth it. I’d return in a heart beat.

Upon arriving, some more thunder bangers greeted the four of us that would be staying at this location – including Doug Stamm of Wisconsin and Don Meredith of Alberta, Canada. We thought we might want to try and get a couple hours of fishing in before dinner if it stopped and we prepared for the best. In my haste for packing, I found out I forget my rain suit. Camp manager Moe Rosolowski came to my rescue with an extra suit, a relief you cannot believe.

While the weather was good for the most part, the air could be chilly at times. In fact, there was still some ice on this lake the previous week to the north. We took pictures of a snow bank on one of the islands that was still hanging around, refusing to succumb to the warmer temperatures. Everything fights up here.

The first evening of fishing with Neil McLean of Thunder Bay, Ontario, we focused around a place called Trout Narrows for some laker action, as well as one back bay near camp for pike. Bill, Sr. had the hot trout hand that night, hooking into five lake trout on a Williams Wobbler spoon. He also caught a pike. I was the pike numbers guy, hitting a half-dozen fish on a chartreuse Double Loon spinner. However, only the “smaller” fish were active, fish in the 28 to 32 inch range. We could see big pike all around us (fish that would stretch to mid-40 inch range at least), but they weren’t cooperating. We needed a fly rod and a big streamer fly or something close to that.

This area is especially noted for the ability to take big pike on a fly. To give you an idea of what the potential holds for fly casters, Stamm was fly fishing for pike and Arctic grayling on Waynes Lake and Wheeler River respectively on our final day. He had never caught a pike on a fly before. By the end of the day, he had his first one – a 43 inch tooth-filled pike. They also caught a 44 and 42 inch fish that day, fish that weighed up to 25 pounds. Two of the local favorites are the Bunny Leech fly and the Whistler Streamer fly. And, because of water clarity, this is a great place to sight fish for pike.

The setting is very picturesque, as well. When people tend to think of Saskatchewan, they think wheat fields and prairie lands. In this part of the province, it’s all lakes, trees and rocks. It seemed like no matter where we went there was a tremolo of a loon, a bald eagle soaring overhead and all surrounded by a beautiful natural setting of endless bays and back waters. And every day the guides will offer up a shore lunch to add more value to the experience. Well, not every day. We missed our shore lunch one day because the fish were hitting and the storms were approaching. We chose fish over food, believe it or not.

While the focus is certainly on trophy pike, there’s also a very respectable lake trout fishing here, too. Harrison was excited when we told him that we wanted to spend some time seeking out a big lake trout. It would allow him to do some exploring and try out some new areas for big lake trout. Because of the focus on pike, he rarely gets to fish for lake trout himself. Fishing over 50 pounds have been caught here. We could only manage fish to six pounds, but the potential is definitely there.

The lodge itself is well-equipped with all the finer aspects of life. There’s electricity and hot running water for showers. The on-staff chef was outstanding, putting together some excellent meals each night at 7 p.m. A bit late you might say? Not really when you consider the fact that the sun came up at 3:30 a.m. and set around 11 p.m. each day while we were there! It’s also a very short season. The lodge is only open from June 7 to August 15. After that, the cold northern winds start to blow and they can seriously affect the fishing. Catching can be great later in the season, but only if you can get out. It’s all too unpredictable; hence, the early closing of the camp. You also are required to fish with a guide when you go out – one or two people per guide. Boats are very comfortable 18-foot Deep-V aluminum Crestliners equipped with brand new 50 horse Yamahas, a nice ride.

To find out more about Minor Bay Lodge, check out www.minorbay.sk.ca  on the Internet or call 888-BIG PIKE (244-7453). For more information on Saskatchewan, check out www.sasktourism.com  or call 877-2escape (237-2273). If you want big pike, I don’t think there’s a better place you can go to catch big fish, time after time, day after day

Crazy Fishing Week Ends with Successful Pro-Am Tourney

        It was a week like no other week when it comes to fishing competitions and fishing fun on Lake Ontario. And, the fishing was good – scary good – as local anglers competed in the friendly Spring Salmon Spectacular Buffalo Sabres Alumni fishing outing last Thursday. Friday it was the Don Johannes and Pete DeAngelo Memorial fishing derbies keeping some 80 teams busy during the day. And the intense angling action was culminated with the 24th Annual Skip Hartman Memorial Lake Ontario Pro-Am Salmon Team Tournament out of Wilson and Olcott, presented by Maui Jim sunglasses and AES Somerset on Saturday and Sunday. 

       The Pro-Am tournament went off without a hitch as 88 teams from around the northeast, Canada, Michigan and even one from England (no, they didn’t bring their own boat with them) competed for the two day extravaganza. Cold Steel/A-Tom-Mik Fly was the team to beat in the Professional Division after day one and they held on to win the tourney with a two day total of 494.49 points based on 10 points a fish and a point a pound. Pros were allowed to keep up to 12 fish for weigh in. 

      The team was led by Capt. Tom Burke of Altmar. Also on his team was A-Tom-Mik fly owner Tom Allen, one of the sponsors for the tournament. Second place went to the A-Tom-Mik Meatheads team led by Bill Hawkins of Orangeville, Ontario with a score of 468.88 points. In the Amateur Division, it was a new team on the scene that accomplished the same rare feat that Cold Steel did – win the Division after leading the first day. Rock-N-Reel, a team from Pennsylvania led by Ralph Eades of Northeast, set the pace among the amateurs with a total score of 247.39 points. They beat out runnerup Ball Draggers led by Jeremy Botting of Lockport by less than 17 points. Amateurs were allowed to weigh in six fish each day. 

       As we mentioned, the fishing was good. It was good all week. In fact, it forced the tournament committee to change their normal weigh-in procedure and open the scales up at 10 a.m. instead of noon. And many of the teams actually arrived earlier to get in line to weigh fish at the 10 a.m. mark. Weigh master Connie Adams-Meesig of Lewiston, filling the shoes of long time weigh master Tom Danaher, had her work cut out for her but she came through in fine fashion. 

       So how good was the fishing? The total catch in 2007 was 5,795 pounds of salmon and trout. That total this past weekend was 9,392 pounds! Pretty impressive to say the least and it helped to show that the many pen projects along the lakeshore must be working. We mentioned that there was a team from England and they had a great showing by placing 16th overall, fishing with Capt. Mike Waterhouse of Waterport. Gerry and Ray Davies, frequent visitors to these states, put together a team of able-bodied anglers to compete in both the Niagara and Orleans County Pro-Ams (Orleans County’s event is June 7-8). Included in their team was Jon Watson and his seven year old son Kenny; Wayne Hunt and his 15 year old son, Connor; and Andy Priest. What an experience for the kids as they get to see some of the finest fishing competitions on the Great Lakes, competing for some great prizes. All told, there was over $70,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs in events associated with the tournament. 

       Back to the tournament to recognize some more of the winners. Third place went to Reel Pleasure led by Don Harris of Middleport with a score of 444.95; fourth was Cortland Machine/A-Tom-Mik, with James Samia of Cortland leading the way at 239.71; fifth place was Salmon Bound and Bob Buck of Sodus with 438.09; sixth place was King Fisher and Shaun Curry of Rochester with 427.88; Rich Hajecki of Rochester and his Yankee Troller team placed seventh; eighth place was Sunrise II, led by Bob Stevens of Medina with 422.86; ninth place went to Kevin Jerge of Gasport and his Primetime/A-Tom-Mik team out of Wilson with 422.83; tenth place was the Striker squad led by Eric Marcinkowski of Syracuse with 419.23 points. 

      In the Amateur Division, third place went to the Wizzard team led by Larry Goehring of Spraggs, PA with 228.33; fourth was Lit-L Bit Cra-Z and Todd Choate of Gasport with 227.95; fifth place was Trophy Teasers and the Bill Heller contingent from Hopewell, NJ with 226.77; Screamer/A-Tom-Mik led by Joe Nogick of Peckville, PA was sixth with 224.40; seventh went to Team Spoonfed and Glen Gervais of West Springfield, MA; eighth was Lucky Strike and Nick Shelden of Horseheads with 222.65; ninth was the This Is It team (named after team leader Mike Geiger of Wellsboro, PA after his wife told him that this was the last boat he would ever purchase) with 218.51; tenth place was My Turn and Pete Kelly of Akron with 218.27 points. 

      Big fish for the tournament was a 25.68 pound king reeled in by the Ol' Jammer team led by Jim Evarts of Olcott. Next up on the tournament circuit is the Orleans County event this coming weekend. We’ll have a full report for you next week. If you want to follow along, you can do so at www.lakeontarioproam.com .

Johannes/DeAngelo Tourney A Winner –

       For the last seven years, the Don Johannes Memorial Fishing Derby was a friendly competition that a handful of boats used to get in as they practiced for the Pro-Am fishing competition. Money went for prizes and a Ransomville Ambulance Fund. 

     This year, that competition was taken up to the next level by adding the Pete DeAngelo Memorial Three-fish Tournament to the mix and upping the ante to $100 per boat. And in addition to the Ransomville Fire Company ambulance pot, the Olcott Fire Company was also added to the list of benefactors. The total competition became a huge success this year, with 80 teams competing for nearly $10,000 in cash and prizes. 

      There were several ways to win: biggest fish or the best three fish for the day, plain and simple. The rules were simple, too. First place big fish went to Shaun Curry and the King Fisher team out of Rochester, with a 24.02 pound king salmon. They also placed second overall in the three fish contest, earning $2,250 in the process. Second place big fish was Dave Siegfried of Holley and his Tracker team. Third place went to Mike Engle of Hilton with his Reel Drag team. Engle’s team also placed third in the three fish contest. 

      Winner in the three fish event was Bud Marsh and his Alibi team won with a total weigh of 57.80 pounds. It could have been the team from England, 7 Brits and a Gerry, however. Capt. Mike Waterhouse, who was fishing with the Englishmen, failed to register the team into the one day event. They ended up catching three fish that weighed over 57 pounds on their hand-held scale. The memory is usually the second thing that goes – I don’t remember what the first thing is.

Fish and Wildlife Festival is Saturday –

Don’t forget that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be holding their annual Fish and Wildlife Festival on Saturday, June 7 at Hyde Park. The day kicks off with a kids fishing contest on Hyde Park Lake and you’ll want to arrive around 7:30 a.m. to register if you want to participate. There will be a ton of prizes for the kids and no one should walk away empty handed. If you have any questions on the event, give FWS a call at 691-5456.

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Shreve Wins LOC Derby in 
Spectacular Fashion with 28 Pound Salmon

See updated pictures on this website's 2008 LOC derby page HERE

        Todd Shreve of Dover, Pennsylvania, a construction estimator by trade, won the 12th Annual Spring Lake Ontario Counties (LOC) Trout and Salmon Derby in spectacular fashion by reeling in a 28 pound, 11 ounce king salmon on the final day of the contest to earn a check for $12,500 and the Grand Prize trophy. He was fishing out of Point Breeze in Orleans County with his fishing partners Mike Geiger of Wellsboro, PA and Steve Gerloff of Douglassville, PA. 

        The derby was held May 2-11. After spending some time fishing in Wilson, Geiger took his 22 foot Wellcraft (aptly named “This Is It” after his wife told him it was his final boat purchase) to a favorite spot off Johnson Creek west of Point Breeze. Terry Williams, owner of North of the Ridge Campground in Orleans County, was credited with the “secret” location. When they reached the honey hole, they placed a black and purple Pro King spoon 35 feet down over 160 feet of water. At 6:30 a.m. they experienced a hard hit off the downrigger and they immediately knew it was a good fish. They pulled in all the other rods and slowed things down. The fish put up a valiant fight as it pulled the lure to the bottom four times with Shreve battling the fish all the way. A half-hour later, he had his derby winning fish. They were at the Point Breeze weigh station, Narby’s Superette and Tackle, when the scales opened at 9 a.m. and proprietor Sharon Narburgh was wide eyed when she shouted out an enthusiastic “wow.” This was a huge spring king, big enough to make the board in last fall’s LOC competition. “It is our honor and privilege to fish a world class fishery like Lake Ontario,” said Geiger at the awards ceremony at Abe’s Waterfront in Sodus Point, Wayne County. “It truly is a great place to fish.” 

       Shreve had no plans for the prize money other than they were going to be splitting it up among the team. While Shreve and his fish partners were celebrating, there was another celebration of sorts going on in Youngstown, Niagara County. Brian Brehm of Erie, Colorado had been fishing his first LOC Derby on the Niagara Bar with derby veterans David Levan of North Collins and 78 year old Jerry Levan of Cheektowaga when a big fish hit the Forrest Gump Fishlander magnum spoon behind a dipsy diver at 5 a.m. They had been targeting lake trout, but they recognized that this was a big fish. Just how big wouldn’t be revealed until they arrived at Petroy Marina in Youngstown, an official weigh station for the derby. A half hour fight on the water saw a massive lake trout hit the net – the BIG net. The scale read 26 pound, 12 ounces – big enough to take over the lead. Little did they know that Shreve was weighing in his huge king, so their celebration was short lived. 

       First place was worth $1,000. Still, the lake trout was an impressive catch … as was the king. The prior Grand Prize leader had been Duane Knapp of Addison with a 26 pound, three ounce fish he boated out of Olcott, Niagara County. He had been fishing with Paul Pasko of Troy, PA and Del Knapp of Gillett, PA when the weather got rough on the lake. Right next to them in the Town of Newfane Marina was Capt. Chris LoPresti and his father, Mike in their 10 Meter Trojan named “Maverick.” They agreed to give it a go aboard LoPresti’s boat and began trolling northwest of the harbor off the Red Barn. The first place salmon hit a Northern King 28 Frog spoon 200 feet back on a dipsy diver set at No. 2. They, too, earned $1,000. 

        The first place brown trout was quite a story, too. Robert Briggs of Belle Mead, NJ was fishing with his friend, Len Garriques of Belvidere, NJ while trolling out of Sandy Pond, Oswego County aboard Len’s 24-foot Grady White named “Heartbeat.” On Tuesday, they snagged a lure off the bottom that they would later find out was a Renosky firetiger stickbait. They put it down in the water and immediately caught an 8-1/2 pound brown trout. The next day, fishing the same area, they put the newly-acquired bait into 11 feet of water. At 9:30 a.m., they boated a 13 pound, eight ounce fish – a brown that would hold on to be a $1,000 winner. 

       The first place steelhead was another winning fish that almost wasn’t. Larry Daggett of Guilford, Maine was fishing with Allen Cole, Jr. of Brewer, ME and Capt. Frank Peckham of Hampden, ME. Trolling out of Point Breeze aboard Peckham’s 22-foot Starcraft Islander named “Ahab,” they were working 120 feet of water with a dipsy diver on Tuesday morning when a fish hit their Northern King blue dolphin spoon 125 feet back on a No. 2 setting. They figured it was a king salmon that weighed between 16 and 17 pounds, not big enough to make the board. When they showed up at the fish cleaning station, someone there told them that it was a nice steelhead, so they took it down to Captain’s Cove to check it out. The fish weighed in at 16 pounds, nine ounces – 10 hours after they caught it. Yes, it was a steelhead! This was Daggett’s first time fishing the LOC Derby, but it wasn’t the first time for his fishing partners. Daggett is $1,000 richer and he’ll be back. 

     Not too many youth weighed in fish this year. Bobby Lorentz of Rochester did manage to place 20th in the Lake Trout Division with a 15 pound, four ounce fish he caught while fishing off Wilson. The Summer LOC Derby kicks off on May 23rd and runs through July 20th. The Fall LOC Derby is set for August 15th through Sept. 1st. For more information on the LOC derbies or to see the full leaderboard for the May 2-11 Spring event, log on to www.loc.org.

Derby Notes: Of the top 21 salmon caught in the derby, 18 of the winning catches came from off Niagara County waters. All top 20 lake trout came from Niagara County ports, as well. Four of the top nine steelhead came from Niagara, as well.

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First Steelhead Challenge A Success for CF

       The First Annual Lower Niagara Steelhead Challenge was held out of Lewiston last Thursday. A total of 17 boats were on hand to see Dave Gleason of Greensboro, NC (formerly of LaSalle) earn the Grand Champion Angler achievement for the inaugural event. He caught seven salmon and trout with Capt. Bob Cinelli to score 350 points. But this fishing contest wasn’t about who was catching the most or the biggest fish, it was about raising money for Cystic Fibrosis – an inherited disease that affects breathing and digestion. From that standpoint alone, the Challenge was a huge success, raising over $60,000 towards much needed research for CF. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the people of Western New York are some of the most giving people in the world. 

      It started with the Village of Lewiston and the Barton Hill Hotel and Spa, opening their arms and doors to this event – helping to raise the level of awareness for CF, as well as the tremendous fishery that we have on our dock steps. The event was co-sponsored by Waste Technology Services, led by Gary Hall of Niagara Falls as chairman of the event. Along with the help of his sons, Brian and Gary, and fishing guru Mike Oliver, they promoted the fishing contest through their network of business associates. Capt. Frank Campbell of Niagara Falls was pulled into the mix to help coordinate the charter captains. All 17 boats donated their time and money to make this thing happen. 

     Time and time again, these captains go out of their way to assist with these types of fundraisers – from fishing contests to donations of charter trips as prizes for raffles, drawings and auctions. Time is money for these ambassadors of the water. This time, though, the realization of what CF is all about and what the money is used for opened the eyes of many. “I’m always willing to donate my boat and time for worthy causes like this,” said Doug Stein of Grand Island. “This time, though, we had Justin Juliano of Buffalo on board my boat. Justin has CF and recently went through a lung transplant. He had the good fortune of catching a few trout and they were the biggest fish he has ever caught in his life – he was ecstatic! It made every minute of everything I’ve ever donated for charity causes worthwhile. It also makes me more appreciative for my health. It feels good to give something back.” 

      Of course there were many more people donating time and money, from the reception attendees at Barton Hill on Wednesday to the people and companies that were purchasing boats to fish the river. Every came together like a perfect plan as Kelly Kopra and company from CF ran the function like a well-oiled machine. Anglers from all over New York came to participate, as did people from Florida, Illinois and Michigan. We mentioned that Gleason was the Grand Champion. He was also a member of the Grand Champion Team, fishing alongside Gary Hall and Randy Cline of Wilson – amassing 700 points aboard Cinelli’s Hotline. Cline also caught the largest salmon, a 36-1/4 inch king caught on the Niagara Bar. 

       Largest steelhead was a 34 inch bullet reeled in by Chris Dresso while fishing the river with Capt. Gord LaPorte of Youngstown. Biggest lake trout when to Brian Hall when he hauled in a 37-1/2 inch fork tail while trolling with Capt. Jim Gordon of Appleton. As I mentioned earlier, it wasn’t about the awards as far as who caught what – other than what Juliano reeled in aboard Stein’s Blue Goose. That was an achievement. After the awards ceremony was held and the pictures were taken with the winning anglers, I watched Gleason slip over to Juliano and in the ultimate gesture of the day, present him with his Grand Champion Angler plaque. “This is for you,” said Gleason. He shook his hand and walked away.

       Challenge Notes: There is not truth to the rumor being spread that I had the first ever triple-double in Redbone Series history – 10 cans of pop, 11 bags of chips and an even dozen pieces of fruit (apples and oranges) while motoring around in the media boat …Don’t believe that bananas are bad luck on a boat? Capt. Joe Marra had been consistently catching fish while drifting Devil’s Hole when one of his fishermen snagged a banana peel – probably the most unusual catch for the Challenge. They never caught another fish for the day. Then again, Mike Oliver was on the boat so it could have something to do with that, too…Another unusual catch during the contest was a rod and reel, still intact and in working order.

More Fishing Fundraisers Set –

       The waters of WNY have been a focus for other fishing fundraisers in the coming months and the next one on the calendar is the 8th Annual Lake Erie Bass Fishing Challenge to benefit Make-A-Wish. This is a team event ($140 per team) that still has a decent prize structure while raising money for another good cause. First place is worth $4,000 and a trophy. For more information contact Don Staszczyk, Jr. 491-2131 or visit www.millenniumbassmastersofwny.com/lakeeriebasschallenge.htm  The tournament is run out of the Buffalo Small Boat Harbor. 

     The Buffalo Sabres Alumni Spring Salmon Spectacular will be run out of Olcott on May 29th. More than 30 boats are already lined up and the Town of Newfane Marina will be used as a staging area for the fishing vessels. The other activities will take place at Krull Park under the Lions Club pavilion. For more information, log on to www.sabresalumni.com  The Independent Living Projects will be holding their Third Annual charity bass tournament on August 3 for interested anglers. The fishing will take place out of Fort Niagara, using donated boats to get people on the water. The awards and lunch will take place at the 3-F Club in Lewiston following the fishing fun. This is a follow up to the John Daly Memorial Bass Tournament, previously run by the YMCA. For more information contact Bill Cain at 284-4131 Ext. 12.

Young Turkey Takers –

     The state’s Youth Turkey Hunt Weekend was April 26-27 and we have a few success stories to share: Congrats to 14 year old Shaina Sexton of Newfane. She was hunting with her father, Scott, in a favorite Erie County hangout. Scott called in a big tom first thing in the morning on the opener and she found the mark with her 20 gauge at 20 yards. The bird tipped the scales at 22 pounds, sporting a 9-1/2 inch beard and 1-1/4 inch spurs. Travis Tyrrell of North Tonawanda was also successful in taking his first bird ever while hunting with his uncle Randy, also of NT. They were working state land near their property in Allegany County. Randy called the bird in, Travis shot true and his reward was a 19 pound gobbler with nine inch beard and one big smile! We have some more success stories to share next week so stay tuned.

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What Will Border Issues Be For Great Lakes Fishermen?

        After a USA Today cover story on new Homeland Security Department regulations last Thursday (March 27), the fishing community has been buzzing with what the regulations actually say and what it means for fishermen. Curt Meddaugh of Pendleton, who sits on the Niagara County Fisheries Development Board, gave a quick call to the U.S. Coast Guard out of Buffalo and they were unaware of any new regulations that would affect fishermen that might venture over into Canadian waters while drifting the Niagara River or trolling the Great Lake of Erie and Ontario. Still, concerns were raised by some of the local charter captains. What are the rules? On the Homeland Security website, in the publication of Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Land and Sea Final Rule Questions and Answers, one in particular that addresses this very situation states:

      What about commercial or charter vessels that enter international waters but do not dock at a foreign port? Are its passengers required to present passports upon returning to the United States?

     No. As long as the vessel does not call to a foreign port, immigration law does not consider this a “departure” from the United States and therefore upon return, is not considered an entry that would require a passport. Therefore, passports or other designated documents would not be required for those, including commercial fishermen traveling on a vessel that sails from a U.S. port and returns without calling at a foreign port.

      This spells things out pretty clearly as far as what happens with charter boats. As far as recreational fishermen, at least based on the comments from the Coast Guard, it would continue to be business as usual. The USA Today article made it appear that even if you cross over the international border be it fishing, boating or sailing, you would be required to check in with the Customs people. Imagine the nightmare that would occur with the Niagara River for all boating activity? The West River around Grand Island is essentially Canadian waters. Think about the potential problems at the head of the river around the Peace Bridge? Forcing people to stay in New York waters would undoubtedly cause boating accidents and possibly much worse. The Jet Boat in the lower river would not be able to conduct business as usual, either. Crazy stuff. It doesn’t look that the DHS changes will affect fishing activity … yet.

Youth Turkey Hunt Weekend is April 26-27

      Young turkey hunters age 12 to 15 will be out and about the Empire State chasing bearded gobblers for the early Youth Turkey Hunt. If you have a family member that qualifies or know a youngster that would love to sample this type of hunting, this is a perfect opportunity to get a jump on the rest of the hunting fraternity. The regular state season opens on May 1. Junior hunters must hold a Junior Hunting License and a turkey permit. All hunters must be accompanies by an adult as required by law. The adult must also be licensed and possess a turkey permit. The adult mentor may assist by calling but may not carry a firearm or long bow. The bag limit for the special weekend is one bearded bird per youth hunter. This will be part of the state’s two bird season limit. The second bird cannot be harvested until May 1 or after. All state wild turkey regulations remain in effect. If a junior hunter is successful, they must report the bird within 48 hours by calling 866-GAME-RPT.

Deadline Approaches for Kids Fishing Contest –

      The 30th Annual Take a Kid Fishing Trip will be held on Sunday, June 1 and the deadline for getting your name into the hat to be on of the 20 lucky winners is fast approaching. The event, sponsored by the 1000 Islands Inn and Fishing Charters, is open to all youngsters between 9 and 15 years of age. The 20 kids selected will received a northern pike fishing charter in the 1000 Islands out of Clayton. The drawing will take place on April 19th so internet entries must be sent in by April 18th. Mail in entries on a post card can be sent to Take a Kid Fishing Contest, P.O. Box 69, Clayton, NY 13624. Be sure to include your name, address, phone number, age, date of birth and the name of the publication and writer that you saw the story in. Mail in entries must be postmarked by April 15. For internet applications, check out www.1000-islands.com/fishing/contest.

Olcott Pen Rearing Project Needs Volunteers –

        Curt Meddaugh of Pendleton is looking for a few good men, women and capable children who are willing to help out with the Olcott Pen Rearing Project for salmon and trout at the Town of Newfane Marina. On April 19th, the group – spearheaded by the Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association (LOTSA) - will be meeting at 8 a.m. at the marina to start getting the pens ready and putting them in the water. This year, they will be increasing the numbers of salmon going into the pens, jumping from 50,000 to 67,100 fish. They will also continue to pen 3,500 steelhead. As a result, they will be utilizing all four pens this year and they will need to get them all ready for the fish. If you need any additional information, give Meddaugh a call at 491-7771. Speaking of LOTSA, the fishing club will be meeting this Thursday at the 4-H Building of Cornell Cooperative Extension Niagara at 4487 Lake Avenue (Route 78), Lockport at 7 p.m. Guest speaker will be Capt. Marlowe Bies giving a seminar on advanced spoon fishing techniques in the clear waters of Lake Ontario.

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Federation Honors Area Conservationists

        The top conservationist of year was current Federation president John Butcher of Lockport and the top club of the year was the 3-F Club of Lewiston as the Niagara County Federation of Conservation Clubs held their annual awards banquet at the Tonawandas Sportsmen’s Club last Saturday night before a crowd of about 150 people

        Each year, the NCFCC honors the top conservationists that stand out to preserve, protect and enhance our natural resources, including the popular pastimes of hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation activities.

        The Oliver Jones Memorial Award for the county’s top conservationist/sportsman went to Butcher for his hard work and dedication the last four years as president of the group. “When I took over as president, I asked myself what would my legacy be?” said Butcher. “If I could accomplish one thing, it would be to strengthen and create more youth shooting programs in the county.” He’s done that and more with the development of a portable shooting trailer, a scholastic clay youth program and more. He’s also a hunter safety instructor, a member of several sportsmen’s clubs and is also involved with the Friends of the NRA fund-raising banquet. Butcher runs a successful business, Summit Print and Mail, with his wife, Cookie.

      The top club award, the Leroy Winn Memorial Award - a revolving trophy – went to the Fin-Feather-Fur Conservation Society (3-F Club) of Lewiston for all their hard work in 2007. They hosted a very successful Kelly for Kids program last summer and also supported many other fund raising efforts from wildlife rehabilitators to physically challenged people. They also helped with the shooting day of the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers, making it one of the most successful ever. They have hosted the Pheasants Forever youth hunt for ten years, showing a commitment to the future of hunting, shooting and other outdoor activities.

    The Carl Lass Memorial Award for youth of the year was doubly rewarding for area youth this year. First, Brandon Culverwell of Wilson was recognized for his outstanding leadership, volunteerism and possessing a strong conservation ethic in following in his father’s footsteps, Stan Culverwell. The 14 year old 9th grader from Wilson Central has attended DEC conservation camp, worked on an Adopt A Highway program locally and helps his dad with hunter safety training, trapper training and nuisance wildlife control. He was also the primary reason for a clean-up of the Wilson piers when a problem occurred last year.

McKeown Wins Robinson Award – Paul McKeown, Region 9 Fisheries Manager for DEC, was named the 2007 recipient of the Milford “Pinky” Robinson Award for dedication to the Great Lakes fisheries. While McKeown has long been a friend of the sporting and conservation community, McKeown’s efforts really stood out last year when a salmon egg shortfall was realized and a secondary plan to collect eggs was needed to supplement the state’s take at the Salmon River. He worked nights and weekends to help bring the project to a conclusion. An employee with DEC since 1984, he’s been the Region 9 Fisheries Manager since 2004.
   
       A second award was given to Ashley Butcher of Lockport, possessing the same ethic and dedication. Daughter of John and Cookie, she, too, helps out with all the functions that her parents are involved with (which are many!). The 13 year old, an 8th grader with North Park Middle School in Lockport, scored a perfect 800 on the SAT math test, is in the high honor society with a 98.6 average and took her first turkey last year in the youth mentor hunt. She was one of the outstanding campers at the DEC youth conservation camp in Rushford and routinely volunteers for other committees and functions.

    Assemblywoman Francine DelMonte presented the youth awards and then gave a brief update on legislation that would help to lower the big game hunting age in the state to 14. While it’s not a done deal yet, she was upbeat and positive about working toward this goal with DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis.

    The Ken Berner Memorial Award, for special dedication to a sportsmen’s heritage program, went to John Gensler of Newfane. He stands for conservation. In 2000, he bought a 100-plus acre farm and performed some intense habitat work. He was named Wildlife Habitat of the Year by Pheasant Forever in 2001. He didn’t stop there, either. He applied to be part of the Wetlands Reserve Program and was finally accepted in 2005. Since that time, he has put 50 acres into the program and constructed seven marshes for the benefit of waterfowl and other wildlife.

    Victor Fitchlee Lifetime Achievements Awards went to Rena Israel of Wilson and Gary Lowe of Niagara Falls. Mrs. Isreal, a charter member of the Wilson Conservation Club Auxiliary, was honored last year by her group for being a member all 50 years of the group’s existence. She’s a dedicated hard-worker that knows how to get things done. Lowe is the senior member of the hunter safety training community. His home base is the LaSalle Sportsmen’s Club, but helps out the entire county with his expertise. He is also a previous winner of the prestigious Gen. Douglas MacArthur Award given out by the Masonic Lodge organization.

    The John Daly Memorial Award for Legislator of the Year went to U.S. Representative Thomas Reynolds. He was recognized for his years of service to the outdoor community, especially his perfect record in working to protect the Second Amendment rights of all Americans. He was one of the driving forces to saving the Niagara Air Force Base and continues to sponsor key legislation to conserve and protect our Great Lakes.

    The Steve Fountain/Arch Lowery Memorial Award for outstanding hunter safety education as it relates to archery when to Larry Koch of Newfane. He’s one of the big go-to guys that people look up to and a constant volunteer for the cause.
    The James Reed/Don Meyer Memorial Award for hunter safety training as it relates to firearms went to Dale Dunkelberger of Lockport. Dale has been at it a long time and continues to provide outstanding leadership in the hunter safety arena. He’s always learning new information, new techniques to teach and reaching out to get new people involved.

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Bronson, Godfrey Make 2008 Class in Hall of Fame

         The late Don Bronson of Niagara County and Charles “Chuck” Godfrey of Erie County were two of 11 selected inductees into the New York State Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame for 2008, with the official act taking place when they hold their banquet on April 26 at the Rusty Nail Restaurant in Canastota. This will be the 25th anniversary celebration of the Hall of Fame and it’s only fitting that these guys are being selected during a milestone year. 

        The NYS Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame is dedicated to honoring the men and women who have made significant contributions to preserving and protecting our outdoor heritage. They are also the leaders who pass on the outdoor tradition for future generations to come. They all help to make this place a better place to live.     

       Bronson exemplified everything that the Hall of Fame stands for. He was a standout hunter safety and waterfowl identification instructor, a representative on the Western Zone Waterfowl Task Force and was honored by the county’s Federation of Conservation Clubs many times. He was also the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award by the New York State Conservation Council. In addition, he was a Leopold Education Project Facilitator, passing along his outdoor knowledge to students and teachers alike. He passed away in December 2006. 

      Godfrey, who lives in Cheektowaga, worked tirelessly for over three decades with the Western New York Chapter of Trout Unlimited. He is a past president of TU and was a long time chairman of their Stream Project Committee. For his volunteer efforts, he received the coveted TU Silver Trout Award for outstanding service and was also recognized by the state’s Conservation Council as Amateur Conservationist of the Year in 2005. He was past president of the Erie County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs for five years and currently serves on the county’s Fisheries Advisory Board. He’s the board representative to the Niagara Greenway Commission. 

       Other inductees into the Hall of Fame this year include: Raymond “Mick” Elliot of Saratoga County; Dr. John Braico of Queensburg; Rudy Hektor of Binghamton; Harry “Bud” Woodfield of Broome County; outdoor writer Ron Kolodziej of Montgomery County; Bill Wellman of Plattsburgh; and former DEC Commissioner Mike Zagata of Otsego County. 

        Bronson is one of three selections that will be inducted posthumously into the Hall this year. The other two are C. Scott Sampson of Seneca County and Tim Noga of Cayuga County. All were friends of this writer and of the same class of individual that Bronson represented for his 40-plus years of service to Niagara’s sportsmen and women. For more information on the Hall of Fame, contact Leo Maloney at 315-363-3896. If you’d like to attend the dinner, you must contact Maloney by April 18. Their website is www.nysohof.org .

A-1 Bait Opens Friday in Lewiston –

     A-1 Bait Supply will be opening up for the spring season this Friday from 6:30 a.m. to noon, Thursday through Sunday until April 1. When April hits, hours will change to 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the days will increase to Tuesday through Sunday according to Ron Hutcheson. His new flatfish order is in with the new colors, replacing the discontinued Kwikfish colors. His self-service bait shop located at 5425 Grauer Road in the Town of Niagara continues to be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week. If you have any questions, the Lewiston shop phone number is 754-1895.

Deadline for Refuge Funding Approaching –

       The National Wildlife Refuge System is in dire straits right now in the way of funding for refuge operations and maintenance. Costs have not kept up with the rate of inflation or costs associated with environmental, conservation and law enforcement challenges at these refuges around the country. A deadline to support legislation that is asking for $514 million in funding is fast approaching. This Wednesday, an important letter is being sent to the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee requesting the funds to support he National Wildlife Refuges in the coming fiscal year. The Izaak Walton League of America has been leading the charge to write letters to their Washington representation and they’ve made things extremely easy on their website through their Conservation Advocacy Center. Simply log on to their website at www.congressweb.com/cweb4/index.cfm?orgcode.IWLA and plug in your contact information. Your zip code tells you who your representation is and they help you formulate a letter to send out via e-mail. With timing so critical right now, don’t delay and send out a note today. If you didn’t know, National Wildlife Refuges provide critical habitat for all sorts of fish and wildlife. In turn, it provides an abundance of outstanding recreational opportunities in the great outdoors, from hunting and fishing to hiking and birding. We need to funding to keep this good thing going.

Input Sought On 2008-09 Waterfowl Seasons –

       The state’s Department of Environmental Conservation is seeking input toward recommendations from the Empire State for the 2008-09 waterfowl seasons. Task Force representation has been appointed for most of the zones that make up the waterfowl hunting areas including members from conservation groups, waterfowl organizations and individual hunters. If you’d like to provide some input into the process, contact your area representative and pass the word along for what you’d like to see. For example, if you’d like to see an early opener for ducks, let them know. 

      If you’d prefer an earlier late season or a longer late season, contact one of the Task Force members and let your voice be heard. Since the passing of Don Bronson, we lost Niagara County representation on the Task Force, something the Niagara County Federation of Conservation Clubs fought very hard for. Best Task Force members to contact for input would be Ken Alfes of Darien Center at 585-547-3579 kalfes@excite.com ; Ken Zolnowski of Cheektowaga at 716-836-2239 zolnowski@cubrc.org ; or Bill Howell of Arcade at 585-496-5162 bill.howell@fisher-price.com . The deadline for submitting comments or recommendations is April 3 for ducks. If you’d like to make comment on other migratory game birds such as Canada geese, snow geese, brant or woodcock, contact members of the DEC Waterfowl Season Setting Team. In Region 9, that would be Connie Adams-Meesig at 851-7010 or Mike Ermer at 372-0645. In Region 8, it’s Mike Eckler at 585-226-5458.

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Larson Wins Niagara River Steelhead Contest

        Capt. Roy Larson of North Tonawanda did something last Saturday he’s been trying to do for a long time – win the Niagara River Anglers Association’s steelhead contest. While drifting a pink egg sack in the tail end of the Stella drift, the retired school teacher managed to out-duel at 14 pound, four ounce steelhead to best 76 other anglers in the one day contest. A guide in these waters, Larson was fishing with friend and fellow captain John DeLorenzo of Niagara Falls. “It was kind of a fluke I even fished it,” said Larson. “John was supposed to have a charter fishing trip and his customer cancelled last minute with the flu. He called me up to fish it and I didn’t like the cold weather in the forecast. He actually talked me into it and I’m glad he did!” 

        Fishing conditions have been tough this year. With Lake Erie not freezing over and lots of wind and rain muddying the waters up, the trout fishing in the lower Niagara has been inconsistent at best. The anglers received a bit of a reprieve on Saturday, with good enough conditions to catch some fish and keep anglers happy. “We caught fish in Devil’s Hole, Artpark, Queenston and Jackson before catching the winning fish on Stella. Egg sacks worked for us all day and I know some boats caught fish on Kwikfish, too. We probably caught a dozen fish for the morning.” Larson wasn’t sure what the key to his success was other than pounding the water and trying out different areas. “We seemed to catch the same size fish on most drifts, so we moved around to seek out some bigger fish. It worked.” 

       Larson prefers a seven foot, nine inch G. Loomis steelhead rod equipped with a Fin-Nor spinning reel. While running a three-way rig, his egg sack was trailing a seven foot lead of eight pound fluorocarbon line. “You want as natural a presentation as possible,” said the avid waterfowler and 3-F Club skeet shooter. He won just under $400 for his efforts. Mike Sullivan and Dan Covell tied for second place with each catching a 12 pound, six ounce steelhead. However, Sullivan claimed the second place prize by weighing his catch in first at Lewiston Landing. According to Larson, Sullivan hauled his catch from Artpark while fishing from shore. Then again, Larson is the guy that followed the wrong car in an attempt to follow his guide while out goose hunting in the Finger Lakes this past goose season, so who knows for sure. Anyway, nice job, Roy! You did good!!

Niagara Outdoors Hosts Big Buck Measuring Day –

      Jeff Pippard of Niagara Outdoors in North Tonawanda sends word that his shop will be hosting a NewYork State Big Buck Club measuring day on Saturday, February 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Official scorers Pete Labushesky, Don Haseley and Dave Muir will be on hand throughout the day to score your antlers and give you an official measurement. Food and refreshments will be available. Niagara Outdoors is located at 223 Witmer Road (on the corner of Warner). If you have any questions or need any additional information, give Pip a call at 695-5873.

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Déjà vu All Over Again For Bunky Derby

To quote a famous line from Yogi Berra, it was Déjà vu all over again for the Third Annual Ron Meesig Memorial Fishing Contest - also referred to as The Bunky Derby - held on the lower Niagara River last Sunday. It's funny how things happen sometimes. 

Held two weeks later this year, this fun fishing competition isn't really about who catches the biggest fish (although some local captains would argue that point); and it really isn't about how much money they can raise for a most worthy cause (more than $500 was raised this year for the American Brain Tumor Association); it's about getting together, having a good time and remembering a special friend who really loved to fish these local waters. 

Connie Adams-Meesig of Lewiston started this event up back in the fall of 2005 to get her friends together and "share some love" in remembering her husband. It was at a time of year when local charter captains were "bonding" on the lower river in pursuit of the king salmon, a profession that "Bunky" shared while on this planet. And this little fishing derby has blossomed into a kind of lower river fellowship that anyone who had knew Ron and participated in it looks forward to each fall. One thing is for sure, no one goes away hungry! This year's menu included a truckload of chicken legs, moose tenderloin, venison sausage, deep fried turkeys, chili, moose burgers (and beef), hot dogs and all the fixin's. 

Now the Déjà vu part of the day. Since it's inception, the name of Cinelli has been synonymous with the winners plaque. The first year it was Capt. Joe Cinelli of Grand Island while fishing with Rich Seig of New Jersey. The second year it was Karen Cinelli of Newfane taking the top spot. This year, as luck would have it, it was Capt. Joe Cinelli again in the winner's circle. His fishing partner? Rich Seig of New Jersey, who just happened to be on the boat again taking a charter. They boated a 20.8 pound salmon first thing in the morning in Devil's Hole to take the top prize. 

Second place went to Capt. Jim Gordon of Appleton with a 20.4 pound king and third place was Capt. Scott Endres of Grand Island with a 19.9 pound salmon. Fourth place was Capt. Eric Elenfeldt of North Tonawanda with an 18.7 pound Chinook, followed by 13 year old Nathan Lapides of Williamsville with a 17.7 pound king. He was fishing with Capt. Mark McGranahan of Tonawanda. After a bit of coaxing, Connie put this derby together last minute. She wondered whether or not there would be enough help to get everything accomplished. 

Volunteers came out of the woodwork to help, whether it was to cook, clean or just provide a dish or two to pass. Everyone chipped in to make the event a real success all the way around. Even if you didn't know Ron, you could have listened to some of the stories flying around Lewiston Landing as the chefs cooked moose over charcoal in a brand new propane grill. They couldn't get the new burners to light so they improvised and turned the grill into a charcoal grill! 

The show must go on!! Thanks to all who chipped in made this year's Bunky derby a real success.

See this webpage: http://www.outdoorsniagara.com/bunkysalmonderby.htm 

Western Zone Waterfowl Season Opens Oct. 23 -

If you're looking to chase ducks, coot and mergansers in the Western Zone of the state, the first half of the season will be from October 23-December 6. One of the biggest highlights for area waterfowlers (especially during the late season Dec. 29 to Jan. 12, 2008) is that the daily limit for canvasbacks has been increased to two birds per day in response to record high population levels. Of course, these two birds would be part of the daily bag limit of six ducks. That daily bag includes all mergansers and may include no harlequin ducks. In addition, no more than four mallards may be taken (two of which may be hens); one black duck; one pintail; two wood ducks; two redheads; two scaup; four scoters; and two hooded mergansers. If Canada geese is your pleasure, Niagara County and to the south and east (referred to as the South Zone) will be open from October 27 to December 16 with a daily limit of five birds per day. Slip over to the West Central Zone, which includes much of the Finger Lakes, the season is Nov. 3 to December 2 with a daily limit of three per day. The West Central Zone also has a late season of Dec. 29 to Jan. 12, while the South Zone has one last season from Dec. 26 to Jan. 13 and another that will take place from March 1 to 10 - both with daily bag limits of five per person per day.

Bear Management Meetings Set -

The Department of Environmental Conservation has announced that a series of public education workshops are currently being held to discuss the future management plans for black bears. Bear populations have been thriving in recent years, with secure populations existing in the Adirondacks, Catskills and Allegany regions of the state - the three areas that allow hunting. Already for this fall, bear hunting in the Catskills Region has been expanded to help control increased population levels. Public input is needed to help shape the future of black bear management. It's important that the hunting community turn out to help support hunting as an important tool to help control bear population levels around the state. While several meetings are slated for later this month, meetings have yet to be announced for Regions 3, 5 and 6. Here in Region 9, meetings are slated for: October 23 at Cuba-Rushford High School in Cuba; October 24 at Concord Town Hall in Springville; and October 25 at the Frank Bratt Agricultural Center in Jamestown. All meetings start at 7 p.m. For more information and a complete listing of meetings around the state, check out www.dec.ny.gov/animals/38155.html 

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Niagara Outdoors for Tuesday  August 21 2007 

Passing of John Long, Sr. Is End of an Era

By Bill Hilts, Jr.

    When the news came through that John J. Long, Sr. had passed on to the 
happy hunting grounds last Wednesday, it was like a chapter out of the Twilight 
Zone. Could this really be happening? Time stood still as I reflected on his 
storied past. Previous hunting and fishing trips we shared, outdoor writer 
conferences we attended together, hockey games we cheered and jeered through and 
meetings we toiled through together. They were all adventures in their own 
right and they are coming to a close now that our close friend is gone.

    John J. Long of Niagara Falls, NY was a legend of sorts.  While his focus 
was on bears and his love of the hunt, his legend knew no boundaries around 
sportsman and conservation circles.  A former Conservationist of the Year, 
honored by the New York State Conservation Council for his lifetime achievements 
and unselfish dedication to the state's natural resources, Long's list of 
accomplishments was as his name suggests. Most recently, he was inducted into the 
New York State Outdoorsman Hall of Fame last April, located at the Gander 
Mountain store in Utica. I'm proud to say I was there for the induction ceremonies, 
an honor that was well deserved and long overdue.

    In the interest of time and space, we'll jump through some important 
times of his 74 years of life.  Growing up in the rural expanses of Western New 
York, Long worked his way through college - nearby Niagara University - by 
catching fish from the Niagara River and selling them to local restaurants.  While 
he concentrated on blue and yellow pike, he'd even harvest sturgeon for 
Buffalo-area eateries.

    Fast forward to his first exposure to bears and bear hunting.  That was 
back in 1962 when friends Harry Balmer and Dale Rinker invited Long along on a 
trip to Northern Ontario, Canada.  His life changed forever, in more ways that 
one.  After spending several months on choosing a place to go, corresponding 
with several bear hunting lodges, they finally selected Long Point Lodge near 
Goganda.  Not only were they extremely helpful, Long took it to extremes like 
he almost always does: he married the lodge owners' daughter (not on this 
first trip, though).  That first year he was the only one to take a bear.

    "I was still hunting an old overgrown logging road that fateful day," 
said Long has he reflected back four decades for an article I wrote for the North 
American Bear Foundation Journal. " I had walked about 15 miles when I came 
across a grassy slope and decided to rest.  I dozed off, only to be awakened by 
something.  As I sat up, there was a black bear less than 50 yards from me 
grazing.  It only took one shot from my .30-06 Model 70 Winchester to take my 
first bear.  The rest is history.  I was bit by the bear bug!"

    Among other things, he fell in love with bear hunting and the wild 
country of Northern Ontario.  After several trips up hunting and fishing that same 
year, he decided to get a place of his own up north, doing so in 1963 in 
Englehart.  Four years later, he purchased the camp he owned up until his last days 
on Crooked Creek in Kenogami, near Kirkland Lake.  "I still remember the day, 
August 23, 1967," said Long.  "It cost me $385 for 80 acres of land, the 
buildings and the furniture.  We performed the transaction in one day."

    Long was known for his stories.  As his name suggests, most of them were 
like that.  But don't ever question the validity of his real life experiences 
because they really have happened.  Since 2003, he collaborated with me as a 
featured writer in the NABF publication, keying in on some of the humorous 
aspects of bear hunting.  With 45 years under his belt, he had quite a few stories 
to tell. The sad part is that those stories, as they can only be told by 
Long, are now only part of the legacy he's left behind.

    As we mentioned, his employment is insurance and he's well known across 
the country in that capacity.  He was one of the few people in the U.S. that 
would work to insure hunting and shooting clubs, as well as game farms and 
preserves. 
 
      His reputation even extended into the political arena of the Empire State and 
beyond.  A personal friend of former New York Governor George Pataki, Long 
was asked to take over the Republican Party in Niagara County in 1996 - a 
position he held until 2000. But that's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to 
his political affiliations in working the system to support the conservation 
movement. He was a very close friend with Senator John Daly, serving as 
chairman of his Conservation Advisory Committee. His influence was a key to Long's 
legacy of leaving this world a much better place to be.
A big responsibility of Long was being Chairman (and  vice chairman) of the 
state's Conservation Fund Advisory Board .  It's the job of CFAB to oversee the 
state Department of Environmental Conservation's expenditures as they relate 
to fish and wildlife.  License money revenues in the state are earmarked for 
something called the Conservation Fund and there are restrictions on how that 
money can be spent. Through Long's leadership, he was able to keep a watchful 
eye on DEC and provide both helpful insight and constructive criticism
While he was often busier than a one-armed paper hanger, he would always make 
time for bears and bear hunting.  "It's the hunt that I truly love," said 
Long.  "I learn something new every time I'm in the bush with these animals.  
I've come to understand their habits, which directly relates to hunting success.  
These animals are very territorial and I use that to my advantage when 
hunting them.  While I don't shoot that many bears any more, I still love the 
hunt...and the meat."

    The last bear he harvested wasn't a black bear at all but an Alaskan Grizzly 
bear taken the middle of April 2001.  All Long's trips are adventures and this 
one was no different.  A call from a friend clued him in on a canceled hunt, 
looking for someone to pick up the difference.  While an Alaskan grizzly hunt 
was the furthest thing from his mind at the time, his love for bears and bear 
hunting got the best of him.  Within two weeks, he was headed off St. 
Michael's, Alaska to hunt with Jerry Austin and his Austin's Alaska Adventures.
Working with master guide Austin, they pinpointed a coastal area where Austin 
had sighted a big bear the previous fall.  They immediately found bear sign 
around a dead walrus that had been frozen all winter and just recently thawed 
out.  It was just a matter of time before Long got his shot and his first 
grizzly.  The huge bruin stood at better than 9-1/2 feet tall and weighed over 
1,000 pounds!  Long was in that final phase of a hunter's life.  It didn't matter 
if he harvested an animal or not, he still enjoyed the hunt itself.  "I get 
more enjoyment in seeing someone else get their first bear, deer or turkey than 
in taking one myself.  When someone gets that first animal, they're walking on 
air and bustling with pride.  If I didn't like the meat so much, I'd never 
shoot another animal myself."

     John Long truly was an outdoor legend.  You never know what's going to happen 
next, either.  He loved hunting alone and often did so chasing moose each 
fall.  One year, while hunting far back in the bush, he hyper extended his knee 
just prior to a major snowstorm.  Everyone feared we lost him when he failed to 
come out.  Search parties were formed as they tried to locate him.  One thing 
about John is that he always prepared for the worse case scenario and this 
was it.  He had some food and built a shelter.  He also had a space blanket to 
keep his warmth.  Surviving a foot of snow for several days, he was able to 
construct a makeshift crutch and hobble his way out almost eight miles.  Oh, yea, 
he got his moose, too.
     
      He was also a family man, proud of sons and daughters… and grand kids. 
He went out of his way to take them hunting and spend time with them, as we all 
should. He was a model for us to follow in so many ways.
           
     From his involvement with the Niagara River Anglers Association 
and his walleye pond project donation to his involvement with things like the 
Strawberry Island project, he made things happen. He was a leader with the state 
Conservation Council and the state Outdoor Writers. He was one of the doers 
we don't hear enough about, the people in the trenches working to make things 
happen.
  
      There are still many more stories to tell. Hats off to one of Long's 
daughters, Amy Long-McCalister who put together an excellent video tribute of her dad 
- nearly an hour of memorable Long pictures through the years and set to some 
of John's favorite songs. The many people who showed up at the funeral home 
all took turns watching as they laughed - and cried - through this pictorial 
collage. It would have made Long happy and I could sense him smiling down on us 
as we watched. In the background, you could hear people tell their own Long 
stories and some of the memories he passed along through his time here on Earth.
    
      John Long, Jr. was up north at the camp this past week to close things 
down for the winter. While using the outhouse one day, he looked over through 
the window and saw a bear paw! As he stood, he could see a big black bear 
carrying around a gas can, almost like he was looking for something. Yes, even the 
bears up north will be missing John, Sr.! Thanks to Long, our life is much 
fuller and we live in a better place. His legacy will live on forever. But like 
the bears up north, we'll miss him terribly now that he's not with us any more 
physically. However, we'll all be carrying around a piece of his spirit. Thanks 
for the memories, John!

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Sportsmen Lose Another Pillar

Don Bronson's death leaves a big void.
Bill Hilts, Jr.

         The outdoor sporting community lost another true leader last week when Don Bronson of Newfane passed away. He was 71 years old, leaving behind a legacy of education that has affected thousands upon thousands of people - in more ways than one. 

         Unfortunately, the obituary in the paper really didn't do him justice as to how influential this man really way. It simply said he was a teacher for Niagara Wheatfield, a hunter and handgun instructor and belonged to the NRA. That was it. 

          The memorial service held at Niagara County Cooperative Extension in Lockport helped to celebrate his life and times as a father, grandfather and friend to more than 200 in attendance. Memories flowed (as did tears and laughs) as they remembered Bronson. However, it still didn't convey how important he was to the outdoor fraternity. 

         John Butcher of Lockport, president of the Niagara County Federation of Conservation Clubs, had this to say about Bronson: "As one of Niagara County's Hunter Education Master Instructors Bronson was someone that the sportsmen's' community depended on to teach us how to be safe a field. 

         Don was at his best when in front of a group of young adults teaching hunter education and it was obvious he loved doing it. His energy and passion for teaching were the driving forces that help make Niagara County's Hunter Education program one of the finest in the United States. 

         He will be sadly missed by the Federation as our mentor and friend." As a hunter safety instructor for both firearms and archery for over 35 years, he truly made the fields and forests a safer place to be - educating thousands of new hunters. Gary Lowe of Niagara Falls was a Master Instructor who worked alongside Bronson for decades. "He came across as a tough guy," said Lowe, "an image that carried through from his days as a U.S. Marine. But once you got through that rigid exterior, he was loving, caring and compassionate. He sincerely wanted to educate his students." 

        Bronson was a man dedicated to the cause. When asked to step up, he did just that. For instance, when the Western New York Relicensing Committee was looking for a chairman to oversee an environmental subcommittee, he didn't make any excuses. He answered the call. 

         When ased to serve as a task force member for Western New York waterfowl, no questions were asked. He filled the role that needed to be filled, with passion, fervor and knowledge. 

       Some of these accomplishments also help tell the story about this man:

* He was named the Oliver Jones Memorial Award recipient in 1995 by the Niagara County Federation of Conservation Clubs, symbolic for sportsman of the year. -- 

* He was selected as the General Douglas MacArthur Youth Award recipient in 2005 by the Mason Lodge. -- 

* Other Federation Awards included the Steve Fountain Memorial Award in 1991 and again in 2006; the James Reed Memorial Award in 1997; and he also received a Distinguished Service Award from the New York State Conservation Council. -- 

* Bronson also received The American Chestnut Foundation (New York State Chapter) Director's Award for Excellence in Education.

And while this recognition was all well deserved, it truly paled in comparison to how much work this man did for the great outdoors and the wealth of people it surrounds. Whether it was with waterfowl identification (another one of his passions), hunter education or anything else he was involved with, Bronson was a public servant that made Niagara County a better place to be. Let's hope he's in a better place, too.

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Pelcin Will Be Missed --

        Charles "Chuck" Pelcin of Amherst passed away this week and his obituary didn't do him justice as to what he meant to the sporting community. As a board member of the Niagara River Anglers Association, he served with his heart and soul for 24 years - since its inception as a charter member. Here's some quotes from people who worked with him over the years: Paul Jackson, current NRAA president: "Chuck was very passionate about the environment, especially as it related to the Niagara River system. He served as an excellent steward to these resources for sportsmen and all the people who live here." Doug Stein, NRAA past president for nine years: "Chuck Pelcin was stability and common sense all rolled up into one. Of all the letters written in the nine years I was president, Chuck wrote them all. He was the voice of the NRAA." Frank Campbell, current NRAA Board Member: "He was level headed with a great sense of hummor. Whenever there was a conflict of opinion or a disagreement, leave it to Chuck to bring it back under control with a smile."

        Pelcin was one of a kind. He was an excellent spokesperson for sportmen and highly respected in the community as a former principle of Niagara-Wheatfield Central School. He was also a good friend, always taking the time to come over and say hello. He will be missed more than most will ever realize.

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Remembering a Friend on the Lower Niagara 

By Bill Hilts, Jr.

       Earlier this year, the Lower Niagara River lost one of its own when Capt. Ron "Bunky" Meesig lost his battle with a brain tumor. Not wanting to let his memory be forgotten, his wife, Connie Adams-Meesig, decided to put together the