It is now official.

[cyclops2]

All the surviving SMB that were dumped in Clayton waters after each contest.. Have formed up into small school groups.  Are now swimming in and with  the schools of bait fish.   Very tough to get to bite. I have foul hooked some bait fish while dragging a lure thru the baitfish. Back to loose  big mommas & males.

Side note about the gobies & muscles.  There are almost gone in the bay.

[Spankey]

Fish a bigger swim bait….maybe. Maybe drop shot them if you can keep them on your finder. 

[cyclops2]

It is like us living in a restaurant. That feeds us any time we are hungry.   I did 6" Silver & Blue and Yellow Perch lures.   I went back to basic structure & random casting in proven areas. 

 

The number of 1 & 2 year old fish of all types is UNREAL. Less or no gobies is probably the reason.

[Spankey]

I take it you troll a lot of Rapalas. 

[cyclops2]

Yes They are so old that some fish do not remember.  Or have never seen them.  So they bite.

 

 Lures get to well known. They refuse to attack them.

[Spankey]

On 9/10/2021 at 3:46 PM, cyclops2 said:

Yes They are so old that some fish do not remember.  Or have never seen them.  So they bite.

 

 Lures get to well known. They refuse to attack them.

I throw a lot of old school patterns. I love fishing Bomber Model A’s. Well Bomber must be on their way to out of business because you can’t find them and the ones you do are about only 3 colors worth and the 3 are not on my hit parade. Hope the trolling works out for you. Something I know little about. Get one of the pigs to bite. 

[cyclops2]

I almost cheated with  using a cutup perch strips on a Rapala. I let the little perch go. I still C & R 2 nice male SMB & a JUMBO Yellow Perch.   They were enough. The 2 hours went fast in the fish chair dozing on & off.     ?

[MN Fisher]

5 minutes ago, cyclops2 said:

I almost cheated with  using a cutup perch strips on a Rapala. I let the little perch go. I still C & R 2 nice male SMB & a JUMBO Yellow Perch.   They were enough. The 2 hours went fast in the fish chair dozing on & off.     ?

New Jersey only allows some types of baitfish to be used...perch isn't on the list, so it's illegal in NJ to use perch as bait...whole or cut-up.

https://www.eregulations.com/newjersey/fishing/freshwater/baitfish/

[cyclops2]

Right   But I am in N Y  Perch is not a game fish here

[Spankey]

Well you found them that’s a big advantage over how it was going for you not all that long ago. 
 

Maybe continue to mark them. And drop stop for them. 
 

The recent PA floods have ruined my Smallie fishing for the rest of the season I take it. At least from getting on the water. Access ramp to river is destroyed. The whole park is destroyed. I’ll have to check a few other ramps I use. 
 

Have not missed out on much fishing really from the rains. Switched over to the lake and Greenie fishing. Lake is heavy stained but I sort of like that water condition. 

[cyclops2]

Water is down to 64 SURFACE . The small baitfish are in the very shallows again.  With bigger fish cruising.  Have not tried sundown & before sun rise.

That slime & big clumps of slimy have dropped way off.  The weeds have reduced a LOT. Fall turn over is coming fast now. 

Most normal people are having a bad year on old spots not producing as well. Off season fishermen with loaded  high tech boats are complaining also.  Leaving after 1 or 2 days. Not staying a week or more to fill up freezers.

The hundreds of LAKE BASS dumped in Clayton have thinned out. Maybe went UPSTREAM to the smell of the lake?  For more & easier food ?  Very different year for sure.

 

Daylight hours are getting  short now. Weeds are reducing fast. Get the ice gear ready ?   ?

 

[Spankey]

I’m south of you some, in PA,  I have to keep my mind in the summer mode. I have surf water temps @ 71-73 deg at sun up. We have a hot 1/2 of a week this week before cooling off some. I might dog off work Friday and fish in the rain. If it’s rain and not wind driven rain I think I’m in. Pulled off a few nice fish this past weekend. No prize or anything to brag over but a few nice fish. I don’t get into a lot of chatter at the dock or on the water with guys but have had a few tell me they are struggling. I’m not setting the world on fire but not getting skunked. I just try to fish hard and not give up. I’m a bit butt hurt and butt chapped over the flood situation. But the lake does have better (size) bass there. 

[cyclops2]

 Only took the the soft 7' rod with  4 # TEST & small rubbers for perch. Boats came over to see why I was doing so many hook ups. I lifted up a stringer of 6  BIG 3" & 4 "  perch. I almost laughed 2 times.  No SMB .  Having fun is fun also.    ?

[cyclops2]

The water lcel is now at record lo levels. hey drop it for ......FUTURE flooding .........reasons all fall & winter.

 

 The River Commission has too much legal grass to burn.  The only reason N Y has low Great Lakes water ?   Is all you people have even less.  My logic could be wrong.

 

Forgot  There is a massive power dam & generators across the St. Lawrence River.  They NEED to let LOTS of water out to make money.

 

The fish have never had a steady water level to live in this year.

 

  Oh well